The second signing for Graham Westley during the 2009 close season came in the shape of free agent and central defender Luke Foster. Mansfield Town had just released the lad, so their loss was our gain. While mainly a defender, Foster gained experience of playing in the holding midfield role for Lincoln City earlier in his career. It’s a role that Foster would be increasingly deployed during his first season at us.

Luke Foster: Before Boro’

After spells at Sheffield Wednesday, Lincoln City, York City and Stalybridge Celtic, Foster signed for and settled at Oxford United in 2007. There, his performance count fell just one match short of 100. At the end of the 2007-8 season, Foster picked up the supporters’ and players’ player of the year awards. It was a season that saw him make 35 appearances for the club; earning a standby call up to the England C team too.

Foster’s signature came at a time when we were aiming to bolster our ranks heading into our first season of Football League competition. The experience he gathered during his time in the lower Football League and the top end of non-league football means that he was in demand at the time too. But a red card towards the end of the season saw Foster miss out on the successful npower League Two playoff campaign. His contribution to the side over the course of the campaign, however, did not go unrecognised.

It was announced the midfielder was moving north to join Rotherham United at the end of the season; bringing his career at the Lamex Stadium to an end after just one campaign with us.