When a Football Manager player applied for the Middlesbrough job

Back in 2006, when Steve McClaren left Middlesbrough to begin his ill-fated stint as England manager, a 25-year-old armed with vast experience in the highly addictive and cripplingly detailed Football Manager video game and a brief spell in charge of a real-life Under-11 team decided to apply for the vacant position. John Boileau was working through a list of things he wanted to do before he turned 30 (which would even earn him a write-up on the BBC) when he sent a brilliant letter to Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson declaring his interest and qualifications for the vacant position at the then Premier League side. And he got an equally brilliant response form Gibson himself.

The supremely excellent Letters of Note reminded us of this bit of delightfulness and republished their correspondence, which you can see right this way...

At the time, Boileau concluded that Middlesbrough and Steve Gibson "are ace" and I have to agree. From Boileau stating his "very reasonable" desired starting wage of 80,000 to Gibson concluding his letter by saying, "We consider it a sign of our progress that someone of your status could consider us," this whole exchange is evidence of the wonderful things that can happen when people have a sense of humor.