This month 1984 - Willie Maddren - Extra Time

Erimus74

Erimus74

Well-known member
Boro's manager in the process of trying to build a team to stop the rot & help us move forward & with restrictions on the finance side of the club tried to sign Joe Waters, a defensive midfielder, who had been given a free transfer from Grimsby Town

After meeting the late, great Willie Maddren Joe was keen to sign on the dotted line if, the Boro could match his £300 a week wages he was on at his former club & £5k signing on fee to cover his moving expences

The club couldnt match his terms, no signing on fee & could only offer £250 a week

He eventually had offers to play in America, out of courtecy Joe phoned Willie back to say he really fancied the idea with signing for the mighty Boro but the offer to go to America aas to good to turn down, he's still there to this day in a coaching role & Willie's team building continues
 
Willie Maddrens next target, John Trewick, a former WBA midfielder who had been released from Newcastle & had been interested in joining us until Oxford, who had just been promoted from the 3rd division, offered more wages & so, he signed for Jim Smiths Oxford

We were in dire financially leading up to 86 & couldnt compete with the Oxfords & Grimsbys of the world back then
 
We had to sell Mick Kennedy (to mainly pay bank interest on loans) and replaced him with Mick Buckley - no comparison. Quite a few players released on frees, Mick Baxter, Gary McDonald were two first teamers replaced by journey man Mick Saxby and a 33? year old David Mills suffering badly from a series of long term injuries.

Our summer friendly tour of Scotland was completed in two mini-buses - one driven by Willie the other by David Mills to keep cost very low.

To me things had reached close to rock bottom. Bobby Murdoch had lost the plot with some of his signings. Big Mal struggled to halt the decline despite a valiant effort. That damned Sport Hall had drained quite a bit of money out of the club. It had been finished in 1981 but still not fit to open to the Public. Crowds had dropped from 16k to 5k.

1984/5 was going to be survival season from the off. I bought a season ticket for £33 for the Holgate, full of hope - you have to if your are a long term Boro fan. I didn't know what the next 10 months had in store for me personally neither, but I had a shiny new BA Hons degree, at the time the first person in my working class families to have ever done so, but I was not on stable ground domestically.
 
Mick Buckley was ever present, then missed 2 matches suspended. He came in as sub in the next match when available again - then was released.
Seemed to go very quickly from playing every game to being released
 
Redwurzel said:
We had to sell Mick Kennedy (to mainly pay bank interest on loans) and replaced him with Mick Buckley - no comparison. Quite a few players released on frees, Mick Baxter, Gary McDonald were two first teamers replaced by journey man Mick Saxby and a 33? year old David Mills suffering badly from a series of long term injuries.

Our summer friendly tour of Scotland was completed in two mini-buses - one driven by Willie the other by David Mills to keep cost very low.

To me things had reached close to rock bottom. Bobby Murdoch had lost the plot with some of his signings. Big Mal struggled to halt the decline despite a valiant effort. That damned Sport Hall had drained quite a bit of money out of the club. It had been finished in 1981 but still not fit to open to the Public. Crowds had dropped from 16k to 5k.

1984/5 was going to be survival season from the off. I bought a season ticket for £33 for the Holgate, full of hope - you have to if your are a long term Boro fan. I didn't know what the next 10 months had in store for me personally neither, but I had a shiny new BA Hons degree, at the time the first person in my working class families to have ever done so, but I was not on stable ground domestically.
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Good post
 
Nosmo-King said:
Willie Maddren was a shrewd judge of a player. Under different circumstances I am sure he could have assembled a decent squad of players
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He did assemble a great group of exciting players for Bruce Rioch to take us to an unbelievable few seasons & when some of those players were sold the club were rewarded financially
 
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Stephen Pears - Bought by Willie Maddren
Brian Laws - Bought by Willie Maddren
Tony McAndrew - Bought back by Willie Maddren, part of the Darren Wood plus cash transfer to Chelsea
Tony Mowbray
Don O'Riordon - Bought by Willie Maddren
Gary Pallister - Bought by Willie Maddren
Bernie Slaven - Bought by Willie Maddren
Colin Cooper
Archie Stephens - Bought by Willie Maddren
Gary Hamilton
Peter Beagrie - Debut by Willie Maddren

Bruce Rioch - Brought to club by Willie Maddren

The late, great Willie Maddren certainly had an eye for a player
 
Struggling to score goals in the 2nd half of 84/85 season due to Dave Mills & Dave Curries goals drying up Willie went looking at potential goalscorers
1st one, Willie put a £50k offer in for Ian Baird, which was accepted, talks took place, with IB a bit reluctant to drop down, which could effectively be 2 divisions, if the Boro get relegated, sadly he decided to stay at Southampton much to the anger of manager Lawrie McNememy who phoned WM to say hes disappointed in Ian Bairds reaction & that he had no future at Southampton
2nd striker, Willie moved onto Brightons CF Terry Connor who was homesick, again a £50k offer & was agreed between both chairman, Willie was invited down to the south coast to complete formalities for the player to watch Brighton v Blackburn & asked that Connor didnt feature in the game

Sadly not only did Connor start, he scored 2 goals in a 3-1 home win & on top of that & to tge annoyance of Willie the deal was cancelled, Brighton officials were embarrased having asked Willie to travel so many miles on a tuesday night

Again, Willie was proving that he had an eye for talent, but that he was just so unlucky in his role
 
Erimus74 said:
Struggling to score goals in the 2nd half of 84/85 season due to Dave Mills & Dave Curries goals drying up Willie went looking at potential goalscorers
1st one, Willie put a £50k offer in for Ian Baird, which was accepted, talks took place, with IB a bit reluctant to drop down, which could effectively be 2 divisions, if the Boro get relegated, sadly he decided to stay at Southampton much to the anger of manager Lawrie McNememy who phoned WM to say hes disappointed in Ian Bairds reaction & that he had no future at Southampton
2nd striker, Willie moved onto Brightons CF Terry Connor who was homesick, again a £50k offer & was agreed between both chairman, Willie was invited down to the south coast to complete formalities for the player to watch Brighton v Blackburn & asked that Connor didnt feature in the game

Sadly not only did Connor start, he scored 2 goals in a 3-1 home win & on top of that & to tge annoyance of Willie the deal was cancelled, Brighton officials were embarrased having asked Willie to travel so many miles on a tuesday night

Again, Willie was proving that he had an eye for talent, but that he was just so unlucky in his role
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Very under-rated was Willie. If he`d been at a "fashionable" club - he would have played for the National side.
Goodness knows how he managed to plough on in those dark days.
Says a lot about the man.
Every time I`ve read "Extra Time" it still brings a lump to the throat.
(y)
 
E74

You missed out Mitch Cook, Pat Heard and Gary Rowell - all bought in the summer of 1985?

MC, PH were misses for me, GR scored a good few goals, but age was against him.

Did Cooper make his debut at home to Hull in early 1986 after Willie had gone?

I remember seeing Ripley @ a game against Blackburn around April 1986 - he looked very good even at 18.

1985/6 was a frustrating season you could see some improvements and young talent coming through, but we were drawing too many games and sometimes not getting the results we deserved.
 
Redwurzel said:
E74

You missed out Mitch Cook, Pat Heard and Gary Rowell - all bought in the summer of 1985?

MC, PH were misses for me, GR scored a good few goals, but age was against him.

Did Cooper make his debut at home to Hull in early 1986 after Willie had gone?

I remember seeing Ripley @ a game against Blackburn around April 1986 - he looked very good even at 18.

1985/6 was a frustrating season you could see some improvements and young talent coming through, but we were drawing too many games and sometimes not getting the results we deserved.
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Hi red, only up to 84/85 season so far

Willie introduced Stuart Ripley to reserve team football when Rippers was still at school

Just picking snippets of intetest as I go along through the book
 
After a bust up with chairman Alf Duffield WM handed in his resignation which was promply refused by the chairman, Willie was then told he'd have £50k to buy a player, or players, to strengthen his 1st team at a crucial time of the season

The players that Bruce was going to inherit & benefit so much from is starting to take shape when firstly, Brian Laws was signed from Huddersfield for £30k, followed by Archie Stephens at £20k from Bristol Rovers

Great bit of business
 
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