20 years ago since we played in Division One

One for the older fans, it's pretty staggering to think 20 years ago we was beginning our last season in what is now the EFL Championship, like we did in 97/98 I thought we would be favourites to come back up and would be up there (we all know what happened). Although the club had been crippled from the ITV Digital collapse it would be the end of the line for many similar size clubs who at the time were often playing second tier football....Crewe, Walsall, Swindon, Stockport. Port Vale, Bury all sides not familiar to the Division around that period, in fact I think we were one of the final teams in that category to drop out.

How many of these would get in our current team ? Some of them did alright, some of them vanished. Doesn't seem like 20 years since some of these players played for us though...

Goalkeepers

* Danny Coyne - Went on to Leicester, Burnley and Middlesbrough, had a few coaching jobs notably under Hurst at Shrewsbury, last role was GK coach back at Boro over a year ago.
* Shaun Allaway - England U21 international we had on loan from Leeds, never played a game played a couple of years in Non-League after never to return to football again.
* Andy Pettinger - Signed from Everton, played a handful of games in 03/04, went on to play for Brigg and Gainsborough amongst others. Current GK coach at Clee Town.
* Bradley Hughes - YT player joined from Watford, never played a game, can't see he played anyone after Ossett Town in 2004 when he left us.
* Steve Croudson - Left at the end of the year, played sparingly with Boston, Halifax and Stevenage. Returned as GK coach in 2008, now with Lincoln.

Defenders

* John McDermott - Managed Alfreton, had coaching roles most recently assistant manager of Boston United.
* Tony Gallimore - Went on to play for Barnsley, Rochdale, Hucknall and Northwich. Lives local, his son plays for Scunny,
* Georges Santos - Played for QPR, Ipswich amongst others after he left town. Has been a first team scout for Marseille, Manchester City and currently West Ham.
* Steve Chettle - Has managed Notts County, Basford and Ilkeston. Now back at Ilkeston as director of football.
* Paul Raven - Played for Carlisle and Barrow. Works for the PFA as an education executive.
* Iain Ward - Played for Brigg and then retired, was back at Town as a youth coach not so long ago.
* Simon Ford - Had a decent spell in Scotland with Kilmarnock, returned  to Town in 13/14 , can't see that he's been involved in Football since.
* Jason Gavin - Came in on loan from Boro, played for Bradford and then back in Ireland for a bit, retired a decade ago playing out in Australia.
* Greg Young - Still playing for Non-league team Rossington Main, previous teams include York, Halifax, Altrincham and Gainsborough.
* Wes Parker - went on to have a decent career in Non-league most of it spent with Gainsborough and Wealdstone, he was captain of the latter and retired a couple of years ago.

Midfielders

* Darren Barnard - Played for Aldershot before managing Camberley, has ran his own Football Academy, worked for the PFA and played a bit of Masters Football for Chelsea.
* Paul Groves - Managed Bournemouth, been on the coaching staff at West Ham and Pompey (PL days), more recently connected to Maccabi Haifa and Gloucester, Now with Mickleover.
* Stacy Coldicott - Career faded rapidly after leaving town, short spells with Hereford and Grantham. Apparently now or was a Fireman in the South Lincolnshire area.
* Stuart Campbell - Had a lengthy spell with Bristol Rovers, retired in the USA with Tampa Bay where he was manager at one point.
* Alan Pouton - Played for Gillingham, was later involved with Dover, Sutton and Maidstone, has worked away from football for a while now.
* Terry Cooke - Following his spell at Town he played in the MLS and had time in Australia and Azerbaijan, now a youth coach at the Denver Kickers.
* Chris Bolder - Now manager of North Ferriby, played for them and Scarborough amongst others after leaving Town.
* John Oster - Came back on loan, played for Leeds, Palace, Burnley and Reading and others, retired at Gateshead a few years ago. Recently was assistant manager at Whickham FC.
* Graham Hockless - Emigrated to Australia, retired a few seasons ago and was last a coach with South Melbourne.
* Michael Keane - Loaned from Preston, had spells at Hull and Rotherham, he retired prematurely aged 26. He manages an Irish non-league side.
* Richard Hughes - went on to have a decent spell with Bournemouth and retired just as they embarked into the Premier League, later was a youth coach there, now runs a restaurant and works as a pundit.

Forwards


*Phil Jevons - Extensive EFL career namely with Yeovil, Bristol City and Huddersfield. He was a youth team coach at Everton but now works for Sunderland as a first team coach.
*Steve Kabba - Went on to play for Sheffield United, Watford and Blackpool. Retired due to injury, is now apparently a football agent and a personal trainer,
*Michael Boulding- Spells followed with Barnsley, Bradford and Mansfield, he retired in 2011 following a spell with Derby where he never actually played.
*Darren Mansaram - Went on to have a few good seasons in Ireland before becoming a Non-league journeyman with 4 spells with Armthorpe Welfare where he retired two years ago.
*Robert Taylor - Retired with Scunny at the end of the season after being released by Town. Has managed Norfolk based Non-league sides since, currently Watton United.
*Paul Robinson - Loaned from Newcastle, became a massive non-league journeyman retiring with Dunston UTS in 2016.
*David Soames - Retired prematurely at Armthorpe a couple of years later, worked for the council and won a national 5 aside tournament a few years ago.
*Jonny Rowan - Injuries disrupted his career , probably playing his better post-Town career with Boston United. Was back at Town as a youth coach a few years back.
*Steve Livingstone - The big man left Town at the end of the season and had suffered a nasty head injury against Derby. He retired six months after leaving BP whilst with Carlisle.

Great research that, what I’ve always been amazed at (and this post proves it) is how we managed to survive for so long with such a high proportion of players who quickly dropped out of the league (and beyond). It’s a miracle looking back and it wouldn’t happen in the modern game

Quoted from Gainsbro_Mariner

One for the older fans, it's pretty staggering to think 20 years ago we was beginning our last season in what is now the EFL Championship, like we did in 97/98 I thought we would be favourites to come back up and would be up there (we all know what happened). Although the club had been crippled from the ITV Digital collapse it would be the end of the line for many similar size clubs who at the time were often playing second tier football....Crewe, Walsall, Swindon, Stockport. Port Vale, Bury all sides not familiar to the Division around that period, in fact I think we were one of the final teams in that category to drop out.

How many of these would get in our current team ? Some of them did alright, some of them vanished. Doesn't seem like 20 years since some of these players played for us though...

Goalkeepers

* Danny Coyne - Went on to Leicester, Burnley and Middlesbrough, had a few coaching jobs notably under Hurst at Shrewsbury, last role was GK coach back at Boro over a year ago.
* Shaun Allaway - England U21 international we had on loan from Leeds, never played a game played a couple of years in Non-League after never to return to football again.
* Andy Pettinger - Signed from Everton, played a handful of games in 03/04, went on to play for Brigg and Gainsborough amongst others. Current GK coach at Clee Town.
* Bradley Hughes - YT player joined from Watford, never played a game, can't see he played anyone after Ossett Town in 2004 when he left us.

Defenders

* John McDermott - Managed Alfreton, had coaching roles most recently assistant manager of Boston United.
* Tony Gallimore - Went on to play for Barnsley, Rochdale, Hucknall and Northwich. Lives local, his son plays for Scunny,
* Georges Santos - Played for QPR, Ipswich amongst others after he left town. Has been a first team scout for Marseille, Manchester City and currently West Ham.
* Steve Chettle - Has managed Notts County, Basford and Ilkeston. Now back at Ilkeston as director of football.
* Paul Raven - Played for Carlisle and Barrow. Works for the PFA as an education executive.
* Iain Ward - Played for Brigg and then retired, was back at Town as a youth coach not so long ago.
* Simon Ford - Had a decent spell in Scotland with Kilmarnock, returned  to Town in 13/14 , can't see that he's been involved in Football since.
* Jason Gavin - Came in on loan from Boro, played for Bradford and then back in Ireland for a bit, retired a decade ago playing out in Australia.
* Greg Young - Still playing for Non-league team Rossington Main, previous teams include York, Halifax, Altrincham and Gainsborough.
* Wes Parker - went on to have a decent career in Non-league most of it spent with Gainsborough and Wealdstone, he was captain of the latter and retired a couple of years ago.

Midfielders

* Darren Barnard - Played for Aldershot before managing Camberley, has ran his own Football Academy, worked for the PFA and played a bit of Masters Football for Chelsea.
* Paul Groves - Managed Bournemouth, been on the coaching staff at West Ham and Pompey (PL days), more recently connected to Maccabi Haifa and Gloucester, Now with Mickleover.
* Stacy Coldicott - Career faded rapidly after leaving town, short spells with Hereford and Grantham. Apparently now or was a Fireman in the South Lincolnshire area.
* Stuart Campbell - Had a lengthy spell with Bristol Rovers, retired in the USA with Tampa Bay where he was manager at one point.
* Alan Pouton - Played for Gillingham, was later involved with Dover, Sutton and Maidstone, has worked away from football for a while now.
* Terry Cooke - Following his spell at Town he played in the MLS and had time in Australia and Azerbaijan, now a youth coach at the Denver Kickers.
* Chris Bolder - Now manager of North Ferriby, played for them and Scarborough amongst others after leaving Town.
* John Oster - Came back on loan, played for Leeds, Palace, Burnley and Reading and others, retired at Gateshead a few years ago. Recently was assistant manager at Whickham FC.
* Graham Hockless - Emigrated to Australia, retired a few seasons ago and was last a coach with South Melbourne.
* Michael Keane - Loaned from Preston, had spells at Hull and Rotherham, he retired prematurely aged 26. He manages an Irish non-league side.
* Richard Hughes - went on to have a decent spell with Bournemouth and retired just as they embarked into the Premier League, later was a youth coach there, now runs a restaurant and works as a pundit.

Forwards


*Phil Jevons - Extensive EFL career namely with Yeovil, Bristol City and Huddersfield. He was a youth team coach at Everton but now works for Sunderland as a first team coach.
*Steve Kabba - Went on to play for Sheffield United, Watford and Blackpool. Retired due to injury, is now apparently a football agent and a personal trainer,
*Michael Boulding- Spells followed with Barnsley, Bradford and Mansfield, he retired in 2011 following a spell with Derby where he never actually played.
*Darren Mansaram - Went on to have a few good seasons in Ireland before becoming a Non-league journeyman with 4 spells with Armthorpe Welfare where he retired two years ago.
*Robert Taylor - Retired with Scunny at the end of the season after being released by Town. Has managed Norfolk based Non-league sides since, currently Watton United.
*Paul Robinson - Loaned from Newcastle, became a massive non-league journeyman retiring with Dunston UTS in 2016.
*David Soames - Retired prematurely at Armthorpe a couple of years later, worked for the council and won a national 5 aside tournament a few years ago.
*Jonny Rowan - Injuries disrupted his career , probably playing his better post-Town career with Boston United. Was back at Town as a youth coach a few years back.

Thanks for that, it was good to see how that all ended up.

Quoted from Gainsbro_Mariner

One for the older fans, it's pretty staggering to think 20 years ago we was beginning our last season in what is now the EFL Championship, like we did in 97/98 I thought we would be favourites to come back up and would be up there (we all know what happened). Although the club had been crippled from the ITV Digital collapse it would be the end of the line for many similar size clubs who at the time were often playing second tier football....Crewe, Walsall, Swindon, Stockport. Port Vale, Bury all sides not familiar to the Division around that period, in fact I think we were one of the final teams in that category to drop out.

How many of these would get in our current team ? Some of them did alright, some of them vanished. Doesn't seem like 20 years since some of these players played for us though...

Goalkeepers

* Danny Coyne - Went on to Leicester, Burnley and Middlesbrough, had a few coaching jobs notably under Hurst at Shrewsbury, last role was GK coach back at Boro over a year ago.
* Shaun Allaway - England U21 international we had on loan from Leeds, never played a game played a couple of years in Non-League after never to return to football again.
* Andy Pettinger - Signed from Everton, played a handful of games in 03/04, went on to play for Brigg and Gainsborough amongst others. Current GK coach at Clee Town.
* Bradley Hughes - YT player joined from Watford, never played a game, can't see he played anyone after Ossett Town in 2004 when he left us.
* Steve Croudson - Left at the end of the year, played sparingly with Boston, Halifax and Stevenage. Returned as GK coach in 2008, now with Lincoln.

Defenders

* John McDermott - Managed Alfreton, had coaching roles most recently assistant manager of Boston United.
* Tony Gallimore - Went on to play for Barnsley, Rochdale, Hucknall and Northwich. Lives local, his son plays for Scunny,
* Georges Santos - Played for QPR, Ipswich amongst others after he left town. Has been a first team scout for Marseille, Manchester City and currently West Ham.
* Steve Chettle - Has managed Notts County, Basford and Ilkeston. Now back at Ilkeston as director of football.
* Paul Raven - Played for Carlisle and Barrow. Works for the PFA as an education executive.
* Iain Ward - Played for Brigg and then retired, was back at Town as a youth coach not so long ago.
* Simon Ford - Had a decent spell in Scotland with Kilmarnock, returned  to Town in 13/14 , can't see that he's been involved in Football since.
* Jason Gavin - Came in on loan from Boro, played for Bradford and then back in Ireland for a bit, retired a decade ago playing out in Australia.
* Greg Young - Still playing for Non-league team Rossington Main, previous teams include York, Halifax, Altrincham and Gainsborough.
* Wes Parker - went on to have a decent career in Non-league most of it spent with Gainsborough and Wealdstone, he was captain of the latter and retired a couple of years ago.

Midfielders

* Darren Barnard - Played for Aldershot before managing Camberley, has ran his own Football Academy, worked for the PFA and played a bit of Masters Football for Chelsea.
* Paul Groves - Managed Bournemouth, been on the coaching staff at West Ham and Pompey (PL days), more recently connected to Maccabi Haifa and Gloucester, Now with Mickleover.
* Stacy Coldicott - Career faded rapidly after leaving town, short spells with Hereford and Grantham. Apparently now or was a Fireman in the South Lincolnshire area.
* Stuart Campbell - Had a lengthy spell with Bristol Rovers, retired in the USA with Tampa Bay where he was manager at one point.
* Alan Pouton - Played for Gillingham, was later involved with Dover, Sutton and Maidstone, has worked away from football for a while now.
* Terry Cooke - Following his spell at Town he played in the MLS and had time in Australia and Azerbaijan, now a youth coach at the Denver Kickers.
* Chris Bolder - Now manager of North Ferriby, played for them and Scarborough amongst others after leaving Town.
* John Oster - Came back on loan, played for Leeds, Palace, Burnley and Reading and others, retired at Gateshead a few years ago. Recently was assistant manager at Whickham FC.
* Graham Hockless - Emigrated to Australia, retired a few seasons ago and was last a coach with South Melbourne.
* Michael Keane - Loaned from Preston, had spells at Hull and Rotherham, he retired prematurely aged 26. He manages an Irish non-league side.
* Richard Hughes - went on to have a decent spell with Bournemouth and retired just as they embarked into the Premier League, later was a youth coach there, now runs a restaurant and works as a pundit.

Forwards


*Phil Jevons - Extensive EFL career namely with Yeovil, Bristol City and Huddersfield. He was a youth team coach at Everton but now works for Sunderland as a first team coach.
*Steve Kabba - Went on to play for Sheffield United, Watford and Blackpool. Retired due to injury, is now apparently a football agent and a personal trainer,
*Michael Boulding- Spells followed with Barnsley, Bradford and Mansfield, he retired in 2011 following a spell with Derby where he never actually played.
*Darren Mansaram - Went on to have a few good seasons in Ireland before becoming a Non-league journeyman with 4 spells with Armthorpe Welfare where he retired two years ago.
*Robert Taylor - Retired with Scunny at the end of the season after being released by Town. Has managed Norfolk based Non-league sides since, currently Watton United.
*Paul Robinson - Loaned from Newcastle, became a massive non-league journeyman retiring with Dunston UTS in 2016.
*David Soames - Retired prematurely at Armthorpe a couple of years later, worked for the council and won a national 5 aside tournament a few years ago.
*Jonny Rowan - Injuries disrupted his career , probably playing his better post-Town career with Boston United. Was back at Town as a youth coach a few years back.
*Steve Livingstone - The big man left Town at the end of the season and had suffered a nasty head injury against Derby. He retired six months after leaving BP whilst with Carlisle.

Amazing, Gainsbro. I remember most of these guys. Gallie used to get so much stick, some deserved, some not. Livvo ran through brick walls. Michael Boulding was fast and Paul Groves scored that goal against Fulham that kept us up that season. Saw Michael Keane play for us at Reading when we were relegated and he was a good player in a shockingly poor team.Who can forget Macca, treated very poorly by the club when he was coming to the end of his career. Saw Stevie Croudson play in a 1-0 defeat at Watford in a rare appearance. Alan Pouton was a decent player. Saw him sent off at Bournemouth and I am not sure he played for us again. I think we got £35,000 for him.
Where is Andy Love in the list of keepers? Saw him play at Swindon and concede from a corner in the first minute after the fans sang ‘He’s got no hair and we don’t care, Andy, Andy Love’
In September 2001 (I think ) we went top of the Championship when we beat Coventry 1-0 at Highfield Road. Gordon Strachan was sacked after that game and quickly snapped up by a struggling Southampton. I saw his last match for Cov and his first for Saints. He was a good football man and had a sense of humour. Asked by a reporter if he could have a quick word, GS replied, ‘Rapid” and ran off.
Great years these were before the decline set in. Many thanks for the post. Really enjoyed reading it and it brought back some memories.Hope the good times are now coming back. UTM.

Hope to one day reach a point where we can attract that calibre of player again.

20 years have flown past and some of our fans have never seen footballers of that standard in a Town shirt.

The first game of that season was away at Norwich. By the end of the game i was convinced we would be relegated. And we were.

Paul Groves didn’t stand a chance. With hindsight we could have done with an experienced ex-manager as his assistant rather than a fellow novice.

Brighton at home 2-2 I think was the last game at that level . I seem to remember they brought a decent following?

Quoted from hampshiremariner

Amazing, Gainsbro. I remember most of these guys. Gallie used to get so much stick, some deserved, some not. Livvo ran through brick walls. Michael Boulding was fast and Paul Groves scored that goal against Fulham that kept us up that season. Saw Michael Keane play for us at Reading when we were relegated and he was a good player in a shockingly poor team.Who can forget Macca, treated very poorly by the club when he was coming to the end of his career. Saw Stevie Croudson play in a 1-0 defeat at Watford in a rare appearance. Alan Pouton was a decent player. Saw him sent off at Bournemouth and I am not sure he played for us again. I think we got £35,000 for him.
Where is Andy Love in the list of keepers? Saw him play at Swindon and concede from a corner in the first minute after the fans sang ‘He’s got no hair and we don’t care, Andy, Andy Love’
In September 2001 (I think ) we went top of the Championship when we beat Coventry 1-0 at Highfield Road. Gordon Strachan was sacked after that game and quickly snapped up by a struggling Southampton. I saw his last match for Cov and his first for Saints. He was a good football man and had a sense of humour. Asked by a reporter if he could have a quick word, GS replied, ‘Rapid” and ran off.
Great years these were before the decline set in. Many thanks for the post. Really enjoyed reading it and it brought back some memories.Hope the good times are now coming back. UTM.

Andy Love left at the end of the 1999/2000 season, I seem to remember him going to Ilkeston after a few loan spells there.

Quoted from It Bites

Brighton at home 2-2 I think was the last game at that level . I seem to remember they brought a decent following?

Was that Dave Beasant’a final league appearance?

Quoted from ginnywings

Hope to one day reach a point where we can attract that calibre of player again.

20 years have flown past and some of our fans have never seen footballers of that standard in a Town shirt.

Really? I mean, most of these ended up as non-league journeymen or straight up retired after leaving us. They had a hardworking ethic and grit instilled in them that allowed them to excel against bigger teams back in the day but I wouldn't say we had a high standard of player back then. One or two were quality but often padded out with quite cheap and lesser known options that didn't have much of a career before or after us. In many ways it was a case of players and a manager in Buckley that just clicked, they'd fight for Buckley and won games through sheer determination. Once Buckley was gone when the results stopped coming in and the core of that group was gone was when the wheels really started falling off.

I doubt Buckley and his Buckleyites that he took from Grimsby to West Brom and back to Grimsby could happen in those leagues in this era.