1st February 1986 - The end for a true Boro legend

[erimus74]

And a vital member of Charlton Champions

This day 1986 - Farewell from our club from ONE of our biggest ever legends

IMHO, in my time, our best ever defender

Just think about it, 10 years earlier to the day (31st January 1976) Willie Maddren scored his last ever Boro goal when putting us 3-1 up at home to Newcastle, playing for an excellent team, infront of a bouncing Ayresome Park & to this day (1/2/86) the transformation was sadly heartbreaking, a sparse Ayresome Park watching a struggling Boro team with no money to paint the stands, let alone invest in our future with long time players & as was the case for a number of seasons, good players were sold

This fixture was to be the late, great, Willie Maddrens final Boro match in charge of our great football club

As a club, since relegation in 1982 the Boro were slowly dying, without a win in the calander year while, not only collecting one point out of a possible 12 in January & knocked out of the FAC, have started February in the same run of form as the not so mighty Boro carried on their awful start to 1986 losing 3-1 at home to Charlton. Gary Rowell scoring our consolation goal from the penalty spot, his 10th goal of the season

IMHO, Willie never stood a chance from the beginning, the club had been in free fall since our relegation in 1982 & just hanging on in there by our fingernails, each manager since John Neals sad resignation was working at the club with BOTH hands tied behind their back, we were in the lowest ebb of our entire history & what was to be proven, things had to get worse, a lot worse, before they got better, which thankfully, was to be the case

In the early 80's the club had been managed badly at the very top, excellent players sold, not so bought, both managers, Bobby Murdoch & Malcolm Allison, who followed John Neal, knew money was tight, especially under Malcolm Allison, who had done a remarkable job with only using 15 or so players available, but with buying stop gap players the club were only heading in one direction, if our club wanted to survive we needed to buy well for the future

Sadly Big Mal left (who for me was excellent) with big Jack returning for a brief spell in a temporary managers role, saving us from another relegation fight & then told the board the next manager HAS to be Willie Maddren, the board agreed

When Willie took over the reigns of the club he immediately identified players he wanted at the Boro, no players for a final payday, he wanted hungry players, players who would bring something to his team & not only players he signed played a major part in the clubs fantastic period over the next few seasons that were to follow, but, when some of his signings were eventually sold it brought a massive injection of cash in to the Boro's coffers

There were some really good players Willie tried to sign but just couldn't get them over the line, but with the excellent players he brought to the club then probably his most important & final recruit was Bruce Rioch, the one who knitted the players & club together

Unfortunately, Willie was to pay a price, the board were the ONES to blame for the failure of the running of the club, those who thought it best to sell the clubs jewels in early 80's & replace with lesser quality of players to then end up at our present predicament

Ironically, future Boro manager Lennie Lawrences Charlton brought Willie's time to a final conclusion & up stepped sir Bruce to take over the helm & take us to one of the most exciting periods in our history, whoever was lucky enough to play & support the Boro through that period will never forget, or want to

Willie's final team selection v Charlton

Stephen Pears - WM signing
Brian Laws - WM signing
Tony McAndrew - Brought back by WM in  part of an outgoing transfer when Darren Wood went to Chelsea
Tony Mowbray
Don O'Riordon - Goalscoring DM from Carlisle, brought by WM, IMHO he didn't do it for us
Gary Pallister - WM signing
Gary Hamilton
Pat Heard - WM signing - Not a good one mind, once signed out of his loan spell
Bernie Slaven - WM signing
Archie Stephens - WM signing
Gary Rowell - WM signing & good one
Sub
Peter Beagrie, who replaced Gary Pallister in the 2nd half - WM gave him his debut

That team was certainly to good to be involved in any relegation battles but the whole club was in a shambles from top to bottom

RIP Willie x

Attendance - 4,465

[In With the Lurpak]

Don't make em like they used to eh Erimus.. I Bet You wouldn't see them lads rolling about like fannies on the floor looking to get players sent off .

[Johnny Thunder]

RIP. Proper Boro legend.

[erimus74]

Don't make em like they used to eh Erimus.. I Bet You wouldn't see them lads rolling about like fannies on the floor looking to get players sent off .

100% 👍

[erimus74]

RIP. Proper Boro legend.

Legend is thrown around to easy these days, but Willie certainly was

[Francks left peg]

Reading these threads has hit home how long pears played for us