Cod Almighty | Article

by Alistair Wilkinson

1 July 2010

Peter Bore the right-back is all the all-growed-up version of the original Peter Bore the winger/forward. The 23-year-old is a key asset to the club who proved himself many times in his 37 league starts last season. The 22 -year-old was a lazy waste of talent who made ball-waiting an art form. Good-looking, athletic, mobile, skilful, with the ball at his feet he could be every inch the professional footballer. Without it, forget it.

One of Woods' key mistakes in '09-10 came at Christmas. After a fine performance by the whole team on a Friday night against Morecambe – with Bore at right-back – Woods changed it around for the following game, also at home, against Port Vale. Bore was switched back to the right wing. It didn't work. Bore returned to ball-waiting and Town lost 2-1. During that match Woods smacked himself in the head with a 'doh!' and returned Bore to right-back. Town improved, grabbing a goal back through Peter Sweeney. but it was too little too late. Bore has not budged from the position since, including when Stockdale returned to fitness.

So the 22-year-old barely-squad-player winger/forward has become the 23-year-old first-choice right-back. His qualities as an attacking full-back are obvious as he drives forward, terrifying opposition defenders. His range of passing is impressive and his goals return from right-back is sure to get better if he remains positive. He's improving all the time in his defensive duties, reading the game well and using his pace and strength to shepherd the opposition away. That same pace comes in useful when youthful exuberance finds him out of position. Peter the Feckless becomes Peter the Great by moving back a few yards. It's a funny old game.

He's one of our veterans now with 116 league appearances for the Mariners. After Nick Hegarty he's our longest-serving player, having signed a professional contract in the summer of 2006. As a key asset and a relatively 'big name' it's by no means certain that he will be a Town player come August. Too many years living on his potential may keep him here for the immediate future but if he has another successful season then memories will soon shorten.

That potential, and undeniable ability, meant two displays of (some might say blind) faith from the club. He's had a three year deal followed by a two year deal in tight times. There are a few who would claim that he still owes us after such generosity. For a long time it did look like blind faith as he stood on the wing and waited for the ball or wafted around up front like a lost child (Gary Jones plays the role of missing parent), but once the 'midfielder' tag in his Soccerbase profile is replaced with 'defender' then all that waiting may finally pay off.