Paul Ince time at the boro

my sister has his match worn shirt from a penalty shoot out game in the cup. that is all i have on ince. great player and leader though!
 
A quality player. Will always remember his goal and celebration against Everton putting us 3-0 up at half time in the F.A cup quarter final.
 
He was outstanding for us.

Yet for some reason never really gets mentioned, and rarely did anyone rave about him at the time. I think because people expected us to push on from our 9th place under Robson and we never did, and although he was good he wasn’t quite as good as our other great signing (Ziege).

He was probably as good as Boateng but for whatever reason George connected with the fans better as his replacement, so he never gets in anyone’s “best Boro XI” etc.
I think that’s a spot on assessment.

My first season ticket was ‘98-‘99, then next season it was fantasy football really watching a midfield of Ince and Gazza playing for the Boro. They were never as good on the pitch as on paper but bloody hell, it’s great to see your idols, right?
 
He was outstanding for us.

Yet for some reason never really gets mentioned, and rarely did anyone rave about him at the time. I think because people expected us to push on from our 9th place under Robson and we never did, and although he was good he wasn’t quite as good as our other great signing (Ziege).

He was probably as good as Boateng but for whatever reason George connected with the fans better as his replacement, so he never gets in anyone’s “best Boro XI” etc.
I think the fact Ince was coming to the end of his career and only played for 2 seasons really, compared to George who was in his prime and had 5 good years is simply the reason he's mentioned much more and picked in most people's Riverside teams as the holding midfielder.
 
Have his shirt from the Sunderland game that he got sent of in. Wore it for the quarters, semi and final the year we won the cup.
 
Paul Ince was a fantastic player throughout his long and distinguished career, football and england miss players like him immensely - he wouldve been the key man in recent tournaments to get the younger guys over the line - literally a game changer. Annointed as the “black shark” at Inter which is far cooler than the self proclaimed “guvnor” and one of the few boro signings who cane at the back end of the career where you really wouldnt know it. Compare and contrast that classy quote above from Ince with the rubbish thats come from other ex players.
 
I think the fact Ince was coming to the end of his career and only played for 2 seasons really, compared to George who was in his prime and had 5 good years is simply the reason he's mentioned much more and picked in most people's Riverside teams as the holding midfielder.
Paul Ince played three seasons at Boro and was still a top player with us.
In my opinion we could have gone down had he not been with us he was that important.
He went on to play for three more seasons at Wolves, winning promotion in his first and playing top flight again after that.

Ince at Wolves appears to be the memory some people have of him at Boro.
He was anything but and imho was a much better player than Boateng. He was better at everything.
 
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