The good old days, this day back in 1978

Erimus74

Well-known member
The mighty Boro brushed aside Derby County 3-1 to win our 4th game on the bounce, with goals from John Craggs his 11th career goal & 1st ever top flight home goal, David Mills with his 9th of the season & John Mahoney scoring his final goal of 2 Boro career goals

John Neals debut season as manager picked the following team

Jim Platt
John Craggs
Ian Bailey
John Mahoney
Stuey Boam
Alan Ramage
David Mills
Stan Cummins
Billy Ashcroft
Tony McAndrew
Davey Armstrong
Sub
Billy Woof

Attendance - 20,703
IMG_20210224_190828.jpg
 
Interesting to see Bruce Rioch and Don Masson in midfield for Derby. We should have held on to Masson.
 
Last edited:
The mighty Boro brushed aside Derby County 3-1 to win our 4th game on the bounce, with goals from John Craggs his 11th career goal & 1st ever top flight home goal, David Mills with his 9th of the season & John Mahoney scoring his final goal of 2 Boro career goals

John Neals debut season as manager picked the following team

Jim Platt
John Craggs
Ian Bailey
John Mahoney
Stuey Boam
Alan Ramage
David Mills
Stan Cummins
Billy Ashcroft
Tony McAndrew
Davey Armstrong
Sub
Billy Woof

Attendance - 20,703
View attachment 14276
Sir Bruce in the Derby team
 
We played PNE at home in Nov. 1967 and won 5 - 0. [Those really were the days!] He was the outstanding midfielder on show and scored with a long range shot if I remember correctly. He didn't get a start after that for a number of matches, McMordie reclaiming the midfield spot. Nobody could fathom it at the time and his sale to Notts County was poor business. I think that he and Stan Anderson didn't see eye to eye and there was always going to be only one winner there. Shame really as I think he could have helped Stan's team into the top division.
 
In the world cup that year Rioch and Masson were both selected to play for Scotland in the opening game defeat to Peru, they weren't good.

Souness, who was streets ahead of the pair of them, was eventually picked for the game against Holland, which they won.

I could never understand how much Souness was ignored by Scotland at that stage of his career.
 
We played PNE at home in Nov. 1967 and won 5 - 0. [Those really were the days!] He was the outstanding midfielder on show and scored with a long range shot if I remember correctly. He didn't get a start after that for a number of matches, McMordie reclaiming the midfield spot. Nobody could fathom it at the time and his sale to Notts County was poor business. I think that he and Stan Anderson didn't see eye to eye and there was always going to be only one winner there. Shame really as I think he could have helped Stan's team into the top division.
Imagine playing in Jacks team
 
Didn’t know Charlie George had gone on to play for Derby.
Yes, 15th January 1977 we played Derby at home & were awarded a penalty, Davey Armstrong took the spot kick hit the post, which came back out, hit Charlie George as he was running in & went in the back of the net to put us one nil up, we went on to win 2-0
 
In the world cup that year Rioch and Masson were both selected to play for Scotland in the opening game defeat to Peru, they weren't good.

Souness, who was streets ahead of the pair of them, was eventually picked for the game against Holland, which they won.

I could never understand how much Souness was ignored by Scotland at that stage of his career.
I was in the west of Scotland working and watched the game in a pub. This bloke, the local character was walking about Drunk sing Peru Peru. The landlady walked up to him, took his hand and walked him out of the door. Not a word was said.
 
Yes, 15th January 1977 we played Derby at home & were awarded a penalty, Davey Armstrong took the spot kick hit the post, which came back out, hit Charlie George as he was running in & went in the back of the net to put us one nil up, we went on to win 2-0
Excellent stuff. I actually remember him scoring for Arsenal against Newcastle in a 1-0 win that moved them close to winning the league that year. It was claimed by pundits that George deliberately played the ball onto the thigh of Newcastle defender (Pat Howard? (Just checked, he didn’t play)) directly in front of him and smashed in the rebound from 20+ yards. He was some player. Your 1977 rebound goal is obviously better though!
 
Last edited:
Excellent stuff. I actually remember him scoring for Arsenal against Newcastle in a 1-0 win that moved them close to winning the league that year. It was claimed by pundits that George deliberately played the ball onto the thigh of Newcastle defender (Pat Howard?) directly in front of him and smashed in the rebound from 20+ yards. He was some player. Your 1977 rebound goal is obviously better though!
😁
I'll stick up the match report & a photo of CG on his back after scoring the OG 😁
 
Who's place would he have taken though?
I was thinking of asking the question erimus after reading off others who had seen him play, with a comment of him & Stan didn't see eye to eye, Stan then sold him

Do you think Stans final signing, Graeme Souness, finally replaced Don Masson in Stans mind?
 
I was thinking of asking the question erimus after reading off others who had seen him play, with a comment of him & Stan didn't see eye to eye, Stan then sold him

Do you think Stans final signing, Graeme Souness, finally replaced Don Masson in Stans mind?
I think so Erimus. I was at that Preston Game. Preston were no match for a very positive, attacking, exciting team (in an 11 year olds eyes) but Boro were on the crest of a very long wave and stayed there until just before a disappointing end to a promising season. By the way, we beat Plymouth 5-0 too. I can't remember if it was just before or just after the Preston game. We were a very good team to watch.
 
I was thinking of asking the question erimus after reading off others who had seen him play, with a comment of him & Stan didn't see eye to eye, Stan then sold him

Do you think Stans final signing, Graeme Souness, finally replaced Don Masson in Stans mind?
I met Don Masson a few times ( he was courting / married to my friend's girlfriend's sister!) when he was at Notts County and I'm sure it was just a clash of personalities - I suppose you would have classed him as a bit of a dickey dancer at the time - Stan Anderson tended to want workers/grafters which you have to agree Souness was!
You can see why he fitted into the QPR team in the mid 70's
 
Back
Top