This day 3rd February 1986 was to be a sad day & the start of one of the most amazind periods in our history

Erimus74

Well-known member
After saturdays 3-1 defeat at home to Lennie Lawrences Charlton it was a sad day with the news that the late, great Willie Maddren was released today from his positon as manager of the Boro & probably, IMHO, his most important signing, Bruce Rioch, who Willie brought back over to the UK from America as 1st team coach, not a manager back then, was given the position of temporary manager till a new one was found

Willie had brought some cracking players to our football club but the club were in a massive decline, we were only going one way, in his book 'Extra Time' Willie states thats its just not going to work out for him at the Boro, IMHO, the right man at the wrong time

Along with some of the players he brought to the Boro who made a massive impact were Gary Rowell, Archie Stephens, Stephen Pears, his final signing Bernie Slaven, Gary Pallister, Brian Laws & along with the youngsters he brought through, Peter Beagrie, Stuart Ripley & Alan Kernaghan, he also tried to sign Terry Connor a big, bustling striker from Brighton, Neil Pointon a young full back from Scunthorpe, who eventually signed for Everton among others he tried unsuccessfully to sign
My younger brother had recently been involved in a horrific works accident & was in the General hospital, I wrote a letter to Willie Maddren hoping he would send some players to visit him which would have picked him up no end & delivered it to AP myself, the girl in reception told me WM had been dismissed, I was probably one of the 1st to find out, but will place it on the managers desk for the next manager to see the letter, which was Bruce Rioch, he picked up the letter, called in Tony Mowbray telling him to pick some players to visit my brother, which he did, along with Mogga, Steve Corden, Tony McAndrew, Gary Gill, Don O'Riordan, I'd like to think the 1st team Bruce picked was to visit my brother
I still have that news cutting & picture

Bruce inherited an excellent squad of players
 
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