There weren’t many highlights during our 1997-8 campaign. Boro’ had now entered a period of transition after a sustained run of success. The team that won the 1995-6 Conference title and gone close to retaining it in 1996-7 had now largely broken apart. Gone were the likes of Barry Hayles and Efetobore Sodje. But the 1997-8 season wouldn’t be a complete write-off – and Giuliano Grazioli did his bit to give us at least one big moment from it.
Giuliano Grazioli: Why Is He A Cult Classic?
It’s incredible to think you even need to ask the question. The Londoner is synonymous with one of the most famous episodes in Boro’s history. If we were to do a Family Fortunes-esque task and ask 100 fans who scored our winner at Swindon Town, the number who would reply with “Giuliano Grazioli” would surely be in the 90s. But ask the same fans who scored first at the County Ground and we’d wager only half would come back with “Jason Soloman“.
Graz arrived at Boro’ on loan in time for our 1997 Boxing Day trip to Rushden & Diamonds. In just two weeks, he was at the heart of a moment that is still etched into the memories of us Boro’ fans. At the time he came in, Cloughie called his transfer fee as “three Mars bars and a packet of crisps” – or something. We’ve seen a different variation of that. That sort of chat in itself is usually enough to create an aura around someone.
And his exploits just two weeks into his time at Broadhall Way? Well, few others can honestly claim to impress themselves upon the fabric of a club so soon and so deeply. Hardly anyone even gets that chance. Promotion to the Football League can’t erode the significance of that windy, wild afternoon at the County Ground either. And that’s before we even move to events at the end of January when Newcastle United came to town.
Have two goals ever been so seismic?
Sadly, he didn’t get to play in the replay he’d done so much to earn. An injury suffered up at Gateshead just before our trip to Newcastle (SUSPICIOUS MUCH) ruled him out. Could it have made a difference to the outcome? Hmm, probably not. But you can but wonder…
“He only scored one goal…”
And it’s for that reason alone that Graz is a Cult Classic. He’s not a bestseller because we he didn’t stay with us that long, nor did he score a bazillion goals like Gitts or Moro. You do get the sense he was hoisted by his own petard by scoring against Newcastle in particular; Graz bemoaning his legacy in an interview with The Independent when we faced off with the lads from Sid James’ Park again in 2011.
First, he scored two goals. Let’s not forget Swindon, eh?
Second, he actually turned in eight goals from 16 starts and a sub outing. As a strike rate, a little under 50% is far from rubbish. It’s comparable with some of our greatest-ever scorers. His misfortune is doing it over such a short space of time – and scoring against the likes of Slough Town or Stalybridge Celtic. And who remembered that he also bagged twice away to Woking in March 1998? Is it because we lost 5-3 that evening that it doesn’t resonate?
Embed from Getty ImagesSo, what happened to Giuliano Grazioli next?
Graz went back to Peterborough United near the end of the season. A few months later, he did something that ought to have endeared himself more to the Boro’ fans. He scored FIVE times against Barnet in a 9-1 win at Underhill. Alas, we weren’t on a par with the Bees back then, so it didn’t land much of a blow when we were still much too busy with Woking. Graz would then go on to sign for the Bees; a time in his career that probably ranks up there.
Indeed, we soon had the joys of Graz scoring against us; spearheading the Bees’ journey to the Nationwide Conference title in 2005. To compound matters there, it was Cloughie at the helm. Graz may have first hit the headlines while at Boro’. But we didn’t come near to being anything like spiritual home for him. Nope – that’d definitely be the Bees. And that’s where he’ll be considered a bestseller. Even so, we can still (rightly) claim him as our Cult Classic.
