Geoff Pitcher joined Boro’ for a one-month loan spell at the start of the 2003-4 season, primarily as cover during a midfield injury crisis. But the move was also designed to further boost the squad that Graham Westley had assembled. Pitcher was supposed to add the blend of tackling spirit mixed with creativity that was missing since the second knee injury to Sam McMahon during the 2003 close season.
But the reality proved disappointing; Pitcher failing to live up to his strong reputation and so headed back to his parent club. The Seagulls had forked out £55,000 to bring him in from Kingstonian, but ended up loaning him out to Dagenham, Woking and Farnborough before us. More loan spells came after us too, with the midfielder eventually moving on to Havant & Waterlooville in 2004.