17th December 1982 - Cambidge United 2 the mighty Boro 0

[erimus74]

17th December 1982 - 1st meeting between both clubs & a debut Boro player
The mighty Boro travelled to the Abbey Stadium for a Friday night second division fixture, our 1st ever encounter with Cambridge United

Boro manager big Mal made just the one change from the team that beat Chelsea 3-1 at Ayresome Park the previous Saturday & wearing the No8 shirt our latest signing, Paul Sugrue, registered No551 replacing David Shearer

Big Mals team are hoping to carry on where they left off against Chelsea & fingers crossed, record our 2nd away of the season
Unfortunately it wasn't to be & normal service was resumed as we suffered our 3rd defeat in 4 games, losing 2-0

We have faced Cambridge 8 times in our history, drawing 4 & losing 4

Jim Platt
Paul Ward
Joe Bolton - Terry Cochrane
Irving Nattrass
Mick Baxter
HeineOtto
Darren Wood
Paul Sugrue
Mick Kennedy
Ray Hankin
Stephen Bell

When Big Mal arrived at Ayresome Park Harold Shepherdson was in caretaker role following the dismissal of Bobby Murdoch with the Boro struggling at the foot of the second division & looked to be heading for our second successive relegation following our relegation from the top flight only 5 months earlier.
Big Mal saved the Boro when he steered us away from the bottom 3 & to safety with 3 points to spare & even better, 3 teams between us & 3rd bottom, remarkable achievement considering the small pool of players he had at his disposal

Heine Otto & Dave Shearer were our top scorers on 9 goals each with Stephen Bell just behind on 8
Heine Otto & Darren Wood played everyone of our 47 league & cup games with Stephen Bell only missing the second leg of the league cup home cup tie

We lost at the first round of the league cup, losing to fellow second division  Burnley

5/10/1982 - League Cup 1st leg - A Burnley 2-3
26/10/1982 -League Cup 1st leg - H Burnley 1-1

We enjoyed a good run in the FAC

8/1/1983 -  FAC3rd round Bishop Stortford H 2-2
11/1/1983 - FAC3rd round replay Bishop Stortford A 2-1
29/1/1983 - FAC4th round Notts County H 2-0
19/2/1983 - FAC 5th round Arsenal H 1-1
28/2/1983 - FAC 5th round Arsenal A 2-3