INIH JUST THE PERFECT FOIL!
INIH EFFIONG hopes his NonLeague know-how can help lead a fresh start at Stevenage.
The 29-year-old striker, who scored 16 goals for Dover Athletic this season, is Alex Revell’s first signing at the Hertfordshire club who are set to drop down from the EFL.
Effiong has been joined the door at the Lamex Stadium by Femi Akinwande. The 24-yearold forward hit 12 goals in the National League South for Braintree Town and Billericay Town.
Stevenage won the Conference title in 2010 and reached League One but they struggled all season and finished bottom of League Two on points-pergame.
Rookie boss Revell started his own successful playing career in Non-League and Effiong is confident the club are taking the right approach to mount an immediate promotion challenge.
“The club obviously didn’t have the best of seasons but when he came in they were doing OK and I’ve spoken to some players about his philosophies and they all say he’s a really good guy and knows what he wants,” Effiong told The NLP. “He’s starting his journey and I want to start that with him.
Ambition
“Even though I’m 29 he wants to help me push on as well and try to help him as much as possible. I talk to him most days and I get along with him well. I can’t wait to start.
“Obviously, when I signed I was hoping there was a small chance it would in the Football League but, either way, I know the National League well.
“He’s building a team that can do something next year. It’s not about making up the numbers we want to try and challenge and push ourselves. That’s what he’s going to make us do.
“The National League is not easy. It’s rare a team comes down and goes straight back up. But they are getting NonLeague players who know the division well. That can hopefully help us hit the ground running.”
Effiong, who lives close to Stevenage, is relishing the opportunity and hopes it will be the place where he can fulfil his EFL ambition.
“I played in Scotland but I still want to play in the Football League,” the former Ross County, Woking and Barrow frontman said. “Hopefully I can do that with Stevenage.
“I was happy with my goal return last season. I was gutted I couldn’t get to 20, I was four away and I believe I could have done that with eight games to go.
“I’d been at Dover for two seasons and been top scorer both seasons. I enjoyed my time there but I wanted a new challenge.”
Effiong wore a Black Lives Matters t-shirt at his Stevenage unveiling – a cause and message close to his heart. The striker was subjected to racist abuse from opposition supporters during Dover’s National League game against Hartlepool United and spoken openly about his experiences.
He hopes recent events triggered by the death of George Floyd, who was murdered by a police officer in America, are helping to push the conversation forward and educate people who are blind to the systemic racism in this country.
Change
“It’s something I’m passionate about,” Effiong said. “What’s happening now with Black Lives Matters is brilliant because it’s opening eyes for people who haven’t seen things through our eyes. It took something drastic for it to happen.
Hopefully things can change.
“People have maybe said or done something not realising it is racist – that it is normal or nothing really wrong with it just because you haven’t been directly racist to a black person.
“There are a lot of white people in support of Black Lives Matters which is really good.
“I see people online saying, ‘I didn’t realise this happened and I’m educating myself to understand what is going on.
“There aren’t the same opportunities for a black person as there is as a white person. People are seeing that now and realising that.
“If we can all push it out as much as we can and not stop, because this isn’t a phase, then that will be good because black people live this every day.
“Hopefully things are changing and there will be better opportunities for black people. We have to keep pushing and make change.”