10 Of The Best: Boxing Day Games

Updated:

By Pete H

It’s Christmas time. There’s no need to be afraid. Not even the idea of a bearded stranger letting himself into our homes while we sleep bothers us. And that’s despite the fact they even chooses the chimney as their point of entry. It is, however, a time of year that we all rejoice. Why? Because of Boxing Day football. It’s as much a part of the festive period as a mince pie, tinsel, or the birth of Gabriel Jesus.

Since our first Boxing Day outing back in 1983, we’ve had some memorable festive fixtures. And, in a rare display of forward-thinking, the Conference actually seemed to have it right; the fixture list making you meet your nearest and dearest in a Boxing Day/New Year’s Day double-header. Not least ‘cos there aren’t any bloody trains and everyone’s probably too pished to drive. It also guaranteed a bumper gate, usually…

This year, ironically given this post, is a little different. Our scheduled Boxing Day date is no more; moved a day later so that Sky can show our top-of-the-table clash with Leyton Orient live. But that’s no reason for us not to look back at 10 of our top Christmas crackers…

1. Potton United (H), 5-3 – 1983

Not bad for Boro's first ever Boxing Day fixture, was this one. You can't ask for more - an eight-goal game where most of them ended up in the opponents' net.

Not bad for Boro’s first ever Boxing Day fixture, was this one. You can’t ask for more – an eight-goal game where most of them ended up in the opponents’ net. You can be picky and question the defence for letting in three goals, but doesn’t everyone deserve some time off at Christmas?

2. Letchworth Garden City (H), 2-0 – 1984

A Jim Beech brace was enough to decide this one against Letchworth Garden City on Boxing Day 1984, with Stevenage stepping up from the United Counties League and taking on their north Herts counterparts in the league for the first time in the Servowarm League Division Two North.

3. Hertford Town (H), 1-0 – 1990

Colin McGill settled this one, with Paul Fairclough’s Boro’ edging out his previous employer Hertford Town. Had it been the first meeting of the pair since Cloughie left Hertingfordbury Park, it might’ve taken on an extra edge – but the fixture computer had already taken care of that one.

4. Enfield (A), 0-1 – 1992

Boro’ reached new heights in 1992 with promotion to the top tier of the Isthmian League and Enfield were no mugs as a festive opponent. In the end, the non-league stalwarts had just enough to overcome Cloughie’s men but it didn’t ‘arf serve as a yardstick for Boro’s progress to date.

5. Kettering Town (A), 2-0 – 1994

The first season in the Conference and a Boxing Day trip to Kettering Town, with Boro’ now finding their feet at the top non-league table. The Poppies were responsible for our exit from the FA Trophy in the January of 1994; our first league encounter with them saw us exact revenge.

6. Barnet (A), 3-0 – 2001

The first half of the 2001-2 season hadn’t been all that. Cloughie wouldn’t be manager come the end of the season, which gives you an idea of how underwhelming it had been that term. But one clear highlight was our first league game against Barnet and a 3-0 rout of the Bees at Underhill.

7. Barnet (H), 2-1 – 2004

Three years on and things were getting meaty between Boro’ and the Bees. If truth be told, the league was already theirs to lose, but we were gunning for promotion too. A feisty Boxing Day pairing saw them finish a man down, us a goal up and the promise of a humdinger in the return fixture.

8. Stalebuns (A), 3-2 – 2006

We reckon Stalebuns were a bit miffed that we made the Conference before them; this 2006 match being the first time we’d met since we left them behind. It wasn’t all plain sailing. But Boro’ won out thanks to the odd goal in five. And they still pay our benefits to this day. A rather sweet touch.

9. Cambridge United (A), 3-1 – 2009

Oh, to be alive that day. The U’s had made a thing of trumping us in the playoffs the season before. But they ballsed it up in the final much to our disappointment. For the first time since Rendell’s winner, we returned and bloodied their noses. Scott Laird kicked some snow at the referee. It was truly joyful.

10. Colchester United (A), 6-1 – 2011

Now, we’d made a decent start to life in League One but this one was borderline ridiculous – even if you do consider the 5-1 hammering of Sheffield Wednesday. Jon Ashton was pulling off Cruyff turns, simple training ground routines were catching their defence out with ease and we even won some award…

Our overall Boxing Day record

So, there are 10 gift-wrapped gems we think you’ll all agree with. Not that it’s always been a piece of marzipan-laden fruit cake. And, as mentioned earlier, Boro’ don’t have a Boxing Day date in 2022. As far as our overall record on Boxing Day is concerned, however, here’s how it all stacks up in numbers:

P 31 – W 13 – D 6 – L 12 – F 42 – A 37 — Home: 12, Away: 19

Most derbies:

  • 4 – Rushden & Diamonds
  • 3 – Cambridge United, Colchester United, Letchworth Garden City
  • 2 – Barnet, Kettering Town

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