25th August 1973 - Portsmouth 0 v The mighty Boro 1

[erimus74]

51 years ago today the start of an unbelievable, never to be forgotten season

Big Jacks debut season in the Boro dugout, after his long, successful career with Leeds United he now starts life as a manager, our manager

Boro travelled to Portmouth for the seasons opener, who the bookies have tipped as 33-1 for promotion, sports writer, Bob Harris, putting Villa & Boro to fight for the top spot come the end of the season
Big Jack was fortunate in that he inherited a very good team from the previous manager, Stan Anderson, had put together a cracking team that challenged each season to then fall away, how Jack sets us up, formation we play, will go along way to seeing if he will have that little bit extra that Stan was missing to finally end our 20 year wait outside the top flight
In the baking heat the game was settled by a Alan Foggon strike, scoring the only goal of the game in the 21st minute with the
Boro taking both points back to Teesside & Jack starting life in the hot seat with a win 👍
For me, this was the start of the best ever season, which 51 years later, is still fondly remembered by those who were lucky enough & old enough, to witness that awesome team, throughout the season the names on the teamsheet didn't change much, the team just picked itself

Our dad started taking me & my younger brother at the back end of 1971 with the following season 1972/73 the season I started going most weeks

Big Jacks team is most likely the reason I have lived & loved the Boro these past 50 plus years so much

Whenever I see a player wearing the No4 shirt I immediately think of Garaeme Souness
Willie Maddren our best ever defender
6 foot 2, eyes of blue Stuey Boam is after you, my favourite captain
Have we had a better player wear No11 than Spike
Jim Platt my all time favourite keeper
Mr Middlesbrough, John Hickton, my all time favourite Boro player & the list just goes on

Thanks dad x

Big Jacks 1st team he picked
Jim Platt
John Craggs
Frank Spraggon
Stuey Boam
Brian Taylor
Willie Maddren
Eric McMordie
David Mills
John Hickton - Malcolm Smith
Alan Foggon
David Armstrong.



















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