Stevenage injury news for the trip to Barnsley in League One Stevenage will be missing three players for the trip to Barnsley in League One. The sending off of Louis Thompson against Wigan Athletic last Saturday for two yellow cards means he will serve a one-match ban in South Yorkshire. And Boro will also travel without injured duo Jake Forster-Caskey and Dan Butler, with both not yet fully fit for selection. Manager Alex Revell said: "We've lost Louis due to suspension and that's a bit of a blow because he's done so well and he's important to us. "But we have got some fantastic players to step in. "Jake Forster-Caskey is not available again and we've got to make sure that he's ready to go. "So he’s missing, along with Dan Butler. He won’t travel because we've got to be really careful with his type of injury. "He’s got to be 100 per cent ready to go, which he is but we've just got to make sure that internally, he's ready to go too. "But apart from that, we're ready to go and excited by the trip, excited to go and watch this team put on a performance." And they head to Oakwell on the back of the victory over Leyton Orient in the Vertu Trophy, achieved with a much-changed squad. And that has given the boss plenty of food for thought. Revell said: "That's what I wanted. I wanted those players to go and perform and if you ask them to do that, you have to be honest with them. "If you say to them ‘go and perform and show people that you're good enough to be in the team’ and then you don't [put them in], it sometimes looks like you’re going against your word. "But there were definitely people within that team on Tuesday that showed they are ready to play and they're back. That’s great. "We’ve got to make sure that when we come into this run of away games, we have to make sure that the whole team starts to produce those moments, the shots and crosses and good defending. "The lads that did that on Tuesday have definitely put their names in the hat."
There was an apology for sounding like a broken record but Alex Revell admitted Stevenage's pursuit of new players in January is being hampered by some "insane" spending from divisional rivals. Seven-figure deals have almost been commonplace in the winter window as League One clubs fight to bring in additional firepower. Boro have been looking but some of those they have spoken to have been attracted elsewhere. The boss said: "It’s the same issue as before and I am sounding like a broken record unfortunately for everyone. "We're looking obviously and of course we want to make our squad better. "The elephant in the room is obviously goals scored and it's fact that we have to deliver more to win more games. We can't rely on clean sheets and our defensive record. "So we are looking to improve but it is not an easy window at all. "Some of the money that you're seeing is insane and we have to make sure that we stay real to who we are as a football club. "But we are looking but they have to improve us and they have to fit in with our character. "They're not easy to find but we're working extremely hard to try and find that one that does." It is a part of the job he is enjoying though, partly because he gets to tell the world about why he loves the club so much. Revell said: "It takes your mind away from games because you're constantly speaking to people and constantly looking. "It's constantly in your brain about how we can evolve and who makes us better. "It helps when you've got good staff behind you that you can allow to train and coach and look after people. "And I enjoy the chase, even if sometimes I don't enjoy the answer or the reply. "We’ve worked really hard on a few that we're still talking to, but sometimes you're in the lap of the gods and someone coming in last minute and just squashing everything you've done because financially, maybe they're at a greater level. "And those are the times when you get a bit frustrated. "We’re selling this really, really top football club with good people in it, good fans and a great group of players and all we know that when we get them and they come in, they’ll realise what a club we are and they will enjoy it. "That's what we have to keep promoting because it is a fantastic place to be. "So yeah, fun times but frustrating at times too."
