The great, late & best Boro defender in my time made his home & full debut this day 1969

Erimus74

Well-known member
When Bury arrived at Ayresome Park for the final 2nd division match of the season

Stan Anderson gave Willie his 1st home start, which was his 2nd appearance after been named sub in a 2nd division fixture away to Bristol City January 1969

Willie became the 475th registered Boro player when he came off the bench for Frank Spraggon back in January

Back to this day 1969, Stan naming Willie in the starting line wearing No10 shirt, with Eric McMordie wearing the No8 shirt with John Hickton rested for this game

The mighty Boro had gone the whole season unbeaten at home & with almost relegated Bury coming to town the odds were good that we would complete our 1st ever unbeaten season as a football league club

Unfortunately no one told Bury who ran out 3-2 winners & our final outside chance of promotion, finishing a respectful 4th

Willie became the 86th different Boro player to score on his full debut
Eric McMordie scored our 2nd goal & his 6th
Willues goal came from a corner, minutes later we were awarded anotger corner, Willie rose above everyone & smashed his header against the crossbar, leaving a stain ball in print on the crossbar

On returning to the club after their summer break Willue noticed the ball stain mark frm his header 3 months previous was still visible on the crossbar

A disappointing crowd of 10,417 watched our final home game

Between 1968-77 Willie played 343 games, scoring 21 goals
 
In an interview more than 30 years afterwards, Dickie Rooks was still upset with Stan Anderson that it was he who was dropped to make way for Willie, although according to the BB, Willie wore a number 10 shirt that day - Bill Gates wore Rooks' No. 5.

Rooks' beef was that he had appeared in every other League game so far that season, and he wanted to get the full season under his belt.

Stan Anderson said in interview that he was building for the next season, and a the dim likelihood of Boro's and other teams results falling in Boro's favour meant that it was a good time to blood a youngster. In this same game, he also gave Joe Laidlaw his second start, and in the next, final game of the season David Mills made his first appearance as a substitute.

Dickie Rooks interview:
 
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