What's the worst Boro squad you've seen?

GazBoro said:
Although technically this season is the worst start we've had (so far), imo it still doesn't compare to the 1982 season. That team, and the start we had that year, was the worst by far.

View attachment 63179

The sad thing is just 18 months before this we had an excellent top flight team full of promise. A cracking team John Neal had built, only to be ripped apart when all the best players were sold by Charlie Amer. Relegation followed, and the above results were our start to the season back in division 2. It was all downhill from then, all the way to liquidation in 86. We also had our lowest ever crowd during that period too. About 3,500 in Ayersome to watch us lose 1-0 at home to bottom of the table Notts County on a freezing February afternoon (we were 2nd bottom). County's first away win of the season.

As bad as it is at the moment, its nothing compared to the 82-86 seasons. Even Strachan's tenure was miles better than back then!
Click to expand...
That Notts Co game was grim. IIRC, they had 2 shots, both went in but one was disallowed. It was poor stuff all round and very very cold. sad times.
 
I would actually say Mogga’s side in 2013 was probably the worst on paper, since I’ve been watching at the end of the 80s. Shows what a remarkable job Karanka did, and what a shame it was that he went west so quickly once he’d turned it all around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: B_G
Glad others have bought up 82-83 as I checked the other day when it was said about this being our worst start. I’d forgotten we got the draw with Derby, shouldn’t have done as I went to all 3 of those away matches at Sheffield W, Newcastle and Derby, strangely we were ok in all of them but absolutely shocking at home.

On the squad front, that season was bad but think it got worse over next couple of years.
 
I first went to Ayresome Park in 1959.
The first and only ever match that I have deliberately stayed away from in my Boro watching life is the game against Oldham after the 4-1 defeat by Grimsby. I had seen some garbage over the years, including the drop to Div 3 in 1966, but Murdoch's team out did all that.

Only those who saw it would understand but Strachan's team was nothing compared to this.
 
Lemmy_kilmister said:

91984-85 season squad statistics​

All competitionsFA CupLeague CupLeague Division Two
SqdFromPlayerASGPYRPosition
(ENG)
Peter Beagrie341Midfielder
(ENG)
Stephen Bell1532Left Winger
(ENG)
Mick Buckley3101Midfielder
(ENG)
David Currie385113Forward
Gary Gill141Midfielder
(SCO)
Gary Hamilton382Midfielder
(ENG)
John Kay80Defender
(IRL)
Alan Kernaghan801Defender
(ENG)
Brian Laws1101Defender
(SCO)
Tony McAndrew3401Defender
(ENG)
David Mills351141Forward
(ENG)
Tony Mowbray4403Defender/Centre back
(ENG)
Irving Nattrass340Right back
(IRL)
Kelham O'Hanlon420--Goalkeeper
Heine Otto4514Midfielder
(ENG)
Stuart Ripley01Midfielder
Alan Roberts20101Right Winger
Mick Saxby170Central defender
Geoff Scott30Defender
Archie Stephens902Forward
Andy Strong60Left back
Paul Sugrue721Forward/Midfielder
(WAL)
Martin Thomas40--Goalkeeper
Paul Ward321Midfielder
(ENG)
Darren Wood80
Click to expand...
That's the one
 
norfolkngood said:
I first went to Ayresome Park in 1959.
The first and only ever match that I have deliberately stayed away from in my Boro watching life is the game against Oldham after the 4-1 defeat by Grimsby. I had seen some garbage over the years, including the drop to Div 3 in 1966, but Murdoch's team out did all that.

Only those who saw it would understand but Strachan's team was nothing compared to this.
Click to expand...
1959
You must have seen some amazing games in that time.
And suffered a few awful performances along the way as well.
I'm glad you saw us lift a trophy.
I will look out for your posts from now on.
You must know a thing or two.
 
jonny_greenings_sock said:
Strachan was bad but at least Barry Robson was alright. I’m gonna say Mowbray’s, **** poor.
Click to expand...
Sorry, there's no way Mowbray's time outstrips Strachan's, not a sniff. With Mowbray's we knew in advance we were cutting costs and operating on a shoestring compared to what we were used to. With Strachan's we were spending wise still one of the big players in the league and were starting off from a perceived position of strength only to fail dismally. I should hope just one of our players turned out to be alright, given the load we'd shot up the wall.

That ginger tos$biscuit's season wins hands down on disappointment value for me.
 
Last edited:
Ipad1977 said:
Sorry, there's no way Mowbray's time outstrips Strachan's, not a sniff. With Mowbray's we knew in advance we were cutting costs and operating on a shoestring compared to what we were used to. With Strachan's we were spending wise still one of the big players in the league and were starting off from a perceived position of strength only to fail dismally. I should hope just one of our players turned out to be alright, given the load we'd shot up the wall.

That ginger tos$biscuit's season wins hands down on disappointment value for me.
Click to expand...
Aren’t we talking about squad on paper? Strachan had two of the highest scorers in Scotland’s league history. Was Strachan that bad, or were the players that bad? I don’t think Strachan’s side was the worst on paper.

If we’re talking about the worst side to watch then I don’t even think Strachan’s side was quite as bad as Woodgate’s. Just because he proclaimed to play “good football” doesn’t mean he actually did, it was diabolical. But I think Strachan’s squad was better (on paper). And as pointed out, he did have Robson who was a great player (mind you so did Mogga for a bit).
 
atypical_boro said:
Aren’t we talking about squad on paper? Strachan had two of the highest scorers in Scotland’s league history. Was Strachan that bad, or were the players that bad? I don’t think Strachan’s side was the worst on paper.

If we’re talking about the worst side to watch then I don’t even think Strachan’s side was quite as bad as Woodgate’s. Just because he proclaimed to play “good football” doesn’t mean he actually did, it was diabolical. But I think Strachan’s squad was better (on paper). And as pointed out, he did have Robson who was a great player (mind you so did Mogga for a bit).
Click to expand...
This is true, we are debating squads here, rather than each manager's performance or the disappointment level, the last meaning that emotion may taint my view.

However, under Mowbray's stewardship we DID have Gibson, Friend, LeadBoots and later Ayala too, which set up the core of our side for Karanka's resurgent spell. Under Strachan we had sweet FA of that ilk, save for Barry Robson and one or two who "weren't that bad."

Not sure how much water the stat of anyone being high scorers in the Scottish league in that period holds mind. Strachan brought the cream of the Scottish league down as they were winners and used to winning and he (and they he hoped) had a point to prove about the honour of Scotland and their finest being more than good enough for England's second tier.

And in the main, England's second tier tore them an absolute new one.
 
Last edited:
The 1966 team were absolutely dire . However they looked like superstars next to the Strachan era. The squad might have had a few better players in but the football was so mind numbingly boring. Added to that was the people I had sat with for years in the North Stand (next too for 5 seats and 6 in front) all gave up their season tickets (divorce and a huge drunken falling out to blame apparrentley ).I was on the end of the row and had no one to talk to unless a walk up appeared. I was bored out of my head. My family were in the South stand so I would regularly make my way up to them just for the excitement of trying to out wit the big grey haired head steward on the half way line who thought me going to the south stand would bring down western civilisation.
 
GazBoro said:
Although technically this season is the worst start we've had (so far), imo it still doesn't compare to the 1982 season. That team, and the start we had that year, was the worst by far.

View attachment 63179

The sad thing is just 18 months before this we had an excellent top flight team full of promise. A cracking team John Neal had built, only to be ripped apart when all the best players were sold by Charlie Amer. Relegation followed, and the above results were our start to the season back in division 2. It was all downhill from then, all the way to liquidation in 86. We also had our lowest ever crowd during that period too. About 3,500 in Ayersome to watch us lose 1-0 at home to bottom of the table Notts County on a freezing February afternoon (we were 2nd bottom). County's first away win of the season.

As bad as it is at the moment, its nothing compared to the 82-86 seasons. Even Strachan's tenure was miles better than back then!
Click to expand...
Can't believe I w
GazBoro said:
Although technically this season is the worst start we've had (so far), imo it still doesn't compare to the 1982 season. That team, and the start we had that year, was the worst by far.

View attachment 63179

The sad thing is just 18 months before this we had an excellent top flight team full of promise. A cracking team John Neal had built, only to be ripped apart when all the best players were sold by Charlie Amer. Relegation followed, and the above results were our start to the season back in division 2. It was all downhill from then, all the way to liquidation in 86. We also had our lowest ever crowd during that period too. About 3,500 in Ayersome to watch us lose 1-0 at home to bottom of the table Notts County on a freezing February afternoon (we were 2nd bottom). County's first away win of the season.

As bad as it is at the moment, its nothing compared to the 82-86 seasons. Even Strachan's tenure was miles better than back then!
Click to expand...
Can't believe I went to the 1st five games of that season
 
Canyoudigit said:
82 to 85 was beyond bad,watching the slow decline of our club which almost proved terminal was very painful to watch.
You know its bad when you struggle to name a favourite player from that era heine otto apart
Click to expand...
This

Makes me depressed just thinking about it (n)
 
This squad will come good, bad start but they require patience and we need to understand that.
As for that team Strachan had, that included so many apparent seasoned pros they were horrific
 
Canyoudigit said:
82 to 85 was beyond bad,watching the slow decline of our club which almost proved terminal was very painful to watch.
You know its bad when you struggle to name a favourite player from that era heine otto apart
Click to expand...
I remember there weren't many chants for separate players during that period in my schooldays.
There was Mogga, Gary Hamilton and an emerging Pally towards the end of that period other than Otto but in terms of fan favourites that would be about it.
 
The Strachan team was truly horrendous. We were actually favourites for promotion going into that season, after doing all that business from Scotland.
 
Ipad1977 said:
Sorry, there's no way Mowbray's time outstrips Strachan's, not a sniff. With Mowbray's we knew in advance we were cutting costs and operating on a shoestring compared to what we were used to. With Strachan's we were spending wise still one of the big players in the league and were starting off from a perceived position of strength only to fail dismally. I should hope just one of our players turned out to be alright, given the load we'd shot up the wall.

That ginger tos$biscuit's season wins hands down on disappointment value for me.
Click to expand...
😁 Ginger tossbiscuit is brilliant. I know, Strachan’s team was more annoying because we were supposed to be good.

But man, I hated that Mowbray team so much and I’m sure Strachan’s team would somehow beat them. Big Ish, Zemmama, Hoyte, Bikey, Faris Haroun, Ledesma.

That was a League 1 squad and the closest we’ve come to relegation imo. Woodgate’s squad were underachieving but they’re weren’t as bad as that.

Edit: McEachran! How could I forget that absolute waste of space.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top