Stevenage put their faith in the loan market once more in August 2016, with manager Darren Sarll securing the services of young midfielder Henry Cowans. The player arrived at the Lamex Stadium for a five-month spell, to start with at least, with Boro’ boosting their options in the centre of the park. In his time here, he did make himself a regular in the first team; appearing 22 times in total, although a goal eluded him.

Henry Cowans: Before Boro’

Cowans came to Stevenage from his parent club Aston Villa, where he had forged a path through the club’s youth ranks. He came described as a “diminutive” midfielder, hoping to follow in the footsteps of father (and Villa legend) Gordon Cowans. And Boro’ would play a part in his development.

It was a mixed 2015-6 campaign for the midfielder, with Cowans in and out of the Aston Villa U21 starting line-up in the latter stages of the season; a season that Villa made the Barclays U21 Premier League Division Two play-off final. But, being at the Lamex, gave him the chance to step up a level.