Woodgate refuses to look down as he walks Teesside tightrope

by Diasboro, posted in Uncategorized

Championship 2019-20: Weeks 13-14

Sat 2 Nov – 15:00: Derby v Boro Sat 9 Nov – 15:00: QPR v Boro

Werdermouth is hoping Boro will score a goal before the next international break…

Since taking those first few tentative steps as head coach at Boro, Jonathan Woodgate has been walking the tightrope between the aspiration of wanting to play more expansive football and needing to get results. Indeed, many believed his head was in the clouds if he thought that he could achieve such a feat as it was always going to struggle to find the right balance with his limited experienced and limited resources. The initial excitement on Teesside in watching such daring act of pride has quickly turned to fear that both he and his boyhood club are at risk of heading for a fall. The sight of an increasing number of empty red seats at the Riverside indicates that many quite literally can no longer bear to watch.

This noble yet somewhat naive desire to please the crowd and put on a show has ultimately ended up pleasing nobody and with each wobble the expectation is the Boro chairman must somehow do something soon to rescue the situation. However, the young Boro boss refuses to look down and is determined to get to the other side as he believes it’s impossible to turn back from what is the long-term project of changing the club’s playing style. Woodgate remains convinced that he’s heading in the right direction as he declared: “I believe in myself, I believe in my players, I believe in the club.” If such inner belief wasn’t enough to deter the negative thoughts of the Boro faithful, he insists that Steve Gibson remains “positive” and “supportive”, before adding: “I’m positive that we can turn it around. I’m positive. We are all positive.”

Although, when he said “we are all positive” it may possibly exclude a large section of the supporters who have chosen to indicate on social media that they may have opted themselves out of the general enthusiasm that exists within the club – let alone are feeling optimistic about their team’s immediate prospects. Not that Woodgate is keeping an eye on the Twittersphere as he’s not that keen on reading such forthright views: “I don’t concern myself with the opinions of people on social media.” Who can blame him but he at least accepted some supporters may be less than content with Boro’s showing so far when admitting: “People are going to be negative at times, I know that but there are a lot of positive people out there too, although they don’t seem to go on social media.” Stating that he much prefers the in-house feedback instead: “The opinion of the chairman matters. The opinions of my coaches staff, the players, the people inside the club matter.”

Nevertheless, maybe Woodgate has stumbled upon the inherent nature of social media in that it’s essentially provides a platform for people to sound off and release their angst. As to whether all the silent but happy Boro supporters are just inwardly smiling with positivity or have simply had their smart phones confiscated by their carers is at this point unknown. While many would agree that there are a lot of positive people out there, there’s an increasing chance that vast majority of them are probably not at this juncture busy online buying tickets to the Riverside. Although, it may be an accurate perception as a recent study by the University of Minnesota found that negative posts on Facebook outnumbered positive ones by a ratio of 2:1 – plus they discovered negative posts normally received more likes too. In contrast, a study published by Forbes magazine discovered that consumers were much more likely to share positive experiences (49%) rather than negative ones (30%) – of course it’s possible those percentages would vary if the Teesside grudge filter was removed.

Still, talking of those who have long forgotten about performing at the dizzying heights of even the footballing pyramid, it’s possible that Steve Gibson would experience an episode of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo if he were to suddenly look up towards where he’d been hoping to see his club standing instead of languishing at 22nd place of the second tier. After two years of aiming for the top, the Boro chairman must be wondering what went wrong after spending a small fortune trying to turn around the club after relegation from the Premier League. Incidentally, vertigo is described as feeling like you are turning around when you are standing still and can often lead to a sudden fall – which would seem to fit in quite well with the symptoms the club are currently experiencing.

Conversely, I suspect few on Teesside probably feel giddy when they peer down at the Championship table to spot their team in the relegation zone and apparently suffering from Acrophobia – a condition that is defined as an extreme or irrational fear of heights, especially when one is not particularly high up. Although, it seems the truth of where Boro lie in the table is possibly an illusion according to Woodgate’s recent response to questions about his team sitting in the bottom three: “The players agree with me that the table doesn’t tell the true story of the league and our performances. We have deserved more from the games that we have got. They know that.” So it appears even the table has now jumped on the post-truth bandwagon.

Whilst no wins in the last seven games and back-to-back goalless draws isn’t much evidence that Boro should be sitting a lot prettier in the Championship than they are. Woodgate had declared before the Fulham game that the club are not really in a relegation scrap: “I wouldn’t say it’s a dogfight at the minute because, if we get a few wins, we’ll soon climb up the table.” By that logic no club would ever be technically fighting relegation if they were always just a few wins from moving up the league. Though if it did indeed come to such a battle then he believes: “We don’t want it to turn into a dogfight, but if it does, I’ve got the players to dog it out.” Although, I’m not too familiar with the phrase “dog it out”, a quick Google informed me that the expression derives from 1920s underworld slang and means ‘to back down in a cowardly fashion’, with online dictionaries offering the definitions for just “dog it” as: ‘fail to put in the necessary effort’, ‘Do less than is required’ or ‘move slowly’ – none of which inspires much confidence that this is what is needed. Perhaps others can provide any colloquial Teesside meaning to put my mind at rest.

That game against Fulham was Boro’s third consecutive game without scoring and our strikers looked more than a little semi-detached from the vantage point of the terraces against the Cottagers ten men. Confidence in front of goal has visibly drained away and so seemingly has belief both on the pitch and in the stands. Still, one man who still believes in his players is Woodgate, who hasn’t given up on them: “You have to keep believing in your players. You go through sticky situations and it’s an important you have a manager who sticks by you through thick and thin” – which is just as well given that it looks like we’re going to be stuck with our goal-shy strikers for at least another three months at least.

Just how long the Boro chairman will stick with Woodgate is possibly another matter, as despite all the positive noises of this being a long-term project and still having belief, there can obviously comes a point at which even Steve Gibson will need to make a decision. Then again the appointment of someone who was onboard with the whole downsizing project may mean the Boro head coach will be safe in his post until after the January window has closed and any ‘necessary’ sales have been approved.

Much could depend on what happens before the next international break as Boro face two tricky away games at two of former boss, Steve McClaren, former teams in first Derby and then QPR. The Rams are no longer the media darlings of Frank Lampard’s Derby County and appear to have lost some of their shine with the Dutchman Philip Cocu in charge. Having edged Tony Pulis out of the play-offs last season by a point, Derby have also failed to look the part this season and have won just four games. Although it should be noted that three of those four victories have been achieved in their last three home games – which were against the limited opposition of Wigan, Luton and Birmingham with their other win in the opener at fellow strugglers Huddersfield. In theory, it gives Woodgate his best chance of picking up three points but to do so it would mean someone in a red shirt (and no doubt blue shorts) will have to score – unless of course we can be gifted an own-goal. Few are expecting a classic and I suspect the best action may well be in the directors box if Steve Gibson enquires about the new owners of the Pride Park stadium with Mel Morris.

The last game before another two-weeks of chin rubbing and head scratching will be at Loftus Road, where Boro will face Mark Warburton’s Hoops, who are currently sitting just a point outside the play-offs. Amazingly, despite being the third highest scorers in the Championship with 24, QPR have a negative goal difference as they are conceding on average almost two goals per game – in fact only bottom club Barnsley have a worse defensive record with just one more against. Indeed, they have let in 11 goals in their last five home games, which surely must give Woodgate some hope of his strikers at least hitting the back of the net. OK, they also score goals too and even Teessider Jordan Hugill has stopped falling over to register seven times in his latest loan spell. Surely it’s time for Boro to start converting chances and give at least the travelling support something to cheer – if not, there’s a real danger of Boro being cast adrift from the teams in lower mid-table as they become unmistakably caught in a relegation struggle.

As Boro followers search for inspiration, I’ll end with the words of the French high-wire artist, Phillipe Petit, who famously illegally walked a wire between the World Trade Centre twin towers in New York back in 1974, which was portrayed in the 2008 documentary, Man on Wire and later made into the 2015 movie, The Wire. To most sane individuals, the thought of walking a quarter of a mile above the ground between two towers, where one mistake would mean certain death seems unbelievable. Incredibly, such was his self-confidence in his ability, Petit actually made eight passes between the towers, including dancing, kneeling and even laying down on the wire. He said the best advice he was given was by his mentor, who told him: “Most wire walkers, they die when they arrive. They think they have arrived. But they have not. They have three steps left. Most walkers die in the final three steps. They think they have arrived. They get arrogant and die.” Whether Jonathan Woodgate thinks he has finally arrived is not clear but most Boro supporters are hoping that his final three points rather than three steps were not back in mid September with that 1-0 win over Reading!

476 thoughts on “Woodgate refuses to look down as he walks Teesside tightrope”

  2. Werder,

    As usual a witty and surprisingly cheerful post but I’m a bit concerned about QPR conceding so many goals, does this mean that the goals at Loftus Road are twice the size? Indeed if they were or are I still don’t think our strikers would manage a goal or will it be a repeat of Gordon Strachan’s visit there with Boro?

    Derby first and we may well see a collector’s item in terms of a Boro goal but I’m still going for an OFB, 0 – 0 it is. The eyes have it.

    UTB,

    John

  4. I wonder if Stoke’s version of Me Mark Page will be blasting this out over the PA anytime soon……..

    “ You packed your bags as I recall
    And you walked slowly down the hall
    You said you had to get away to ease your mind
    And all you needed was a just little of time

    Oh winter’s passed, spring and fall
    You never wrote me, you never called
    Nathan Jones you’ve been gone too long
    Gone too long…”

  6. Great piece as always Werder, thank you.

    Unfortunately it has not lifted my mood during a week in which we said farewell to Karon’s dad.

    I have still not recovered from the Fulham debacle and despite Boro having a good record against Derby in recent years I see us losing both at Pride Park and Loftus Road.

    JW has said it could get worse before it gets better and I fear that he may get something right for once! 😎☹️

    4. KP
      The words “it could get worse before it gets better” have the ring of ‘ deflection’ about them.
      We know, and he knows that he hasn’t a clue.
      To take them in order, which team?
      No idea.
      Which formation?
      No idea.
      How to motivate said team?
      No idea.
      When all else fails, pick a team, any team, and tell them to run as fast as they can towards the opponents goal, and try to put the ball in the net.
      Keep it up for 95 minutes, be prepared to take one for the team, remember the old saying. ” he who kicks the ball furthest concedes the least goals.

  8. Shows JW inexperience when he tells every one about his tactical switch which is here to stay. I can’t remember any other manager letting the cat out out of the bag regards tactics.

  10. I don’t know what a General Election is going to solve, but parties be they Labour, Conservative or whatever have always had a mandate to run the Country without referenda and that was David Cameron’s mistake in my opinion. Also most British Governments have always been at odds with the populace during peacetime and wartime come to that, hence the mocking
    of the Establishment by Gilbert and Sullivan operettas in the past.

    However back to Football and Middlesbrough Football Club in particular. The motto for the town is Erimus, ‘we shall be’ and we survived 1986, albeit at the eleventh hour, and we will survive again whether relegated or not. However I’m confident that although we’re in a relegation battle at the moment, it is only a temporary battle. As I mentioned before Boro drew 3 goalless successive matches under Jack Charlton and 7 successive matches without scoring under Aitor Karanka in early 1974. Although I’ve always maintained that past results cannot influence current matches it is a fact that Boro have never failed to score away to Derby County since August 1991, that’s 17 matches including 8 wins and 4 draws, so perhaps this is a good opportunity to extend that run. Even at QPR Boro have only failed to score 3 times in 9 matches but have scored 16 times there in that period.

    We may not agree with Jonathan Woodgate’s statements about
    his faith in Boro’s strikers, but such statements are to instill confidence in his strikers, so what else is he supposed to say?
    With a defence more watertight now, there is no reason that Boro can’t win these next 2 matches especially as their away support is less likely to turn against the team than a nervous Riverside crowd. I reckon 2 clean sheets will produce at least 4 points, so let’s wait and see. Maybe a better Latin motto for the Boro should be ‘nil desperandum’. Come on Boro and prove me right.

    1. My issue is that I don’t see a team in a “battle”. I see a team that is dispirited, dysfunctional at best and only now starting to look semi organised at the back after three months of immature, inexperienced, idiotic dreaming and tinkering which I and many others sadly predicted before a ball was even kicked.

      I see players looking demoralised and confused trying to do things they were never bought or equipped for. I see a hierarchy even more deluded or (as I now suspect) even worse trying to dupe fans and seemingly having the local press over a barrel in doing so going along with their spin to cover up for continual and ongoing administrative incompetence. Incompetence which goes from ticketing pricing right through the club up through scouting, recruitment, signings and contract negotiations which is what has ultimately landed the club in the dire straits it now finds itself in. Leaving the fees paid and individuals recruited to one side the wage bill is horrendous and ridiculous in the extreme, if anyone on here had performed in such a dire manner we would have been sacked years ago.

      Appointing a gullible rookie as a fall guy in the hope that he just might fumble his way somehow through the season. Not supporting him in the transfer window and the three feeble token signings (not counting a third choice Keeper) clearly not good enough at this level (no good signing for the future when there isn’t a present) made worse by the story behind PowerPoint presentations doesn’t strike me as a battle.

      That most of those failings were repeatedly mentioned on social media sites, on here and elsewhere yet continued unabated for years leaves little room for doubt. We have a reclusive Chairman who year on year seems to model himself on the Grand Old Duke of York now living on the strength of past glories which ended in a dutch town thirteen years ago.

      Its sad to witness from the outside looking in but there is very little battle or fight left in MFC from what I have witnessed in 2019. Nobody was ever relegated in November (apart from Bolton perhaps) so there is still a chance but if nothing changes then everything remains the same and if that happens things are going to worse, an awful lot worse.

      A win today buys some time, nothing more, a defeat just continues in the same vein heightening the inevitability factor. I see signs of resigning themselves to League One. I see signs that nobody is listening despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary instead believing in their own infallibility. I see it contaminating things on the pitch with players now playing well below the standard reasonably expected of them. I don’t see any battling spirit or qualities at all, now would be a good time to start.

  12. KP and Karon

    Best wishes at a sad time. Just remember he will be looking down with fingers crossed for Karon. Dont think of the passing away, think of the memories and treasure those.

  13. An article about where are Monks Boro signings today and basically how have they fared .
    Well most are still at Boro running in reverse , now if his spending was say £6m OK,but as it was something like £40m.
    Then I’m going to blame Pulis and Woodgate for not taking us to the promised land
    As did and do those knowledgeable super Boro fans
    Fans have a voice ,let’s make it as supporters not Geordie wannabes.

  15. Thanks to everyone for their kind wishes and condolences which are much appreciated by us both.

    Tony had a full and varied life albeit marred over the last eight years by dementia. His passing was pain free, peaceful and a release for both him and the family from a terrible disease.

    Thanks again to all and let’s hope that both England and Boro can bring some cheer back into our lives. 😎

    2. Condolence to you and Karon, after losing my Mother and Mother in-law to same disease I feel for you and Karon.
      And thanks to Werder for another great leader.

  16. I’m not particularly a Rugby Union fan, not enough tries scored in matches for my liking from the ‘kick and clap’ brigade, but I’ll be cheering England on this morning. To beat the top three Southern Hemisphere countries would be amazing, as would be to be World Champions in two of the 3 major sports having also won the Cricket World Cup earlier this year. Also let’s not forget that the British Lions are playing New Zealand for the first time in over a decade in the first of 3 Rugby League Test matches today, which I’ll need to record and play this evening. So a busy day ahead for yours truly with also listening to Boro’s match at Derby. Dare I wish for a trio of wins? Fingers crossed then.

  19. Another great article Werder.
    Condolences to both KPs.
    Disappointment for England who were second best when it mattered most.
    Anxiety for Boro who might find themselves adrift after the next two fixtures.
    2-0 to Derby today

  20. England never looked like scoring a try, no pace in the backs. Far too many stoppages for my liking, pretty boring stuff really compared to Rugby League.

    2. Disappointing.

      Early handling errors gave South Africa the chance to attack the scrum to get a penalty. It was game over after that. Nearly every scrum the ref was saying dominance as the scrum wheeled or splintered and he gave the penalty in favour of the dominant scrum.

  21. Great article once more Werder, loved the graphics. Let’s hope Woodgate does not fail and fall today, as I do not see much of a safety net. In fact the next two matches could see us flat out on the floor of the division.

    Those fellow posters looking for a double today have had the first half well and truly bashed. What odds for an upset at Pride, seeing that the pundits has England favourites.

  22. Thanks Pedro, I guess we’ll soon see if Pride Park comes before a fall…

    I’m interested to see what the team selection will be today. I’m not really a fan of playing McNair in defence as he has so far this season looked our most likely player to score. I’m not sure why Nathan Wood has dropped out of the matchday squad in recent weeks as he played in the u23 game during the week. We in theory need at least another centre-back on the bench now that we’ve switched to a back three.

    While Hayden Coulson did quite well, I would also like to see Marvin Johnson start as he has also been one of our most dangerous attacking threats this season. Losing both McNair from attacking midfield and Johnson as our only real pacey wide player is not going to help improve the lack of goals. I think it would be a mistake to start again with Britt and Fletcher up front. Tav has at least added energy and if Wing has got his passing range back then we need players who like to run forward. Both Britt and Fletcher have been far too static and don’t offer much of a passing option.

    My preference assuming it’s 5-3-2 would be:

    Pears
    Howson, Ayala, Fry, Wood, Coulson
    Wing, McNair, Tavernier
    Johnson, Fletcher

    Although I think we’ll probably see the same team as Fulham and on that basis I predict the same result in 0-0

  23. Another great article Weder along with the graphics. I have very admiration for how you do it, along with RR great reports.

    Catching up, so condolences to KP and Karon although as my MIL is in a nursing home with severe dementia, I understand that his passing will have been a blessing. MIL has no idea about anything, doesn’t recognize family and has no quality of life.

    Whilst I lost both parents when they were fairly young, as I often say, we didn’t have to watch them deteriorate to a shell of a person that my MIL is.

    Onto other matters, England were second best today and as my daughter said, two world cups in the same year would have been a tad greedy! What impact Sinkler going off so early will never be known but the scrums were a disaster Although South AfricA played better in the day, their speed in defence was awesome and never gave England time.

    So onto this afternoon, I always want to be positive but I am struggling to see how we can win based on previous games. We are too slow in attack and when we get chances, our strikers find it easier to miss.

    So, 0 0 from me I am afraid.

    UTB

    1. Thanks BBD for your thoughts and sorry that your MIL is suffering with the same dreadful disease which impacts both the individual and the rest of the family. As we have found, you lose your loved one twice.😎

  24. Well I managed to scrape in the Rugby League Test after the Rugby Union Final and have to say GB were just as boring as England RU in the first half, but why on earth we continue to select players out of position I can’t imagine. However I wouldn’t mind Boro being boring today as long as they win.

  25. So the team news is that it looks like McNair continues in the back three but Johnson has replaced Coulson at left wing-back. It’s a midfield three of Wing, Sav and Tav with Browne coming in at the tip of the diamond and Britt leading the line. Fletcher doesn’t even make the bench.

    Team: Pears, Howson, Ayala, Fry, McNair, Johnson, Wing, Saville, Tavernier, Browne, Assombalonga.

    Incidentally the only attacking options on the bench are the youngsters Walker and Liddle plus Coulson. Nathan Wood also returns to the bench along with Dijksteel and Clayton.

  26. Looks as though JW has put his cards on the table and has picked an attacking line up. The only problem I can see for him is that those pesky Derby County players will be on the pitch too.

    3-0

  29. Derby no great shakes and not looking that good at the back, but Boro sloppy in their passing and Howson at fault selling Saville short. Worse performance from McNair this season, so not expected from him.
    When we get into their final third we run out of ideas. Plenty of the ball before the goal and sending off but they are not sure what to do with it and make a poor pass to just get rid of it.
    NO shots on target.

  30. To be fair to Boro they looked quite comfortable until Derby scored – though perhaps Pears should have done better as he got a hand to it and was savable. Britt looked much better than of late but still wants to take more time than he has – did the hard bit with the early chance but didn’t look to get his shot off until the defender had recovered. He also missed chance to play in Browne but again delayed the pass a fraction long. The sending off of Saville has made matters worse and I don’t think either our passing is good enough to hold possession with ten men. Still in the game but a second would kill off any hope – and as usual still no shots on target plus defensively we look less solid than the previous two games.

  31. It was never going to be easy to get back in the game with ten men – especially for a team that struggles to score with 11. Can’t fault the effort from the Boro players but in truth we don’t really have a player who can make something happen like Derby had with Tom Lawrence. Mostly we had players running down cul-de-sacs and losing possession but very few able to link up together and keep possession.

    Derby weren’t that special and Boro may well have had a chance to win three points if it had been 11v11 – but where are the goals coming from? Apparently we had one shot on target but I don’t recall who made it – even the BBC live text didn’t note it so it was possibly an accident.

    It looks like Boro are going to be stuck in the bottom three for at least a few weeks and we can only hope those above us don’t pull further ahead. Luton are now our nearest rivals and they play Reading next week so we will need a result against QPR to avoid remaining in the relegation zone and of course a goal!

    1. Think the shot on target Werder was from McNair, but whistle went for offside.

      Derby played into Boro´s hand somewhat by slowing the game down and not stretching us. One thing is for sure, Coulson is not a LB, may be a wing back, but not good enough defensively.
      There were some poor performances once more from our more, what you would call better players. Wing looked off the pace, Howson just has never hit the heights for the money paid and Britt. I have defended him in the past, again little service today, but when you get an opportunity you have to make more of them.

  32. “ Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate told BBC Radio Tees:

    “People say the league table tells the truth, it’s not. It’s lying at the minute.”

    No it isn’t Jonathan.

    1. You beat me to it! Exactly what I was thinking as well, we are where we are because we can’t score goals and the other teams can!

      Not sure how JW turns it round from here on in.

      I await the match report – is our Man from the East Midlands having a go today?

  33. Pedro – I suspect Boro’s problem is that we have too many players with less than a season experience of their positions. Attacking midfielder McNair filling in as a centre-back, another midfielder Howson as a wing-back, Wing now being converted to a deep-lying playmaker, Attacking wide player Johnson playing as a wing-back, Tavernier alternating between various midfield positions, Browne starting as the attacking central midfielder.

    Add to that all the youngster with just a few Championship games under their belts like Coulson, Dijksteel, Walker and Pears and on top of that is our main striker Britt short on goals and low in confidence – our promising centre-back Fry who is still not fully match fit after injury – as well as Saville who is in and out of the team and looking to make an impression.

    You must then think that few if any of these players have built much of an understanding with their team-mates around them and they are being led by an inexperienced coaching team who are trying to figure out what works and doesn’t. And now they have to do all this under the shadow of a relegation battle, which essentially almost makes the whole project almost impossible.

    That is why we should be concerned if Boro remain in the bottom three for any length of time. It’s a recipe for going nowhere fast!

      1. I guess we’re probably talking about that ‘hope’ word again 🙂 However, we have a lot of key players performing well below last season’s level too notably in Britt, Wing, Fry and Howson – plus the new signings have not been adequate and there have been some unfortunate injuries to others. Woodgate would have had a difficult job even if he had been more experienced – that lack of experience just magnifies the problems. Plus of course the pressure with each game without a win also makes it harder.

          1. I’m not sure that would help matters much – Pulis is a micro-manager who basically tells every players where to stand, what to do and when to do it. He doesn’t strike me as a person who would be able to just simply offer advice.

    1. Pedro,

      Certainly not not when you are not scoring and losing. I don’t think Mr Woodgate is up to the job. The sack is being prepared for the drop through the trap-door.

      Decisions to be made.

      Rapidly.

      Despite that,

      UTB,

      John

  35. We keep coming back to the same problem, coach, coach, coach.
    Listen to the man, he tells it like he sees it.
    1 we are in a false position.
    2 it’s just bad luck.
    3 we were the better team.
    4 we will soon be in our rightful position in the league.
    The fourth statement was more right than he knew, unfortunately it will be in the first division.
    There is plenty more of this dross we are seeing to come our way, as he is not going to suddenly become an expert coach.

    1. Clive

      Stoke City have been in detailed discussions with Preston in a bid to prise Alex Neil out of Deepdale.

      Lengthy talks are understood to have taken place between Stoke’s chief executive Tony Scholes and Preston chairman Peter Ridsdale.
      OFB

  37. Was the Britt shot that hit the defender just in front of the line a shot on target?. I was sat three rows on the bye line and the ball looked to have hit the defender. It is irrelevant because the ball cleared the bar.

    I was too far away and low down to give a view on the sending off other than Saville was sold short by the pass and looked to dive in.

    We didn’t lack effort, we were just lacking and that looks to the story of our season.

    More thoughts later.

    1. I think from the replay of the Saville red card, Howson had back-heeled the ball but it hit his other leg, which took the pace off it and left Saville second favourite for a 50-50 and he decided to go for it.

  38. We can’t afford a budget League Two manager let alone one that would want serious money like Pulis which is why we ended up with Woodgate. Our best hope is maybe someone out of work like Pearson but with the required experience to get us out of this mess probably with a contract loaded with bonuses. I doubt if Gibson would take a risk on someone like Pearson however who certainly wouldn’t be a yes man pandering to insecure ego’s.

  39. Well Boro’s form continues to be nothing to write home about as their run without a win has now stretched to eight games and have now failed to score their last four. Indeed, there’s probably only one man who attempt write anything after watching a Boro game – yes it’s Redcar Red and his view of how Jonathan Woodgate’s team once again resisted their urge to give him a goal to describe in his match report…

    https://diasboro.club/2019/11/02/derby-2-0-boro/

  40. An interesting moral stance from fans around me. We were well beaten but many muttered about the fact Tom Lawrence was still playing whilst Keogh was sacked. There was no ‘blame’ attached for the defeat, the fans gave good support whilst muttering about the team.

    Discussed the situation with the ‘Boss’ and she reckoned Keogh could take Derby to court and win.

    Poor Britt came in for some stick but he was an easy target, there was a general feeling we are shot. Spoke to some Rams fans on the way back to the city centre who said they had not been very good this season but this was the poorest Boro team seen at Pride Park for many seasons.

  41. Thanks RR for your report. I am presently in the UK so was only able to listen to the commentary provided by Riverside Live.

    It was a game which highlighted the same old deficiencies of failing to take chances when presented and once we go behind there appears to be no way back at present.

    Whilst I was not in favour of JW’s appointment I don’t think the failings are all down to him.

    The team and individuals are simply not good enough and the introduction of Tavenier alongside Wing which was put forward by some contributors as being the answer to our problems has proved to be wide of the mark, as they have both been in the side during our recent winless and scoreless run.

    I can’t see SG taking any action until the end of the season, if at all, and at present do not see any way of avoiding relegation. On current form we will be well adrift by the turn of the year. 😎☹️

  43. Not only a triple whammy with England RU being soundly beaten, GBRL waking up too late in the second half, and Boro once again having only one shot on target, but even Redcar Athletic losing their unbeaten home record. Think I’ll watch Strictly Come Dancing needful of some entertainment today.
    I feel sorry for the Bor

  44. Cut short in mid sentence.
    I feel sorry for the Boro fans to have to enjoy another below par performance, but thanks to Redcar Red and Werdermouth for giving us an insight to what it’s like. My earlier confidence would now appear to be misguided.

  45. Belated thanks to Redcar Red, only just read his searingly accurate report. If I have seen the match or listened I like to make a comment then read his report despite the fact they are generally grim and accurate.

  46. Thanks for your report RR. As always, it is very much appreciated.

    I think that was the first time that I can remember for a long time that I have been spot on with my prediction. Could have done without that really.
    Unless something significant changes, then there is only one way this team is taking us this year and that is sad.

    OFB, do you have any idea what is the atmosphere among the players? Is there any evidence of them not having any faith in the coaching/management staff?
    Re TP as DoF. I know you saw him with SA in the directors box, but have you heard anything from anyone close that confirms your suggestion?

    1. Powmill

      I have watched the training and the Players seem happy and Britt plays with a smile on his face

      I think Pulis is just coming to games to keep his eyes on players for both Boro and other teams for the day that he returns to management. I don’t think he will come back to Boro as my DOF suggestion was made with tongue firmly stuck in cheek!

      Personally I would bring McClaren back for an interim position he still lives locally at Aislaby near Yarm but Gibson fell out with him when he left for England because of the timing announced just before our European Final.

      Gosh that last sentence sounds strange now !

      OFB

  47. Thanks for the report, RR. Not much fun reliving that but can’t argue with anything about the way you described the game. Good work.

    Positives? Browne looked decent in the no. 10 role (I agreed with RR that it was strange that he was hooked in the post-red-card reshuffle) and it was a generally spirited display from the players. That’s about it, though.

    What do you do with a player like Britt? Early on he looked like he was at it more than previous weeks but overall he is a player who does little but score goals – fine when he’s on form but of little use when he’s not, as now. A player who lives for goals cannot pass up an opportunity such as he had in the early minutes yesterday. Pulis tried to gee him up via almost weekly criticism to little effect. JW has gone with the arm-around-the-shoulder approach to even less effect. The frustration is that he probably remains out most likely source of a goal. That said, Fletcher does offer more to the team as a whole but his confidence has looked completely shot. Where was he yesterday?

    I suppose Saville’s suspension gives an opportunity to tweak the midfield perhaps to something with more creativity. Could we play two behind the striker (ala Hignett-Barmby) and sacrifice the deep-lying role? I think so. Bring Clayton back in as a central shield alongside McNair and push Wing forward alongside Browne or Tav behind Fletcher. We also need to find a fit centre-half to allow McNair to get to midfield.

    It’s not getting any better is it?

    1. Andy

      Good post apparently Fletcher suffered a knock in training.

      As for the Centre Half position Young Sam Stubbs on loan in Scotland has been getting rave reviews and Neil Maddison makes trips nearly every week to go and watch his progress

      I would suggest that Boro will recall his loan deal in January

      OFB

    1. Ian
      Assuming someone wants to buy them!

      Their current displays are not exactly making themselves attractive purchases and we may end up having to give some of them away. 😎

  49. Redcar Red,

    Many thanks for the usual unbiased and high standard of reporting on what was obviously an unlucky game for Boro in that they had to play. Is it just me or are they really witless, feckless and clueless? Loved the comment about scoring in training too, there’s humour in everything. Apparently.

    The only place that they do seem to be building up a head of steam is towards achieving terminal velocity into the division below and I think Boro would struggle there the way they are playing. As the old cliche goes, on paper we are good enough to be mid-table but on grass we definitely are not. Oh, and wasn’t Mr Keane brought on board to sharpen our strikers up? The input appears invisible if that isn’t a contradiction in terms.

    Somewhere, something has to give in the management and coaching because time is slipping by like sand in a timer. Perhaps the senior management is waiting until after the election when things will become clearer and the table will stop lying like the politicians.

    If I was Nigel Pearson I’d refresh the CV and show the management the error of their ways.

    As the situation stands nothing will change unless there is serious change and I don’t foresee a club-wide ‘Road to Damascus’ experience happening but then changing the manager would be close to that form of experience.

    UTB,

    John

  50. What a miserable day was yesterday. Two international Rugby teams who can’t score tries and a football team who can’t score goals. I wish I could turn the clock back a few months to the cricket season when entertainment was rife. In fact at my age I just wish I could turn the clock back period.

  51. Thanks Redcar Red for your report adding to the game that I watched on the little screen. The truth from you just confirmed what I saw and it did not make pretty watching.

    As Werder said, the team looked as though they were trying and put in the effort, but there were too many that had poor overall performances. OK you can make allowances and defend them like Werder did the out of position players and the young bench with little to change. But as much as I can agree with that a little, there is something else that just does not sit right.

    There are far too many misplaced passes even when not under pressure. Too many poor decisions and hopeful balls lumped forward just to get rid of it. One thing is sure, they do not look to have very much confidence, when some of that is needed to move forward from this worsening position.

    I do have sympathy for Woodgate. He has admitted his system mistake. if somewhat late, tried different fringe players and unfortunately ended up with the same results.
    Just where do we go from here is anybody’s guess. I am not convinced a change of Coach would help, but that ultimately may be the only option, one that Mr Gibson would not want to take, if only for his own self esteem, so probably too late when he thinks about it seriously and then does nothing.

    Who is available anyway and add in the cost of getting rid of the present set up and staring again. It is all so depressing, especially as it was forewarned.

  52. Just to introduce a little philosophy into the (quite serious) discussion.
    In a rare example of unanimity (difficult word) all, I’ll repeat that word, all observers, and would be football experts (that would be me) now know that we are homeward bound, like Simon and Garfunkel, not under control, never got a plan, never had a plan.
    The person who, to his amazement, got the job, without experience, without talent, has proven to be without hope.
    With two thirds of the season remaining, it is quite serious, and an end to this farce must come.
    A clear out of those who are presiding over this wreckage should happen this week.
    The time for forlorn hoping and wishing is gone,and isn’t coming back.

  53. Ken

    It is difficult to see Boro giving you much relief and to make things worse England spluttered to a defeat against New Zealand in the T20 overnight.

    Last hope is Hamilton winning the F1 title this evening. Surely we must end the weekend on a positive.

  54. Despite what JW says, the table doesn’t lie and Boro are where they are due to form. I’m sure that the Chairman knows this too but of course it’s largely down to him as he is at the top of the MFC pyramid.

    As I see it he has limited options. Sack Woodgate and install a new manager, or keep faith with the current management team. Is he prepared to admit he got it wrong in the Summer or will he hold out in the hope his judgement is hopefully, eventually, justified.

    We can all have our opinion but ultimately it’s down to Steve Gibson when it comes to major decisions affecting the club.

    So, does he keep his nerve and hope the team comes good, is he prepared to suffer a relegation in the hope the long term plan works out, or does he bite the bullet and appoint a new manager.

    His biggest problem is he failed to get the fans onside with his decision to appoint JW and it is coming back to haunt him. Bums on seats will determine MFC’s future in this increasingly difficult financial football world, and at the moment that trend is worryingly hurtling in the wrong direction.

    The chairman has to come out and speak to the fans, if he can’t convince them to support this current set up, he’ll be left with no alternative but to dispense with the services of Woodgate. It’s about time this cloak of secrecy that envelops the club was whisked away and all the cards were put on the table. Never mind this mantra of having faith in MFC, how about putting some faith in the supporters for a change. We’re a lot more knowledgeable than you think Steve.

  55. If you intend to sell the club, maybe its best to balance the books first.
    Also not a good idea to make big employee decisions.leaving a clean slate for the new owners.
    A thought?

    1. If you are going to sell something its a good idea to not devalue it to the extent that any interested parties purchase barge poles in preparation.

  56. GHW, the more one thinks about it, can any of us really believe Mr Gibson will do anything before the New Year? To sack Woodgate now would just add to his long list of poor judgements since we got promotion. He, I am sure will be a proud man. He has achieved much in his life to be proud of, however sometimes one has to swallow ones pride and admit the mistake, the sooner the better. That though takes a lot of courage.

    Looking back I do not think we could of afforded to keep Mr Pulis if we had wanted to, but the fansI believe put paid to that.
    Than fans to date have been lenient, I do not sadly think that will continue for very long. As horrible as social media can be at times, there are it appears more and more turning sadly against JW. It may possibly end with him walking away due to the criticism with he unfortuanately cannot hide from in this sad world that revolves around SM.

    As for relegation and balancing the books. Well there are no guarantees of instant promotion as Sunderland will attest to and then the chances of balancing the books becomes even harder

    1. The fans have already turned with many resorting to using his derogatory Leeds nickname in posts over the weekend on the Gazette and elsewhere despite the desperate nature of EG reporting trying to rally the fans to stick together. Its seriously difficult now for AV to ask fans to nail their colours to the mast when many were not on board the good ship SS Spin when it first set sail.

      I suspect that Woodgate will walk at some point but how far things will go before the inevitable happens is open to debate. Pride does come before a Fall but I’m not sure that SG has much of the former left. To anyone under 40 he is a Stanley Matthews, a Stan Mortensen, a Nat Lofthouse football character. Someone in the grainy past of Football from years ago, someone who “used to be”, a proverbial Teesside Waterfront Marlon Brando on a one-way ticket to Palookaville.

      Its all very sad but 2004 was fifteen years ago and its unlikely that anyone under 23 years old could remotely remember the momentous nature of it. 1986 was thirty three years ago which for some is a lifetime away (admittedly not for many of us on here) but for those under 40 it only exists in history books.

      Whatever “Pride” may be at stake it is now at such a level where there is probably more of it to lose with many (of Core supporting age) fans by remaining stubborn than by facing the reality of the current mess.

  57. A belated thanks to RR for the match report which, despite what JW May say, does not lie. I have seen enough now to come to the conclusion that as a whole, the team is not quite good enough.

    I had hoped that it would be enough to avoid a relegation battle but we are now in the bottom three with a poor run of form and we all know hard it is to get out of that position.

    I am not sure where to point the finger at, there are many area of concern and as others have said, it is SG club and he makes the big decisions regarding the future of the club.

    Now, I am sure he thought he was doing the right thing in appointing JW although it was always going to be a big call, a rookie manager having to manage on a reduced budget. It is not the Robson era with lots of money to spend.

    The reality is that SG is between a rock and a hard place. Does he accept he was wrong and appoint a new manager which will cost money and no guarantee of success with the squad we have? Or does he stick with JW which with falling attendances and a possible slip into the old 3rd division which will also cost money?

    Not an easy choice, especially as I still feel that he has lost the will to put serious money into the club and I don’t think we are unlikely to be an attractive club for a foreign owner to buy into.

    My instinct, if I were SG, would be to stick with JW and throw some money into the January window providing that our recruitment team can actually identify a player worth the money who will make a difference!

    Following Boro has never been an easy addiction and turns us all to drink but whatever happens, it will always be our team, wherever we are in the world and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Whenever asked who my team is, I am always proud to say Middlesbrough rather than any of the glory big money teams!

    UTB

  58. Thanks to RR for his match report in which he provided a quite plausible reason how Fletcher was injured – though I’d be surprised if any supporter’s heart skips a beat when Boro have a shooting opportunity. Perhaps the defibrillator could be used better by Robbie Keane to punish wayward shooting and create a Pavlovian-style improvement on the pitch.

    In the end it’s Boro’s failure to score that continues to be a problem with the fewest in the league – our defence is actually the tenth best and yesterday was only the second time we’d lost by more than a single goal (that thrashing by Wednesday being the other).

    I think that is why ultimately Gibson will give Woodgate more time as would a new manager solve the scoring problem with the same strikers. Indeed, Pulis had the same problem last season and after that unexpected winning start, his next 15 games provided just two more goals than what Woodgate has managed in his opening 15 – with both failing to score in 7 of those 15.

    We have the same failings as last season with not much pace, strikers who lack composure and very little creativity in midfield. The problem has been made worse with Woodgate having an even thinner squad at his disposal. However, the damage was done when the new coaching team opted ironically to switch focus to trying to score goals instead of keeping it tight – though few would argue against trying something different.

    It’s hard to know what the solution is now that the team are in a rut – in truth the only thing a new manager would offer is the hope that the players are somehow lifted into playing better. Much would depend on who that manager would be and whether they could tactically improve the team or just give the players a boost. Woodgate had just one fit striker yesterday in the out-of-form Britt, instead of three out-of-form strikers. He also had to contend with just two fit central defenders too and is one injury away from a crisis.

    So to dismiss Woodgate in such circumstances would be I think quite harsh even if he’s guilty of being inexperienced and tactically naive – Gibson knew that before he appointed him. The interesting point made yesterday in the Northern Echo was that it was unusual at Championship level to pair an inexperienced head coach with an equally inexperienced assistant – normally he’d have someone older to give him experience to draw on in the dugout.

    Perhaps given Keane has as yet failed to improve our goal scoring and also that he’s away during international breaks when there’s time to do work on the pitch, maybe Gibson will first opt to give Woodgate a different assistant to see if it makes any difference before starting all over again. It would also save a bit of face for the original decision that claimed he was the outstanding candidate.

    QPR is up next and then after the break Boro have two winnable home games against Hull and Barnsley – if Woodgate fails to find a victory after those then it will be reaching breaking point for the supporters at least.

      2. I would just like to point out whereabouts Hull reside in the Form table, clue, its at the opposite end to us!

        Regarding Barnsley they will be seeing Boro as a winnable game.

      3. Its also worth pointing out that Barnsley have scored ten goals in their last eight games to our three goals. Admittedly they have conceded eighteen goals in the same period to our eleven goals but that was against sides that actually score goals.

        After those Hull and Barnsley games our next four fixtures are against top half sides, Leeds, Charlton, Forest and Swansea. We then face Stoke (with a new Manager) and resurgent Huddersfield either side of Christmas before facing WBA to see out 2019 and on New Years day its Preston!

        Reasons for optimism anyone?

      4. Recar Red,

        Can you run that one past me again please. I’m searching hard for reasons to underpin hope and optimism.

        How many points do we need to avoid relegation?

        When will we score a goal?

        What is the lowest points total in the Championship?

        Sorry folks I feel a little down tonight…

        UTB,

        John

    2. Again Werder there are no guarantees that splashing the cash on a striker come January would solve anything.

      Reading paid out 13mil for two and they have not done that well. And then of course there is Boro lad Jordan Hugill who many thought was useless and useless he has not been at QPR. What odds for him to score a brace next week.

      1. Boro have definitely proven that over the years Pedro – though doing nothing is not an option. I’d be looking at replacing at least two of our three strikers – maybe there are loan deals to be had and we could possibly re-invest any money gained from Britt on a striker who is in form. Having said that, being in the bottom three will be an obvious problem in persuading anyone in form that it’s a good career move.

        As for Hugill, it probably helps playing in a side that appears to play open football as QPR games have produced 52 goals in 15 games – much easier than playing as the lone loan striker under Pulis, where he rarely made a shot at goal.

      2. Pedro
        You are dead right to say that lashing out with money is not the answer.
        All the talk on this blog is based on the theory that nice guys finish first.
        I.E. Please let’s not resort to a vulgar sacking of our coach.
        But any study of the running of any club, shows that failure as a coach/ manager means one thing only, goodbye, and don’t ring us we’ll ring you.
        This is universal, a rule that is never broken, be the club never so great or never so small.
        I have never witnessed a coach who performed abysmally for so long, suddenly turn into a good and successful one, no never.
        To even contemplate giving him the wallet to go out into the jungle that is football and buy players is horrifying, he would be taken to the cleaners.
        It is interesting to realise that, in the general despair surrounding the club at the moment, our hero has grimly fielded our great obstacle to scoring, and has never by word or deed indicated that he is less than a deeply misunderstood striker who, but for bad luck would be on track for his usual 25 goals.
        Yes, I know, a fantasist.
        But the answer to our problems is there before us.
        Are we going do it.

  59. The manner in which we are structured is fundamentally flawed, the momentum from which to launch a forward-thinking campaign isn’t there. I wouldn’t mind if we were in the drop zone if there were actual foundations to build on, *something* to believe in. There isn’t. Not right now. Worse, I can’t suggest an alternative.

  60. Becky’s Dad

    I remember when we had a BOGOF under Mogga. If you bought a ticket for the Bristol City match on the Saturday you got in to the Huddersfield on Tuesday free.

    Against a side near the foot of the table Mogga had some mental aberration. Bristol were in dire form so Mogga sent out the Boro side who were flying in a totally different formation. He out thought himself and instead going out and doing what had put us near the top of the table we got played off the park and lost 3-1.

    1. Probably need to do something in terms of price for the next 2 home games.

      Hull on a Sunday at 1200 on Sky I am guessing followed by mid week game, mmmmm attractive proposition for fans who are a bit disillusioned to start with!

      Huddersfield made their mid week game against us at £10 and it was quite a full stadium.

      Will Boro do the same I wonder?

  61. Mogga, love him though I did and still do, had Aitorian weaknesses which Bernie revealed – he stuck to his principles at all costs.

    And, under both, it did seem a tale of fine margins and one chance taken (Jutkiewicz at Barnsley? Nugent’s pair at Rotherham?) making the difference…

    When I defended their approaches, I got a response that stopped me in my tracks and made me reconsider a lot of things – those managers’ teams could score goals until the opposition worked them out and realised they only had one way of playing.

  62. Boro have had goalscoring forwards for most of their existence. In fact by my count I make it 29 who have scored 50 or more career goals whilst playing for us. The amended figures below include Cup matches and appearances as well as those in the League. Players with an * asterisk were not strikers, but wingers and/or midfielders, also appearances include substitute appearances:-

    1. George Camsell 345 goals (453 apps) 1925/39
    2. George Elliott 223 goals inc.20 pens (364 apps) 1909/25
    3. Brian Clough 204 goals (222 apps) 1955/61
    4. John Hickton 193 goals inc.36 pens (499 apps) 1966/78
    5. Mickey Fenton 162 goals inc.12 pens (269 apps) 1932/50
    6. Bernie Slaven 146 goals (380 apps) 1985/93
    7. Alan Peacock 142 goals (238 apps) 1954/64
    8. David Mills 111 goals (398 apps) 1968/79 & 1984/85
    9. Wilf Mannion 110 goals (368 apps) inc,10 pens 1936/54
    10. Billy Pease 103 goals inc.10 pens (239 apps) 1926/33
    11. Lindy Delapenha 93 goals inc.22 pens (270 apps) 1950/58
    12. Johnny Spuhler 81 goals (241 apps) 1946/54
    13. Jackie Carr * 81 goals (449 apps) 1911/30
    14. David Armstrong * 77 goals inc.10 pens (431 apps) 1971/81
    15. Bobby Bruce * 72 goals (253 apps) 1928/35
    16. Bill Harris * 72 goals inc.25 pens (378 apps) 1953/65
    17. Paul Wilkinson 67 goals (202 apps) 1991/96
    18. Alf Common 65 goals (178 apps) 1905/10
    19. Billy Birrell * 63 goals (235 apps) 1920/37
    20. Steve Bloomer 62 goals (130 apps) 1906/10 #
    21. Andy Wilson 57 goals (90 apps) 1914/24
    22. John Hendrie * 56 goals (235 apps) 1990/97
    23. Arthur Horsefield 56 goals (128 apps) 1963/69
    24. Sammy Cail 55 goals (143 apps) 1907/13
    25. Benny Yorston * 54 goals (159 apps) 1933/39
    26. Geoff Walker * 53 goals (259 apps) 1946/55
    27. Arthur Fitzsimons 51 goals (231 apps) 1949/59
    28. Alan Foggon 50 goals (142 apps) 1972/76
    29. Fred Warren 50 goals (164 apps) 1929/36

    # It should be noted that Steve Bloomer also scored 291 goals in 473 appearances for Derby County.
    As can be seen John Hickton was the highest penalty scorer for Boro with 36. I’m afraid I don’t know how many he missed if any.
    It’s also worth recording that the much maligned Afonso Alves scored 145 goals in his career from 231 appearances. It’s a pity that he was unable to transfer that strike rate of 62.77% for Boro for whom he scored only 10 goals in 42 appearances.
    As for Britt Assombalonga he had scored 79 goals in 171 appearances before joining Boro (46.2%). Prior to this season he had scored 31 goals in 91 appearances for Boro including those as a substitute, a considerably smaller ratio.

  63. Let’s go back a bit further.

    Brucie’s Boro are playing… Portsmouth? Paul Kerr scores just before the break.

    In the dressing room, Brucie praises the team. Of course he does. When the team are winning, it helps to say what will keep their spirits up, and of course the manager will believe the scoreline vindicates his strategy.

    Bernie, however, says the team are rubbish. Why? Because Brucie has played him outside left, not up front, and he hasn’t had a kick. Bernie implies to Mr. Rioch that he might as well stick a dummy out there, because he’s not going back out for the second half.

    Bernie starts to take his kit off, and Brucie lunges at him physically. Not too much, I imagine, unlike the way Big Jack lunged at Terry Curran when JC insisted Curran play out wide and Curran repeatedly refused.

    Brucie storms out. Colin Todd asks Mark Proctor to sort things out – and everything calms down. Bernie goes out for the second half, playing as a centre-forward, and scores. No hard feelings. Just like Big Jack and Terry Curran, they were able to move on. We do things like that in the heat of the moment.

    The insight and lesson here? We hear what modern players go through, about losing their place in the team, about not playing where they want to play, and it’s tempting for some of us to think they’re overreacting and believe they simply need to grow up and deal with it. Especially with their wage packets. But truthfully, it doesn’t matter how well paid you are – if you bottle up all your frustrations inside you’ll eventually explode.

    And you have to give Brucie this. He did give Mogga permission to change things during games. He trusted his captain, like Cloughie trusted Pearce to lead by example at Forest.

    Different times, and managers didn’t dominate the spotlight like they do today, but similar principles apply. We can go far as long as a manager finds a kindred spirit in his captain, or his totem. When said relationship derails or said totem gets old, the problem begins.

    1. GHW
      It’s a pity John O’Rourke didn’t stay with Boro longer as his career record was 165 goals in 327 appearances. Any striker with a 50% scoring rate is impressive and only George Elliott, Andy Wilson, George Camsell, Mickey Fenton, Alan Peacock and Brian Clough in chronological order have exceeded that percentage wearing a Boro shirt as far as I can ascertain, although Steve Bloomer’s overall record for Derby and Boro combined would have had him well over the 50% ratio. Of course it’s difficult to compare modern day strikers with those in the distant past, one being which Division Boro were performing in at the time. One could argue that 27 of John O’Rourke’s goals for Boro were scored in the Third Division, but nevertheless it could also be argued that goalscoring strikers would score whichever Division they played in, so I agree that his statistics were impressive.

      1. I forgot to add that Mickey Fenton scored his 162 goals for Boro either side of the Second World War so in effect in 11 seasons. Had the War not intervened for 7 seasons, he might well have scored another 100 goals which would have made him Boro’s highest goalscorer in the First Division after George Camsell.

      2. Ken
        Loved the stats on goal scorers.
        Alex Mcrea is a strange one, as he was a midfielder in a team that operated reasonably well for quite a while.
        He was moved up front and bingo! He started scoring and didn’t stop, it was easy for him. What might have been?
        The stats for The great Mannion are of course missing the great seven seasons of the second world War. 110 goals could and should have been 210 because he was so good and consistent, his delight was putting others through on goal, what his total would have been if he had been on, say, a special bonus per goal I dread to think.
        John O’Rourke of happy memory, why any club can so easily lose a crowd hero without any effort to keep him is beyond me, and shows that poor management has been with us for a long time.

  64. Rival coaches are adapting to Boro’s new shape…..so says the Gazette. As I said the other day JW broadcast the shape to every man and is dog. Totally naive.
    The whole club is in an awful mess. Time SG did a a state of the nation speech to the fans and be brutally honest and admit his mistake. Will that happen. No.

  65. Trending on Twitter

    Quote

    Steve Round to be approached by Middlesbrough following a failed approach in the summer. It is understood that a deal to become Director of Football if wages can be agreed. Understand Adrian Bevington & Gary Gill to leave which held up the summer deal.

    Unquote

    OFB

  66. Sounds like two for the price of one.

    Not sure exactly how the role improves the league position.

    Hope it’s not a case of re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic! 😎

  68. I have some sympathy for Jonathan Woodgate. He may lack experience as a coach but seems to be a strong character. As we all know, the major problem for Boro is scoring goals and when your main striker has lost all confidence, probably stemming from that missed penalty in the first match of the season, all one can do is encourage him by giving him your full support. I get the feeling that Britt hasn’t got a strong personality unlike his coach. Maybe he reads too much social media, or takes to heart jibes from the opposition fans. It seems to get to him and wasn’t helped by criticism from Tony Pulis last season. He’s the type of player who needs an arm round his shoulder which up to now Jonathan Woodgate has given him. Maybe he feels isolated as a lone striker, maybe fatherhood with a new baby and sleepless nights is affecting him, or even a £15m pricetag is preying on his mind, I don’t know. But he is definitely shorn of confidence at the moment. He reminds me of Michael Ricketts, who lost the knack of scoring when joining Boro and was never the same player again.

    What is the solution? Psychology or even Psychiatry if he feels depressed? Depression manifests itself in different ways. An outwardly smiling disposition can sometimes hide one’s inner feelings, and I speak from experience. A lucky goal off his backside or wherever is unlikely to restore his confidence, but a screamer of a shot will. As he’s the only viable option for Boro at the moment, the sooner that happens the sooner his confidence will return, and the sooner Boro will start winning matches and climb the table.

  69. So We are now reduced to hiring a director of football? Not good, is it.
    Dispense with our coach, today.
    Hire someone who is a coach (I know, it means a continental, fully trained in his profession) but sacrifices have to be made. Hire a beginner and you hire failure.
    Ring any bells?

  70. Ian and other cricket fans
    I see Yorkshire have signed Dawid Malan from Middlesex for next season on a 3 year contract. At the moment Malan (AC to his friends, think Italian football) is currently opening the batting with Jonny Bairstow for England’s T20 side in New Zealand but out of favour with the Test Match side. I’m hoping he’s not on England’s central contract list as that will limit his appearances for Yorkshire.

  71. As I am in the office in Monday you would expect some grief from the Derby fans especially my long standing colleague. He was away over the weekend but spoke to his friends who went, general view is that in the words of private Laurie ‘we are doomed’.

    They also think Woodie needs to go, Britt’s confidence is shot and the team just not good enough. To be fair no gloating – I know most of the people and they have felt the pain themselves, it is not like we are Forest or Liverpool.

    The last point about not being good enough is up for debate but we have posted long and hard about recruitment so may be outsiders views need to be considered.

  72. Ken Smith, thank you for the gaol scoring table, which impressed me at first glance until I noticed the number of seasons each player took to score the amount of goals. At a quick glance I think Brian Clough would be top of the table with an average of 34 per season whereas George Camsell 24.64, George Elliott 13.93, John Hickton 16.08 and if you go further down the table, John Hendrix averaged 8 per season, who incidentally is the most recent player in your list 1997.

    If you find the time it would be interesting to read who were our top goal scorers based on their average goals per season during their career with Boro.

    Come on BORO.

  73. How good are we? I just checked last season. After 14 games we were in 1st place. This season after 14 games we were 22nd.
    1st team players out since this time last year: Flint, Downing, Hugill, Besic, Batth

    On one hand that is a quite significant loss of quality. On the other hand Hugill was a flop, Besic also didn’t perform. Flint did OK but not to the standard expected and Batth was only just starting to break into the team. Downing was getting slated by fans left, right and centre (unfairly in my book but you can argue that he needed players with pace around him.)

    Pulis kept saying that the squad wasn’t good enough to maintain its position and he was clearly right but there was no way the current squad is poor enough to be in the relegation places.

    You can’t blame the manager for players’ failure to score open goals but ultimately you can blame the manager for an inability to get the best out of the players at his disposal. I strongly suspect that only Stoke has under-performed to the same extent as us this season and that you do have to lay at the manager’s door.

    I also don’t see any sign of it improving. This is like a team slipping down a slope. Occasionally they land on a ledge which holds for a short time but then it gives way again. There has literally been *no* signs of progress; just the occasional reduction in how fast we have been going backwards.

    Right now I don’t see anything that says to me, if we keep the faith we’ll turn a corner. Fundamentally we have a mid-table squad but, as Sunderland and many before them have shown, it doesn’t matter how good your players are if they don’t perform on the pitch.

    1. It was probably those first five games in August that really kept Boro up at the top (13 pts from 15) for the next ten games – Also in we still had Braithwaite who was arguably our best player as he pushed for a move and scored 3 goals before sulking when he didn’t get it.

      You also forgot about Friend who’s been out injured this term. I mention earlier in the 15 games after that start, Pulis still only managed to score 2 goals more than Woodgate has managed in his first 15 this season. It was those 15 games that saw Besic signed again, plus Wing and Tav were dropped out of the matchday squad.

      I think while the players that remain are familiar, they’ve under-performed, which isn’t helped by lack of competition for places. Pulis usually had quite a strong bench to choose from and players were dropped if he thought they had’t performed. Woodgate essentially has a bench of academy kids plus Clayton.

  74. Deleriad and Werder

    Sadly your combined posts lead to a weaker squad that is under achieving. Throw in an inexperienced management team and that is a worrying combination.

    It is like the four man bobsleigh without the driver and brakeman.

    1. Mr Gibson would have seen all of that before we did.
      He knew the targets, their experience and probable ability, he knew how much money was going to be made available to sign additional players.

      And, it is a big AND, he knew who he was going to appoint irrespective of all the Gazette hype and fake news.
      An inexperienced Coach with very very limited man management skills. Limited tactical nous, which has come to pass and a person who has not had to handle a situation like we find ourselves in now.

      Mr Gibson knew all of this. I am not surprised he has kept his head down and said nowt. If fact the silence from MFC is deafening.

      1. Pedro he doesn’t have to say anything he has his own bureau publishing all the propaganda in defence of the current situation. Its a sad era on Teesside when the local paper is losing fans almost as quickly as MFC.

  75. I think to some extent a season gets defined by events and quite often games are won in spite of the manager. What would have happened if Britt had of converted that penalty against Luton to make it 4-2 and what if that first half performance against Blackburn had seen Boro not have that perfectly decent goal disallowed and another not ruled out.

    Conversely, that late late double strike to earn a draw at Millwall for Pulis and that Ayala handball goal that gave us victory over West Brom meant Boro got off to a flyer. Luck often plays a part in perceptions of how a manager is perceived and getting results will galvanise players and give them confidence.

    Nevertheless, it’s easy for managers (or head coaches if you like) to ride results and build a kind of belief among the group that what they are doing is working. The problem comes when things don’t go your way and they end up trying to downplay results or talk up bad luck and missed chances.

    It’s happened to quite a few Boro managers in recent times, such as the bad runs under Bryan Robson and more recently perhaps Mogga or the PL campaign under Karanka. When a few close defeats turn into a longer run of failures then this is the time when young inexperience managers in particular are found out or even experienced campaigners who can’t figure out what has gone wrong.

    The only cure for a string of bad results is to get good ones – though the trap most managers fall into is constantly making changes or tweaks. Woodgate has been forced into making quite few changes through injuries too and has run out of options. His post-match interviews seem to indicate that he’s basically hoping things will change of their own volition. It’s not clear that he now know what he can do personally to make the team score goals – though to be honest few onlookers have much idea what the solution in the short-term is.

    Perhaps that is why ultimately you need an expert in the dugout – someone who sees the problem and has means of effecting his players in a way that works. Obviously we don’t have that level of expertise in the coaching team so we’re left with either being patient, getting some luck or the waiting for the man running the club to decide if a change is needed.

    Sadly Teesside is not known for either luck or patience and the chairman is someone who usually waits until the decision is often made for him by default.

    1. I’m reminded of Venables and Boksic, the stuff of urban legends! Or put simply a wise old head not having the wool pulled over his eyes by a skiver.

      Incredible the change in fortune when a shrewd, wily old fox entered the chicken coop and sent the feathers flying. Just a shame Tel wasn’t Teesside Tel otherwise even the Gazette might be calling for him to come out of retirement.

      Meanwhile I await to see who is dug up next week in suppport of Woodgate in the Gazette and just how far back they will keep going. Mowbray, Strachan, Southgate maybe even Bruce and Jack and how it was all their fault for raising expectations. Someone needs to remind them when you are in a hole stop digging.

      1. I think I’d agree that when players are under-performing you need someone who can get inside their heads and make them think differently – which usually means somebody who’s seen it all before and is a good judge of what makes a player tick. Though not all experienced managers have that ability, I think Pulis is more of a manager who tries to make players more like himself or indeed chooses players who fit him. So it’s harder in the early stage of a manager’s tenure to have to deal with players he doesn’t particularly find receptive.

  78. Just watching an absolutely awful Stoke getting whupped by the Baggies. Slight consolation, I know, but there is a worse side than Boro in this division. Of course, they’re soon to get a new manager: what difference will he make?

    On the subject of wise old heads who might come in and rescue us, I would definitely take Allardyce right now. He won’t come, ‘cos we can’t afford him, but he’s been there and done it and certainly knows how to keep a side away from relegation.

  79. Talking of old wise heads. I really surprised to see extracts of Mr Pulis’ Holloway podcast in the Gazette.

    Very critical once more of the Monk era spending. Then complains about losing his favourite number 9 along with Adama.
    Of course forgets to mention Saville, McNair whom he did not play and Besic.

    Strange how these Managers all have selective memories. Plus if I was Mr Gibson, I would take that as personal criticism and would not of invited him to my wedding.

    2. Ken

      Many thanks for your contributions to this blog. What you have achieved and written on these posts are of historical importance and will be recorded forever.

      OFB

  80. Pedro

    Memories are subjective.

    Traore and Bamford were sat in the stands when TP came. No one could get Traore playing, Bamford was damaged goods after a couple of years in the wilderness.

    They were sold by the club for £24m when they left. It can be a bit like Strachan spending two thirds of an Alves on all the Jock imports. Were Kris Boyd, Scott McDonald and Barry Robson etc worse than Mido, Hoyte, Shawky, Folan, Dong Gook, Euelll, Bent, King, and Alves et al? Answers on a postcard.

    Selective rules OK! Or not.

    1. Ian
      Yes, I know, it’s Traore again, but really, the rubbish we have suffered since AK was fired, and the criminal mismanagement in all aspects of running a football club are startling.
      Now on the subject of Traore, can we all agree on one thing, our first view of him was startling and unanimous.
      Anyone who had ever watched a football match knew in their guts that this youth was simply superior in various aspects of the game, and I will gladly list them, the fastest player in this or any other league. check.
      The best dribbler in this league. Check.
      As strong as an ox, not to be pushed off the ball by any overmuscled and underskilld defenders. Check.
      A lovely personality, liked the club and caused no trouble. Check.
      We all were given a glimpse of the good news that he was not frightened to score, even dare I say a hat trick, but for the intervention of a grievously undertalented individual.
      Now as we wanted him to play in the championship, a level I think we all could agree slightly below his talents, then we had scored a much needed win in the transfer market.
      All we had to do was stop his team mates setting him up to beat four men in the dribble(on the half way line) I suppose it gave them a rest, they certainly were not busting a gut to help him in any way.
      Even better we could have played the ball into the empty opposition half with him standing on the half way line, he would have certainly won any race for the ball. If we had told him to enter the box front on and score himself we might have had some luck, Wolves certainly have.

  81. exmil2017
    It’s difficult to quantify who was Boro’s most consistent goalscorer as in the distant past many players only stayed for a few seasons, being moved on when younger options became available, so maybe quoting top scorers for some selective seasons might help. Here are a few examples:-

    1. 1901/02 season Jack Brearley scored 22 goals in his one and only season.

    2, George Elliott scored 19, 25, 31, 17, 34, 26, 13 and 23 in his first 8 seasons either side of the First World War but scored very few goals thereafter although he was 36 when he retired in 1926.

    3. During Elliott’s second season the top scorers were as follows:-
    1912/13 Elliott 25, Carr 19
    1913/14 Elliott 31, Tinsley 19, Carr 11
    1914/15 Elliott 17, Tinsley 26, Carr 12 (that season these 3 players each scored hat tricks in a 9-3 Cup win over non-league
    Goole Town, the only occasion that 3 hat tricks have occurred in the same match).
    1919/20 when football resumed after the First World War Elliott scored 34.
    1920/21 Elliott scored 26
    1921/22 Elliott scored only 13 but George Carr chipped in with 15, but Andy Wilson in his first full season scored 32.
    1922/23 Elliott scored 23, Wilson 12.
    1925/26 Jim McClelland in his first full season scored 38, 5 of which came in a Cup match against Leeds United.
    1926/27 Boro gained only one point in their first 4 matches and McClelland failed to score. Enter George Camsell with 63 goals (59 in the league), but Billy Pease also scored 25 and Billy Birrell 17.

    4. George Camsell followed his 63 goals in season 1926/27 as follows:-
    1927/28 37 goals, Billy Pease 19
    1928/29 Camsell 33, Pease 29
    1929/30 Camsell 31, Pease 12, Bobby Bruce 16
    1930/31 Camsell 32, Pease 12, Fred Warren19
    1931/32 Camsell 20, Bruce 13, Ken Cameron 11
    1932/33 Camsell 18, Harry Blackmore 12
    1933/34 Camsell 23
    1934/35 Camsell 14, Ernie Coleman 12
    1935/36 Camsell 32, Ralph Birkett 22, Benny Yorston 13
    1936/37 Camsell 18, Mickey Fenton 22 in his first full season
    1937/38 Camsell 10, Fenton 26
    1938/39 Camsell 10, Fenton 35, Mannion 14, Yorston 12 and Cliff Chadwick 11
    By now George Camsell was 38 years old and made only infrequent appearances, so it’s probably unfair to quote his season average as only 24.64 goals per season as he wasn’t the main striker in his final 3 seasons as plenty of goals were scored by others especially Mickey Fenton.

    5. Mickey Fenton continued being Boro’s top scorer after the Second World War as follows:-
    1945/46 No League fixtures only Cup matches Fenton scoring 7 goals in 7 matches.
    1946/47 Fenton 23, Mannion 23, Johnny Spuhler 13
    1947/48 Fenton 28, Spuhler 13 from the right wing
    1948/49 Fenton 12 from 24 appearances in his last season
    1949/50 Peter McKennan 16 in 36 appearances, Alex McCrae 16 goals in 40 appearances
    1950/51 Alex McCrae 21 in 32 appearances before missing 11 matches through injury, Mannion 14, Spuhler 13 now as the centre forward.
    1951/52 Lindy Delapenha 17, Mannion 13, Neil Mochan 12 in his one and only season.
    1952/53 Mannion 19, Spuhler 10, Arthur Fitzsimons 12
    1953/54 Delapenha 18, Mannion 10 (relegation season)
    1954/55 Charlie Wayman 17 in 33 appearances, Joe Scott 17 in 30 appearances, Delapenha 15
    1955/56 Delapenha 18, Wayman 16, Fitzsimons 14, Scott 10

    6. 1956/57 Brian Clough 40, Derek McLean 10, Fitzsimons 10
    1957/58 Clough 42, Alan Peacock 17
    1958/59 Clough 43, Peacock 19
    1959/60 Clough 40, Peacock 13, Bill Harris 11
    1960/61 Clough 36, Peacock 16
    So Clough’s average for 5 completed seasons was just over 40 per season including Cupties but he was only 26 years old when he left Boro. At the same age Camsell had scored 100 goals in only 2 seasons, so an average of 50 per season. Mickey Fenton had scored 83 goals at the same age in 3 seasons so an average of 27.66 per season.

    7. It’s all a question of longevity. It’s doubtful that Cloughie would have continued scoring at a rate of 40 goals per season if he’d stayed with Boro and had not received that career ending season at Sunderland. But the records show that Clough had a strike rate of 81.89 whilst Camsell’s was 76.16. However all Clough’s goals for Boro were in the Second Division whilst Camsell scored all but 96 goals in the First Division. Who was the most clinical scorer? That is open to conjecture.

    8. Meanwhile Alan Peacock scored 65 goals on 4 seasons whilst partnering Clough, but then scored 32 in season 1961/62 and 33 in 1962/63 after Clough left.

    I’ll continue future seasons in the next few days.

  82. Just looking at the table (the one that never lies), it’s starting to look a bit concerning that there’s a fair chance that Boro could find themselves adrift of all but Luton come the international break.

    With Huddersfield seemingly on a run now that the Cowley’s have settle in and are unbeaten in 7 games with 4 wins plus 3 draws – can’t see them being involved at the bottom for much longer. Reading have also picked up 7 points in their last three games and are are also moving up the table – indeed they are at home to Luton on Saturday too.

    That leaves Wigan two places above us on 14 points, who are also at home this weekend against Brentford. Despite narrowly losing at home last time to Swansea, they had won their previous three games at the DW Stadium.

    So if results go against us at the weekend and Boro also lose at QPR then sadly those couple of wins Woodgate keeps mentioning would only possibly shoot us up above Luton should they eventually come. Could be a pivotal moment if we find ourselves 5-6 points adrift of all but one club above us – then there would be no arguments about being in a relegation dogfight!

  83. After watching the U23 game today and I’ve seen a few the last couple of seasons ,don’t hold your breath as to one of them might be a star of the future, the fact that Wing came from ameteur football and bi passed them all quickly is really alarming.
    Watching it,I can tell you my gut was churning with frustration , I just couldn’t get that these players couldn’t do the fundamentals, their lazy attitude , Browne bailed out after two mins, first his back was hurting he didn’t want to play and finally sat down after a small sprint on eight mins and went off.
    I wonder if they are being trained how to use their body to hold the opponent at bay , time and time again they were easily shoved off the ball,
    Balls going astray , first touch was just poor, i could go on ,but you get drift.
    Based on what I saw , and Woods, Coulson,Bola Walker ,Browne, played, I’d be telling them either the smarten up or their future is the dole que .
    What’s the answer?
    Its obvious Gibson has to find a General manager , someone from the outside a football man, to oversee the whole footballing structure , including recruitment of course , someone to fire those who are not willing to put the time and energy into continuous improvement.
    I don’t know what Steve Gibson thinking is, I don’t believe he does really, the last ten years of comings and goings good players in, good players out, bad in ,bad out ,no balance either too many defenders,then too many midfielders, then sign five strikers and play one, its become a nightmare.
    What is going on,
    If they can’t produce young players that make an impact, and let’s get it right, they would be in the team , if good enough.
    Then disband the U23 , maybe keep U18 and U15, just incase
    But first of all changes at the top needed now,
    Gibson as definitely lost the plot.

    1. GHW,

      Truly a fascinating read. You should read Stasiland written by Anna Funder, the book brings home how pervasive the spying on and watching people was. It is a really interesting read. I think I got her first name correct.

      UTB,

      John

  86. We talk of “twinned towns”. Allow me to illustrate “twinned games”.

    Aston Villa 1, Boro 0, 1996-97.
    Tottenham Hotspur 1, Boro 0, 2016-17.

    Both saw promise fizzle out into major disappointments and true reality checks.

    The second game, we remember clearly. In the first half we are, naturally, as good defensively as we have been in the two years prior, but the inspiration, the thrust to go on and take the game by the scruff of the neck like we did at City in January 2015 just isn’t there. What we get in the second half, instead, is a further retreat, and even then it takes a theatrical tumble to win the winning penalty.

    The first game hurt more, at least for young me. Despite eight winless games and Emerson going AWOL, talk was loud over there being no crisis on Teesside. We had, after all, just drawn with champions Manchester United and beaten title challengers Newcastle in the cup with one of our best displays of the season, indeed, one of my favourite displays as a Boro fan.

    Perhaps we could parlay that new found magic into a win at Villa?

    Er… no.

    The grim news of a 1-0 defeat, and a nine match winless run, greeted us instead. Arguments that we were “unlucky”, that Villa’s winning penalty had resulted from the slightest of touches, fell on deaf ears when reports indicated that we weren’t the same team that beat Newcastle, that Juninho had an off day and limped off with an injury, and, and I remember this clearly… “leaving out the star-studded strike force which drew a sell out crowd to the Villa ground, the Teessiders are really no more competent than an above average (second tier) side.”

    Sort of ties in with Lauri Cox’s comment about the Spurs game two decades later:

    “Don’t even say we were unlucky. We weren’t. It’s all well and good being very good defensively, but if you offer nothing else, it’s not unlucky.”

    Why so good at home to Newcastle (’96), away to Arsenal (’16) and at home to Bournemouth (’16), but so poor in those games?

    Combination of at least two things. We’d gone on a long winless run prior to Newcastle and had been absolutely pathetic at home to Watford before the Arsenal game, so you could say we turned it on once we’d been written off, and that it’s easier for a team to do the business when the pressure’s off. The “everyone’s against us” siege mentality that fires people to succeed.

    Secondly? RobboBoro were like KeeganToon lite, while Brian Little’s Villa were tight defensively and deadly on the break. Arsenal and Bournemouth played more openly than Spurs. In short, the teams we defeated or played well against, their style played into our hands, whereas the teams who sat back, kept their shape and picked us off found us easy enough to deal with. In each case, a 1-0 loss wasn’t unlucky – one goal was enough.

  87. I have decided that I am going to look forward to season 21/22 when a rejuvenated Boro side make their return to the Championship having had a great season in Division One, a season during which a host of young players have come together to form the nucleus of a vibrant young team.

    As all of you astute readers will have no doubt worked out, this means that I am expecting them to be relegated this season which means that bad results will not worry me as I am now mentally attuned to the worst possible outcome. This enables me to cope with what is turning into a really bad season without too much mental anguish. It also gives me something to look forward to next season.

    Should we actually avoid relegation then I will have a very pleasant surprise and I can’t even bother thinking about what happens if we emulate Sunderland and don’t get back.

    The weakness inherent in these mental gymnastics is that I always hope for the best and so am now battling with myself as to what I really believe is going to happen this year. A run of, say, 7 points out of 12 will suddenly awaken all kinds of positive feelings and all the good work done by this recent run of abject failure will have been washed away.

    How is everyone else coping with this pretty crappy year insofar as MFC are concerned?

    UTB

    1. SELWYNOZ

      I can understand why you have had to carry out a change of philosophy to help you cope with getting through this season but there is still a lot of games to play and hope should not be abandoned yet.

      I think that Xmas will be the crunch time for us if we can keep tie players we want during the transfer window and hopefully bring a couple of players on loanwe could end up mid table.

      Not since the days of Strachan have I not looked forward to seeing the Boro play at home and something has to change and soon

      OFB

    3. we are in a dark, dark place – made worse by the fact we are on the telly or the Ifollow every week. Very CLockwork Orangesque – propped up in front of my screen late Tuesday nights wishing it was all over.

      There is no light at the end of this tunnel, no end to the tunnel at all

    4. I’ve noticed I’m also getting less stressed about the results as I’m no longer expecting Boro to score, let alone win games. I think I’ll settle for 21st place now as what does it matter if we finish lower mid-table instead. The only real point of interest is if Woodgate turns it around or just becomes our next managerial casualty.

      1. Don’t know what happened there but what I was going to post was, ‘Boro to score and they may never score in the remainder of the season’.

        It seems Boro 0 – Opposition something is going to be the absolute norm. Strangely it isn’t depressing anymore.

        Boro fans have put up with some rubbish but this is a new low.

        Now, for entertainment and fun. I’m going to check the table, add it up again and see if Mr Woodgate is right about it lying. Shouldn’t take long.

        UTB,

        John

  88. Like Werder and Selwynoz I too am almost attuned to relegation.
    I now do not feel any pain in defeat as that has become the norm. It now does not even spoil my Saturday night.

    The season is already finished and the only hope is a happening, a miracle.

    We could have a sweep as to if / when Woodgate gets the sack.

  89. It is interesting that many are resigned to our situation rather than angry, having supported the club since the days of Knowles and Peacock a lot of water has flown under the Transporter I am probably more tolerant than many.

    The younger fans who started from just before Robbo will probably find it harder, we are a top flight club in a trough, to me we were a second tier club who dropped into the third tier before then getting some halcyon days in the top flight and becoming a yo-yo club.

    Will we turn it round and climb to safety, this squad is not as good as that Mogga inherited from Strachan, the jury is out for the moment.

  91. I’ve often mentioned that Boro have been in worse positions than today. If Boro are relegated this season I don’t expect to see them back in the Championship, never mind the Premier League again in my limited lifetime. However I’m still surprised at the despondency of some of the supporters younger than me. I’ve got very fond memories of our football club even through the darker years, but for several years now I haven’t got overexcited when Boro have won a game, but equally not despondent when they lose. It’s probably 20 years or more since a Boro defeat ruined my weekend. During that period Boro have given me some special moments in Europe and winning the Carling Cup, etc but even if they had lost at the Millennium Stadium I’d have got over it in a day or so. Maybe my enthusiasm has waned over the past 20 years, but my fanaticism is now a thing of the past. Nevertheless I’ve many happy memories of watching Boro matches prior to that and that’s probably the reason, not feeling the excitement of going to see the match. I’m also less emotional now in my dotage Nowadays I never expect Boro to win, nor do I expect them to lose, it is what it is. In the words of Rudyard Kipling I now treat triumph and disaster in the same breath, what can one expect at my age. I’m cocooned in what many might perceive as a boring life, but I’m very lucky financially and accepting of my health problems. But what a great ride it’s been being a Boro fan, reading about its history, going to the match with my pals all of which are now long deceased, and reliving some of those moments on this forum. I’m more pragmatic nowadays, but nobody can take those away from me. So thank you, Middlesbrough Football Club, you’ve been a great part of my life.

  96. Ken
    Sorry to be so late commenting on your blog re. Britt and Ricketts.
    The one thing that clubs can never be is fair, open hearted, generous, and forgiving when any player fails utterly.
    It is wrong on several levels, First he must never be given an extended run in the team, because, logically it means you are not picking your best side to do battle and this is surely your starting point as a manager.
    It also means you are telling the fans that they do not count for anything.
    To play or watch football is to choose who is the best player, this never changes.
    Sadly the fans do not make many mistakes, being pretty good, as witness who they choose as their hero’s. And no, I’m not going to list them.
    A couple of points about strikers. It is not at all unusual for a young lad to get a start by scoring goals, by having speed, quick reactions, the ability to run all day, and willpower.
    A section of these young lads make a name in the game, a couple of years go by, they put on two stone, have a good contract, are found to be wanting in real talent and that, I am afraid, is that.
    At this point the really clever clubs get a good price for them, and the unlucky club landed with them cannot get out from under because they are naturally, unsalable.
    Now onto Mr. Ricketts.
    Shot to prominence as a very large and powerful young man, who did the above and shock horror, got an England cap (one).
    His manager, one known as big Sam, suddenly realised that he, for all sorts of reasons, had lost it, big time.
    In a quite brilliant move he declared him injured, never played him, not even in the reserves, constantly posted bulletins that he had an injury to an elbow, he was always going to play for the reserves that week, but never did.
    Meanwhile he looked frantically for some idiot club to buy him over many months.
    I cannot for the life of me think of the club who bought him, but I do know that the supporters took all of, oh!, I don’t know, about a week to realise that they had been taken to the cleaners.
    Utterly unsaleable at any price, doomed to drift down the leagues steadily getting worse as he went.
    Question for you ken? How long would you have played him, just out of respect for his cap. Answers on a postcard.

  97. Jarkko
    I don’t know whether you’re able to get BBC 1 in your country, but at the moment we’re approaching the half way point of a programme called ‘The Apprentice’ over here which is a competition of would-be entrepreneurs who are fighting in an elimination contest and a prize of £250,000 to provide a business plan to become an employee of Lord Alan Sugar. Week by week they are split into two teams and at least one member of the losing team is fired. Next Wednesday’s task is to produce an advertising campaign rebranding the country of Finland. Having only visited Helsinki once for four days I’m intrigued as to what they’ll come up with, so I’m looking forward to watching the programme at 9.00pm over here.

  98. OFB
    I’ve just been browsing over yesterday’s blogs on this forum and came upon your kind comments about my contributions on this forum, but my thoughts earlier in the day about how Boro had always been part of my life wasn’t intended as my swan song, just an acceptance to why like many others the current situation is one of disillusionment and that watching Boro matches on TV or listening to commentaries of their matches on the radio doesn’t hold the same appeal as actually going to the matches with one’s pals. If I’m honest I miss Ayresome Park
    because most of my happy memories were attending with my pals, and as I wrote none of them are still alive, or have moved away from the area. The Mannion years, the Clough years and of course the Charlton years will always be my favourites.

    One thing that puzzles me though is one minute after you posted your blog you congratulated me on getting married again. At least I think it was me you were congratulating, but who would want a wreck of a man with prostate cancer, a catheter, a person who has got bowel problems, can’t walk far without a walking stick, and is registered disabled I can’t imagine. I may eventually need a carer but I don’t want to think of the future and I’ve certainly never contemplated a second marriage, but your second blog did make me smile.

    1. Ken

      it was in response to a post by Pedro
      quote
      “I would take that as personal criticism and would not of invited him to my wedding.”
      unquote

      sorry if I confused you and no I firmly believe your swan song is a long way off and look forward to many more of your posts.

      OFB

      3. You seriously think our Strikers could find a wardrobe when they can’t find something the size of a goalmouth?

        The levels of resigned indifference on here are catching up with my feelings in the summer. Like many I’m not overly concerned about results now. Its about as I expected considering the farce in the summer that far outdone anything Brian Rix could have conjured up.

        We have a football management presser equivalent of Diane Abbott and a Chairman who doesn’t realise when the fans turn unlike on previous occasions their ire will be more directed at him and his hangers on than the dummy in the dug out.

        The current disconnect and lack of understanding and involvement with the fans will not do anyone any favours despite the party line tripe being regurgitated in the local paper. If it has feathers, walks like a Duck and quacks like a Duck then it probably is a Duck despite Journalistic attempts to call it a Bird of Paradise.

        Oh well at least we can read about the blame being the injuries over the International bore fest instead of Garry Monk.

  100. Diane Abbot? Maybe Bud Abbot and Lou Costello, or perhaps in the words of Oliver Hardy to Stan Laurel ‘That’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into!’

  101. There does appear to be a lack of optimism after eight games without a win – though there are still some who remain positive. A certain Mr J Woodgate of Middlesbrough told the Gazette that whilst they are in need of bodies (I think he means on the pitch rather than the dead sort), things could be different before the transfer window opens. He pondered: “Anything can happen by January. Daniel Ayala could score three goals, Britt could hit five, and then things change. You never know what is going to happen in football. We could win five on the spin. You never know.”

    Although, I think we know…

  103. Typical Boro GHW. Still only second best.

    Along with many others, I‘ve already accepted that we will be relegated. Survival would be a welcome surprise.

  104. Werder

    Is the QPR v Fulham headline to this article a subtle way of saying that, once again, Boro are unlikely to turn up.

    UTB and here’s to a surprise win.

    1. Well I say “ Gibson In!” Boro to bring back their former captain in January to steer us to less choppy waters and prevent us from sinking !
      OFB

      1. Of all Boro’s problems at the moment the arrival of another Gibson won’t make one iota of difference unfortunately. Decent at this level undoubtedly but its just more of the Tee Tee Teessider mentality that has created this mess and we need more of that like a hole in the head!

        For the costs involved in his loan plus salary we could likely pick up three or four decent Championship players. Its a no from me I’m afraid.

    2. It would be good if we could nominate a team to play the fixture instead but OK it only took 8 days to spot that subtle error 🙂 but I’m glad someone is paying attention! I usually copy the custom html code of the fixtures from the previous article and edit it – obviously I lost the will to type Boro…

  105. For years and years the Mainly London clubs helped each other out, when they were in trouble,
    Unfortunately the the North didn’t,
    It doesn’t matter today because our neighbors can’t they don’t have the players either.

  106. QPR away, dont fancy that one but who knows.

    What I do know is that I looked at table on the BBC website and that has us third bottom despite our second favourites tag to go down. Clearly the bookies expect Stoke or Barnsley to pick up.

    Looking the figures in the table we are bottom as far as goals scored and have the same distinction for form over the last five games. What does stand out is that we are 10th fewest goals conceded.

    If there is someone perceptive out there maybe they could point to the areas we are weakest. Maybe this not a new issue.

    Mmmmm!

    1. Ian,

      All fake news, the table is lying, la la la la la la, sticks fingers in ears, walks away humming, anything can happen, we could win five on the bounce, thinking happy Teessider thoughts, yer jokin arn’t yer, what you staring at, I’m off to get me knock off perple shert and ignore social media, I’m off to Redkerr, #Where’s me lemon top?

      Escapism and mental detachment can only last for so long before reality has to be faced. Whilst it is clearly the default setting for Woodgate it is (and has been for some while now) the same setting for those above him. In their case its probably in advanced mode now, made all the worse by the sycophantic pandering of many including some areas of the media.

      Defence mechanisms are no escape from the actual circumstances in life. Reality sucks sometimes but sooner rather than later you have to deal with it.

      * To avoid any possible confusion, I’d just like to point out that I don’t think Diane Abbot actually has a Purple Shirt or indeed has ever been to Redcar or even tried a Lemon Top in her life.

    2. Ian,

      Surely not? All is well in Riverside Towers and Hurworth Towers. The table is Fake News. Surely the Tea Lady and Trolley are fit now or are they still on the treatment table? At least he didn’t say Gestede could go on a scoring run.

      QPR Some – None Boro.

      UTB

      John

  107. Dianne Abbott put a potato in the microwave and pressed the Pizza button. To her astonishment, when the cycle finished and she opened the door, it was still a potato!

    I will go and lie down whilst I muse on the likely score this afternoon. Will QPR declare or make us follow on? Will we actually score? For those in doubt that means kicking the round thing between the sticks at the other end of the pitch

    1. Looks like ex millwall GK & current free agent Jordan Archer is on trial at #boro played about 150 games for millwall from 2015-2019. Interesting.

      OFB

  108. The Gazette celebrates its 150th birthday this weekend and despite some competition from the Weekly News and the Cleveland Standard is still in circulation. As a paper boy in my early teens I used to deliver the morning papers and the Gazette, the latter restricting the number of Boro matches I was able to watch in the early 1950’s. In those days the Gazette was a broadsheet as were most of the morning nationals, and quite heavy to carry on my bicycle around a large area of Redcar. In the winter I used to suffer from chilblains on my toes, fingers and even my ears and of course in those days wore short trousers as was the normal uniform at Sir William Turner’s Grammar School until one reached 15 years of age. During the school holidays the morning and evening deliveries used to take me twice as long as normal to deliver as I would spend some time reading them on my round much to the chagrin of some of the customers.

    I did all of this for the princely sum of 12shillings and sixpence per week (62 pence) but my mother kept 10 shillings of that for the constant repairs to my clothing and bicycle in the winter months. I did that for 3 years and thereafter would cycle into town to buy the Sports Gazette which I read from cover to cover
    usually on the Saturday night, then cut out the action photographs on the Sunday morning and paste them in a scrapbook with paste made from flour and water before going to Church. Of course the Cliff Mitchell reports were pretty extensive and were the first articles I read, but I even read all the articles on various sports such as boxing and horse racing of which I have no interest today.

    Whilst doing my National Service in Singapore my mother used to send me the sports pages of the Gazette by seamail which took about 6 weeks to reach me. It was a different world in those days, but the Gazette was still part of my reading life after my demob. I have to say though I rarely buy the Gazette or any newspapers nowadays since the advent of the internet. I don’t think the standard of reporting is as good nowadays, and sometimes the grammar is appalling. But nevertheless it’s some feat for a local newspaper to reach 150 years, and although I sometimes deride some of its articles today, it does bring back memories of my childhood and youth, so perhaps I ought to offer my congratulations.

  110. Well I have paid my 6.04 euros to watch the match this afternoon.
    Is there any doubt as to the result? Whilst there will be a few with the ever optomistic hope of an underdog win or even a draw, the reality is a defeat.

    One can only hope for a miracle. Whatever is going through Woodgate mind, I do have some sympathy, not a lot as he knew the the chalice contained poison. It may not be long before he has to drink it.

    As RR said, those at the top in MFC are in denial. From Mr Gibson down over those in the hierarchy that count, still think “it will be all right on the night”

    Well tonight it may not be all right, it may be even worse.

    Let’s us hope beyond hope that we are wrong.

  112. I’m not expecting anything from today’s trip to Loftus Road – much has been mentioned that QPR have the second worst defence in the Championship despite being one of the top scorers. Though in order to score goals you still need to hit the ball on target and that’s something that has rarely happened in recent weeks.

    So on that basis I wouldn’t be surprised to see Boro lose by 2 or 3 goals today, given that they’re down to the bare bones and lacking confidence. As ever we await to be surprised as we start on that five-game winning run Jonathan Woodgate mentioned!

    However, being realistic QPR 2 – 0 Boro.

    btw We’ve got guests arriving at 6pm so it will be straight into party mood whatever the result 🙂

    1. WERDER

      I know why we haven’t been winning and it’s my fault !

      Sorry everyone we have to go back to the right formula !

      So for today’s match I predict …..

      ⚽️⚽️

      Sorted !

      OFB

  113. Maybe the club will rebrand like it did several years ago, We can change the name to MFC Nil and instead of a Lion Rampant on the badge it could be having a doze under a bush.

    2. Ian – Maybe instead of Middlesbrough 1986 we will rebrand next year to suitably reflect the club’s perfect vision for the future with Middlesbrough 2020 – though it’s possible the recruitment department should have gone to Specsavers…

  114. It has to change sooner or later…we will score a goal again one day.
    Given that QPR have such a porous back line then perhaps the stars are aligning for us today.
    2-1 to Boro to confound the pundits !

  115. Team news shows the surprise return of George Friend, Randolph and Ashley Fletcher too. It looks like Friend will play in a back three with Johnson as wing-back – perhaps a midfield three of Wing, McNair and Tav with Fletcher and Britt up front. Tyrone O’Neil recalled from Darlo on the bench.

    Team: Randolph, Howson, Fry, Ayala, Friend, Johnson, Wing, McNair, Tavernier, Fletcher, Assombalonga

    Subs: Pears, Dijksteel, Coulson, Clayton, Liddle, Walker, O’Neil

  116. Wow! Where did all those players come from. Randolph fit, Friend fit, even Pears fit. Looks like a team with much better balance with Friend as one of the back three and Johnson as wing-back. I’m suddenly optimistic again. It doesn’t take much….I know.

    I’m sticking with a surprise win for the Boro.

    UTB

  117. Subs:
    Pears
    Dijksteel
    Coulson
    Clayton
    Liddle
    Walker
    O’Neill

    Says a lot about the current first team squad, not much there in terms of experience other than Clayton.

  118. Big gamble bringing Friend back without playing a competitive game and away from home where presumably he’ll have more defending to do. I suppose the thinking is that his experience is vital given the lack of points.
    Looking at the possible formation I think that we could be outnumbered in midfield when having to defend.
    Ideally, when having to play it tight with your opponents expecting to have more of the ball it would make sense to have one up front whose job it is , to hold up the ball.
    But we don’t have a player capable of doing it.
    Score? I’d settle for a boring defensive 0-0 .

  119. I would settle for a point today.

    Interesting Derby conceded against Forest from a similar piece of defensive play to the squandered Britt chance last week. Grabban just buried it instead of pondering. A lot to do with confidence.

  122. I will take a draw even though we are still in the bottom 3 – 2 goals for Britt as well!

    Another break for things to be worked on – hopefully.

    Maybe there is some hope, which I know kills us in the end! Like others I am very philosophical about results now although I really don’t want us to be relegated this year as I fear that we may not be able to come back from that.

    Still a long way to go in the season and things can only get better!

    Small steps in the right direction I guess.

    UTB

  126. BBD

    That is what we hang on to. hope. Ancient supporters like myself have been through this many times. What we hang on to is the fact we are the Boro and we know we will come back. It doesn’t matter which division we are in.

    Today was a welcome point and whilst a win would have been better, the performance appeared to be a positive.

    Lets wait and see.

    1. Indeed Ian – I am a mere youngster with just over 50 years of support behind me since my Dad took me to my first game at Ayersome Park when we were in the 3rd Division!

      Ken is probably the father of the blog and he too has seen it all.

      One of my family has probably been to almost every home game for I guess well over 40 years – dedication I would say!

      In these modern days, I am not sure the kids will display the same loyalty with so many other distractions around which is a shame and does not bode well for the future for clubs like Boro.

      Await RR’s report and also will be able to see for myself how we are doing at the next home game.

  127. BBD

    I can go back several years before that but the two ‘ens, Ken and Len go back further.

    I remember Ian Gibson, Bill Harris Jim Irvine and my brother assures me I saw Peacock and possibly Clough.

    The two best seasons in my mind were our promotion out of the third division under Stan Anderson and the team that Big Jack built closely followed by Brucie’s push up to the top flight. That is not to belittle other promotions, winning a trophy and playing in Europe but I was, err, slightly older for those events!

    Should we move up the table I will raise a glass in celebration. oddly if we dont, I may well raise a glass anyway. Hic!

  128. I saw my first game in about 1957/58 and so was brought up on very limited success. For me too, the Jack Charlton team was the first time I’d ever seen Boro regularly beat people and dominate the division.

    It certainly adds perspective and, oddly enough, makes optimism or at least satisfaction a little easier to find.

    Sounds like a better performance. Sorry I missed it but a 2am SYDNEY time kickoff isn’t the easiest to cope with.

    UTB

  129. I wondered if RR’s report would be up but Werder has family business so we must all show patience, quite rightly.

    There again RR might be in shock having to report two goals, especially from Britt. He may need some medication and several checks in sundry websites before composing his report..

    1. And maybe a drink or two! For the shock of course, purely medicinal!

      The promotion season with Big Jack was one of my favourites too even though I didn’t see that many games as we lived away. However, my Grandma sent the Pink Un to us every week which helped and we were there for the 8 some reelers game!

      The cup win and European runs also sticks in the memory as it was when my kids first became proper Boro fans and we were lucky enough to be at the Steau game which will go down as my absolute best game – I would take Ali’s commentary as one of my 8 desert island discs!

  130. Just like Boro, I was busy trying to entertain yesterday so didn’t have time to post on the game or publish the match report. It was a much improved performance than of late and possibly some reasons to be a bit more positive as we go into the international break. Anyway, here is that long-awaited match report from Redcar Red with his view on Boro’s last outing before they take a breather – Warning: this article contains Boro goals and may shock some readers…

    https://diasboro.club/2019/11/10/qpr-2-2-boro/

  131. Thanks for the usual detailed report RR. It certainly made happier reading than most this season so far.
    Glad to see us (BA) converting chances. It is just a shame that comes just in time for the break for us to lose any momentum that might have started.

  132. Redcar Red,

    As always a fine review of the game and two goals from Boro but sadly only one point. I’m happy for the draw and point but with wins scarce the draws and missed chances hurt you as much as hope. The plus side is that it sounded like progress and the table doesn’t lie, contrary to some beliefs, but QPR are placed higher and do score goals.

    I’m optimistic enough to feel cheerful this morning and have a second cup of tea.

    Two goals. Wow. Now do it at home please.

    UTB,

    John

  133. What a contrast to recent Boro displays, and thanks to Redcar Red for his very comprehensive report reminding me again how I used to love reading the Cliff Mitchell reports. As mentioned before I used to deliver newspapers around Redcar as a child, and three of the streets were Arthur, Henry and Turner off Queen Street. Cliff lived in one of those streets (I think it was Henry Street, can’t be sure which), but although I didn’t deliver his newspapers, I often saw him on his way to catch a bus to Middlesbrough from Coatham Road. I’m just wondering what he would make of the Gazette live reports from Anthony Vickers with his EIO when Boro score and the Ugh in a display resembling a children’s comic strip cartoon when Boro concede. It just makes me cringe. How standards have dropped! Maybe the Gazette should replicate Redcar Red’s reports to show how sensible reports should be written.

  134. Thanks to Redcar Red for his alternative take on a match played in horrendous conditions, but which was entertaining considering the continual heavy rain.

    I was hoping for that miracle and three points as anything less was not good enough to get us out of the bottom three.
    However a point to free scoring QPR is a good result. We now have to hope that Barnsley, Wigan and Luton are really worse than the Boro?

    It was great to see Britt getting back on the score sheet and he took both goals really well. Hopefully that will boost his confidence (he was not lacking in it for his second) and if we can up the service to him, possibly he can score more to give us those necessary points.

    QPR are a very good side going forwards d the game was watched with your heart in your mouth every time they attacked. George did well considering his long lay off, but a CB he is not. Fry has gone back over with his positional play poor at times, leaving Ayala as the only real constant in the back three. As RR said I think, Woodgate’s rethink into having to play with a three has left us short in the CB numbers.

    Howson should not be playing in the wing back role as he gets caught out so many times. As seen against Derby and yesterday, Managers just tell his players to put the ball between Fry and Howson and their wide man has a free run. Whilst Dijksteet is not perfect overall he defends far better. Johnson is reliable in the current circumstances.

    I thought in midfield we sometimes get over ran as Philip suggested we may with our line up against QPR. And we did. We still lack pace there when we need to defend counter attacks and although Clayton beefs the defence up, as he did when he came on, he lacks the legs now.

    It was a gamble playing Fletcher upfront with Britt, and I thought he was largely anonymous especially defensively.
    Woodgate to be fair played an attacking side, but it left the defence very vulnerable against a side that scores lots of goals.

    Let’s hope that the break will see time for recuperation and we do not pick up any injuries with our international players.

    We now have TWO MUST WIN games at home, nothing less than six points will suffice.

  135. Thanks RR for your detailed report.
    Watched the game and although Middlesbrough were much better, I thought that the two teams overall were poor. A draw a fair result.

    With ref to JW slamming keyboard warriors. Social media Boro supportes are not happy with him. Here is one comment below which I think sums it up.

    “Hats off to all the supporters who make it to the home games and especially the away games. Thousands of Boro supporters can’t so does that mean they are not allowed to make a comment about the club they are absolutely committed to? Grow up Woodgate and focus on YOUR job and get the tactics and personnel sorted “

    1. I think the “key board warriors” thing is indicative of the stress getting to him and reverting to type despite claiming previously he never reads it. Its understandable but despite some extreme idiots posting ridiculous stuff online the time to have a go back isn’t when you have a 12% win rate as a Manager. With that level of proficiency and declining gates including Season Card holders in his new career he has little or no room to have a go back at any type of fan at the minute.

      To date he has managed 17 games with only two wins, seven draws and eight defeats including one at home against a League two side. He maybe should be grateful that the current online vitriol is only at the level it is.

  136. Thanks RR for your report which gave me a detailed and reliable account of what happened yesterday.

    I was busy enjoying spending time with my six month old grandson in Portsmouth yesterday so did not see or listen to the match; we are returning to Spain today.

    A better result than I had anticipated and good to learn of the return of some of our more experienced players.

    I just hope that we can use this as a platform to start winning games and climbing away from the relegation zone; please Boro not another false dawn and gives us two home wins to enjoy after the international break. 😎

  137. Consider this. Sheffield United were relegated to League 1 at the end of season 2010/11 with a mere 42 points from 46 matches and scoring only 44 goals. For every successive season they were considered the favourites for promotion back to the Championship but flattered to deceive losing twice in the playoffs in their first two seasons, finished 7th the following season, and lost again in the playoffs in season 2014/15. In season 2015/16 they finished a pathetic 11th.

    During that time they went through 7 managers and one acting manager after sacking the late Gary Speed midway through that relegation season. Mickey Adams couldn’t save them from relegation so they appointed the former Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Wilson in May 2011. He lasted almost two years but was dismissed in April 2013 as Chris Morgan took over until the end of the season. David Wier was then appointed, but he only lasted 4 months so Chris Morgan again too over the reins of acting manager until Nigel Clough was appointed in October 2013. He lasted two seasons before Nigel Adkins was appointed in June 2015 and sacked after only one season.

    So United then turned to a former player Chris Wilder who having saved Northampton Town from relegation to the National
    Conference then guided the Cobblers to the Championship two years later with 99 points. Wilder guided United to 10th position in his first season and then to promotion to the Premier League last season. United have not lost an away match this year since losing 0-1 at Swansea on the 19th January. That’s 16 matches although 11 of them were draws. He is now managing/coaching the team he loves, just as Jonathan Woodgate is. The only difference of course is that Wilder has a vast experience in coaching several teams from the lower divisions, whereas Woodgate hasn’t.

    Maybe Jonathan Woodgate might turn out to be a good coach, but appointed too early in my opinion. Probably Steve Gibson has been reading too much into the success of Steven Gerard and Frank Lampard, when he should have considered that Brian Clough started his coaching at little old Hartlepool United.

  139. Thanks again RR for that report a report that showed a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel ” or was that a backfire from the exhaust of the relegation bus starting up?”
    UTB.

  140. OFB….re Ayala….hope there is no truth in this rubbish being spouted today as you kindly told us that DA was ready to sign a new deal.

    ” Leeds United and Fulham – along with Stoke City – are showing an interest in the Middlesbrough defender, Daniel Ayala, according to Teamtalk.

    The website claims Middlesbrough are ready to cash in on their long-serving centre-back in January, knowing they will not be able to match the terms of his current contract, which expires next summer. “

  141. Just noticed the news of JW being angry about the Keyboard Warriors (that would be me)
    Just a few observations about failing managers.
    They always whine like a jet taking off when criticised.
    They always think the first time they meet a team worse than theirs that the crisis is over. (significant? Or what)
    According to the people on this blog (who I personally trust), we played with a wide open defence and let the cards fall where they may. (they may not always fall your way)
    Glad to see George back, very significant I think, together with Ayala it’s a start.
    Hope that the cards fall our way in the next two games, if they do then we may settle down to collect a few points, if not, watch out.
    Sorry to strike a discordant note but consider the following.
    We have played Britt for ever, playing like a drain.
    Bottom three.
    Now he has scored (as he was bound to do at some time, even had it been a penalty) forget I said that.
    There is no reason in the world that he should now be a goal machine, so the thought of him going on a long run of fixtures fills me with dread.
    As ever we will see.

      1. Fletcher has had than enough chances this season (albeit in a poor performing team) to show something and has not in my opinion. Gestede, well what can one say about him? Young Walker….one would think he is not showing enough in training?
        So that leaves, hmm…..Britt, unless we try one of the midfielders there. If we are going to gamble on our defence and play two up top, then I would try McNair or if Shotton is fit and George can play LB, Johnson

      2. I bought the Tea lady a pair of size five boots on Friday. You should have seen Britt’s face when she and her Hostess trolley danced around Boro’s five man back line and then smash in a 30 yard rocket giving Randolph no chance. The best bit was she didn’t even spill a drop or break any of the Rich Tea fingers!

        Seemed to have done the trick 🙂

      3. Ghw
        I have no idea who the club (in the person of our coach) would play as a striker.
        Fortunately that is not my problem.
        The fact is when your striker gets a three yard tap in, and misses it, then you have a problem, because it was not his to miss, it was provided by the team. And the team do not deserve the abuse they get because he is not doing his job.
        When it becomes his default position then it becomes the managers problem, and will not be solved by playing the loyalty card.
        Very successful teams call a halt to the pantomime after two consecutive failures and do not apologise to the striker concerned, far from it, they explain to the press that said striker is not doing his job but will be working hard in the training ground to put things right.
        It may not have occurred to you but we now suffer the consequences of indulging an out of firm player because having taken us to the foot of the table, we will now be expected to carry on playing him because he has now recovered his from. Until Xmass? I wonder where we will be in the league by then.

      4. What has occurred to me is that if Assombalonga hadn’t played on Saturday we may not have got a point. He is the only recognised fit striker other than Fletcher, and if you want a whipping boy, then he is a prime target.

        Unfortunately Fletcher’s scoring record is very poor and I haven’t seen anything in his play that would give me any hope that he will eventually come good.

  143. As a “keyboard warrior” who has been without the interweb for two weeks looks like things are still pretty crap regardless of the two goals scored yesterday. It looks like stoke will sort themselves out, new manager (who I would have liked to be our manager) and a good result yesterday. If JW doesn’t like the online criticism then dont read it or better still sort out the team, sadly I think we are going to get relegated alongside Barnsley and Luton and thus we will have gone full circle under Mr Gibson, broke and in div 3

  144. I think after watching and commenting on Boro’s uninspiring goal-shy performances during the last few months that saw us drop into the relegation places, then I’d probably say I was more of a key bored worrier rather than keyboard warrior…

  145. I’ve just watched a player from Maldon and Tiptree run with pace from near his own penalty area beating Leyton Orient’s midfielders then dribbling his way through Orient’s two centre
    backs as if they were invisible before planting the ball in the net. His name is Jorome Anthony Slew a 21 year old centre forward, and as fast as Adama Traore in my opinion. His Essex based club play in the Isthmian League North, the eight league in the pyramid system and one step above the Northern League. A centre forward well worth Boro’s recruitment team having a look at.

    1. Interesting Ken, I would hope that we could maybe have a whip round to get him a mention in the next PowerPoint presentation and then we could offer Maldon and Tiptree £6M or even £7M and around £40K a week?

  146. Quick thanks to RR for another top report on Boro’s return to finding the net – we even managed an o.g. too! I only had one eye on the stream as was busy preparing food for guests yesterday but found it an enjoyable open game and was impressed with Britt’s clinical finishing – perhaps Robbie’s visualisation techniques have finally sunk in and it’s a pity that there’s now a two-week break to cut short any momentum.

    I’m back on ‘projects’ with the challenge of renovating the living room before Christmas – As I told Mrs Werder, if a job is worth doing it’s worth doing slowly! Something, I think Jonathan Woodgate also believe’s in given his start to management…

    1. What impressed Mrs Werder about your PowerPoint presentation illustrating the transition of the Living Room that identified you as the best and outstanding handyman for the job? Just asking for a Friend like!

      Has there been a a four page pull out on the Living Room transition in the Bremen Gazette yet singing your praises, again and again and again?

      If it goes pear shaped and looks a bit dodgy with maybe a few rolls hung upside down or you missed the ceiling with the emulsion just tell Mrs Werder that the walls are lying and you could go on a run now with three or four rolls ending up hung the right way and that horizontal is the new vertical.

      You could always plead that you weren’t given enough rolls to complete the job in any case and that you can’t afford to buy any more paint and besides the DIY store is now closed until January. If that doesn’t work just play the “Housewife warrior” card, there again, maybe not!

      1. I’m way beyond Powerpoint now 😉 as a few years ago I made a 3D computer model of our house and can provide any angle or rotations of what it will look like once my RSI from spending too long on the laptop clears up and I’m fit to start real-time physical work. So it’s more of a case of Grand Designs meets time limitations on a low budget with just one worker learning on the job – which once again is bit like Woodgate at Boro!

  147. Well to finish my Sports Sunday I watched a recording of the Turkish Airlines Golf Tournament from Antalya where 6 golfers finished level and it took 4 extra holes under floodlights to determine the winner, Tyrrell Hatton from England.

    If that wasn’t enough excitement for the day, I then watched a recording of the 5th and final 20 over international cricket decider from Auckland where rain curtailed the match to 11 overs a side. New Zealand started like a house on fire scoring 83 for 0 after only 5 overs but finished on 146 for 5. England started badly at 39 for 3 after 3 overs but finished on 146 for 7. So just like the Cricket World Cup between the two countries it took a golden over to settle the match which England won 17-8 to win the series 3-2.

    I have yet to watch a recording of the Liverpool v Manchester City match, so just like the Likely Lads will stay offline until tomorrow afternoon in case I hear the result.

  148. Well here in Espana, another right mess we see ourselves in.

    There now looks as though there could be another election within months if there are not some big compromises.

    Not a big shout for proportional representation although everybody represented gets a seat.

  149. Great report Redcar Red – We were able to watch the match complete with local commentary so it was a pleasant evening.

    I think the result was a fair reflection on our modest improvement, and provided the efforts continue I think we have the tools of our own salvation.

    Things don’t feel so bad now, amazing what a couple of goals can do.

    Two goals, a relegation escape doth not make… however a couple more I and I may even enjoy watching the matches again.

    A discussion point for the gang, I thought that Britt was hacked down after he chipped the keeper. Surely regardless of the fact the ball went in the keeper should have been shown a red card. – what do the others think?

    1. Allan

      Why a red for the keeper ?

      He didn’t prevent a goalscoring opportunity?

      Sometimes referees have to use a bit of common sense and not be inflammatory….

      I’d have done it but then I’m biased !

      OFB

  151. I guess there’s two ways to look at this result.

    The glass half-full one is that the last few results show us a team that is starting to gel over a tricky period of 6 games where the improved performances haven’t quite translated into results. The return of several first-teamers along with a team that is settling into a shape should see us start to translate performances into results.

    The glass half-empty one is that QPR playing at home against us is almost the ideal opponent. They play expansive, attacking football, can’t defend to save their lives and had seen a fall-off in results. Despite all that we still couldn’t win even with a full-strength team. The last 6 games or so we’ve basically huffed and puffed but never looked like winning. From this point of view, the team is basically like a boxer, dead on his feet and hanging on until the knock-out punch arrives.

    I hope the glass is more full than empty but realistically it’s looking pretty empty right now.

    Probably the next two home games hold the key. If we take 6 points playing at home against Hull and Barnsley that will give us a foundation. And let’s face it, those are as close to two home bankers as you’ll get. If we don’t manage to win at least one of those, I suspect Gibson has to sack Woodgate to give us even a *chance* to escape relegation.

    1. Barnsley is a must win game, no excuses. Anything less and the natives will be restless. Realistically to survive so is the Hull game but a negative result against the Tykes especially will have all those Geordies and Leeds fans back on their keyboards working overtime posing as genuine Boro fans.

    2. As I said previously, as early in the season as it is, these are two must win games if we are to have any chance of escape

      We have to win against Barnsley and at least a point against Hull. There are still a number of under performing players in that first team.

      If Woodgate cannot get his team selection correct and gain the above points, well he should either resign himself or be sacked.
      Not sure if Mr Gibson will act though?

      1. The timing of these next two games doesn’t help matters. We play Hull on the Sunday after the rest of the Championship have completed their weekend fixtures. We could find ourselves further adrift before a ball has even been kicked with Fans and Players alike anxious and nervous. In particular Stoke are at home to Wigan on the Saturday and a Stoke win would see us second bottom. The rest all have fairly tough fixtures so it may not be too bad unless we see someone like Luton beat Leeds at home in a form upset.

        Likewise the Barnsley game is on the Wednesday night meaning that a few games will have been completed the night before. Lets hope results go our way because the last thing Boro need now is two winnable home games being played under pressure from the home fans. Both games are available on Sky so the corresponding empty seats won’t exactly help the atmosphere either. Its up to the Players to raise their game and to keep the fans on board.

  152. I don’t understand why people set themselves up for a fall by saying we should win the next games or nothing less than six points will do, let’s give a bit of respect and look at the teams recent form:

    Barnsley

    In their last 5 matches they have played 3 of the top 6, Bristol City and Swansea at home, also WBA away, none of which could beat Barnsley.

    Hull

    At the weekend they lost narrowly to WBA, prior to that won 3 – 0 at Fulham after beating Derby 2 – 0 at home which followed a 2 – 1 win at Forest, they have risen to 12th in the table 6 points off the playoffs.

    I would love us to get 6 points but it is not the forgone conclusion that some people think it will/should be. As it has been said and proved many times, there is no easy game in the championship.

    Come on BORO.

    1. Ultimately we have to win games somewhere. Just checking the form table, we have the worst form in the league over the last 5 games. Only Barnsley and Luton have done as badly. If we don’t pick up at least one win at home against Barnsley and Hull it is hard to see where we are going to pick up points anywhere. This is doubly true if we are at close to full strength.

      People say there are no “easy” games in the Championship. That’s not true. You can’t predict them but we’ve all seen games where it was all over once the first goal went in. Think of playing against Sunderland in their Championship relegation season. Right now, the easiest games in the Championship are against us.

      Looking ahead, we have 3 home games in the next 4. They are against Hull (6th in form table) Barnsley (22nd in form table), and Charlton (19th). If we’re not getting 6 points from those 3 games I don’t see where we are going to get the points to stay up.

      It’s not about setting yourself up for a fall it’s being realistic about the consequences if we don’t win 2 of our next 3 home games. Personally I think we’ll draw 2 and lose 1 but that’s because the glass looks empty to me. I hope I am wrong.

      1. Whilst we shouldn’t take any game for granted, I’d have to agree that if we can’t beat the bottom club at home then who can we beat?

        Incidentally, Boro are currently both 22nd in the actual table and 22nd in the ten-game form table – though the only reason we are not bottom is that we did actually win a game ten matches ago. So if we do lose our next game then that would be just 4 points from a possible 30 instead of having 7 from 30.

      2. Exmil I don’t think anybody is being disrespectful to any of the teams played or to play.
        I also do not think posters have said the next few matches will be forgone conclusions or should be.

        What has been said and rather well in my opinion……by deleriad…..is that if we do not start getting some wins and points and against the teams below and just above us when we play them, where will we get them.

        We have to believe there are 3/4 teams worse than us. At the moment there are only two. Unfortuanately Stoke with a new Manager are showing a little form and will probably move above us.

        Whilst I am sure you have not thrown the towel in yet, it does seem as though you are making excuses for continuing with our relegation form.

    2. I don’t think we are setting ourselves up for a fall, we passed that point sometime ago now. Woodgate has a less than 12% win rate which would indicate we actually struggle to beat anybody (including League Two Crewe) at the moment.

      If it continues our relegation is inevitable (which I think it is now anyway) but if Woodgate is to turn it around then its not likely that it will be against the better performing clubs. We have scored thirteen goals all season and three of them were on the first night away at Luton and two came on Saturday against Rangers.

      Every club would want to play Boro and Barnsley at the minute, problem is who do we want to play? That always assuming its not Fleetwood, MK Dons, Southend and Shrewsbury?

    3. Exmil2017
      I hope you don’t mind me saying that your blog is quite horrible.
      There was me reading all the blithe comments along the lines of “at least six points from the next three games”.
      Then you come along and by the use of actual facts and real results, utterly demolish my (slight glimmer) of optimism.
      I am forced to believe you rather than them.
      Your stat attack is compelling and I for one believe that we will be turned over with ease.
      The fact is our form is utterly true match after match, no goals, no defence, no fight, no idea.
      As an added insult, our non striking striker has finally scored, which of course means we have to watch him for another 15 matches (which I suppose will probably do the trick)

    1. If as people say any team can beat any other team in this league I would say it’s almost irrelevant which team we play in the next few matches. The fact is we need to get 52 points to be certain of avoiding relegation, that’s 39 more points from 30 matches. At 1.3 points average per match, that is equivalent to what half of the teams in this league have accrued so far this season. I don’t think that is beyond us.

  155. plato, especially for you the following facts:

    Barnsley

    In the last 5 matches they also lost to Huddersfield and Stoke, who I believe were both bottom at the time.

    Hull

    Prior to the little run mentioned, they lost at home to QPR 3-2 and away at Huddersfield 3-0.

    My post was not meant to upset anyone, just point out that although we would like to get 6 points we are going to have to play well and cut out the mistakes at the back.

    Come on BORO.

    2. Emil
      You have no need to explain your reasoning to me, I blogged in jest.
      Your cold blooded list of results was fully justified, and unfortunately revealing, in the most awful way, for any Boro supporters.
      To point out the bleedin obvious, every win in your list was a dagger in the heart of us fans. Why? Because we are a million miles from equaling them.
      And equal them we must, or else.

  156. I would agree with Ken that in theory getting another 39 points from 30 games doesn’t sound impossible but we would need to start winning a few games pretty soon to stop us needing essentially play-off form to avoid relegation.

    For example, last season we just missed out on the play-offs by a single point and managed 73 points from 46 games, which is an average of 1.6 points per game.

    That kind of form would give us 48 points from those remaining 30 games, which is only three wins more than the form we need to show to make that 39 point relegation avoiding tally.

    So if our bad run continues for much longer then that points per game target is going to start creeping up towards promotion contention form.

    Of course the other question to ask is which teams can we finish above? Our problem increases if Stoke under new management haul themselves out of the relegation fight and then we need to finish above two other teams and Barnsley. At present, only really Luton, Wigan and possibly Blackburn are looking like teams who are struggling to win games regularly.

    So the only target is Boro have to finish above three teams and that may become harder if we don’t start winning a few asap.

    1. Ayala’s Agent working hard to get the price up on probably his last payday !

      I see the rumours about taking Ben back on loan are gathering pace

      I suppose with the money that Boro are still owed for the sale of Ben that would help pay for his wages until the end of the season

      OFB

      1. Why?

        I mean it makes no sense whatsoever to bring Ben back here. He has hardly played since he left so will be rusty and will probably take two months to get back to his playing peak which would be March and the season all but over. That’s all assuming his injury woes are behind him. If he does come back and is as stiff and wooden as a board then he will get slaughtered and his reputation in tatters. His agent would be mad even suggesting or thinking it.

        His costs would be ridiculously too expensive, TICK, and he’s from Teesside, TICK, ideal for Uncle Steve’s “new austerity model”, rolls eyes. We need to expand the squad by bringing in two or three as an absolute minimum maybe even four and thats before anyone leaves. The market where we are now shopping gets you those three or four players wage wise for one Ben Gibson.

  158. Werdermouth has the right of it. 39 points from 30 games is respectable mid-table form. That’s something you would think on paper that the team could achieve even though so far this season they haven’t come close.
    Say though we get 4 points from the next 4 games (1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses). That’s an improvement on the season so far but now we need 35 points from 26 games: win 9, draw 8 and lose 9. That starts looking very difficult for a team that after 20 games will have won just 3 of them.
    I mean, yes, we can always go on a great run or 3 other team may totally implode but once you start saying things like that you are working on hope rather than planning. Right now, every home game we don’t win against a bottom half club is hammering another nail in the relegation coffin.

    1. The blindingly obvious is staring us all in the face now made much worse by the fact that there is still time to do something about it. Sadly it is more likely that nothing at all will be done because as was the case previously someone “genuinely” won’t have seen it coming backed up by local media spin and sycophantic guff.

      I reckon that 47 or 48 points might be enough but the very fact we are even discussing this in November tells the true story of what fans are thinking/fearing. Dismissing us as Keyboard Warriors may sate some hurt and bruised ego’s whilst they remain in denial for another three or four months.

      It never had a chance of working right from the off, it was nothing more than ridiculous romantic twaddle. To then not even attempt to support or back it was shocking and as predicted by many from the off it hasn’t worked. There is nothing at all to suggest that its going to work in the next three years and even then I’d bet against it. The damage being done now is likely to be seriously long term and the longer it goes on the more irrecoverable it will be.

      Selling players or more likely jettisoning wage ballast in January will probably just cement our fate and give MFC a few months to think of an exciting early bird offer to the mugs who were sucked in at the end of last season. One thing for sure is that it will be nigh on impossible to spin next season so I await MFC’s and the Gazette’s antics with mild but sad amusement.

      Instead of Chelsea Dagger next season MMP could play that catchy Maxine Nightingale song from the 70’s, “Ooh, and it’s alright and it’s coming along
      we gotta get right back to where we started from”.

    2. Just to add that if Boro would have managed 1.3 points per game already then we’d have 21 points instead of 13. It’s basically 4 points every three games or a win, a draw and a loss. Needless to say, you can’t average 1.3 points per game without winning 🙂

  159. Collectively this blog seems to have accepted Boro’s fate and sadly I think the collective is quite correct in its theory. The only thing the management seem to have invested in is a bulk supply of buckets full of sand for the collective heads.

    Somebody mentioned Mr Warnock a few posts ago and I’d have him at Hurworth like a shot if only for his realism, enthusiasm, common sense and plain speaking plus of course his huge experience. At the moment the only huge things Boro have are management egos and a seemingly huge ability to ignore the bleeding obvious. I think managerial vanity might fit in there somewhere too. If Boro maintain this ‘form’ to Christmas it’s over and even the fat lady will have thrown her season ticket away.

    The glass isn’t half empty or half full it’s cracked and leaking.

    UTB,

    John

  161. I still think we can survive. As Ken said a few more goals will do the trick.

    I admit we need to start collecting more than two points a game if we want to get promoted but survival is still realistic.

    Or do you want Pulis back?

    Up the Boro!

  162. Yes we *can* survive and, on paper at least, with the players we have you would expect us to survive. But every team that goes into free fall thinks it can survive until it doesn’t. It’s always just “one lucky break then we can go put together a run.”

    Interesting figures from Vickers today. The fixed costs of the club are around £15m and income for a year in the Championship is around £21m. This year the wage bill will be somewhere over £20m. So that gives a minimum loss of £16m. Gibson is allowed to contribute £12m/year under FFP so even after that we’re losing somewhere in the region of £4-10m this year. As there is no way of running a promotion-challenging Championship club on a wage bill of £6m per year then even with Gibson contributing the maximum we are looking at selling more than we buy, by a considerable amount, just to stay afloat.

    To be fair, Gibson knew this was coming when we didn’t get promoted last year and he’s doing his best to manage it. I also think Woodgate has shown more managerial smarts than I expected but this is absolutely not the job for a rookie manager.

    On paper at least this is a squad that should be comfortably mid-table. That we’re in the bottom three is a massive under-achievement. Although players have to take responsibility for their performances on the field, ultimately the responsibility rests with the manager. So far Woodgate seems to have kept the dressing room positive and although the fans are worried they haven’t given up on him or the team. It is still possible to see us win a couple of the next three home games, the team gain some confidence and pull away from the relegation zone. If that happens, credit to Woodgate for turning around a bad situation. At this point I can hope that happens but I see no reason to expect it to.

  163. with regard to our present abject position regarding; form, moral, selection, management, selling and buying activities, I think that we have along way to go before we are a well run club again.
    We seem to be completely unaware of the paradox of poor Britt.
    We have played him as a non performing striker for fifteen matches, and people have given every excuse for so doing, such as “he will come good eventually”.
    And “who would you play in his position?”
    All of this was beside the point. He wasn’t scoring and we were losing.
    Now we are about to receive our reward for our forbearance, as a special treat we are going to see him play for the next fifteen matches, After all it worked once why abandon the experiment now.
    So get down to the bookies now, we are homeward bound.

    1. MFC have scored 13 goals this season, of which Assombalonga has scored 6. I fail to see the logic in not playing him, especially considering we have no credible alternative.

      Such a shame that the lethal combination of Tavernier and Wing hasn’t been successful.

      1. There are too many players not performing to their expected level and Wing is one I accept.
        However in his defence and you could add Howson, they have been played out of position. A deep lying midfielder he is not. He needs to be behind Britt IMO, but quite close also.
        He still is the bestplayer who can play the difficult pass.

      2. GHW
        His team mates Inc. Tav and Wing have made enough chances to win at least four matches (admittedly I am unsporting enough to include penalties)but after all they do count.
        As for the foolish question, “who would you play instead of Britt?”
        That is not at all difficult to answer.
        A non scoring, non contributing striker is a deadly combination because he is going to be given most of the chances your team gets, team orders and so on.
        The usual solution in the general run of teams is the following.
        You select one of your best young prospects, one with a bit of speed, quick reflexes,
        Plenty of confidence.
        You tell him that you do not expect him to score a hat trick, just occupy the central defenders, get in the box as often as possible, shoot if the chance occurs, and never stop running for 95 minutes.
        We once did it with a young full back we had just bought from Sheff. Wednesday.
        He did fine, I think his name was John Hickton
        What we have done since the season started is freeze. Nothing has changed, panic set in early and repetition has been the order of the day, even the whinges from the manager are repetitive, and I might say, very boring.
        One almost hopes that these fools sell Wing and Tav. They certainly do not deserve what has happened to them at this club.

    2. Plato, we have been through this already. Just who would you play upfront? Either as a one or as a pair?

      As I have already said, agree or not, Fletcher has done nothing, not even nuisance value in defending. Would you give Walker a try or as I suggested McNair. Other than that it is just try and see.

      Woodgate has given your pick, Tav, a run but he like plenty of others is not actually pulling up stumps is he?

      Like him or not, I think that Britt is the best we have as a number nine. And forget January and all this internet talk of a new forward. We could be so far adrift as to not matter.
      If there is still a chance of avoiding relegation, then I assume we will have to sell to bring somebody in. That would be as big a gamble as Britt scoring or not.

      1. For the profligacy we have witnessed all season in front of goal I would wager than any footballer in the squad including Mejias couldn’t have done much worse than our “Strikers”. Their label may not say “Striker” but then those whose labels do arguably contravene the trades description act.

        Fletcher is just another Marvin Emnes except more lightweight if that was actually possible. He needed to bulk up and toughen up and start to give defenders a torrid time. I’d rather he reminded me more of Shrek than Mary Poppins when I watch him, it might bag him a few more goals as well by adjusting his mental attitude. Until he believes himself that he “owns” the opposition 18 yard box he will continue to be a nearly man who looks back on his career wondering “what if”. He has the skill but his application is all wrong in the right areas. How many CB’s fear playing against him? Just a pity we don’t have a Striking Coach.

        Britt has proven to be nothing more than a flat track bully striker during his time here. I take GHW’s valid point that Britt has scored 6 out of our 13 goals but I would also turn it on its head and ask is he (and Fletcher) the reason we have only scored 13 goals?

        GHW’s point about Tav and Wing is valid but it is also valid for many more this season especially the new signings. Why are so many of our squad all looking so poor and all at the same time, coincidence? Perhaps, but a very strange one if it is and far more likely down to immediate local circumstances than anything merely coincidental.

    3. No thanks Plato. Should you be encouraging people to head to the bookies? Anyone who followed your red hot tip that “Wolves will struggle (and how)” (August 8, 2017 at 2:40 pm) before they ran away with the league might question your reliability as a tipster.
      Still no direct answer on who you would play instead of our top scorer this season then?

      1. Wiggies mate
        That’s a strange one, I witnessed Wolves at our place have two men dismissed and two others who should have been dismissed for worse fouls. Win the match by sheer determination (and muscle).
        I did not think that they would be a roaring success in the Prem. But muscle and determination go a long way in the Prem.
        When they bought Traore I sort of figured that they would not employ him to dribble the opposition.
        I might say it is lovely to see him being used as he should be, and being selected for Spain.
        Just a further point I think that he could be a serious striker if he got a chance in the middle, and I do mean a lot of goals.

  164. I’ve been delving into history to try to find a similar season to this one where Boro survived relegation after a similar start. I have only found one in a 24 club league when a win was worth 3 points and that was the 1989/90 season. After 17 matches Boro had accumulated 15 points, 3 wins, 6 draws and 8 defeats and 21st in the League. From matches 42 to 45 Boro were 22nd in the table with only 12 wins and 47 points. They survived by beating Newcastle 4-1 in the final match as other results went in their favour.

    There are other instances in a 22 club league when wins were only worth 2 points, the most famous being the 1954/55 season where Boro had gained one solitary point from their first 9 matches but easily finished 12th. The other being in season 1984/85 when Boro were in 19th position from match 26 to match 40 then could only draw at home to Birmingham in the penultimate match pushing them into the bottom 3. They survived relegation by winning 2-0 at Shrewsbury in the final match. Unfortunately the following season the season followed a similar pattern but by winning their penultimate match 3-0 against Millwall to reach 19th they visited Shrewsbury again in the final match but lost 1-2 and were relegated.

    Of course in all those seasons there weren’t transfer windows. But nevertheless I still haven’t given up hope that relegation can’t be avoided. I’m not advocating a long stretch of unbeaten matches, but rather a succession of wins, draws and defeats in equal measure, although I feel a mid-table finish is unrealistic.

  165. Despite the troubles at Boro I’m still keeping an eye on my second favourite club, Hartlepools United. Things have become fractious behind the scenes recently with the threat of players leaving the field due to alleged racist remarks in a recent match against Dover Athletic, then the sacking of Craig Hignett, and most recently the postponement of their FA Cup fixture at Yeovil last Saturday. That was a disgraceful decision to call the match off at such a late hour when the weather forecast for the South-West should have resulted in a postponement before the Pools fans started to travel which was one of the longest journeys that Pools fans would have to make.

    The draws for the First and Second Rounds used to be made on a North/South divide similar to the Qualifying Rounds, and it makes sense to me that that should still be the system. As it happens Pools did superbly well to win there 4-1 last night against the team currently second in the National League but I doubt many Pools fans would be able to afford a second journey down to Somerset in the space of four days. The prize money of £36,000 might be most welcome for the club, but will not benefit the fans. The draw for the Second Round has not been kind to Pools either with the possibility of an even longer journey to Devon to play Exeter City.

    Darlington did well to get a replay at Walsall and I was hoping that the possibility of a North East derby with Pools might have ensued for the 6th time. I remember the last occasion that that occurred in 1964 as over 9,000 turned up at the Victoria Ground to witness a goalless draw in this Second Round clash. After the draw had been made on the Monday lunchtime as was the norm in those days, with the winners earning a home draw against Arsenal in the Third Round I was determined to see the replay. Both clubs were in the lower positions of the league at that time and the prospect of a home match against the Gunners ensued a crowd nearing 14,500 at Feethams. Unfortunately for me Pools lost 1-4 but at least it gave the Quakers the prospect of a bumper crowd for the next round, and 19,717 turned up to see the match against the mighty Arsenal who at that time were managed by the former England captain Billy Wright. I didn’t see the match which Darlington lost 0-2 as I was watching Boro hammering Third Division Oldham Athletic 6-2 at Ayresome Park that afternoon with Arthur Horsfield and Jim Irvine each scoring in the first 8 minutes.

    Boro went on to earn a 1-1 draw at Charlton in the next Round and I was there amongst the 30,000 crowd to see Boro win the replay 2-1. Boro then played First Division Leicester City at home in the 5th Round and I managed to get a ticket in the South stand to witness a thoroughly professional City wrap the match up 3-0 by halftime. But those two Cup matches with 30,000 plus attendances were way above Boro’s normal league average of 14,600, such was the magic of the FA Cup for our local fans in those days. To complete the record for that season Leicester lost to Liverpool after a replay in the Quarterfinal who went on to beat Leeds United 2-1 after extra time in the Final.

  166. Many clubs in recent years as we know have suffered the humiliation of demotion down the leagues.
    Cardiff ,Swansea, Brighton ,Burnley, Hull, Sheff Utd, Norwich ,Blackpool ,all the way down to the fourth tier,
    Worse for the likes of Stockport, Hereford Yeoville ,who were once in the same division as Boro
    Most I would say ,yes poor management,and importantly lack of funds to compete,
    What as happened here is beyond comprehension, Sunderland the same, not that I really care what they do, but just what is going on upstairs, were is Steve Gibsons head?
    And I’m not putting Woodgate in the same cattogary , he’s just the latest whipping boy ,
    Some talented ex managers with excellent CVs have wanted the job at Boro , but were bypassed for interns learning on the job, McLaren had some success simply because they payed over the odds in wages for journeymen players.
    I believe we lost a lot of money chasing the Euro express, and maybe since then Gibson as toned down his vision , trouble is you can still get it right if you know your limitations and hire competent progressive talented individuals in the right areas.
    I know nothing about how he runs is other business,
    But the football club ,to me, is wandering in the dark.
    I just hope their is a constructive plan even if they do go down, I have my doubts.

    1. I suppose people can argue how well those at the club have spent Gibson’s money but it’s not an issue of him losing ambition by not putting in the cash. Quite simply FFP restricts how much owners can legally (OK some attempt to circumnavigate the rules by ‘selling’ stadiums) inject into the club. Gibson has no choice but to cut costs and sell players as without parachute payments or PL money there is not enough income to have all but a modest wage bill – certainly not the reported £25m it currently stands at.

      I suspect Woodgate was chosen for three reasons: he’s cheap, he’s compliant with player sales and he’s a local lad. Ambition is not the same as it used to be because the rules don’t allow owners to go for broke like they used to when Gibson first started – plus the cost of top players is now well beyond our budget and has been for some time – we just buy the best of the expensive mediocre ones now!

      1. Werder
        Your final few words said it all.
        ” We just buy the expensive rubbish players now”
        I believe that is our problem, the great clubs scour the world for unknown youngsters whilst we help them out by paying top dollar for their cast offs.
        This method has gone on for a long time now.
        The fans have attempted to stop it by abuse and mockery, and pleading with them to stop. But to no avail.
        One is forced to the conclusion that there was no one at the wheel as Boro sailed over the precipice to annihilation.
        As ever, when it could get no worse, it did.
        We hired Woodgate, After all, he was behind and supposed to be supporting AK when he was given the heave ho. That would be when we were in the Prem.
        Does not compute and besides my head hurts.

  167. It’s fairly obvious in recent years that the most successful championship clubs that have achieved Premiership status have been, shall we say, a bit economical with the P&S rules set in place.

    Other clubs like say Sheffield United have relied on building a team over several seasons with team building as opposed to individual high price players being purchased. By necessity Gibson finds himself in the position of having to go by the latter route.

    This means starting from scratch, but as MFC have some highly paid underperforming individuals this starting point of “ scratch” won’t be available until the club can dispense with them.

    The chairman needs to decide if he wants to employ a manager like Warnock to try and get the present first team squad performing to their true potential, or stick with Woodgate and possible relegation to go for the longer route.

    As ever it’s the fans who will have to be convinced, time for SG to come out and speak to them.

    1. As grovehillwallah states Sheffield United have used the method of team building to get where they are today and it has taken several years. Also don’t forget Bournemouth and Burnley who are well established Premier League clubs today. The former were actually deducted 10 points as they slid into Division 2 in the 2007/08 season and a further 17 points in the following season but still survived a further relegation to the Conference League by 9 points. Burnley survived relegation to the Conference in the 1986/87 season by one point by winning their final match at home to Leyton Orient 2-1 in a Division which at the time included Wolves, Preston, Cardiff and Swansea.

      As I mentioned before I think Boro will escape relegation this season, but if they don’t they could even fall further and it’s not inconceivable that the could even become a struggling Second Division club also. Past reputations count for nothing in the lower leagues.

    1. The only words we will hear from Mr Gibson is what is allowed via the Gazette spin machine.

      These last few weeks have seen a number of articles from said journalists and especially Anthony Vickers spelling out the facts on MFC´s financial demise.
      Of course there is no reason at all to doubt the figures as they will have been fed down the line by those at MFC. However even us plebs on here can understand basic accountancy.

      What is galling is the enormous amount of money lost during the proliferate spending of two years ago. Yes you could say, well it is his money, but then Mr Gibson does have a responsibility to keep the finances in control , irrespective of funding the losses. He took a massive gamble with Monk and associated buying which has backfired leaving the club vulnerable.

      As Paul said, we could see MFC ending up going in a full circle and back to where Mr Gibson started almost in 1986.

  169. I have to agree with RR’s to OFB re Ben Gibson.

    If we still have a realistic chance of escaping relegation come January and there is an amount of money available after the inevitable sales, then he is not what We want. Economics says no just as RR said.
    Remember he did not have the best of seasons prior to leaving us and now 15mil or whatever is looking good business.

    I would assume if we do bring in players, they will be only loanees. That way we will not be burdened with more wages if we end up going down.

    1. Speaking of good business, other than Stewart Downing, in recent years how many of the players MFC have moved on have gone on to be a success elsewhere?

    2. Regardless of how we rate their “progress” or development elsewhere since leaving us I would love to have Traore, Bamford, Christie, Fabio and even Leadbitter here right now. They would all walk into this team at the minute. Who we replaced them with was the starting point of our current malaise and the slide just gathered momentum over the summer.

  172. Bamford is like many strikers, he goes through barren patches. This season he went ten matches without a goal playing in one of the best teams in the league, he broke the drought with a penalty.

    Went to a website that gave soccer stats. Bamford scores 0.37 goals per 90 minutes, Britt scores 0.33 goals per 90 minutes.

    The next bit is a real eyeopener. For Leeds, their next highest scoring forward is Alioski with 0.28. Boro’s next is Fletcher with 0.08.

    Gulp,

  174. Whenever I see Leeds on TV, playing so well and vying for promotion as they inevitably are, I’m struck by how integral to their success are players – Harrison, Foreshaw and Bamford – whom we deemed to be surplus to our requirements, and who never managed to nail down a regular place in the Boro team.

    Indeed, even were they available to us, it’s doubtful whether many Boro fans would prefer Harrison to Johnson, or Foreshaw to either McNair or Wing.

    Which suggests to me that it’s not so much the quality of the players, but of the management and coaching staff who are working with them which is failing to bear comparison with our competitors.

    To say nothing of the boardroom which has overseen these developments.

    1. Management and Coaching plays a massive part on how players perform. Just look at this season with Boro. The squad is undoubtedly weaker than last season but not a desperate, relegation squad. That is down to the Management of them. Or as Eric might say, all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order!

      Its the reason why the arrival of a more experienced Manager right now would steer the Club to safety but its not going to happen until the vitriol ramps up to a level that makes it impossible for even the Gazette to toe the party line. At that point it will probably be far too late and irrelevant but with long term damage. It would be a shame for SG to depart the Club in the same League where he found it.

      Getting promotion isn’t easy as we have found out and I have no doubt getting out of League One will be just as tough as it has been for us getting out of the Championship. Probably even worse with overheads crippling the Club that are out of sync with that level of football making cash even tighter than it is now. Problem is that MFC won’t see it coming.

      1. Yes, the Riverside, Rockcliffe and the Academy costs are probably far bigger than most in the Championship and certainly bigger than the majority in League 1.

    2. Len
      Non of the players of quality left by accident.
      Bamford 8 goals in three matches?
      Removed from the team and removed from the club in short order.
      Traore, gave Wolves such a run around that they were desperate to sign him, and boy, were they ever right.
      We of course, sold him in a flash.
      Forget the cock and bull story about release clauses, this is a club who wouldn’t know how to spell release clause.
      It is pretty obvious that there has been a programme of selling anything that is not nailed down, maybe our owner is clearing the decks for a speedy exit?
      We are fortunate that they are too dumb to know the couple of other players that they could sell tomorrow, make that four players.

  177. So, investigating Wednesday and Birmingham were deducted 9 points but Villa and Derby haven’t been penalized yet?

    Something doesn’t seem right there but we will have to wait and see I guess
    .

    It will need a big points deduction for us to be safe at the moment unless our form changes dramatically.

    I agree with other folk, that management plays a big part in how a team performs and it is even more important when the chips are down.

    JW has not been in this position before and therefore has no past experiences to indicate what may or may not work. An experienced manager would, one would hope, know what to say and so based on things that maybe didn’t work before.

    I also feel that relegation should not be anything that SG should be entertaining and unless JW can demonstrate that he can turn things round very quickly after the break, then he does need to be replaced.

    Barnsley May be his Waterloo as well as Moggas

  179. We as a club have been all over the place in the basic management of a football club. Fact.
    We have not just bought grotesquely over priced players. Even overpriced we should not have considered them for one moment.
    The entire football World is fanatical about what goes to make a promising new member of your playing staff.
    God knows how may points to look out for.
    Age, age, age.
    Speed.
    Attitude.
    Strength.
    Talent.
    Injury record.
    Intelligence.
    Price, price, price.
    Are you offering him a move up in the football World?
    Is he ambitious to move higher?
    Non of the above is worth a candle if the above facts have not been checked by your man and only him.
    I think we have been touted any old rubbish and bought it hook line and sinker, on a regular basis, and are known mugs by every crook in the game.
    That would be everyone who ever had a dodgy player to flog.
    As ever it will not change until our chairman takes a personal interest in this most important part of the game.
    Think the Spurs chairman, as cunning as a box of monkeys, a deadly dealer and knows a player when he sees one.
    And I bet he chooses his scouts personally, because they are key.

    1. I think our Chairman’s personal involvement could be one of the problems not the solution. Despite repeated mistakes he and his few good men didn’t learn the bitter lessons or at least not until he opened the cupboard door and it was bare.

      1. RR
        The reason I believe he has always delegated the actual hands on ‘who should we sign and how much to pay’ is, because that has always been our downfall.
        Over the years and still today, we sign players when we need them, we are never on the search for that hidden gem, we do no research on them, we are oblivious to their faults (many).
        If you love football, then you are as good a judge of a player as anyone, and if your scout comes begging you to sign some young player, then you should be the final arbiter, it is your money on the line, and it is the volume of that money which causes people to misbehave if they are given the power to do so, hence the disasters that one sees on as weekly basis.
        Unfortunately we are at the centre of an awful lot of said disasters.

  180. You wonder do we still have drinking culture at MFC, at least upstairs were decisions are made.
    The latest finger pointing from Zeiga about his experience at the club makes you shake your head,
    Although I’ve played against Germans and partyed afterwards and they can booze with the best of them.
    But once again a man in charge of the club willing to spend millions on wages and players ,must surely have known what was going on, but still allowed relegation on more than one occasion to happen.
    You can’t make it up.g
    And apparently Brian Robson drank like a camel.
    Blood tests for all the suits.

    1. It was fairly well known as Pubs and Bars in the area used to be frequented on a regular basis in Yarm and one alleged infamous evening in a Redcar Restaurant. In fairness nobody batted an eyelid and just accepted it as the norm.

      The culture wasn’t unique to Boro, remember this is an era when top Premiership stars were being booked into the Priory on a routine basis and of course we had the Dentist Chair incident to name but one. It was wrong, it was unprofessional and showed a lack of awareness and indeed even intellect but we were not alone.

  181. As it is still over a week to Boro’s next match, I’d like to tell that today is the most important football match in the history for Finland.

    My home country is playing Lichtenstein at home today. If Finland would win the home match against the minnows, the National team will qualify to the Finals. And that would be the first time EVER we would participate a major tournament.

    We are second in the qualification group J after Italy who have won every match so far. If we beat Lichtenstein, who have leaked 25 goals and scored only two so far, we are there with one match to spare. Or even a defeat will do if Bosnia will lose a point in their two remaining matches – one against Italy.

    You can guess that a sport mad country like us is going crazy if the qualification might happen today. We are the prevailing champions in ice hockey but we have had a glorious past in cross country ski-ing (before Norway took over), ski-jumping like Matti Nykänen with three Gold Medals in one Olympics and of course athletics. In the latter we had Lasse Viren who won four gold medals in 5 000 and 10 000 m – once after falling down midway and still winning with a world record.

    And then we had a chap called Paavo Nurmi nearly a hundred years ago. He won everything in 5 000 m to marathon – some American news papers have rated him the top five athletics of all time alongside Pele etc.

    But today the whole nation will stop and pray for the best Even with our “golden” generation of Jari Litmanen (Ajax, Barcelona & Liverpool) and Sami Hyypiä of Liverpool we did not qualify. Now we do not have such a famous players except Glen Kamara of Rangers and of course Teemu Pukki. The latter has played in the National team for years now but he has been exceptional only for the past two and half years. Just like at Norwich.

    I have been to see the National team since we played against Kevin Keegan & Co, but this is the most important day. We have been close so often but now we trust it is the day. A dream come through.

    Up the Eagle Owls! Up the Boro!

    PS. The Eagle Owls name came from the match against Belgium in 2007 as I told earlier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=69&v=Q_ad8Iu7AJI&feature=emb_logo
    The commentator tells about the Owl before and it is on the screen after 57 second of the video. It was on the football field for nearly 7 minutes.

      1. Cheers, Borobrie.

        I did not get a ticket for today as only 10 700 can fit into the stadium. The Telia 5G Arena in Helsinki was chosen as it is the only playable venue at this time of the year. We have had snow already twice and it is raining a lot in October and November up here in the (real) North East of Europe. The pitch is with artificial turf that should help us.

        Also our old Olympic Stadium is beeing renovated (a 4 year job) as the Summer Olympics were held in 1952 and it will now have roofs on every 4 sides. But that will reopen in summer 2020.

        My son took a temporary work before match and will get inside for the match. I was to see Finland beating Bosnia in August this year. Finnish-born Glen Kamara of Rangers was much better than Besic of Bosnia.

        Where is Besic playing now? Up the Boro!

      2. PS. If you have not heard about Paavo Nurmi, have a look at Wikipedia.

        At his peak, Nurmi was undefeated for 121 races at distances from 800 m upwards, and won nine gold and three silver medals in his twelve events in the Olympic Games. In 1923, Nurmi became the first runner to hold simultaneous world records in the mile, the 5000 m and the 10,000 m races, a feat which has never since been repeated.

        Ken, I just wonder have you ever heard of him before as this was before your youth?

        Anyway, here is a link to Wiki and Paavo Nurmi:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paavo_Nurmi. My father was called Paavo, too.

        Up the Boro!

      3. Jarkko

        Besic is now getting splinters at Sheffield United, he has only started one game for them so far this season in the Premiership. Just relieved we didn’t part with even more ridiculous sums of SG’s money for him. If I recall correctly his agent started moving the financial goalposts at the last minute and she was told to forget it, probably the best agent SG has ever dealt with in hindsight.

  182. George Friend has revealed in an interview with Anthony Vickers that in 2015 he obtained a degree in Sports Journalism at Staffordshire University and that the hardest thing was to write a match report of up to 800 words whilst watching the match at the same time. No wonder we marvel that one of our own, Redcar Red, is able to consistently give us such great match reports throughout the season. I’ve often wondered how he manages to do it, but grateful in the fact that he does. It raises the profile of this forum and we are so lucky to have our own ‘ Rolls Royce’ and greatly appreciate the high standard of his journalistic aptitude, and long may it continue.

    1. I just wanted to add my support to Ken’s views on RR’s match reporting.

      Whatever the outcome of the match I always look forward to reading RR’s report, usually the following day with a cup of coffeee.

      Thanks RR and long may your reports continue to keep us informed on the trials and tribulations of our beloved Boro. 😎

      2. Humble thanks Ken and K.P. its nice to know someone somewhere out there appreciates my scribbles.

        One day I hope to be able to write something truly uplifting and euphoric about Boro but I live more in hope than expectation at this present time. Good things come to those who wait I’m told, just hope we are not kept waiting too much longer, I’m actually becoming nostalgic fro Aitor and I never thought that would happen!

        I found the Red Kerchief the club issued from his first game at the Riverside in an old Jacket pocket this week. Little did I know way back then what was to follow, highs and lows!

    2. For what it’s worth I’ll add my support too.

      The, and I mean THE, report is a highlight of the weekend or midweek for that matter. Sometimes I have to leave the read until Sunday, sometimes it is read through my fingers and I’m thinking of adding getting the Boss to read it while I hide behind the couch too. A position to suit every report.

      Keep it up young man, way, way better than all that bullet point reporting in other papers and web-sites from sound-bite land. And no ads or pop-ups.

      To quote The Fast Show, ‘It’s brilliant’.

      UTB,

      John

  183. I read that Posh are wanting over £13M for Ivan Toney. Personally I would be more interested in Mo Eisa his sidekick who is slightly under the Radar. He failed to live up to expectations at Bristol but he only played half a dozen games for them in the Championship. Toney likewise was a late bloomer but the real question is who at Peterborough has the knack for spotting all these players on a regular basis for them. That’s who we should really be looking to sign from them!

  184. Agree with all of the comments on RR’s reporting. It’s unmissable for me, and I find it unnecessary to go to any other match reports as they are insubstantial in comparison.

    In particular I find Philip Tallentire’s live reports in the Gazette on-line during the game to be thin to the point of invisibility. A couple of weeks back he even failed to mention one of the goals, and his reports are generally mere collections of other people’s comments. His own comments rarely amount to more than three or four sentences for each half, and give no sense of what is happening during the game.
    Delta minus from me. Must improve.

    Incidentally, RR’s comments on here, quite apart from his match reports, are quite superb. Analytical and evidence based, they always reward a careful reading whether you agree with their conclusions or not. As ever what is important on this blog has less to do with people’s opinions than the care and thoughtfulness with which they are expressed, and the experience they bring to bear on a very wide range of topics.

    And best of luck for the game, Jarkko. Finland has always been one of my favourite countries, and it’s no surprise to me that its inhabitants are the happiest on the planet according to a recent survey. It has excellent national newspapers, which shame our own, and the same can be said of its educational system, where standards are the highest in the world in spite of (because of?) being based upon precisely the opposite principles to our own.

    Loved both Litmanen, one of the best No 10s I’ve ever seen, and Hypia, an absolute rock, both of them a credit to their country in everything they did.

    And Nurmi remains a legend to everyone of my generation. I never saw him run, but remember all of the stories of his feats from my childhood. Hope you have a good win.

  185. I do have one issue with RR’s reports, he never writes about us winning 3-0 at home playing fast flowing, attacking football with a water tight defence.

    I wish someone could explain why.

  186. Jarkko
    Sorry to say I hadn’t heard of Nurmi but do remember Lasse Viren winning 4 gold medals in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games. I also remember the 1952 Olympics held in Helsinki when the Czechoslovakian runner Emil Zatopek won 3 Gold medals in the Marathon, 10,000 and 5,000 metres. When I visited your National Stadium in 2010 black and white photographs adorned the walls of Zatopek’s achievements. I seem to remember a statue of Lasse Viren nearby, also in a park opposite the stadium a statue of your famous composer Johan Julian Christian Sibelius who later took the simpler name of Jean.

    I love classical music and remember reading about Sibelius who wrote among his many musical orchestrations the Karelia Suite, the Alla Marcia movement of which was used as the theme tune to the BBC political programme ‘This Week’ many years ago. Of course his most famous work was Finlandia often performed by Brass Bands in England as well as Symphony Orchestras. I wonder if he wrote the music of your National Anthem? He was a true patriot committed to the cause of Finnish liberty if a little eccentric, as it is rumoured that during the period when Russia invaded Finland in 1939 then in his middle 70’s he could be seen shooting at Soviet planes with his hunting rifle.

    1. Hello Ken,

      I did not know you have been to Finland. Len has lived a short time over here. So nice to hear.

      Ken, the statue outside is of Paavo Nurmi, not Lasse Viren. I think he has about three statues in Finland.

      Yes, Jean Sibelius is one of the great Finnish citizens. He lived quite close to where I live, his home is a museum nowadays. A facinating place I have visited a couple of times.

      Sibelius did not write the national song. That was wrote by Fredrik Pacius in 1847. The same song is also the national song of our neighbours, Estonia.

      But every 10th year when we selibrate the impedence, some people suggest that we should have Sibelius’ Finlandia as the national athem.

      Up the Boro!

      1. Jarkko
        Ah well I must have heard of Nurmi then, getting confused in my old age because I have seen a statue of Lasse Viren somewhere. I’ve not been to Karelia but isn’t part of it in Russia? I have visited all the Scandinavian Capital cities in my time except Oslo, but have visited Bergen, Balesttand and Voss in Norway, also Malmo in Sweden and all the Baltic capitals of Vilnius, Riga and my favourite of all, Tallinn.

      2. Ken, you were correct. There are two statues near the Olympic Stadium.

        Nurm’s statue has been there for ever and it is a famous meeting point for families to meet before a happening at the Stadium. Especially if you are coming from the tram or walk from the city center.

        Viren’s statue is perhaps closer, but between some trees and not on the main street.

        So your memory was betten than mine, mate.

        Up the Boro!

  187. I will add my view that the reports of RR put many journalists to shame. As does the articles from Weder which never fail to entertain.

    How both of then do it on their spare time, I do not know- clearly talented people. It is appreciated although as Ian said, the failure to report on 3 0 victories is a tad disappointing! Mind you we shouldn’t shoot the messenger!!

    As time goes by, I am more and more convinced that SG has lost interest in the club and doesn’t quite know how to extricate himself from it. There can’t be any other explanation for what we are seeing at the moment.

    Reduce costs – tick
    Rookie (read cheap) manager – tick
    Relegation battle – tick
    Falling attendances- tick

    I do worry what will happen should we end up in Division 1 – maybe the plan then would be.

    Anyway, fingers crossed for Finland tonight – I have very briefly been on Finnish soil whilst up in the North of Norway trying to see the Northern Lights!

    UTB

    1. I missed off, maybe the plan then would be to fold the club! Not that the idea makes much sense as SG would not get his money back unless there was a cunning plan………. involving the sale of the ground?

  188. BBD

    Now I understand, it isn’t RR’s fault that the reports are a bit gloomy, it is what he actually sees on the pitch. Bugger, never thought of that.

    I can give him a tip I have picked up from National journalists. He should start his reports ‘Under the grey threatening clouds with views over the industrial landscape etc, etc.’ ignoring the fact it is a glorious a late summer day with great views over the hills.

    1. Or I guess we could do what all those politicians do…………. ….it is all wonderful, we are playing great football, promotion beckons and the table is lying again!

      We just need to believe, turbocharge the team and Get Promotion Done!

      Just saying like!

  189. I don’t think that Steve Gibson has lost interest. He doesn’t have to put £1m a month into the club. I just think that we’ve strategised and executed less well than a host of other clubs.

    Gibson’s main strategy over his entire time has been to throw money at it. Great when he was a relatively rich man in football. He remains tremendously generous but it isn’t enough any more. It isn’t allowed to be enough any more.

    We talk about an experienced coach or Director of Football. Those solutions could garner some short term gains. I can’t help thinking, though, that what would really benefit us is (contrary to Plato’s point) SG taking a backwards step and appointing a CEO to look after his investment for him – someone to drive strategy, appoint the right managers and oversee player recruitment to that plan.

    In no way is that meant to be a wish for SG to depart, I don’t believe that anyone cares about the club more than he, but I think there have been some poor decisions, flip-flopping of playing styles and overhauls of squads that hasn’t been joined-up or heading in any particular direction, and the result has been struggle, lack of value for investment and increasing despair on the terraces.

    As a younger contributor to the blog, I recall SG’s rescue of the club in ‘86 only as something that happened just before I took an interest in the club. However, that does make me any less grateful to him. Boro has been a central part of my life and interests and no one man has been more responsible for the magical rollercoaster of elation and despair that is following the Boro than Steve Gibson. What an amazing man to have at the top of our club.

    However, if he wants the club to be the best version of itself that it can be, I think it would be wise for him to consider appointing someone to take care of it for him.

    1. Andy

      I am inclined to agree with you regarding SG appointing a CEO. Without his money into the club then we may not be here now and for that we will always be grateful.

      I recognize the financial constraints that the rules now say we have to adhere to but I feel he has not used the funds as well as he could have done. There have been some poor decisions made over recent years, going back to the Monk appointment as one example.

      It is easy to sit here and write stuff on the internet without access to the full facts (by a long chalk) but I am still not sure that SG would have put up with some of the failings we have seen at MFC if it had been in Bulkhaul.

  190. Can I belatedly add my thanks to RR? Len sums up his qualities so eloquently.
    Praise also of course for our illustrious Blogmeister.
    Can’t believe we get such a high quality service free of charge.
    Who’s Anthony Vickers?

  191. So Finland are in the finals next summer. A convincing win by 3-0. Up by 1-0 at half time, and then a Teemu Pukki brace.

    And we went crazy. Last time when we were second, we conceded an own goal at extra time and lost the place to Hungary. And it was raining all night back then.

    It was bitter loosing the place at extra time of the last match. The last three touches were made by Finnish players after a corner!

    So this is close to Boro winning at Cardiff and the Hartlepool match in 1986. Close but not the same for me.

    Up the Boro!

  192. Jarkko
    I’m pleased for you Jarkko. It’s nice to see the unfashionable countries do well. Remember Greece in 2004 and Iceland in 2016. I hope that this doesn’t sound condescending, but we English do love the underdogs.

  194. Thanks all. I am happy. The international breaks were not so bad for a couple of years as we also won our Nations League Group just before these qualifiers.

    And we did it in style as we still have a match in Greece on Monday. I am so happy.

    Let’s hope we see see a Boro win next. Up the Boro!

      1. Thanks, Andy.

        We will sing: “Oi Suomi on, niin ihana, etc.” Ou Finland is so nice…”

        Our country is called Suomi in Finnish, Soome in Estonian and something similar in other Baltic countries. Elsewhere , the Swedish, French or German word is used. I do not know if the French “fin” is there meaning far away or the end of Europe is the origin. The Swedish name Finland would mean fine or beatiful in modern Sweden but I bet the word Finland is older as we used to part of the same country for centenaries.

        This feel like Boro winning the first major trophy. Almost.

        Up the Boro !

  195. Anyone who believes that the wild west way of managing a football club is of recent vintage is sadly out in the thinking.
    Cast your mind back to the incident of the ‘ none appearance to play the match on the Saturday.
    An action so stupid that all the appeals to us supporters for sympathy, should have been consigned to the dustbin where they belonged.
    Our chairman could not possibly have been involved in that decision, the penalty was so severe that only an idiot would have tried to bluster his way out of it.
    It cost us a relegation and God knows what else in respect within the game.
    In truth, we have not changed one iota, still the village idiots, still no idea, still can’t judge a player, still taken to the cleaners on a regular basis.
    Us fans hold our head in our hands every time these people tell us of their latest dealings in the market, whether buying or selling.

    1. Plato,

      Sad as it is to say, the only constant in the club through all that time is indeed Steve Gibson.

      He was certainly involved in the decision making not to play at Blackburn all those years ago, though he had word from the FA that it was an acceptable position. Unfortunately for us, that FA official was subsequently deemed not to have the sufficient authority to make such a decision. Perhaps a lack of due diligence on our part but no less a stitch up from the FA and sickening lobbying from other endangered Premier League clubs. Harry Redknapp in particular was allegedly very vocal in pushing for sanctions against us.

      So I’m afraid SG was indeed central to the whole affair, though he had some serious mitigation in my view.

      1. Andy R
        The sad part of that whole affair was the very idea of calling the match off.
        Every professional in the club. And I do mean the Manager, players, board, and Chairman must have known that they had never been involved in a club saying ‘ sorry old chaps but we won’t be coming to your place next Saturday, a few problems with illness in the camp don’t you know.
        Further to that, they should have demanded that the league made an official announcement about the cancelation.
        Which, of course they would have refused to do.
        Thus solving our problem.
        There would have been no problem in fielding a team on the Saturday. We fielded a team at Fulham, before the European final, and they were not beaten.

  196. I am somewhat confused by the suggestion that SG should appoint a CEO to look after his investment.

    He already has, by the name of Neil Bausor. Or are people suggesting he is not doing the job for which he was appointed? 😎

      1. KP – you’re absolutely right! I hadn’t realised that was Neil Bauser’s job title but having checked, it is, having originally joined as COO.

        The question then is, is Bauser any good? If he is, is he being given suffice to autonomy? It is always Steve Gibson who fronts up at press conferences to unveil new managers – is that a sign that Bauser is more of an advisor than a decision maker?

  197. Andy

    All very good questions to which I doubt we will never know the answers.

    When things are not going well it is very easy to be critical of those at the top and probably to a degree we are being unfair as we do not know the full details on which to form a reasoned opinion.

    If, however, those in charge do not communicate or on the few occasions they do, they try and spin things as being positive, then it is only natural that we outsiders become suspicious and critical at what we are seeing and hearing. 😎

    1. Senior Executives are generally measured by their effectiveness in improving a Business. Using just two examples that could be measured by say Profit or Growth, it may even be measured by downsizing and reducing costs under difficult trading conditions. Whatever the measurement criteria was I’m guessing that as far as a Football Club goes they have individually or collectively bombed badly.

      Now in mitigation it may be that B&B have spent the last few years telling SG that he is wrong and advising the polar opposite to the path MFC chose to tread. Maybe they didn’t want to sign the likes of Gestede or Saville for the money that was being offered. Maybe they were dead against Woodgate’s appointment and maybe they didn’t want Rhodes at the time or Downing back at the exorbitant costs involved when it was pretty obvious the Manager at the time didn’t see a need for them (or indeed want them). I accept of course that for a lot of the aforementioned Bevington wasn’t at the Club having joined in 2018 as Head of Recruitment (make up your own mind on how that has gone).

      I’m not sure what their individual attributes are or indeed if they have the freedom to leverage them in the day to day running of MFC but where we are now would indicate that I’m pretty sure this wasn’t the intended situation (of course if it was then well done). Neil has worked with lots of Chemical companies prior to joining Boro so that makes him a perfect fit here on Teesside and of course Bevington is a local lad who supports the Boro and was Operationally in charge of the England set up during that phenomenal period of International success. A bit ironic perhaps that another Boro connection is now responsible for the national sides best form for many decades.

      Its clear that mistakes have been made and oft repeated ones at that, who repeatedly made those mistakes is anyone’s guess but I’m pretty sure it’s not the Manager’s otherwise some signings wouldn’t have been “gifts” and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the tea lady who signed Gestede or agreed the fees for Fletcher and Saville etc. That only leaves Garry Monk of course whom it now appears is to blame for all ills at MFC and everything from Brexit to the three day week way back in the Seventies.

      1. Its obvious RR , they are lazy, they have to be, they are including some fans and local media ignorant of world football, they live in this cocoon ,were they only see what’s in front of them, be it the level of teams and players they see each week,
        Getting promoted proved that ,after three games the press was saying no problem , they had no idea,
        This club desperately need someone with a wide range of world football knowledge someone from a successful project, you wont find him though I’m sorry to say on the banks of the Tees,Tyne or Wear, that’s a fact.
        SG as spent millions on duds, its time now he spent it on a talented football person to oversee plans for the future playing staff.

    1. Ian

      If they hadn’t left or been sacked then Monk would never have been Boro Manager so it must be all his fault. Oh and while we are at it can we add Victor Valdes and Bad Guzan to the Monk charge list, may as well, besides it lets Orta off the hook. And I know a man who knows a man who swore blind it was a Monk’s curse that led to all that plague and pestilence when we couldn’t put a team out at Blackburn.

      I believe there were six assassins supposedly involved in the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. I’m pretty sure at least one one of them must have been a Monk. No doubt we can read about it in the Gazette when we are adrift by Christmas and the spin machine dictates another deflecting non story.

      Footnote: Guzan did provide one of the funniest recent Boro moments when the Boro fans started chanting “off, off, off” to the Ref Anthony Taylor when he gave away a penalty against Southampton at the Riverside. This was after he let three in against Chelsea through his legs in the previous game. The poor Ref was then booed for letting him stay on the pitch.

  199. Boro should look at loans from MSL, they are off season now, but there are some young talented players maybe get in, I know it isn’t easy the best want to play in the prem, but you never know, the guy from Seattle Jordon Morris is one I like a Viduka kind of build and is strong and scores goals,
    Vancouver have nineteen year old CF a huge unit a bit raw but strong and mobile Drogba type, Bair I think is name is.
    Like I said at least try ,
    We could of course look at loaning some exes ,Rhodes , Tomlin , Lead bitter , could help at least.

    1. No point GT, look at that Harrison lad who ended up at Leeds, useless at this level, well apart from his goals and assists that is but don’t let that fool you because that League table just tells lies.

  200. Just done the Gazette’s predictions up to Christmas and fair to say I have a slightly different outcome to PT’s (hope he is right and I’m wrong just for clarification).

    I did manage to avoid spraying the keyboard with coffee when he trotted out “transitional Boro”, only just however! You have been warned though that it is coming in his piece mid way through. Of course transitioning nowadays has more than one meaning and he may indeed have a point but in deference to politically correct sensitivities its best not to go there. Anyway have a look and see what you come up with:

    https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/predictions-middlesbroughs-next-7-games-17262442

    I have Luton in 22nd spot on 20 points, Boro next in 23rd on 19 points and Barnsley on 16 points propping up the bottom. Above them I have Wigan in 21st on 22 points then Reading and Huddersfield on 23 points apiece and Stoke just above them on 26 points under new Boss Michael O’Neill.

    Watching N. Ireland last night against the Dutch, O’Neill certainly knows how to galvanise a team making them resolute and organising them to play to their strengths. I’d expect him to emulate the Cowley’s at Huddersfield and start to put a few points on the board. I’d also expect him to try with a bid for Paddy McNair in the January window for two reasons, firstly he is a Player who plays well for him and secondly he would know that we are desperate for cash and it would scupper Woodgate.

    The positive in my points scenario is that despite my undoubted confirmation bias it would mean that Boro could incredibly still be in touching distance of the Championship detritus, it may yet still be possible to pull off the “Great Escape”. Speaking of great escapes maybe MFC have missed a marketing trick on trying to flog their half season tickets with the tagline “Escape to Victory” starring Woodgate as Michael Caine, Assombalonga as Pele and Darren Randolph as Sylvester Stallone. We could maybe tempt Johnny Wark to venture up here to help promote them mind you he didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms at the time under Todd.

    1. Redcar Red
      I have a more optimistic view of Boro’s position after the next 7 matches with Barnsley on 13points, Luton 16, Wigan 18, Stoke and Huddersfield both 21, and Boro 23, but then I’m pretty useless at predicting results especially where Boro are concerned.

  201. Redcar Red
    On reflection maybe we should split the difference of our opinions:-
    24th Barnsley 15 points
    23rd Luton 18
    22nd Wigan 20
    21st Boro 21
    20th Huddersfield 22
    19th Stoke 24
    Where average aggregate points have given an odd number I’ve upgraded half a point upwards.

  202. Ken

    As you say, we are all pretty useless at predicting results, who would have thought Papua New Guinea would have spanked the GB RL team.

    I do know we are in a bit of a pickle.

    1. Just posted that myself !

      Leeds have always had a strong interest in Mbro talent perhaps Woodgate suggested that they make it more formal than when he was recruited from Marton Juniors !

      OFB

  204. Redcar, unless the Boro have a great winning streak before January or a disaster that leaves us really adrift at the bottom, I cannot see MFC letting any of the players with more than one year left on their contracts being sold.

    Ayala, if we get a bid that we cannot refuse and have a cheap CB replacement up our sleeve, possibly. After him, who else is there that would have clubs knocking at our door.

    I think that if things are about the same by the year end and we still have a chance of avoiding relegation, the sale of McNair, Randolf or Britt would really turn the fans against Mr Gibson and Woodgate. Saying that I do expect clubs bidding for Paddy.

    1. Saleable assets have a value. An asset with five months of a contract left has little realisable value, only what someone may pay to ensure they secure the Players services rather than risk the open market in the Summer. McNair on the other hand is tied to a contract and it now appears has more value than most though five months ago, certainly more than Pulis thought at any rate.

      It appears we couldn’t afford to bring anyone in on the final day of the last window presumably (or possibly) because Shotton’s move to Wigan fell through. That indicates that we are on the bones of our backside and if we are to bring in improvements then we need to raise some cash. Unfortunately nobody is going to offer £5M for Gestede, Fletcher or Saville so that only leaves Randolph, McNair and Assombalonga who would attract possible suitors and could realise a serious value. We have six players out of contract next Summer and then another five the following Summer in 2021 and if we don’t renew contracts we need to start selling before they depreciate even further.

      1. I agree with all that RR. However it is going to be all about retaining or losing our Championship status.

        If we get relegated then we will be a busted flush IMO. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Not selling 2021 contracted players may save the day. Selling them and the consequence of relegation will probably seal Mr Gibson’s fate as far as the fans are concerned.

      2. As things currently stand all the indications are that we are going down. Its not as if we have two prolific strikers out injured along with a midfield dynamo and an ace keeper just about ready to come back into the side. What we see is what there is, no more, no less and that includes the coaching staff. We have played a third of the season now and things are as settled as they will be. Our vague hopes are with a January transfer window which traditionally has meant we buy mostly crap with the odd gem being a very rare and stand out exception.

        If we go down, crowds will dwindle to probably around 12,000 at best and a lot worse for midweek games. The Clubs finances may be healthier in terms of losing high earners off the payroll but what is left will be a mixed dysfunctional mob with little to no understanding with a coach whose credibility will have plummeted to depths that even now are unfathomable. SG’s Million a month would likely have to be added to in that scenario just to support what is left of the reduced infrastructure. With no guarantee of going back up and given the despondency growing already there will be little appetite or belief on Teesside that things will suddenly get better.

        For improvement to happen there needs to be a carefully thought through and constructed plan. The Summer “Transition” spin was a cover up for Budget Boro, there was little planning other than we are next to broke and have beggar all to spend so we have to go with what we have but adding a grand title to it doesn’t change what it is, cunning is something it definitely wasn’t and still isn’t.

        With hindsight it would have been easier to add some quality in that Premiership January to support Karanka in keeping us up instead of what was brought in and meekly surrendering. Those signings virtually ensured the clubs and Karanka’s fate.

        Trying to get out of the Championship now and climb back up has proved impossible with again money wasted rather than invested. That failure has seen the back of two Managers and now here we are again struggling to stay up only this time in the Championship with a Manager who is inexperienced and out of his depth (another repeated error).

        I’m expecting this January to be a Typical Boro damp squib, lots of links and talks but nothing substantial. A 40 goal a season Ecuadorian striker coming in on loan from a serie B side and a Nicaraguan midfielder with twelve under 14 caps arriving on loan from a Panamanian Division Four side except that after weeks of Gazette filler they never actually materialise with the Nicaraguan opting for Ebbsfleet instead and the Ecuadorian on the run from a Mexican cartel once Brexit confirmed he didn’t have the required visa for the UK. We can then enjoy weeks of “if only” stories from the Gazette as the Elephant in the room is continually ignored.

        If as seems likely we do go down I see nothing that makes me think we would come back up again. Indeed I fear the worst including SG getting fed up and walking away, and in doing so more or less leaving us where he found us. Its easier to stay up than to go down and then try and get back up. Swallowing pride and making mistakes is part of every day life, none of us are perfect but as the saying goes pride often comes before a fall. Lets hope we don’t have to witness much more of misplaced Boro Pride.

  205. Well if i wasn’t depressed before, I am now after reading RR’s predictions! I wish I could come up with a compelling counter argument although sadly at the moment, that is alluding me.

    The trouble with international breaks is that we have too much time to contemplate the position that Boro is in without seeing any football to distract us.

    I am just about to book my tickets for Sunday – hoping to see some improvement although as we all seem to be acknowledging, if we don’t, then the rest of the season does not look too promising.

    But this is Boro so who knows what we happen and right now, I would be delighted if we stayed up on the last game of the season by drawing with Sheffield Wednesday!

    Should the worst happen and we are relegated, then I do wonder what will happen although in many ways, SG will have to take responsibility for some of the decisions that he has taken over the last few years.

  206. I heard a great comment about international matches, especially in qualification, the top teams supporters are quite dismissive. We, on here, including myself, look down on these games but for smaller nations it is of much more interest.

    Jarkko’s Finland are a fine example. Getting to the finals would be great for their fans and it creates excitement all the way though qualification.

  207. I finished my review of the history of Middlesbrough FC with Boro reaching the final of the EUFA Cup Final at the end of the
    2005/06 season, and in view of the apparent perilous state of the club at the moment perhaps it is an opportune time to remind fans on this forum what happened thereafter up to the appointment of Aitor Karanka as Boro’s first foreign manager.

    The timing of Steve McClaren’s appointment as England manager came at the wrong time as far as Boro were concerned. Steve Gibson was keen to appoint a high profile manager following arguably Boro’s most successful season ever and the name of Martin O’Neill seemed to be the favourite choice. However it appeared that he wanted to bring his own staff to the club, and whether that was the main reason for his not wishing to accept the position is open to conjecture. Steve Gibson didn’t appear to have a Plan B, and Gareth Southgate, who expected to continue being Boro’s captain, was suddenly given the managership despite not having finished his coaching badges. The Premier League gave dispensation allowing him to take the post much to the chagrin of a few Premier League managers including Alex Ferguson.

    On the field of play the season started with an away fixture against newly promoted Reading, and things seemed to be going rather well as Boro took a 2-0 lead with goals from Stewart Downing and Yakubu. However Reading recovered to win 3-2. Four days later Boro got off the mark in their first home match of the season with a 2-1 win against one of the title favourites Chelsea. However that proved a false dawn as five days later before the TV cameras Boro were torn apart by Portsmouth 4-0 at the Riverside. Despite an away point against Arsenal it was the start of a six match winless run including a 1-0 defeat to Notts County in the League Cup. Successive home wins over Everton, Newcastle and West Ham lightened the mood and by the end of January Boro were sitting rather comfortably in 10th place.

    The FA Cup run started with favourable draws against lower league opposition. It took replays to overcome Hull City 4-3, Bristol City 5-4 after a penalty shootout, and West Brom also after a penalty shootout at the Hawthorns, but Boro had become quite adept at winning penalty shootouts on their road to the League Cup Final a couple of seasons earlier. The Quarterfinal was a home tie with Manchester United and Boro looked like winning a Semifinal place after taking a 2-1 lead with goals from midfielders Lee Cattermole and George Boateng, but a disputed penalty by the latter enabled United to earn a replay which they won 1-0. Meanwhile Boro’s League form was holding up quite well despite winning only twice away from home. They finished in 12th position with 46 points and Mark Viduka was top scorer with 14 goals and Yakubu scored 12, but nobody else scored more than 2. Viduka also scored 5 more goals in the FA Cup whilst Yakubu scored 3.

    The pre-season to the following season saw the loss of Viduka to Newcastle and Yakubu to Everton, being replaced by Egyptian Ahmed Mido, Korean Lee Dong-gook and Frenchman Jeremie Aliadiere from Arsenal. Turkish international Tuncay Şanlı was also signed from Fenerbahce as Boro started with a 1-2 home defeat to Blackburn followed by 0-1 defeat at Wigan. Mido scored in Boro’s next game a 2-1 win at Fulham, and again in the next match, a 2-2 home draw against Newcastle, but claimed he received racial abuse and only made 6 more appearances during the season. A 2-0 home win over Birmingham on the 1st of September was then followed by a winless run of 11 matches including a League Cup defeat at Tottenham. Boro now were 3rd from bottom, but successive wins at home to Arsenal and away to Derby alleviated the league position just in time for another FA Cup run.

    Again Boro were fortunate with the Cup draws, winning 2-1 at Bristol City, 2-0 at Mansfield, and after a goalless draw at Sheffield United managed to win the replay during extra time with an own goal from United’s goalkeeper Paddy Kenny. A Quarterfinal home draw against Championship club Cardiff City looked a formality on paper, but Boro gave one of their most abject displays, certainly at the Riverside, when only one Premier League club Portsmouth had reached the Semifinals.

    In the January transfer window Boro purchased the Brazilian striker Afonso Alves from Dutch club Heerenveen. He had a terrific reputation scoring 45 goals in 39 matches in the Eredivisie, 7 of which were in one match against Heracles Almelo. Boro had to wait for international clearance but he scored twice on his debut at home to Manchester United as Boro’s League form took a dip with only one win in 10 matches, but any concerns about relegation were erased as Boro won their last two matches 2-0 at home to Portsmouth and then a remarkable 8-1 home win against former England manager Sven-Goran Ericksson’s Manchester City 8-1 with Alves scoring a hat trick. As for Lee Dong-gook he failed to score in his 14 appearances (9 as a substitute) except against Mansfield in the FA Cup, and nobody reached double figures in the League, top scorerers being Downing with 9, Tuncay with 8, Alves with 6, and Aliadiere with 5. Nevertheless Boro finished 13th and the 8-1 win was and still is Boro’s biggest win at the Riverside.

    The 2008/09 season started with a fine 2-1 home win over Tottenham, and Mido put Boro 1-0 up at Anfield in the second match. The match was heading for a 1-1 draw when Steven Gerrard scored a late winner for Liverpool with one of his blockbusters. Despite losing heavily 0-5 at home to Chelsea, Boro had reached 8th position by mid-November with 18 points from their opening 13 fixtures. The slide to relegation began in the 14th match with a 1-3 home defeat to Bolton and a 1-2 away defeat to Hull City after leading with about 10 minutes remaining. Boro won only twice in their last 28 League matches, surprisingly 2-0 at home to Liverpool in late February and 3-1 at home to Hull City in mid-April to finish 19th with 32 points with Tuncay being top scorer with 7 goals.

    Yet again though Boro reached the Quarterfinals of the FA Cup with a 2-1 home win over non-league Barrow, a 2-1 away win at Wolves, and a 2-0 home replay win against West Ham, before losing 1-2 at Goodison to Everton despite David Wheater having given Boro the lead. This proved to be the 5th season in succession that the team that knocked Boro out off the FA Cup went on to reach the Final and lose.

    During the close season Steve Gibson kept his promise to release Stewart Downing to a Premier League club, and it was Aston Villa who snapped him up for a fee of £10m with a further £2m depending on appearances. During the transfer window Stoke City signed Robert Huth and Tuncay Sanli but not before the latter scored in two of the first four matches. Afonso Alves also left for Qatari club Al Sadd as Boro signed Leroy Lita from Reading, Dave Kitson on loan from Stoke, Justin Hoyte on loan from Arsenal, Nicky Bailey from Charlton, and Sean St Ledger from Preston to partner David Wheater in defence. Martin Emnes and Adam Johnson played much more frequently replacing Stewart Downing.

    On the field of play Boro started the season with a goalless draw at home to Sheffield United, but away wins at Swansea and Scunthorpe plus a home win over Doncaster put Boro at the top of the League with 10 points, 7 goals and none conceded with Johnson scoring 3 and Tuncay 2 before his transfer to Stoke. Boro lost 1-2 at Bristol City, but 3-1 wins against Ipswich at home and Sheffield Wednesday away had Boro still in an automatic promotion position with 16 points from the first 7 matches. At that time the 3 relegated clubs from the previous season Newcastle, West Brom and Boro were occupying the top 3 places in the Championship with the latter two due to meet at the Riverside. The match was a disaster for Boro, a 0-5 defeat, and by the time Boro lost at home to Watford a month later Steve Gibson had seemingly already made his mind up to sack Gareth Southgate even though Boro won their next match against Derby County. Colin Cooper took charge of the next match before Gordon Strachan was appointed manager on the 26th of October. Boro managed only 2 draws in Strachan’s first 4 matches but Boro’s first ever win at QPR gave the wee Scot his first win as Boro manager and in a playoff position. But 3 days later Boro suffered another humiliating home defeat 0-3 to Blackpool. That defeat started a miserable run of only one win in 8 matches including a 3rd Round FA Cup home defeat to Manchester City.

    During the January transfer window Strachan purchased a plethora of Scottish Premier League players including Scott McDonald, Willie Flood, Chris Killen and Barry Robson, but Boro stuttered along rarely threatening to win a playoff place as they finished 11th with a mere 62 points. Adam Johnson was top scorer with 11 goals despite being transferred to Manchester City for a reported £7m in the January transfer window. Leroy Lita scored 8, and McDonald and Robson 5 each.

    Before the 2010/11 season the bookmakers made Boro strong favourites for promotion after signing Kris Boyd from Glasgow Rangers for whom he had scored 101 goals in 143 matches. But in truth it had been a wretched 12 months under Strachan and following a 1-2 home defeat to Leeds United he left by mutual consent on the 18th October with Boro lurking in 20th place. Steve Agnew took over as temporary manager for the 0-1 away defeats at Nottingham Forest and Norwich before Tony Mowbray was appointed manager on the 26th October. To Strachan’s credit he tore up his contract without reimbursement but Mowbray had been given the task of not only steadying the ship with players he had jettisoned whilst manager of Glasgow Celtic, but with little money available at the end of the season to buy new players. He lost his first match against relegation threatened Bristol City at home despite being given a rousing reception on his homecoming.

    Boro now were second from bottom and were still in serious trouble before the final match of the year against Preston at Deepdale. However Boro won 3-1 and went on a run of 3 wins and 3 draws in their next 6 matches including a 4-0 win at Bristol City to avenge the home defeat to City in Mogga’s first match in charge. Boro were still only in 20th position following a 2-5 defeat at Reading, but lost only one of their remaining 12 matches with 26 goals including a fine 3-0 win at Cardiff shattering the Welsh side’s hope of automatic promotion. In the final match of the season the third highest crowd of 19,978 saw 18 year old Academy youngster Adam Reach make his first team debut and score the third goal in a 3-0 win against Doncaster as Boro ended the season in 12th place with both Leroy Lita and Scott McDonald being top scorers with 12 apiece. Kris Boyd scored only 6 goals and was sent out on loan to Nottingham Forest and eventually sold to Turkish club Eskisehirspor.

    Similar to this season Boro had accrued a miserly 11 points from their first 14 matches but accumulated 51 more points in their final 32 matches. A repetition of that this season would certainly appease most Boro fans!

    The 2011/12 season was one of hope as Boro recruited Faris Haroun from Belgian club Germinal Beerschot and Malaury Martin from Blackpool as Boro got off to a flying start with 5 wins and 2 draws from their first 7 matches which put them top of the league. Marvellous Marvin Emnes scored 5 goals in those 7 matches, but four successive draws, three of them goalless at a time when Scott McDonald was absent having been placed on the ‘naughty’ step shoved Boro down to 3rd. However 4 successive wins in December including a last minute goal by Barry Robson in the Boxing Day match against Hull City before a crowd of 27,794 and a rather disappointing home draw against Peterborough ended the year with Boro back in 2nd place. Unfortunately a 0-3 New Year defeat at Blackpool and a sequence of 6 matches only producing 3 points sent Boro outside the playoff place. Boro had signed striker Lukas Jutkiewicz from Coventry during the January transfer window but were prohibited from playing him against his former club during that sequence and that was one of the matches that Boro lost in that sequence. Four wins against Nottingham Forest and Barnsley at home plus two 3-1 away wins at Millwall and Portsmouth revived hopes of a playoff place, but a 0-2 home defeat to Leeds and four successive 1-1 draws effectively ruined that chance. The last home match of the season against Champions elect Southampton and a stunning winning goal from Merouane Zemmama delayed the remote chance of a playoff place as Boro needed to win at Watford in their final match plus a combination of unlikely results to go their way, but Boro lost 0-2 anyway to finish 7th with 70 points. Boro’s home form let them down with only 34 points accrued, but Martin Emnes finished as top scorer with 14 goals whilst Scott McDonald scored 9.

    The 2012/13 season started with a surprise defeat at Barnsley and despite winning 4 of their opening 9 matches they also lost 4 and were only 11th in the league at that point. However 6 wins and 19 points in the next 7 matches pushed Boro temporarily into 1st position after a Friday night televised match against Sheffield Wednesday which Boro won 3-1. By the end of December Boro were 3rd in the table with 47 points from 25 matches yet had won only 15 matches with 8 defeats and only 2 draws. But a disastrous second half of the season produced only 3 more wins and 15 defeats to send Boro plummeting to a final position of 16th. Scott McDonald was top scorer with 12 league goals whilst Lukas Jutkiewicz scored 8. There were no fewer than 20 players who scored for Boro that season.

    The League Cup proved a happy diversion though as Boro won away matches at Bury, Gillingham, Preston and Premier League club Sunderland with a Scott McDonald goal extracting revenge for a FA Cup defeat against the Mackems in the previous season. Boro had thus reached the Quarterfinals against Premier League club Swansea City, and were drawn to play away for the 12th consecutive time in that competition. Unfortunately Boro lost 0-1 to the eventual Cup winners.

    The 2013/14 season saw the end of Tony Mowbray’s 3 year reign as manager as Boro accrued only 12 points and 3 wins from the first 12 matches. Boro also lost at home to Accrington Stanley in the First Round of the League Cup. Mark Venus took temporary charge of proceedings for a couple of matches before Aitor Karanka was appointed manager on the 13th of November. Mogga had done a sterling job in reducing the wage bill, and not an inconsiderable job in staving off relegation in his first year. Maybe he was the right appointment but at the wrong time. However he looked a broken man towards his last year or so, but will always be remembered as one of Boro’s best ever captains especially in regard to our moment of need following liquidation in 1986.

  209. Werdermouth
    I went to bed last night having posted my latest blog on the History of Middlesbrough FC and observed that it hadn’t appeared on Diasboro. Having been through that route before I was a tad disappointed that it seemed to have got lost in space. I know you wrote once that I should copy long blogs in case that happened again, but the fact is I’m not very literate when it comes to the wonders of computer technology. Anyway whatever the outcome I found it cathartic to relive the latest episode of Boro’s history for my own peace of mind especially as I had nothing else to do yesterday as I was temporarily housebound as contractors were renewing my driveway and patio with a resin based gravel compound to eradicate the incessant need to keep on weeding both areas during the growing season,

    Imagine my surprise this morning to discover that my blog had suddenly appeared on this forum and I’m now hopeful that fellow bloggers get as much pleasure in being reminded of the Southgate years through to the Mowbray years as I had in writing about them. I don’t know why my blog got lost, but have the feeling that you might have picked up on it and somehow retrieved it. That being the case I’m grateful to you for finding it and posting it. Thanks very much.

    1. Ken, I’m not sure if it was temporarily lost in the ether but I didn’t have to intervene as all I did was read it before going to bed yesterday evening – Perhaps once it has been seen it can longer fail to exist 🙂 Anyway, thanks for the post it was a welcome reminder of days when Boro were much better at scoring goals – although that 8-1 win of City is often air-brushed out of history when the BBC compile lists of the biggest PL victories and noticed after that Leicester 9-0 win the other week it was once again omitted from the graphic on MOTD.

  210. Laughed out loud as I read the comment about our 8-1 win over Man City being obliterated from history by the BBC match of the day.
    The whole of soccer is sliding down the path that leads away from ‘ the football World and it’s history ‘.
    The really big money has been forcibly changing the very feel and shape of the great game for many years, because it is not easy, so strong is the assumption of a level playing field within the game at all levels.
    When one considers that the 6 biggest clubs needing a three quarter majority to thieve a greater share of the money pouring into the game, still harangued a meeting of the prem. Clubs about how unfair it was that the greedy and unworthy lower orders (such as those they were addressing) were taking such wealth from such deserving people as themselves, I believe the speaker was the spurs chairman.
    They failed, but two of the afore mentioned greedy and unworthy actually voted against their own interests.
    So watch this space, greed never sleeps.
    As a further pointer to the future, notice that these people make sure that they pick carefully who gets to borrow their best young players for a season, for preference it is a London club, who hopefully get promoted, thus saving another away match the next season.
    One London club did not play outside London for six weeks this season. This could become a big problem, maybe leading to a regional Prem?

    1. I remember when we used to mock Scotland and the “Big Two” saying it wasn’t a contest and made a mockery of the game over the Border. There are 42 teams in the four tier Scottish League set up, Premiership, Championship and League’s 1 and 2 which roughly equates to only 5% (Celtic and Rangers) will ever win it.

      There are 92 Clubs in England (and arguably those outside the Premiership as in Scotland don’t matter a stuff), 5% is roughly five teams out of 92 so there is little difference, with only six sides ever having won the Premiership.

      United have won it 13 times, Chelsea 5 times, Man City 4 times, Arsenal 3 times with Blackburn and Leicester once apiece in its 27 year existence. Ironically this year aside from Liverpool reemerging from the dark and running away with it it is the most open it has been with unfashionable clubs such as Leicester and Sheffield breaking the Manchelskiarsepool exclusivity. No doubt steps should have been taken to curb such exuberance as it has in the past with Fergie time, dubious penalties and free kicks etc. Does make you wonder though what will happen to VAR now that it is spoiling things!

      Still why should we care, its not exactly something to worry about where we are headed is it?

      1. RR
        Just a point about VAR.
        We have already had the most miraculous appearance in a euro final thanks to VAR.
        And who were the team who still couldn’t believe it even in the changing room. Spurs, that’s who. Last minute goal to kill their hopes? Not a bit of it, here comes VAR, but not to worry a scorching free kick roaring through fifteen players, all jumping at various angles and heights, yes, you guessed it, on its way through the forest of limbs it actually brushed past an arm, didn’t deflect, didn’t do anything, but, you know, any port in a storm, and Spurs are in a euro final.
        I think it is goodbye VAR, and it won’t be long before it’s gone.

    1. Not sure its the Manager who they should have sacked after the rumoured and alleged extracurricular activity splitting the camp and being the supposed reason why the team isn’t performing on the pitch as one of them was supposed to be off it. If true its difficult for any manager to repair those divisions.

    2. EXMil
      As we have said on this blog, ever since we fell into this awful pit of despond, when you are in a mess, stop digging.
      Whatever we think, spurs were in a hole. And it was getting bigger, and deeper.
      It was only this week that the rest of us spotted that they were officially ‘ in trouble’.
      We are now seeing exactly how a professional Chairman behaves in a crisis.
      He had obviously seen this car crash coming, and fixed up Mourinho as his replacement as and when.
      The lesson is plain to see, you do not fall in love with any employee. When their time is up, it’s up. End the charade a.s.a.p.
      I have had no hesitation in criticising Mourinho, but, and what a but it is.
      Just study his trophy cabinet, my god, it is to die for.
      If a novelist was inventing a football manager as a character in his novel. He would not dare to give him a trophy list like Mourinho.
      A very rough guess is something like 8 titles with 4 different clubs.
      4 European championships with three clubs.
      About 8 cup final wins.
      About the same, league cup final wins.
      With the worlds best ground, and a half decent team, I doubt that the spurs chairman could have done better.
      We shall see.

  213. Pochettino will walk into a new job. I imagine Mourinho will be touted for the vacancy. It’s ironic that Spurs should sack one of the most in demand managers in the game.

  215. Can we afford him?

    Levy has acted fairly swiftly for financial reasons to keep the dosh coming in.Is that the right or wrong decision- time will tell I guess.

    It really is damned if you do, damned if you don’t.Bit like SG decisions to make I suppose!

  217. We now have 54 European Countries plus Israel participating in the UEFA Nations Championship and all these countries have played 8 or 10 matches just to produce 24 finalists, surely 8 too many in my opinion. Europe isn’t getting larger, just an increase in the number of countries as more and more countries fight for independence. What next? Are we to have even more countries
    and regions participating in the UEFA Nations Championship in the future such as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Basque, Galicia, Catalonia, Andalucia, Algarve, Provence, Normandie, Monaco, Burgundy, Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, or even Yorkshire and Lancashire. There used to be about 40 countries in Europe until the USSR, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia were split up and fewer international breaks. Perhaps some of the smaller nations like Andorra for example should have a mini European Nations Cup of their own.

    Looking at the group tables I’ve been lucky to have visited most of them except Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Northern Macedonia, San Marino and Ukraine either on 4 day breaks or on the Danube cruises. As I not only keep records of all Boro seasons, I’ve also kept records of all my many holidays in England and Scotland. Many European countries I’ve visited several times such as Portugal 36 times, Spain 36 times and Germany 13 times. I’ve now been given clearance by my Cancer consultant, my Urologist, and my GP to spend 8 weeks in the Algarve from January and this will be my last trip abroad as either a tourist or a traveller as I find it difficult to cope with air travel anymore even with airport assistance. Of course there are several cities and countries I’d love to revisit such as Capetown, Rio de Janeiro, Havana, Barbados and Iceland, and others that I’ve never visited such as Auckland, Christchurch, Sydney, Bermuda and the Grand Canyon, but I know my limitations and am happy and so lucky to have visited so many cities and countries. Of course I’m still hoping to revisit some of my favourite locations in England and Scotland, but on coach tours now. However all good things come to an end, and my visit to the Algarve in January will be my swan song as far as foreign travel is concerned. In the end there’s no place like home, especially the North York Moors.

      1. I’m stunned that they didn’t appoint one of their former Players for the role. I can think of an ex Spurs “legend” that would have ticked all their management boxes as they transition from Champions League to Championship!

        Joking aside, its interesting that the style of football under Mourinho will be somewhat different to that played under Pochettino. I wonder if their squad of players are up to the task along with the fans?

  219. It never ceases to amaze me how these managers get new gigs after being fired from their old job! And with a long contract to boot – must be a hard life for them.

    Never would happen in the real world, get sacked for not hitting my sales targets would have made it very difficult for me to walk into another company.

    Still I am sure that the Special One will do wonders for Spurs although it won’t be as good for the fans to watch.

  220. I see Barnsley have finally declared their new Manager. Judging by the length of time taken to appoint Gerhard Struber I would conclude that they had a bit of a hiccup along the way and either had to court him or switch target to him though they have said that they wanted him previously.

    It remains to be seen what effect he has on them but that means that Stoke, Huddersfield and now Barnsley have taken action with the first two already showing some signs of hope. The fact that they have acted prior to Christmas and a forthcoming transfer window with time to assess may be their saving grace. Only Boro and Barnsley in the division have failed to register a victory in their last eight Championship games. These two forthcoming Home games are massive, should we still be without a win after them the situation will start to implode at the Riverside.

  221. RR, usually the problem – players’ form, the size of the squad, injuries, etc. – does not vanish if a new manager arrives.

    It is an exception to the rule that a change of manager saves the season. As we saw with Karanka.

    At least Woody knows the players as a new man needs to learn his players and it takes months rather than weeks.

    Of course our management is young, but the3u know our playets and are no novices in professional football.

    The broblem we have is higher. So we are better off with Woody than Barnsley at the moment, me thinks.

    Up the Boro!

    1. Jarkko I respectfully disagree.

      Terry Venables saved our season and sorted Boksic (aka Sicknote) out. Tony Pulis has made a career out of saving clubs. Even our former supposedly wasteful Manager Garry Monk performed a miracle escape with points deducted Birmingham. Our next opponents Hull were struggling until Nigel Adkins came in last season and steadied the ship keeping them up.

      Neil Warnock done an incredible job in keeping Rotherham in the Championship when he took over and had also kept QPR up in 2009/10 previously. He repeated the feat at Cardiff when he saved them and then won promotion to the Premiership with them in the next season.

      It doesn’t always work but sticking with the same failed and failing set up in the forlorn hope that something suddenly changes doesn’t inspire confidence with fans as Mogga found out. All the above examples are with the same squads and set of players just a different Manager with different techniques, ability, planning and most of all experience.

  223. Jarkko I respectfully disagree.

    Terry Venables saved our season and sorted Boksic (aka Sicknote) out. Tony Pulis has made a career out of saving clubs. Even our former supposedly wasteful Manager Garry Monk performed a miracle escape with points deducted Birmingham. Our next opponents Hull were struggling until Nigel Adkins came in last season and steadied the ship keeping them up.

    Neil Warnock done an incredible job in keeping Rotherham in the Championship when he took over and had also kept QPR up in 2009/10 previously. He repeated the feat at Cardiff when he saved them and then won promotion to the Premiership with them in the next season.

    It doesn’t always work but sticking with the same failed and failing set up in the forlorn hope that something suddenly changes doesn’t inspire confidence with fans as Mogga found out. All the above examples are with the same squads and set of players just a different Manager with different techniques, ability, planning and most of all experience.

  225. Well it’s surely reached the point where there can be no more excuses for Boro not winning a game. There’s a lot riding on the next week and rather appropriately Woodgate faces a trio of Yorkshire clubs from the East, South and West before November ends. Can he inspire his team to victory after a run of nine failures to pick up three points or will he be left sweating over the real fear of relegation to League One? Anyway, here’s my take on the post-international break as the head coach prepares to face down the keyboard warriors of Teesside by hitting control alt delete and rebooting Boro’s season…

    https://diasboro.club/2019/11/21/2019-20-weeks-16-17-boro-in-need-of-inspiration/

  226. My chiropodist is a Spurs fan and is due to visit me next Wednesday, and I’m looking forward to his opinion of the sacking of Pochettino. I used to be a Mourinho fan and on visiting the Santiago Bernabeu stadium a few years ago chose to have my photo taken with him although not literally. One picked out one’s favourite Real Madrid player or coach and stuck out an arm as if one had one’s arm round the chosen player and stadium pitch superimposed in the background.

    When Mourinho first came to Chelsea he was a breath of fresh air when interviewed, but has now become rather surly and boring and I can’t see how his style of football is going to please the Spurs fans, but nevertheless apart from his stint with Manchester United he has a very good track record.

    On another subject I was always opposed to the advent of VAR and still am. I accept goalmouth technology of whether the ball has crossed the goal line because that is a fairly instant decision, but in my opinion video referee referment has ruined Super League and will eventually test the patience of football fans. It maybe okay for tennis and cricket, but extremely
    tiresome in fast moving sports like football and rugby.

  227. Werder

    Thanks for taking the time to do the posts I know how absorbing and consuming it needs to compile and craft something which promotes and promulgates discussion and comment. It is appreciated by all.

    Will miss the next two home games going into JCUH for some tests been a bit off colour past three months which is why my sparking repartee and cryptic comments have been dulled of late !

    Should be able to watch on TV and Mrs OFB is going with her sister so no tickets wasted.

    I’m going to give my global forecast for all the games

    ⚽️⚽️

    ⚽️⚽️

    2. OFB, best of luck with the test, in my opinion, you are in great hands. After my experience earlier this year in their care, I have only thanks for being here now.
      And agree with your forecasts.
      UTB

    4. OFB

      Hope all goes well at JCUH and that they establish the cause and find a simple and easy remedy to cure your current off colour state. I am sure that a couple of home wins will help to bring the colour back to you! Best wishes. 😎

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