For all the debate about Boro’s best-ever XI, here’s a team built out of guys who only ever knew how to win – our luckiest players if you will. What we have here is a group of players who, statistically, you’d be happy to see take to the field. Because their records prove that, more often than not, they were on the right side of the result. In fact, everyone who makes the side below has won at least seven times in every 10 they played.
The minimum threshold to be considered for this is 10 matches. No “played one, won one” types in this team of luckiest players. It takes something to do it again and again…
Boro’s Luckiest Players XI
GK: Alex Welsh – P10 W10 (100%)
Well, what more can be said about Alex Welsh? In for a short time during the 1990-1 season, the stopper kept eight clean sheets in 10 games. Yes, that was a particularly dominant Boro’ side back then. But the bottom line is that Welsh has a flawless record between the sticks.
DF: Simon Clark – P23 W18 (78.26%)
Joining during the second half of the 1993-4 campaign, Simon Clark helped us on the way to the top of the Diadora League Premier Division. Such was his impact that he earned a move to the Football League with Peterborough United.
DF: Graham Roberts – P11 W8 (72.73%)
Our relationship with the ex-Spurs defender turned sour after interjecting in the barney we had with Newcastle United in 1998. But Roberts is the second defender here who had a role to play in our successful 1993-4 Diadora League Premier Division campaign.
DF: Ian Whitehead – P110 W79 (71.82%)
MD: Ian Fergusson – P24 W18 (75%)
Midfielder? Defender? We’ll tread the versatile route and place Ian Fergusson just in front of our back three. The bulk of Fergusson’s game time for us came during the 1991-2 season and he played a good few games in lesser-ranked competitions. Even so, you beat what’s there.
MD: Sean Pearson – P24 W21 (84%)
First joined us from Hitchin on loan in 1989. Went back, but would then return on permanent terms later. His first spell with us during that 1989-90 season yielded six goals from 10, with a further three in 1993-4. That second spell saw him victorious all but three times in 15 games.
MD: Martin Beech – P10 W8 (80%)
Martin Beech squeezes into this by virtue of starting nine and adding a further sub outing to his name. So, he makes the 10. Not quite a perfect one, but eight wins (and two draws) is not to be sniffed at. Part of our dominant 1980-1 United Counties League Division One side.
MD: Ken Morgan – P44 W34 (77.27%)
Two spells, two different eras for Ken Morgan. He was part of our side that delivered league title success in 1981, before departing. On his return, he formed part of a Boro’ team making its bow in the Isthmian League during the 1984-5 campaign. A healthy win rate with it too.
MD: Nigel Hann – P44 W34 (77.27%)
Nigel Hann helped us to claim the 1991-2 Diadora League Division One title championship – and then featured just once in the following campaign; a 5-1 Herts Charity Cup victory over Bishop’s Stortford. A solid way to bow out; his record identical to that of Ken Morgan’s.
FW: Brian Stein – P18 W15 (83.33%)
Made his name across the county border with Luton, but Brian Stein was a shrewd addition during the second half of the 1993-4 campaign. Not only did he help us to win the title that year, but his strike rate of 13 goals in 18 (72.22%) is the second-best in our club’s history.
FW: Tim Sills – P21 W16 (76.19%)
Tim Sills has the distinction of being the most recent Boro’ player to make this list. OK, he’d not set the world alight in front of goal. But maybe his worth to the Boro’ effort as we made our beeline for the Blue Square Premier summit (and FA Trophy Final) in 2010 is proven here.
Boro’s Luckiest Players (Subs)
We had to extend this to include some substitutes. The main reason is we’re a stickler for a sensible formation. Our side was getting a little midfielder-heavy, so we needed to make an effort to get the following names into the equation.
Sub: Duncan Hardy – P68 W50 (73.53%)
A key figure in the 1990-1 and 1991-2 seasons, few have played more and won so regularly.
Sub: John McGregor – P15 W11 (73.33%)
Turned out for us during the 1980-1 campaign.
Sub: Lee Burns – P45 W33 (73.33%)
Burns is another from the class of 1990-1/1991-2. Even so, 33 wins in 45 outings is awesome.
Sub: Colin Cardines – P56 W40 (71.43%)
Played for us across various spells between 1983 and 1993; winning 40 out of 56, scoring 27.
FW: Gary Roberts – P40 W28 (70%)
Not a bad return at all for Roberts, given the 1988-9 and 1989-90 seasons were a somewhat fallow period after relegation. Also played during the back half of the 1991-2 campaign.