One of a trio of new additions unveiled at the start of July 2019, midfielder Paul Digby made the move across to us from Forest Green Rovers. You could say it was a bit of a feather in the cap of boss Dino Maamria to land the player. Digby was one of the driving forces behind Rovers’ impressive 5th place end to the 2018-9 campaign; a finish that earned ’em a playoff place. So, more of the same at the Lamex then?

Well, no. Digby’s career with us took ages to get started thanks to injury at the start of the 2019-20 League Two season. By the time he took to the pitch, we were in trouble at the wrong end of the table. And we were starting to pile through the managers too. Yet, Digby seemed like one of the few bright rays of sun in an otherwise rainy campaign. This didn’t do enough to secure him a new deal though. He was released in June 2020.

Paul Digby: Before Boro’

Digby made his debut for FGR against us in August 2018. Who’d know that, less than a year later, he’d be turning out for us. That’s football for you.

Digby started his career in South Yorkshire at Barnsley; part of the same youth set up as John Stones. Like his team-mate, the initial signs were the midfielder had a big future ahead. In September 2014, he was even drafted in to help the England senior team train. By that point, he was turning out for the U20s. So, a glimpse of the future perhaps?

Injury played its part while at Barnsley, though. Not that it stopped Championship side Ipswich Town moving for him. He joined the Tractor Boys on loan in January 2016, before making the move permanent that summer. In what seems to be a theme, his first start for Ipswich after his permanent switch was at home to us in a League Cup match.

First team opportunities at Ipswich weren’t exactly plentiful, mind. In May 2017, Digby was on the move again; this time, to Mansfield Town. He didn’t make his debut for the Stags against Boro’, but his first full game for the club was against Forest Green. Fancy that, eh? A year later, he’d be at the New Lawn in their colours and that’s more or less where we’re set to pick up the next chapter of his story. Should be a corker by all accounts…