The dust had barely settled on our 2016-7 campaign before gaffer Darren Sarll started his summer recruitment; Alex Samuel one of the first in the door. The player had finished that particular season as a Newport County player, helping the Exiles avoid relegation back to the Conference. He had been there on loan, however, from parent club Swansea City.

The speed at which Boro’ moved to sign the Welshmen was perhaps an indication of the burning desire to secure his services. Indeed, it’s said that Sarll and his team had been long keeping tabs on the striker for a while. To get their man, therefore, must have been either a relief or deeply satisfying. Maybe even both, as it goes.

Alex Samuel: Before Boro’

Joining Newport in January 2017 wasn’t the first time he’d been let out of Swansea, albeit on a temporary basis. Oh no. He’d also been north of the border too; turning out during the 2015-6 season for Greenock Morton. His stay in Scotland, however, was cut shorter than planned after Samuel picked up an injury.

In spite of the promise he showed in Boro’ colours, Alex Samuel’s career didn’t really take off at the Lamex. Not, certainly, as he or many others would have hoped. A stunted run of appearances was all he had to show from his one-season stay with us. At the end of the 2017-8 campaign, Samuel was released by incoming boss Dino Maamria.