This day 1966 - Happy birthday, debut & win to Mr Middlesbrough

[Erimus74]

Mr Middlesbrough starts life at the Boro

This day 1966 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, debut & gooooaaaalllllllll

John Hickton, born 24th September 1944, he was 22 when he made his Boro debut, scored his 1st Boro penalty (becoming the 43rd different penalty goalscorer & the 147th penalty since becoming a league club) which brought the Boro back from 2-0 down to win 3-2

John Hickton, signed for the mighty Boro on Friday, September 23rd, 1966 the day before the game v Workington

Secretary Harry Green drove to his home in Chesterfield to complete the signing, apparently other clubs were in for him but Harry got in first, well done Harry, we are forever in your debt

On the day of the game he was met at Scotch Corner by club captain, Gordon Jones & manager, Stan Anderson

Middlesbrough were at the foot of the 3rd divison table when John Hickton made his debut, registered No459, wearing the No5 shirt, playing at centre half, with Dickie Rooks injured.
Big John was marking Workington’s Max Tolson & struggling against the striker who scored twice in the opening 17 minutes

On the 37th minute Boro were awarded a penalty & no one wanted to take it. Hickton asked who the penalty taker was and was told it was Rooks, he wasn’t playing.

Big John stepped up with the ball & smashed in to the net, to bring us back in to the game at 2-1, Boro's 147th penalty & becoming the 83rd player to score on their Boro debut
And a penalty taking legend was born

The goal proved to be the turning point for the Boro who played with a lot more confidence after the break
With 18 minutes remaining Horner’s pass was flicked on by Chadwick & Horsfield cracked the ball home from close range
5 minutes remaining & the crowd in full voice Boro grabbed the winner. O’Rourke drove in a cross which Horsfield met at the far post to head home

3-2 to the mighty Boro

We got the 2 points & a penalty king was born

Boro team
Des McPartland
Geoff Butler
Gordon Jones
Ian Davidson
JOHN HICKTON
Billy Horner
David Chadwick
Arthur Horsefield
John O'Rourke
Jim Irvine
James Lawson.

And I'm lucky enough to have met the great man a number of times, while also receiving a good luck message on the day of my daughters wedding

 

[timetoretire]

Thanks, Erimus. I remember that game well. We had started the season badly after being relegated and it was beginning to look like a repeat was on the cards. Big John's signing proved to be something of a turning point for him and us. We got better as the season progressed and credit to Stan Anderson for playing Hickton upfront. A great bit of business!

 

[r00fie1]

Mr Middlesbrough starts life at the Boro

This day 1966 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, debut & gooooaaaalllllllll

John Hickton, born 24th September 1944, he was 22 when he made his Boro debut, scored his 1st Boro penalty (becoming the 43rd different penalty goalscorer & the 147th penalty since becoming a league club) which brought the Boro back from 2-0 down to win 3-2

John Hickton, signed for the mighty Boro on Friday, September 23rd, 1966 the day before the game v Workington

Secretary Harry Green drove to his home in Chesterfield to complete the signing, apparently other clubs were in for him but Harry got in first, well done Harry, we are forever in your debt

On the day of the game he was met at Scotch Corner by club captain, Gordon Jones & manager, Stan Anderson

Middlesbrough were at the foot of the 3rd divison table when John Hickton made his debut, registered No459, wearing the No5 shirt, playing at centre half, with Dickie Rooks injured.
Big John was marking Workington’s Max Tolson & struggling against the striker who scored twice in the opening 17 minutes

On the 37th minute Boro were awarded a penalty & no one wanted to take it. Hickton asked who the penalty taker was and was told it was Rooks, he wasn’t playing.

Big John stepped up with the ball & smashed in to the net, to bring us back in to the game at 2-1, Boro's 147th penalty & becoming the 83rd player to score on their Boro debut
And a penalty taking legend was born

The goal proved to be the turning point for the Boro who played with a lot more confidence after the break
With 18 minutes remaining Horner’s pass was flicked on by Chadwick & Horsfield cracked the ball home from close range
5 minutes remaining & the crowd in full voice Boro grabbed the winner. O’Rourke drove in a cross which Horsfield met at the far post to head home

3-2 to the mighty Boro

We got the 2 points & a penalty king was born

Boro team
Des McPartland
Geoff Butler
Gordon Jones
Ian Davidson
JOHN HICKTON
Billy Horner
David Chadwick
Arthur Horsefield
John O'Rourke
Jim Irvine
James Lawson.

And I'm lucky enough to have met the great man a number of times, while also receiving a good luck message on the day of my daughters wedding


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Great stuff. If only we could find another John Hickton before Christmas.
Hope you ok young man

 

[guisborough_rob]

One of the best footballers for Boro. Along with Souness and Maddren, great Ayresome heroes.

 

[Erimus74]

Thanks, Erimus. I remember that game well. We had started the season badly after being relegated and it was beginning to look like a repeat was on the cards. Big John's signing proved to be something of a turning point for him and us. We got better as the season progressed and credit to Stan Anderson for playing Hickton upfront. A great bit of business!

Won the 1st, drew another then lost 4, bottom of the 3rd division going into this game

 

[Rofesleg]

Won the 1st, drew another then lost 4, bottom of the 3rd division going into this game

We were still in 17th place on Xmas Day.
Incredible turn around for promotion.
All is not lost this season!

 

[timetoretire]

Boxing Day we went to Darlington and won 3-0. The next day we played the return fixture and won 4-0. That really did get the club moving in the right direction. Just for good measure, The Monkees were no.1 with "I'm a believer".

 

[weststandwally]

That was my first season going regularly and from being dire to gradually build momentum all started from Big John and then Willie Whigham signing a couple of weeks later.I may be wrong but I am sure we didn't get into a promotion spot until the last game of the season when we beat Oxford 4-1 in only the 2nd home game I missed due to being locked out that night.
On another note I used to play football for a team ran by ex Sheffield Utd keeper John Hope who said Big John was one of the dirtiest forwards he faced in the days when goalies weren't given the protection they got in later years.

 

[Capybara]

It must have been interesting making his debut against a rugby league club.