ONE of Boro's finest ever players, Maddren appeared in seven position for the club, although he will always be remembered and a wonderfully cultured centre-half.

When his career was ended by a knee injury, he spent a spell as coach at Hartlepool before returning to Boro as coach and physiotherapist on the recommendation of stand-in manager Jack Charlton.

He was given the manager's job and brought old pal David Mills back to Teesside.

But with the club deep in debt, he always faced an uphill task. With the team teetering on the brink of relegation to Division Three, Madddren was sacked in February 1986.

He died on August 27 2000 after a brave battle against Motor Neurone Disease.
After being diagnosed with the illness he raised thousands of pounds for research and wrote the moving autobiography Extra Time.

His name lives on in the Willie Maddren Centre at the Riverside Stadium.