ROMMY Boco must have wondered what he had walked into.

He was 20-years-old and had moved from France to join an Accrington Stanley side in the fifth tier of British football, a club populated by larger-than-life characters.

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A little under nine months later he was celebrating a promotion to Football League and was well on his way to establishing his cult status at Stanley, something that would be cemented when he scored the club’s first League Two goal the following season.

But back in 2005-06 the youngster was simply trying to fit into the English way of life.

“For me, to come from France to here at that time was a bit messy,” said Boco.

“I remember of lot of trips back after winning games and the lads used to be mental – jumping, music and singing on the coach. It was so strange for me because it was new but I realised that it was more the English way to live football.

“In France we stayed in our corner, concentrate, chill with some music and move on. Here it’s all the banter and everyone is laughing, making you sing and a lot of jokes. If something strange happened in the game you get reminded, if you got nutmegged the lads laughed at you.

“It was my first year in England and it was a big thing to win the league first time round. I adapted myself to the English way and it was tough but I enjoyed it.

“It was easy to come into a team that was winning. I was lucky because I came straight into a team to play football. The way I was brought up was to pass the football.”

Tomorrow marks 10 years since the Reds secured promotion with a 1-0 win at Woking, Boco started that day and remembers the confidence coursing though the Stanley players.

“Going to the hotel before the Woking game and we were all laughing and joking,” said Boco.

“At this time I couldn’t understand too much of it but I remember the atmosphere was cool. We stayed in London, went to a local pitch and had a small training session.

“We were just full of confidence. The team was really relaxed, we knew we were winning games all the time and we all knew that we could do it.

“We had a lot of fans away at Woking and I remember all the people on the pitch at the end of the game. It was like we played at home.”

Boco rejoined Stanley for a third time earlier this season from Portsmouth - where he played alongside another 2006 Conference winner in Gary Roberts.

The 30-year-old adds: “I was with Gary at Portsmouth a few months ago and we always talk about that year because we were only kids and there was no money involved.

“You look back 10 years and these lads have had careers in the Championship, they’ve got wives and kids but it was different then. At that time it was all banter.”

So is this side better than the 2006 vintage?

“It is a tough one,” said Boco. “There is a lot of talent in this team but in 2006 we were so solid at every level. We didn’t concede many goals. You can only say who was the best in 10 years when you look at this team and see what careers the players have had.”