By Pete Oliver

Stimson has warmed to the task at Broadhall Way

Stevenage Borough manager Mark Stimson hopes he will be "lucky" enough to guide the club to promotion to the Football League.

Stimson believes Boro are geared up for League football and after several near misses in recent years, the former Grays Athletic boss would love to be the one to take them there.

"When I took the job I said I needed a new challenge," Stimson told BBC Sport.

"Some people said I might be going sideways because it was to a team in the same division.

"But this is a big club which has never had League status and that's something I would love to be able to deliver."

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He added: "I said after the FA Trophy final that whoever does take the club into the League will be a lucky manager because once it does go up it can kick on.

"The fan base, infrastructure and the way that the club is run is all there.

"That's my aim and that's what I came here to do, but it is a difficult league with some big ex-League clubs in there. You only have to look at the top of the table."

Currently leading the Blue Square Premier are Torquay United, who have regrouped successfully following their relegation from League Two last season.

Oxford United are another well-supported club scrambling to get back after their first attempt ended in the play-offs last season and Stimson has the pair in his sights.

When I took over the fitness levels of the players here was not what I expected Mark Stimson

"If you get above those two you won't be far away. They are not just big clubs, they have got good players and that's what it's about," he said.

Stimson also has a regard for Cambridge, Kidderminster and York City but is encouraged by the recent history of Conference champions.

"Dagenham and Accrington have shown us and Burton, Grays and Ebbsfleet, who have not been there, that we can go and grab it. If Dagenham can do it, so can we," he said.

Mark Arber is one of the new arrivals at Stevenage this season

The arrival of Stimson from Grays last summer raised expectation levels and despite finishing just eighth in the league Stevenage went on to lift the FA Trophy.

For former Tottenham, Newcastle and Portsmouth full-back Stimson it was his third successive victory in the competition but he did not dwell long on the Wembley triumph.

"That was great and the celebrations were great but we knew we needed to add some more quality to the group," he said.

Over the summer Stimson recruited a handful of new players, including experienced defender Mark Arber, who had helped Dagenham & Redbridge over the finishing line last season, and midfielder John Martin, who played a key role in Stimson's league and cup success at Grays.

And Stimson also had his squad back to work early to make sure they hit the ground running at the start of a season which has seen Boro lose only one of their first seven games to trail Torquay by just a place and a point.

"I'm very pleased. It was important this year that we got off to a good start because last year we didn't. And after the first game at Crawley we have kicked on," Stimson added.

When I took the job I said I needed a new challenge Mark Stimson

"It's down to good players and a lot of work in the close season. They had only had a three or four week break and then came in a couple of times a week in June.

"They did some circuit training a couple of times a week and worked reasonably hard which gave them a base. Then when we started pre-season they already had that base to work from.

"Last season when I took over the fitness levels of the players here was not what I expected and that showed in the start to the season.

"This time we have prepared properly and added some quality, which has helped along with the work we have put in on the training field.