Be honest... what were the feelings towards Big Jack in June 1984?

He had no intention of staying on, he said that at the beginning, he was there to help out, we were already in a mess, big mess, big Jack not staying on didnt make it any more of a mess to us fans
 
The club were clutching at straws and us fans were clinging to the hope a saviour would come.
The writing was on the wall.
Nothing was going to change the high esteem every Boro fan had for Big Jack.
 
In 1984 JC came to help out Willie Maddren who had just taken over after Big Mal resigned, because he was been told to sell Darren Wood.

In 1977 was not unhappy for JC to leave, because we were getting too defensive and were not progressing. JC would not sign players. In 1976/7 we only signed Alf Wood a Millwall reserve forward to replace John Hickton. And that was after selling Malcolm Smith to Burnley.
 
That's true, and John Neal stepped in and changed what was needed.

Looking back, there weren't many transfers in those days at the Boro compared to now. Jack only made two good signings for us in the four years, Murdoch and Cooper. Boersma and Alf Wood were awful signings.

His track record at his other clubs was nothing out of the ordinary but with us and Ireland he was brilliant. He re-organised what he had to play with to great effect.
 
Our greatest manager.
Was once at the opening of the Student accommodation(I think that's what it was anyway) opposite Dormans Museum. Big Jack, Mills, Jim Platt possibly Souness and a couple of others were their for the opening. We were in the bar mingling with them all and I asked big Jack a question. He said "go and get me a pint and I'll tell you when you come back". He didn't have to ask I would have bought him a pint anyway.
 
That accommodation was the Polytechnic's the Halls of Residence. once got drunk on Old Pecuiler in the Bar at a gig by Mungo Jerry!

I think its a care home/ OP residential accommodation/Medical Centre now.
 
I will check ou, sure it was the programme I mentioned which may have a write up what he intends to do over the following weeks, months then hand over the reigns to Willie Maddren
 
I appreciate this question as I wasn’t born then so peoples opinions help me learn more and more about Boro’s greatest ever Manager.

I was only a teenager myself at the time, but what you’ve got to understand is just how bad a team we were at the time, how shambolic the overall running of the club had been for a few years and how a combination of those and the hooliganism that infected football (particularly at the Boro) at that time had driven a lot of fans away.

Most people were resigned to things being bad, so the fact that Jack came back at all to help out in that situation was really appreciated. I can’t recall anyone resenting him for then going to Newcastle, don’t think anyone could blame him.

Might have been different had he made them successful mind, but fortunately that didn’t happen.
 
I was only a teenager myself at the time, but what you’ve got to understand is just how bad a team we were at the time, how shambolic the overall running of the club had been for a few years and how a combination of those and the hooliganism that infected football (particularly at the Boro) at that time had driven a lot of fans away.

Most people were resigned to things being bad, so the fact that Jack came back at all to help out in that situation was really appreciated. I can’t recall anyone resenting him for then going to Newcastle, don’t think anyone could blame him.

Might have been different had he made them successful mind, but fortunately that didn’t happen.

Thanks for that.
 
None at all. He came back as a favour if I recall, there was never any intention for him to come back full time. Football rivalries were very different then and a lot less bitter than they are now. I for one always wanted Big Jack to do well except when one of his teams played.
 
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