Why Darragh MacAnthony has been a force for good at Peterborough United
Surely most Peterborough United fans would describe owner Darragh MacAnthony as a force for good at their club.
The brash Irishman who took control at London Road 18 years ago this month remains an outspoken figure in football.
He’s certainly helped put ‘little old Posh’ on the map with success on the field and the raising of the club’s profile through national media appearances
It’s not all been brilliant, but the good far outweighs the bad in MacAnthony’s tenure.
GOOD
He took a risk by hiring Darren Ferguson as his first Posh boss. Some wondered if a famous football name had been a factor, but four promotions and two Wembley Final triumphs later (albeit in four spells) suggests the best ever Posh chairman gave the club’s most successful ever manager his big break .
BAD
MacAnthony’s other managerial appointments didn’t work out. In particular Mark Cooper and Dave Robertson were dreadful bosses. Posh have also been relegated three times.
GOOD
Some of the greatest player recruitment has taken place on MacAnthony’s watch. George Boyd and Craig Mackail-Smith were among the first signings of the new era and they were followed by many other hits like Dwight Gayle, Britt Assombalonga, Gaby Zakuani and Ronnie Edwards, as well as, more recently, Ephron Mason-Clark and Sammie Szmodics. Not bad for a man who was an expert in the real estate industry when he bought Posh.
BAD
Assombalonga cost Posh over a million, but not all big-money signings succeeded. Tyrone Barnett was the first million-pound player in Posh history and he turned out to be a dud. Some of the recruitment ahead of the last Championship season (2021-22) was a bit weird. Joe Tomlinson anyone?
GOOD
Posh have not played in the bottom division of the Football League since the 2007-08 season, a break of 17 years and counting. The longest spell outside the basement division had been seven years (1961-68) before MacAnthony arrived.