Welcome to Diasboro

by werdermouth, posted in Uncategorized

Diasboro (a combination of diaspora and Boro for the uninitiated) was a phrase coined ten years ago by Untypical Boro blogmeister Anthony Vickers to describe the geographically scattered supporters of Middlesbrough Football Club.

This blog has taken this name as it succinctly represents the online community he created and nurtured – in fact Diasboro only exists in the face of the uncertainty that surrounds the continuation of this community and will act as an alternative gathering point to discuss the way forward.

90 thoughts on “Welcome to Diasboro”

    1. I don’t know if you’ve played around with any settings yet on your site but it can be a bit of a going round in circles trying to set pages with the interface – apparently you have to upgrade to premium to get access to finer page controls – it all depends on which template you opted for originally and I didn’t spend much time deciding that!

      1. Werder

        I had a bit of a look under the bonnet but like yourself I went for the Financially Friendly option. Apart from changing the banner colour to Red and sticking a pic on it that was pretty much it. I did find a word filter in one of the settings and “populated” it with a adjectives and nouns I picked up whilst growing up in Grangetown and Southbank (not claiming that I don’t ever use them now of course). I managed to get myself “locked out” through tinkering all last night but managed to restore myself and get back in.

    1. I know the season has spluttered a bit but do you know something we don’t Bob? Seriously hope it was a Freudian slip and you meant Sheff Wed šŸ˜‰

      In other news Rhodes is alleged to have been seen at Villa’s training ground today and we are still sniffing around Bojan. If true I hope that Bojan would be seen as a No.10 instead of one of the midfield three. The bizarre Gestede conundrum looks to be reaching its illogical conclusion today for Ā£6M which probably makes sense of the Rhodes at Villa rumour and the “balance” being fudged, smudged and undisclosed, still its SG’s money and if wants to waste it that is his entitlement. Just hope I’m not expected to applaud or clap if he scores.

      The only sense I can make of the Gestede story is that its the only way the club could get rid of Rhodes. A bit like when you are trying to part ex an old banger only the other way round with us buying the lemon. That or perhaps Negredo has had enough and his loan is being cut short and he is off somewhere where they will pass to him in the 18 yard box.

      1. Yes it’s Sheffield Wednesday on a Sunday !

        I think we have to give Gestede a chance I just hope that AK rates him

        If Rhodes does go to Villa will his uncle be next ?

        Pleased that this is now starting to be the forum that we all know and have all worked at for the past few years to keep it going

        Long may it contin

  12. Hello all. Happy to see the migration of so many good contributors from AV’s site. And thank you werdermouth for setting up the new home.

  13. The Gestede deal certainly isn’t one to get the mouth watering, he looks very much like a Negredo lite type of player, which I suspect is exactly what AK is after.

    Rhodes to Villa makes some sort of sense and as Redcar suggests the numbers look like they are being fudged accordingly.

    If Rhodes is leaving (I would if I was him) and Nugent is off to then are we looking at a third no. 9 coming in as well or will Stuani fill the ‘third’ no. 9 role?

    I don’t expect to get excited by any of Boro’s dealings this January unless there’s a move to bring Juninho back of course…………

  14. Ha! Cross fertization with name recognition. Technology, wonderful ain’t it. Wonder if it knows the size of my draws?

    Greetings fellow posters of the blog that maybe remembered as ‘Untypical Boro!’ (Spartak sheds small tear from corner of eye whilst dabbing with silken hankie). Should we have e-wake & if we should how would that work?

    I’d like to see who’s the first first to a 100 and who’s the first to put up a link.

    Where’s GHW when you need him?

    Well, I think it’s all very exciting and just at the right time being at the turn of the new year.

    All power to your typing fingers chaps and AVANTE DIASBORO!

    How do I get one of those fancy pics in that little box by me name?

  15. If our system up front was firing and Negredo had 10 or 12 goals this season then a like for like replacement may merit some sense. As it is I believe Stuani should be that replacement as he can handle himself, gets a shot off and is decent in the air. I actually think that whilst Stuani is no speed machine he is more mobile than Negredo so also offers something a little bit different whilst not upsetting the “norm”.

    Defensively however Negredo is extremely important for us in defending set pieces. I have no quantifiable data but my gut instinct tells me he gets his head onto 3 out of every 5 corners or free kicks defensively. Whilst it does nothing for our offensive goal scoring stats it does help with clean sheets and GD.

    I don’t mean that disparagingly or as a swipe at AK. It is a definite positive benefit from Negredo. Stuani in defence is a bit wayward at best and less clinical. Gestede probably fits the big powerful header of the ball that AK likes along with keeping clean sheets defensively. Up front Negredo is a class way above and beyond Gestede so what Gestede is going to offer as an alternative is way beyond my comprehension other than limited cover if Negredo departs or breaks a leg.

    Gestede’s signing is now official so whether we like it or not we have to suck it up. To say his signing makes me bilious is an understatement. There are probably only a handful of players who I wouldn’t want to see in a Boro shirt and he is one of them but we have had to control our Gastroesophageal reflux with signings in the past. The fact that he has had one decent season maybe two playing alongside Rhodes ironically and us forking out an “alleged” Ā£6M for him is comical.

    It probably indicates how bad things were between Rhodes and AK. My hunch is that Villa Came in with a cheeky “here takes this donkey off our hands and give us Rhodes and we will give you Ā£2M cash”. Of course as it has been to date, it will be spun out very differently in a sickeningly syrupy fashion. Lets hope we are not discussing on here in 5 months time how this was the defining moment our season went pear shaped. My only hope is that as Negredo is one of AK’s “undroppables” I won’t have to witness him in a shirt very often and certainly no more so than Rhodes or Nugent ever got to wear it. His last visit to the Riverside is one that still grates deeply.

    1. RR
      As commented earlier, we are suffering from a lack of heavyweight players, we have suffered from it in the last minute ‘slam in the high ball and all pile in’ syndrome which operates in the premier just as in other leagues. I think this player is to address this problem. As long as he possesses a nasty streak he may be a help to us.

  18. Whilst we’re testing out the new blog I’ve put up a second post to discuss the January Transfer Window – there’s still quite a few bits and pieces to work out. Also note the WordPress admin system requires first posts to be approved by the site administrator before they appear – but after that it’s straight up there.

  20. This new gaff is a bit smart isn’t it? Busy as well, it’s taken ages to get to the bar. Great to see loads of familiar faces.

    RE: the cup, I want either a good long run or a short sharp shock which will enable us to concentrate on the league. The rumblings of discontent on the other place were a decent indicator of more voluble dissent on the terraces. AK could do worse than go hell for leather for a comprehensive victory to put a smile on everyones faces. Well, I can but dream. They’ll park the bus, we’ll defend our 18 yard line with two defensive midfield players.

    As for the league, pre season I gave Leicester the credit due champions and assumed we’d lose, so a point against them was a point from an unexpected place. We are now only 1 point behind schedule of having 40 points by the final whistle at home against Burnley. My calculations didn’t factor in a value for entertainment.

    Many thanks for setting up this new home, when’s the housewarming?

  21. Just deleted ‘Untypical’ from me bookmarks list havin posted final farewell at 1300 posts – have to say I did hessitate. It was like sayin goodbye to an old friend šŸ™

    1. Ah but you’ve got your old friends in a new house now

      I can’t remember how to add the pictures again but if tou google the WordPress site I’m sure you will find out how to do it

      I seem to remember you click on the space and upload image from your storage on computer or phone

      Looks like most of us have moved

  22. Adama Traore could be another game-changing attacking midfielder we have in the squad, but I think thereā€™s a way to go before we see the best of him, it’s not ‘an overnight thing’. No doubt heā€™s taking a lot on board this year learning what AK requires and developing his understanding of options when heā€™s counter-attacking or getting to the byline. After this and a full pre-season, we might see him playing more effectively next August onwards.

    Having said that, one reading of the Leicester game is that he set up a shot for De Roon and a decent chance for George with cut-backs from the goal-line (George tried to control the ball rather than shoot first-time, but thatā€™s not Adamaā€™s fault). A player creating two reasonable chances is a good return in the context of what we manage in some games. And beyond that, the Leicester defence could never feel settled or comfortable with him going past men at will.

    Also Iā€™m not sure he always needs to pick out a man. At times, travelling at the speed he has and coming up tight to the goal-line, he may need to be looking down to where the ball is and focusing on the contact he makes rather than getting his head up. In that case he needs to get the ball into a pre-agreed dangerous area, and there is a responsibility on other teamates to try to get on the end of it. In which case, AK needs to ask whether he needed to freshen things up with our main striker when we apparently put 40 crosses into the box*, and Alvaro looked burnt out from two games in quick succession.

    *Clearly there were some crosses no-one could be expected to make anything of. But 40 is still a lot of crosses.

    RR makes a very good point about Negredo’s defensive contribution.

      1. Dias Boro posted on twitter and Facebook with the link to the site

        For those who are on FB and Twitter please share and retweet to get it out there

  25. Hi folks, I’m on board.

    Two excellent pieces on the old blog this morning by Richard Evans and Simon. Can I encourage them to repost on here.

    They are both fine examples of the qualities we all so much admired from the old blog, qualities which the Gazette is contemptuous of , and which we all hope will characterise this new enterprise.

    First of all they are on an important topic. It is one which is intimately bound up with this new blog’s origins: the decline of journalistic standards at the Gazette, and the way in which the paper is increasingly doing little more than reproducing the club’s current PR line.

    Reproducing the club’s press statements, arranging them into paragraphs and passing them off under your own by-line isn’t journalism. There is now even a weekly column in which some poor mutt copies down what Alan Shearer and some other pundit says about the Boro on Match of the Day and then reproduces it under his own by-line, in an ‘article’ to which the writer has contributed precisely nothing.

    We all understand the limits that the Boro journalists are working under given their dependency upon the club as their primary source and the necessity of maintaining good relations with it if they are to do their job effectively.

    But their role at the paper now seems to consist of providing any old second or third-hand material that they can use to shovel into the spaces between the increasingly intrusive advertising. They are being deskilled. From journalists to hacks.

    The other quality which emerges from Richard and Simon’s pieces is that they take opposite tacks. One post challenges the other in a way that enriches the debate. This is the only blog I know where almost all contributors understand the difference between an argument and a quarrel and where debate, although there is passion and conviction aplenty, does not descend to personalised insults and trolling.

    Apart from being rare, this respect for individual differences in essential in getting us closer to the truth of any particular situation because that truth is rarely simple or one-dimensional, and having to take into account well-marshalled evidence from a variety of well-articulated perspectives is the best formula that I know of for enriching everybody’s understanding.

    Oh, and really pleased to see that Werner is back. I have no idea what he will think on any given subject. And whether I will agree with it or not is irrelevant. What I do know is that what he writes will be carefully considered, worth reading , and be evidenced based. And that if I do disagree then in responding I will need to be at the top of my game. Welcome back, Werner.

    Finally may I just observe in passing that I learned more about what is going on at Rockcliffe from a few sentences recently posted by Never Give Up than I did from lengthy article and accompanying video produced after a day long visit which appeared on the Gazette site a few weeks ago.

    Just another everyday example of why this new blog will be so important.

  26. Just popping in to say hello from untypically sunny Scotland. Like RR I have managed to work out how to get a wee picture associated with me name.

    Thanks to Werder and RR for ensuring not only Plan B was in place, but Plan C as well. Thanks to OFB for keeping a watchful eye out for when the old home was due to be locked up.

    Hope we get to see AV in here and I look forward to hearing the true story of what came to pass in due course.

    1. Powmill,

      Agreed. It will be fascinating when it all comes out.

      I really feel for AV. He is so skilled, articulate, and politically aware that his present enforced silence must be killing him.

      Hope he manages to hang in there. All true fans need him at the Gazette. He’s the best football journo we have ever had there.

  27. OK, now that untypical has begun to drift off into the magnetic or some blog graveyard I’ve deleted from my favourites and it will disappear from my twoterriers.blogspot too. A sad day. I’ve had a look at the new’Gazette’ and I don’t like that much either, so here we are in the new local. Now to do the housework on the computer. Well done Werdermouth, WordPress needs a bit of sorting out, I am impressed.

    The king is dead long live the king.

    UTB

    John

  29. Well this seems to have been a painless transaction for a group of intelligent people who are well versed nd have an intrinsic knowledge of all things Boro I think the EG have made an error in forcing us out

    I’m sure AV is pretty sick as it was his baby and I’ve said before look for Tony Bishop to post sometime

  34. I’m getting a bit tired of everyone asking which of the characters on my new Avatar is me. It’s just not funny, guys…

    It’s probably one of my sons who uploaded the photo. I keep telling them not to put Sweep next to Sooty – it always ends badly.

  36. Am I going barmy as I posted earlier but it seems to have disappeared.
    Anyway, I’m glad to see all the regulars already here in our virtual pub. Like the idea of callling it The Old Vick

  38. Glad to see we have got our blog back and the regulars are here as well. Was missing the old blog but still as was, like the starter before a game to start all the blog meisters off on the best writing of all time.

    1. OFB

      Well done on becoming our very own Brian “I counted them all out and I counted them all back” Hanrahan šŸ™‚

      Seriously though the hits and views as Werdermouth has kindly shared with us all is encouragingly impressive. If only our strikers were half as effective!

      Great work lads!

      1. I think that today has shown the quality of the bloggers on this site. But we already knew that from the articulate posts and witty repartee over the past years.

        I shall miss the input of AV but know he will be watching us through the celestial ether of technology and I bet he can’t resist the urge to poke a little fun at us all.

        It really has been a remarkable day for all of us and I intend to keep putting the message across on Twitter and Facebook for the next week or so for those who may be away on holiday

        On a Boro note I think we will survive this season on the premiership and that is not just wishful thinking .

        Apart from Spurs who beat Chelsea tonight band Liverpool we have not looked out of place in this league

  40. Yes well done to the publicity arm of the site it’s built the momentum and helped bring just shy of 1,700 views since we launched with 200 referrals from Twitter alone – including a retweet of a link by Jarkko from a certain Blogmeister.

    Anyway, Just caught a few early-bird Aussie Diasboro first-time posters but now I really am off to bed as my six-year-old won’t be giving me a late start tomorrow!

  42. Werdermouth, Any chance we can get AV’s Twitterfeed thing up at top right? Surely he’ll be allowed to to up the EIO and Bugger comments. An essential part of the Saturday elation depression cycle. To quote the man ‘it’s only a matter of time, it’ll come’. I also like the photographs of ‘old’ Teesside he used to post.

    UTB,

    John

    1. John

      Welcome to Diasboro

      AV has his hands tied as eg has planned new digital subscription site which obviously conflicts with what we have here. It’s a pity that we have had to move . It shows the resolve and ingenuity of the bloggers on this site how our input and thoughts contributed to the groundswell of opinion of true Boro supporters.

      I saw that on our settings page a link to EG news site but don’t know what that entails

      1. That’s a shame Bob, they obviously don’t realise the opportunity here, or there, on the old Untypical site. I get fed up with my read being interfered with by ads, videos and pop-ups. Maybe I’m old-fashioned in that respect and I do enjoy reading books. The only pop-up when you are reading and turning the page is the Boss bringing me a Talisker, or similar.

        Some of the Norwich supporters in the village used to read AV and they reckoned it was the best football blog they had seen. I’ve told them about this one now.

        Company policy eh? Doesn’t mean they are right though.

        As for Gestede let’s hope AK gives him a chance then we can judge the young man fairly and properly. I think he’ll be a good acquisition.

        UTB,

        John

        1. John

          Yes it’s a pity but interestingly AV retweeted the link to our new site so I think he secretly approves of our actions

          Lived down Norwich area for over two years people were great. I stayed first at wenhaston then oulton broad great summers

          Used to watch Norwich especially when Boro played there

  43. Just wanted to say thank you to Wedermouth and all involved in keeping our online community going. Not sure of the precise reasons for the impending demise of untypicalboro and can only glean from previous comments that a certain newspaper group were unhappy that all AV’s hard work and input was not benefitting them! As a long time exile I am grateful that I shall still be able to discuss, debate and laugh with fellow Boro supporters – thank you all and best wishes to everyone for 2017.

    1. Welcome to our new home pull up a chair and kick your shoes off.

      Would you like a cup of tea or a glass of beer or wine as you soak up the atmosphere?

  44. Len highlights the problems at the Gazette.

    I mentioned on the transfer window thread that the Gazette have made the mistake of not recognising we are NOT their ‘customers’. Our allegiance is to Boro and this is our Navi, nothing to do with MFC and the current Gazette.
    I know some disagree but I have always separated MFC in all its incarnations from the Boro even though Gibbo is Boro as well.
    Complicated I know but a simple test is what do you think of the badge? Hideous maybe along with the gastric band.
    The badge and the band are MFC, the lion on the badge and the fact the band is white are Boro.

    1. Ian

      An interesting concept splitting the Boro from MFC. I suppose when you nearly lose something like we did in 1986 then you realise how much the Boro means to you.

      We have to be grateful that at present we have a chairman who is a Boro fan who also happens to own the club.

      It would be nice if we could stay in the premiership and get some Boro lads like Fry Ripleyn and Chapman into the team alongside Ben to give local input .

      I think that is why the 86 team means so much to everyone because of all the local lads. Even the ones who weren’t local like Bernie and Archie Have stayed because they love the Boro.

      Long may this love of Boro continue in us all

  45. Hello and HNY to one and all Boronoiacs! I don’t fully know how all this works – I left a message in the Contact section, but maybe that was just to register? And as for this avatar business….anyroad glad to have found you. Dunno what the hell happened but there must have been a ban on Vickers running a blog?

    1. EG are going to use a new digital website which is subscription based.

      Untypical Boro does not bring them any revenue so plug was going to be pulled

      Fortunately the gate was left open for long enough for us all to escape

      Welcome aboard

  47. I think AV’s manifesto should appear in this blog.. thanks to Jarkko. I for one hold these truths to be self-evident:

    “And there is so much to say. Not just about the matches which drive our obsession but also about the colour and culture of Boro fandom, the history and traditions and the echoes of Ayresome, the compelling cut-throat politics within a knowledgeable crowd, the wild fluctuations by the hour in terrace temperature and the ability of the club to delight, frustrate, infuriate and inspire us. And to drive us to drink.
    So I have spilled into the blogosphere where we are not constrained by rigid deadlines and tired old formulas and where a comprehensive Borocentric world view can be refreshed and updated as the news unfolds.
    The aim is to react quickly with analysis, opinion and passion to the big events.
    Sometimes there will be red hot breaking news straight from Hurworth that can’t wait for the next edition of the paper.
    Sometimes there will be afterthoughts and reactions to my Gazette column
    Sometimes there will be personal quip-by-quip match reports.
    Sometimes there will be searing views of the latest PR gaffe .
    And sometimes the veneer of professional decorum will dissolve in delirious air punching EIO triumphalism at mighty Boro’s destruction of the flimsy so-called champions.
    But there won’t be any spin. This blog pledges to cut through the media-manipulation, doublethink and delusion that surrounds the game and instead provide a platform for an informed, articulate and honest approach that puts the fans’ views at the forefront.
    Because supporters are the lifeblood of the game but have too long been denied a voice. They are loyal and passionate and intense and well informed ā€“ and above all they are honest. This blog will endeavour to echo those sentiments and to join in and sometimes lead the debate. It will not be afraid to talk about what the fans are talking about even if it does upset the powers that be.

  50. The transfer market is going wild with stories of actual deals being done. I wonder, have the buying clubs at last realised that letting the sellers string them out till the end of January was robbing them of most of the value in whatever trouble they were in.
    About time.

    1. This is passport control your photograph looks a bit out of date sir !

      Have you been abroad ? you seem to have acquired a lot of spots I hope they are not contagious sir !

    1. We’ve just escaped and moved house.

      The lunatics have taken over the asylum

      Pull up a straitjacket strap yourself in and start talking gibberish!

  54. Did not post on the old blog very often but was on it every day. Thank you for this new blog where I can read RR’s great match reports, Ian Gills words of wisdom and Spartak’s sarcasm, do not know what I would have done without it. Keep the posts coming. Great win today, hope the lads keep it up.

  55. Borofan in SA

    Sarcasm – Ah, so that’s what it is! There was I thunkin all along it was cynicism and I was one of the last great cynics. Glad you put me right Borofan, I hope not to disappoint you & my many admirers for seasons to come.

    You are most welcome!

    1. Well you would have been cynical if you watched the first half today Spartak

      One shot on goal but a mile high even Karanka said the players took it as a training match.

      Only player to come out with credit at half time was chambers

      Second half we were lucky with grants goal due to poor keeping not covering the goal a point made by Jim platt on summing up

      The second goal again poor keeping kicking it against Negredo

      Definitely not a sending off both Friend and Chambers were closer to the goal than Ayala and covered

      Very poor referee and we seem to be getting more than our share

      Chambers still mom Espinosa steady friend bit below par but poor performance despite 3 goals !

  56. OFB

    Thanks for the quick match summary.

    Taking a look at the home stats under AK – just wondering how they look for this EPL season. What would it be, played 10 won three?

    Still tad unfair to beat him over the head with the lack of wins given he’s new to the league & plays 9 if not 10 men behind the ball. I do see Negredo becoming more disconsolent at the passing of each game.

    Happy days

  57. Is there anybody out there?

    šŸ”“ Good to hear from you again Nikeboro – though I see you’ve been rebranded as SteveT – Werdermouth

    1. Steve

      We are on the next blog post now
      navigate to that and when you do tick the boxes to get copy of new posts and copy emails of the posts

      IF you can’t find us then we’ll come looking for you

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