Thanks for the great intro deleriad.
I lived and worked in Ipswich for ten years in the late 70's and early eighties and saw many of those European matches you mentioned. My wife and family all come from Ipswich. Her three sisters and their families live in the town and have never lived anywhere else, and are all married to men from Ipswich. She is the only one who has moved away. Ipswich is now our base when we visit England. As to Saturday I would be happy with a point 0-0 would be good as I like us to keep cleans sheets.
@deleriad Thanks for a great opener. I too remember Ipswich being the orther team on the top with Arsenal in 1970' and 1980's when I started to support the Boro. One of my school mates was an Ipswich fan - she even had an official Ipswich shirt back in the day. It was very, very rare at the time in here. I got my first Boro scarf in 1980.
BTW, I see we are playing Aston Villa in the FA Cup in January. Just noticed they are above Manchester City in the League. So not an easy game, that.
| 2 | Liverpool | 15 | 20 | 34 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Aston Villa | 15 | 14 | 32 | |
| 4 | Man City | 15 | 19 | 30 |
But we have the EFL Cup to think about at Port Vale before Christmas, too. Nice time to support Boro.
Up the Boro!
Many thanks to those of you who have encouraged me to inculcate young Poppy into the Boro family. Unfortunately, her Dad, despite being from Lechlade, is a Man Utd fan! We took him to an England Women’s match at Swindon Town’s ground when we were visiting - it was the first time he’d been to his local club’s stadium. His parents are Spurs fans but have never lived in London.
I find it very odd that you pick a team to support which is hundreds of miles away, although to be fair to him he has been to Old Trafford a couple of times. He’s absolutely sports mad, plays cricket and football but going to watch live sport seems unappealing to him when compared to the offerings of Sky Sports. The kids of today, etc…
@werdermouth - You, OLD? A cynic obviously but OLD? I think just settling into early middle-age with the wisdom acquired over the years being put to good use. BUT I would like to see the BIG clubs, if proved to have contravened the rules and therefore to have cheated against their competitors, given penalties that match the offences. If Manchester City with state-owned oil wells for pockets were to be fined, the club could pay any amount without pain. If I were to drive down the A19 at 150mph (highly UNlikely in my current towcar) and I received a fine of £5, that would hardly persuade me not to try for 160mph the next time. And a £5 fine would hurt me about as much as £500M would hurt Manchester City with its State owners and moneymen behind it. Enough points to damage the club or relegations down the league structure are the only penalties with enough bite to make Billionaire/State/Oligarch-owned clubs take notice.
@OFB - Spill the beans! Which Single Malt? And ONLY 1-1...? You need another glass or two tonight, to restore your usual overblown sense of Foam Hand waving.
@martin-bellamy - I see the club website advertises infant and babywear (babygrows, nightwear etc) in club colours. Might as well get the indoctrination in early. Anyway CONGRATULATIONS to you, but particulary Poppy's parents, on her birth. That's probably worth a drink or two as well!
(I hadn't seen Martin's last post about Poppy's father being a ManU supporter before posting this. Sorry - in all ways possible!).
@forever-dormo I am worried about the Ipswich match! Have you heard anything from Carrick yet?
No news yet if I need to pack up and head to Boro. I would prefer to fly in on Friday at the latest. Anyway I have brushed my boots and I will be ready if Boro needs an extra defender or two.
I prefer to play at centre back - so it would mean Rav (not the Italian, but the Dutch) playeing at right back. Up the Boro!
@forever-dormo I’ve just had a look for new born MFC items but unfortunately they all appear to be out of stock. Typical Boro with Xmas coming up.
@martin-bellamy - Somehow I am not surprised to hear that. I mean - Christmas comes around at this time every year so you might have expected the buyers/those who order stock to have that in mind when wondering what to put on the shelves. Many retail businesses do their heaviest buisness and have their greateest footfall (I suppose in this digital age it might equally be number of website clicks/hits) in the time leading up to Christmas. You'd have thought Boro could do with all the income it can garner.
Just for the record, I think I said I wasn't old 😉
As for being 'middle aged' well it seems it's quite subjective - it was thought middle age was between 40-60 but a survey of the population found that the average that people thought middle age began was 55 and continued to 69. Being old has now shifted to 70 or older but ten percent of those questioned believed age was just a concept all in the head.
Reading all that made me feel much younger and no longer middle aged - that was until I saw the link below to an article by the British Medical Journal that clams that brain function starts to deteriorate from the age of 45.
@jarkko - If you are playing at centre back it would only be fair to move Rav to full back. After, all you are making yourself available at short notice and travelling quite some distance to help the club out at a time when injuries and suspensions have depleted the squad members available to play. Since you may not be fully match fit for this game, I'm sure Michael Carrick will have had a word with Rav to ensure he covers back and generally keeps an eye out for any help that is needed. I understand I will only be called on if we are BOTH needed for the Ipswich game but I will be cheering you on from the West Stand Upper if you get the call-up.
Don't worry. The club will put a message on here if either or both of us are required and they recognise that since you will have to get to Helsinki to catch the Manchester plane, you might need a lift to Teesside from Manchester. One of the injured players can collect you (there are enough candidates) so I hope you'll find sufficient space in the back of a Baby Bentley, Range Rover or a Merc, so you can stretch out after the flight. Good Luck!
I shall be on stand by in the east lower complete with defibrillator just in case !
OFB
Tamnavulvin Sherry cask edition !
I had a glass last night and the foam hands were getting itchy !
OFB
@werdermouth With reference to your point on Man City/Chelsea being relegated (due to irregularities) and the effect it would have on championship clubs hoping for promotion next season. I have read that the cases will not start until the autumn of 2024 at the earliest, if that turns out to be the case, punishments will not be likely until season 2025/6 at the earliest.
Come on BORO.
@original-fat-bob - Nice one! I have one bottle of Tamnavulin Red Wine Cask edition and one bottle of Tamnavulin Double Cask (matured in American oak bourbon barrels then given a sherry cask finish) in my bedroom case at the moment. But I am part way through a bottle of Auchentoshan American Oak at the present with a bottle of (Welsh!) Penderyn Legend to follow, so it might be a while before I join you in that Tamnavulin.
A few years ago - I don't know but it appears that time is acclerating at the moment so it might have been as far as TEN years back - I went to watch the Boro at home for a Boxing Day game. When I came back, Mrs Dormo and our son-and-heir had spent the afternoon putting together a seven foot (?)** high double-door (glass and wood) display cabinet in my bedroom upstairs. It must have taken some hours. I keep my whiskies, apart from a couple I keep "handy" downstairs, in that bedroom display cabinet. I had no idea my wife had organised that cabinet. I wonder whether she had it stored after delivery in our garage but clearly she and my son knew all about it. What a surprise when I got back from the Riverside and maybe the traditional post-match debrief at the Tortured Tiger!
** I have just checked and think the cabinet is 2 metres high (approx 6ft 6in) approx. One Peter Crouch high.
One interesting thing about this season is that we have had a number of cup games to report on, write about and generally have fun talking about.
Although the opener for Port Vale will be written and is allocated Andy and I thought it would be nice for one of the other Diasborians to put their hands up and say “that’s for me !” “I’ll do that !” “I’ll do the opener for Boro v Aston Villa for January 2024”
So please raise your hands in the cyber space and shout out if you fancy doing it.
cheers
OFB
It does seem like you may be right about the timeline of the investigation - it's been ongoing for over 4 years and will likely continue for some time yet before it is then handled by an independent commission. UEFA have a 5-year limit on evidence and it can't be based on illegal sources - which it appears it came from an online hacking of Man City. However, the PL has no rules on length of time and source but it is suggested City will appeal to UEFA and then there will be a long drawn out legal battle.
Looks like Boro have a few years yet to win promotion before they'll be competing with Man City in the Championship - if indeed the case ever gets heard!
From my view on the bench I don't mind writing another opener for the Villa FA Cup game - unless of course someone else is keen to do it.
it’s certainly appreciated and you are the player manager so you’re the lead centre forward for this epic encounter.
well done and thanks
im going for Boro3 !
OFB
From C J
Michael Carrick is putting all of his focus on the Middlesbrough players who are fit and available right now, instead of getting too downbeat about his selection problems.
Boro face the possibility of having ten players missing this weekend when Ipswich Town visit the Riverside, with eight injured and two suspended. Of those injured, there are still uncertainties over the availability of Paddy McNair, Dael Fry and Hayden Hackney, with Carrick giving very little away, as per, on the injury front.
It will create huge selection problems for the Boro boss, with defence particularly impacted by the injury crisis. But to the credit of Boro's squad depth, they've largely managed their injury problems well - with the list of absentees growing gradually over a period that has seen Carrick's side lose only three of their last 12 games.
READ MORE: Middlesbrough could be without 10 players for Championship clash against Ipswich Town
With the visit of Ipswich in mind, Carrick updated: “I think we’re better off talking about who is fit and available because we are down on the numbers. Those that are available and are playing are doing well though. We’ve got a long list of players not available for various reasons, but that’s not my focus.
"It’s more right now about getting the boys who are fit ready for the game on Saturday. Boys get injuries and suspensions and it’s easy to talk about that, but it’s ultimately about the game and preparing for that. It’s a great challenge for us.
"Certain players who hadn’t played so much are now in the team and having an impact, which is great. These things always provide opportunities and I’m really looking forward to this game, and the spell of games, to seeing what we’re capable of doing. The boys are in good spirits and are playing well. We felt a disappointment about last week, but we’re looking forward to what we can do next."
McNair was the latest player to be added to the injury list during last weekend's defeat at Leeds. He left the field midway through the first half with a back problem, and Carrick admits it's not one that has settled down yet.
“We’ll have to wait and see," Carrick said when asked specifically on the Northern Ireland international. "He had a back spasm and it’s taken a while to settle. Whether it settles in time or not, we’ll have to wait and see. It is what it is and we’ll deal with it.”
While Carrick didn't give much away on the injury front, it's fair to say that the tone wasn't exactly positive towards potentially having any players back, with both Fry and Hayden Hackney not believed to be long-term absentees despite missing the last two.
As the Boro boss was keen to emphasise though, the injuries do create opportunities and one player who did step up at Leeds as McNair was forced off was Matt Clarke, making just his second appearance in over a year.
Though Clarke gave away a very early penalty, he grew into the game as he settled and ended up performing with real assurance. With the squad as it is, the centre-back is in line to make his first Boro start since October 1, 2022 against his former club this weekend.
Carrick said of the defender: "I think Clarkey has been ready for a good number of weeks. It’s just that opportunity. I’ve said it a lot, sometimes you’re in the squad and it feels like your opportunity is a long way off, you can’t see your next game because there are two or three players ahead of you.
"But quite quickly it can change. Clarkey is ready. He showed that in terms of his performance last week. It was great to get him on the pitch before that and I said then that he was a big part of the squad and he was ready to play and that doesn’t change now."
@forever-dormo Your whisky cabinet sounds fantastic. Unfortunately I wouldn’t have room for it in our house, but nonetheless I’m very jealous.
I do like a single malt although I’m currently enjoying a bottle of Red Label which is very nice too.
We’ve bought some bottles from the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery in nearby Hunmanby as Xmas presents (having first had a taster or two first).
Looking at Town's away results they have not won away in three games and lost there last away game at West Brom this was the first game in which they failed to score this season. They have only scored more than one goal away twice at Birmingham and Rotherham in their two games before WBA. They drew both of those games so they are not invincible on their travels. They may be top scorers in the league, by a mile, but they have only the tenth best defence. I still think a draw is possible despite our depleted side.
It would be surprising if both sides didn't give away at least one goal. Both teams are a bit leaky, play forward quickly and Ipswich switch quickly from side to side which could be a problem for Boro. Could be anything. Any bets on 3-3?
UTB
Matt Clarke and Ipswich
The 27-year-old started his career at Town, making five sub appearances before heading to Portsmouth in June 2016.
He went on to join Brighton for £3.4m, but never played for them and ended up at Middlesbrough last year.
Up the Boro!
@martin-bellamy - Thanks for that link. I HAVE heard of Filey Bay whisky and I think I have seen it displayed "upstairs" at Campbell's of Leyburn, but I haven't tasted it yet. The information on the website that you linked seems extensive. I have quite a bit on at present but will dip into that website later. Cheers!
Law McCabe signs a new Boro deal:
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2023/december/08/law-mccabe-signs-new-boro-deal/ 😎
Early warning re Wednesday’s game against Hull. This game has been chosen for International broadcast so some supporters will not be able to pick up the Riverside Live stream if you live in a country where the EFL has a broadcast partner. 😎
I've lost count over the number of German people who have been asking where they can watch the Boro v Hull game next Wednesday - ok I lied, it currently stands at zero but apparently it's been chosen for 'international broadcast' so we can't stream it 🤔
@werdermouth. You can if you have a VPN! 😎
Funnily enough I bought a VPN subscription last week after my Sat receiver with hard disk recorder packed up so wanted to watch some programmes on the BBC iPlayer - works quite well to I may give it a trial on the football.
Btw I paid €550 for my VU+ Sat Receiver a few years back and they're not cheap to replace - however, I was doing a bit of internet research and came across an article about how to identify worn out capacitors on the circuit board of electronic devices. Anyway, I managed to identify 2 capacitors that looked dodgy and bought a package of 5 replacement ones on Ebay for €6 and spent this morning with my soldering iron carefully removing the old ones and putting in 2 new ones. Hey presto - the sat receiver is now working again and have saved myself a lot of money in not needing to buy a new one - plus I have access again to all the programmes I recorded.
I wonder how often we throw away electronic goods that are easily fixed with a little bit of knowledge - those circuit boards always look quite complicated but I guess it's not magic and they have a logic to them if you have the inclination to dip into the subject.
@werdermouth. You may already be aware but Belgium does not have an EFL broadcast partner, so I tend to pick that as my ISP address through my VPN before logging onto Riverside Live. 😎