Stuart William Boam is a retired English football player and manager who is probably best known for his eight-year spell with Middlesbrough.
Background
Boam grew up in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and began his career at his local club Mansfield Town where he signed a professional contract in July 1966, and made his first-team debut against Leyton Orient on 12 May 1967, the final day of the 1966-1967 season.
Career
The following season, 19-year-old Boam established himself as a regular in the heart of Mansfield"s defence, and was ever-present in the team in both the 1968-1969 and 1969-1970 seasons. Boam"s consistent performances for Mansfield eventually caught the eye of bigger clubs, and in June 1971 he was sold to Middlesbrough for £50,000. In eight years at Ayresome Park, Boam played nearly 400 games for Middlesbrough, and was rarely out of the side.
In July 1981, Boam returned to Mansfield, where he was named player-manager.
However, a back injury restricted his playing role to a handful of appearances, and as manager he failed to get the expected results, finishing fifth from bottom of Division Four in his only full season in charge. He was sacked as manager in January 1983, and finished his career with a short spell at Hartlepool United.