Erimus74
Well-known member
Stephen Bell's outstanding form for the Boro youth team & reserves gave Boro manager Bobby Murdoch food for thought, although the 1st team were struggling badly in the league, no win since beating Stoke City on the 26th September & maybe not the ideal time to give anyone a debut, let alone a lad 16 years & 323 days old, making him the youngest ever Boro debutant & on the day, but needs must & maybe, just maybe, he shows no signs of nerves & plays his game as he does in the 2nd team by frightening the opposition & lifting the other players in the process
Southampton arrived at Ayresome Park on this day 1981 as Stephen Bell was announced to the home crowd, making his debut wearing the No10 shirt, replacing Dave Shearer
Kevin Keegan wore the No10 shirt for Southampton that day
Unfortunatly the result followed on from previous results with a 1-0 loss, Keegan scoring the only goal of the game from the spot & Boro were stuck at the foot of the 1st divison as January ended with 2 league defeats & out of the FAC
Stephen Bell didnt feature at all for the dration of the season, he did start to make a big impact the following season
A very talented footballer who should have acheived so much with his home town club
RIP Stephen x
Boro team on the day
Jim Platt
John Craggs
Ian Bailey
Colin Ross
Mick Baxter
Tony McAndrew
Terry Cochrane
Heine Otto
Dave Hodgson
Stephen Bell
Bobby Thomson
Sub
Garry Macdonald
Attendance - 12,693
Southampton arrived at Ayresome Park on this day 1981 as Stephen Bell was announced to the home crowd, making his debut wearing the No10 shirt, replacing Dave Shearer
Kevin Keegan wore the No10 shirt for Southampton that day
Unfortunatly the result followed on from previous results with a 1-0 loss, Keegan scoring the only goal of the game from the spot & Boro were stuck at the foot of the 1st divison as January ended with 2 league defeats & out of the FAC
Stephen Bell didnt feature at all for the dration of the season, he did start to make a big impact the following season
A very talented footballer who should have acheived so much with his home town club
RIP Stephen x
Boro team on the day
Jim Platt
John Craggs
Ian Bailey
Colin Ross
Mick Baxter
Tony McAndrew
Terry Cochrane
Heine Otto
Dave Hodgson
Stephen Bell
Bobby Thomson
Sub
Garry Macdonald
Attendance - 12,693
Eric Paylor: Stephen Bell was one of Boro's greatest talents; he was lost to the game too soon
The enigmatic player shone brightly as he burst on to the scene at Ayresome Park - but he never realised his potential
www.gazettelive.co.uk