PILGRIMS IN PROFILE: Carl Piergianni

Christian James remembers the ever-dependable, blood-soaked central defender...
Carl Piergianni celebrates with Scott Garner.Carl Piergianni celebrates with Scott Garner.
Carl Piergianni celebrates with Scott Garner.

Missing only nine games in three seasons, all through suspension, this week’s Pilgrim in Profile enjoyed three years of constant selection in the most successful step 2 United side of the last 10 years. - consecutive play-off appearances were preceded by a near-miss the year before.

Strength in defence and a willingness to bleed for the cause: this week’s Pilgrim in Profile is Carl Piergianni.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After time in Boston’s youth system (alongside Zak Mills), Piergianni’s youth career was spent predominantly at Peterborough United.

Their under 18’s Player of the Year in 2010, Piergianni was awarded a year’s development contract after being named in first team squads throughout the season (and spending time at Spalding United).

His senior Posh season didn’t see Pidge play much first team football, and a spell in the Conference with Altrincham soon followed.

Keeping a clean sheet in his debut at home to Wrexham, Piergianni turned out 21 times for the Robins. At the season’s end he would return to non-league’s top division with Stockport County on a free transfer.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Two goals in a 3-3 draw at Hayes & Yeading on his debut in 2011-12 saw Piergianni get off to a strong start for the Hatters. He would go on to make 44 appearances, scoring four.

Clearing his lines against North Ferriby.Clearing his lines against North Ferriby.
Clearing his lines against North Ferriby.

Sixteenth-placed County offered Pirgianni a deal for the following season, but he couldn’t agree terms. The defender would, instead, join Corby Town for 2012-13.

The Steelmen were relegated, conceding 92 goals that season on the way to 20th place, and Piergianni played against Boston both home and away.

A 1-1 draw on Boxing Day in Graham Drury’s first game saw him line up alongside former Pilgrim and future Boston teammate Ryan Semple. Six days later Corby took the honours on New Year’s Day in Northamptonshire (2-1).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dennis Greene had joined Boston in March 2013, and spent the summer building a squad capable of mounting a promotion push. Piergianni spent most of pre-season as the club’s only recognised centre-back, Stefan Galinski and Scott Garner arriving in late July and early August.

Piergianni battered and bloodied against Chorley.Piergianni battered and bloodied against Chorley.
Piergianni battered and bloodied against Chorley.

Pidge started the season at the heart of defence in a consistent backline alongside Peter Bore, Scott Garner and Netan Sansara (Rene Steer didn’t arrive until mid-October). The number six shirt was exclusively his until a one-game suspension in March saw him miss the 1-0 defeat at basement boys Workington. That ban had come about after Piergianni’s fourth-minute dismissal at Harrogate Town (a game Boston finished with seven men, and one of those injured and barely able to walk).

His first red card came a week after his first own goal in a 2-1 home defeat to Brackley.

Piergianni’s 47 appearances brought five goals across two short spells. Two goals in the space of a week saw him open his Boston account at home to Guiseley in September, then double it with a go-ahead goal at Gloucester City a week later. Strikes three, four and five all arrived in November (against Colwyn Bay, Redditch and Southport).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Pilgrims finished 2013-14 in sixth, a place outside the play-offs, two wins behind Guiseley after suffering a 3-0 defeat on the final day at the hands of Worcester City. Guiseley needed a point to be sure - and got three.

An acrobatic effort.An acrobatic effort.
An acrobatic effort.

Greene managed to retain the bulk of his first choice XI ahead of 2014-15, the major change seeing Dayle Southwell replace Ricky Miller, who had joined Luton Town.

Piergianni scored his sixth Boston goal in a Lincolnshire Cup quarter-final with Gainsborough and 10 games into the campaign added a seventh at former employers Stockport County. He wouldn’t finish the game, however, the last player to score and be sent off in the same game for United until Jordan Thewlis’ efforts against Leamington last August.

Piergianni would play another 33 games on the way to third place and a play-off semi-final against Chorley.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was the second leg at home to the Magpies in which Piergianni played on through extra time with bandages holding together the bits of his forehead left behind by James Dean’s elbow. Piergianni’s white head bandages weren’t enough for 120 minutes of action and he ended the tie with a cone-like construction. This would not be the last time Pidge ended a play-off semi-final somewhat disfigured.

United lost the tie on penalties, Piergianni’s spot kick cruelly bouncing on the line off the underside of the crossbar after Sam Ashton’s save, on to the line and away to safety.

It was cruel end to a season in which Piergianni was named Player of the Year after taking eight of the 25 man-of-the-match awards throughout the season.

Piergianni competing against Grimsby in pre-season.Piergianni competing against Grimsby in pre-season.
Piergianni competing against Grimsby in pre-season.

Piergianni had added another five goals to his tally, two at home to Fylde in a notable November win alongside the aforementioned efforts against Gainsborough and Stockport, and a March header at Hednesford’s Keys Park.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Piergianni earned his annual sending-off out the way with two bookings against Curzon Ashton in August, and began the most prolific campaign of his three at Boston with efforts at Brackley and Hednesford. He then scored in five straight appearances through October and November 2015- beginning with headers home and away against Telford, then goals against FC United, North Ferriby and Harrogate.

A win at leaders Solihull Moors in early December saw Boston break into the top five for the first time, only to drop out the play-off picture with four consecutive defeats in March. Five wins and a draw in the last six recovered the Pilgrims’ position- the third of those victories saw Pidge score two against Bradford Park Avenue, who had striker Liam Dickinson playing in goal.

North Ferriby were the play-off opposition this time around and despite another battle with the Villagers' towering Tom Denton, it was friendly fire which ended Piergianni’s involvement early - a collision with Garner left him with a broken nose.

Garner collected Piergianni's man of the match award for him while the centre-back spent the last 20 minutes of the game (missing Zak Mills’ last-minute volley) in A&E.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Four days later and Piergianni was walking out at Ferriby’s Church Road with a protective mask. With a break from football and a spell travelling waiting for him, the fairytale farewell was not to be. Piergianni was penalised 10 minutes in for a tussle with Denton, giving Liam King the chance to halve the deficit from 12 yards.

Denton broke free for a second from a set-piece five minutes later, and Piergianni rid himself of his troublesome mask before the mid-point of the first half. The Villagers would go on to a 3-0 win, earning promotion a week later against AFC Fylde.

“If anything that hurts more. Last year we gave it everything and were unlucky, today we weren’t good enough," Piergianni told the Pilgrims' YouTube channel.

"We were great midweek but today we rolled over too easily, and no-one stood up to the battle.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

During his year out Pidge trialled with and signed for South Melbourne, playing 13 games for the Australian Second Division side.

Piergianni would return to the National League North for 2017-18. Unfortunately for Boston fans it would be with Salford City.

Their club website sums up his Ammies carer to date: “[Piergianni] instantly became a fans’ favourite, making the second most appearances and scooping the Supporters’ Player of the Year award. He repeated the accolade in 2018-19, adding the Players' Player of the Year award and winning a second promotion in two seasons as we reached the Football League. His 12 goals made a massive contribution to the season, including one at Wembley in the promotion final.”

In 2019-20, Salford’s debut season in League Two, Piergianni ended the season on loan at Oldham Athletic, alongside former Boston teammate Zak Mills.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His Boston career reads as follows: 136 appearances (all starts), 19 goals, 24 bookings and three red cards.

Piergianni wore his trademark number shirt for all bar two appearances (after returning from suspension in March 2016 he took over the eight shirt with Nat Brown at six and Garner at five).

PILGRIMS IN PROFILE: Paul BastockPILGRIMS IN PROFILE: Ricky MillerPILGRIMS IN PROFILE: Ian Ross

Related topics: