Former England international and Arsenal legend Paul Merson acknowledged that his move from North London to Teesside was made – in part – because of his addictions.
In an interview with The Express, the player who was later nicknamed ‘The Magic Man’ by the Boro faithful, outlined the factors behind the decision.
The forward, who won countless trophies at Arsenal, moved to The Riverside Stadium in 1997 in a deal that shook the footballing fraternity. The £4.5m move was the biggest fee paid by a team outside of the Premier League, but it was more the shock that a player of Merson’s ilk was ready to drop down a division so readily.
“My addictions played a part (in the move) — greed. You know I got offered a lot of money to go to Middlesbrough,” conceded Merson.
“I just couldn’t get my head around Arsenal offering me £130,000 a year to stay, and Middlesborough offering me £1million a year.
“And I couldn’t get my head around that I was going to lose £32,000 a month in wages if I stayed at Arsenal, and that is exactly how a gambler thinks.”
Eye-opening encounter
In his BBC documentary Paul Merson: Football, Gambling and Me, the ex-England attacker identified that; in his mind, despite Middlesbrough’s financial clout, they were not displaying the same professional set-up as his previous club Arsenal. He criticised the way the club handled the first time meeting with his new teammates.
Recalling the time that he joined Middlesbrough, he said,
“They (Middlesbrough) were on tour in Italy in the mountains and as I got off at the airport, no one was there. They forgot.
“I had to get a cab to training which was about two hours away. And I’m like for **** sake. That’s Arsenal, you’re not even picking your luggage up. That was an eye-opener.
“I got to the hotel, and then I was sharing a room with a lad called Clayton Blackmore, a lad who used to play for Man Utd. Great lad.
“And I was unpacking my stuff and he was laying on the bed and said: ‘What the f*** are you signing for us for?”
Influential ‘Magic Man’
Whatever the motivation was for the player, it turned out to be a master stroke as far as Bryan Robson and the club were concerned. Boro bounced straight back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and Merson was instrumental.
He scored 13 goals in 41 matches during that campaign and the flair player also helped propel Boro to their second League Cup Final in as many seasons. His performances against Liverpool in the semi-final serves as a fond reminder of just how good he was on his day.
His form at Boro even helped him back into the England fold and he went on to represent the Three Lions during The World Cup in France. But it was a short-lived love affair as ‘The Magic Man’ craved a move away from Teesside after allegations of a ‘drinking and gambling culture’ in the dressing room.
Merson’s problems off the field were apparent, but it is fair to say the extent of his addictions were not widely known.
It sparked a furious backlash from the then-Chief Executive Keith Lamb, who lambasted the claims and made counter-claims that the player had been accommodated like no other.
Paul Merson’s move left bitter taste
Following the completion of a £6.75m move to Aston Villa, Lamb said, “Everyone connected with Middlesbrough has been let down by the attacker, the fans, the players, his friends”.
He added: “Paul Merson knew how the club had been treated by other international players and when he came here he went on record saying that he would never treat the club that way. He has just treated the club in exactly the same way and I hope he treats his new club better.”
The reference no doubt alluded to the Ravanelli and particularly the Emerson saga following relegation, with Emerson going AWOL in a bid to force a move away from the club.
Lamb’s incredulous grasp of the situation did not end there. He continued, “If he takes a moment to reflect, I hope he will remember how everybody bent over backwards to accommodate him and his family’s particular problems, how the club babysat his children.
“And to say his fellow players are drinkers and gamblers is a slur and a libel. All the other players at the club are suffering because of this and people will read his comments and again be calling Middlesbrough a Mickey Mouse club.”
Paul Merson’s ability will never be discredited, and his season for Middlesbrough is still remembered fondly. But to say his conduct towards the end did not tarnish his reputation somewhat among the Boro fans would be a little naive.