If his name sounds familiar, it’s little wonder; Craig Mackail-Smith being a forward who we’ve come up against a number of times over the years. But, for the first time, he was made one of us at the end of the summer 2019 transfer window. With Dino Maamria on the hunt for extra firepower after a testing start to the 2019-20 League Two season, the veteran striker came to us on loan from Wycombe Wanderers.

It had been proving hard for Mackail-Smith to force his way into the first team at Adams Park. But, by the admission of Chairboys gaffer Gareth Ainsworth, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. And, in fact, you can probably look at his move to us as a chance for him to show his parent club there was still plenty left in the tank. Not that we’d have any problem with reaping those benefits if so. We did say it’d been a testing start to the season, after all.

Craig Mackail-Smith: Before Boro’

For Mackail-Smith, the adventure started out in Hertfordshire back in 1999 at Stalebuns. He took a step down for the next move, which was to Arlesey. But it did the trick; earning him a move up to the Conference in 2004 with Dagenham & Redbridge. His time with the Daggers started attracting attention higher up the ladder; Peterborough United swooping in to sign the striker in 2007. It was the first of three spells he’d enjoy with the Posh.

Other clubs to enjoy the services of Mackail-Smith include Brighton & Hove Albion and, sadly, Luton. It was from the Hatters that he had moved across the BBC Three Counties catchment area after being let go at the end of the 2016-7 season. With competition for places at Adams Park hotting up, however, the striker found himself out on loan at Notts County for a time during the 2018-9 League Two season.