Boxing Day, 26th December KO 15:00 (GMT) at the Riverside Stadium
When I started to follow Boro after 1970, there was no internet. The only way of getting the results in Finland on Saturday was listening to BBC World Service on radio. And to James Alexander Gordon. He pronounced the results so, that you knew if it was a home win, a draw or an away win already by the pronunciation of the name of the home team! He was excellent.
There was another way of knowing the results, too if your team was on the pools coupon in Finland. Then the results were told on TV on Saturday night, but two hours later. But the coupon had only 13 matches – so the first division of the day and some from the second tier, only.
While listening to the results on radio – and I often wrote them all down on the pools coupons – I tended to have a favourite other team in different divisions. In the lower divisions I followed the results of Burnley and Ayr United, for example.
After Jack Charlton OBE DL (8 May 1935 – 10 July 2020) left Boro for the first time in 1977, I followed him, and Sheffield Wednesday become my firm “second” favourite team. They played in the old Third Division at the time. Big Jack was an important person for me as well as for every Boro fan. I even went to see his ex-bungalow near the railway station in Great Ayton, when I stayed over there.
In addition to the Big Jack connection, during my first visits to Teesside in the 1980’s, me, my girlfriend/wife and my pen pal in Great Ayton went to a couple of times to Hillsborough to see a match, when Boro was playing away. It was a handy distance and big crowds also.
I will also take my wife to Hillsborough in April, when Boro is playing there. This time the reason was more practical – that was the only week, when Boro has two home games and one away match in eight days. We wanted to maximize the amount of Boro matches in “one” week’s holiday on Teesside.
Nickname
In their early years, Sheffield Wednesday was nicknamed The Blades, a term used for any sporting team from the city of Sheffield, famous the world over for its cutlery and knives. That nickname has been retained by Wednesday's crosstown rivals; Sheffield United. Wednesday has also played at Bramall Lane, among many grounds before moving onto Hillsborough in 1899.
Although it is widely assumed that the club's nickname changed to The Owls in 1899 after the club's move to Owlerton, it was not until 1912, when Wednesday player George Robertson presented the club with an owl mascot, that the name took hold.
Difficult years a norm for Owls
Since the 1970’s, Sheffield Wednesday has had better days. Wednesday was relegated at the end of the 1969–70 season; this began the darkest period in the club's history, eventually culminating in the club dropping to the Third Division for the first time in its history, and in 1976 it almost fell into the Fourth Division. It was not until the appointment of Jack Charlton as manager in 1977 that the club started to climb back up the league pyramid. Charlton led the Owls back to the Second Division in 1980 before handing the reins to Howard Wilkinson, who took the club back into the topflight in 1984, after an absence of 14 years.
Wednesday enjoyed success in its return to the topflight, finishing 8th in their first season back and then 5th the season later, qualifying for European football only to be disqualified due to England's ban in Europe due to the Heysel Stadium disaster.
In 2003 they were relegated for a second time in four years, to the Second Division. The club spent two years in the third tier before returning the Championship, Paul Sturrock's side won the 2005 play-off final by defeating Hartlepool United 4–2 after extra time at the Millennium Stadium. Ultimately however, the club's perilous financial position ensured another drop to League One was not too far away – five years after the play-off win of 2005, the Owls were again relegated to League One.
In 2014 the club was taken over by a new owner, Thai businessman Dejphon Chansiri. He stated his intention was to win Premier League promotion for the 2017–18 season – the football club's 150th anniversary – and came close to achieving that goal a year ahead of schedule, with new coach Carlos Carvalhal leading the club into the end of season play-offs at the end of the 2015–16 season. Wednesday was beaten in the final by Hull City at Wembley. They made the play-offs again the following season, but they lost on penalties to the eventually promoted Huddersfield Town in the semi-final.
More former Boro managers
On 6 September 2019, the club appointed former Birmingham City manager Garry Monk as the new manager, who achieved a 16th-place finish in a season that was interrupted from March to June by the COVID-19 pandemic. On 31 July 2020, Sheffield Wednesday were found guilty of breaking EFL spending rules and began the 2020–21 season on -12 points, though the deficit was later reduced to -6 upon appeal. On 9 November 2020, Monk was sacked after a poor start to the season and was replaced by Tony Pulis. However, Pulis was also dismissed after only 45 days in charge on 28 December 2020.
The club's third permanent manager of the season was Darren Moore, from March 2021. Despite taking the fight to the final day, Moore could not prevent relegation to League One come the end of the season, bringing Wednesday's nine-year spell in the Championship to an end.
After failing to win promotion in their first season back in League One, Wednesday finished third in the 2022–23 season. In the play-off semi-finals, Wednesday lost 4–0 in the first leg against Peterborough United but won the second leg 5–1 before prevailing on penalties. Wednesday then won promotion back to the Championship by defeating Barnsley in the 2023 play-off final. Moore departed from the club on 19 June by mutual consent.
Current team
Danny Röhl was announced yet another manager in October 2023, and oversaw a revival on form, eventually confirming safety from relegation on the final day of last season (2023/24). He began coaching at RB Leipzig, later working at Southampton, Bayern Munich, and as assistant manager of the Germany national team.
Röhl is a young manager – he was born 28 April 1989 and is aged 35. But he has got the Owls flying (no punt intended). Yesterday, they beat Stoke City 2-0 at Hillsborough. They played with ten men since Di'Shon Bernard – a centre back – got his second yellow and marching order on the 41st minute. The goals were scored by Josh Windass (52') and Callum Paterson (76'). The former is the son of former professional Dean Windass, who played for Boro 2001–2003 and also on loan to both Sheffield Wednesday and United. After the loan, Dean signed permanently for United from Boro and then went to Hull, where Josh was born. Dean played his last six matches at Darlington.
Windass Junior was loaned to Wednesday by Wigan Atheletic. In his nine games he scored three goals. He made move permanently later in 2020 and has since scored 37 goals in 129 matches (correct as of 14:28, 21 December 2024). Originally the striker played youth football for Huddersfield Town, spending ten years with the club.
Now the Owls are just three points behind Boro. So, they are the real surprise packages of the Championship season so far. They were safe from relegation on after the last day of season 2023/24. And now flying.
After the Stoke win, Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"I am very happy with the three points. Big credit to my team, it was a little bit of a strange week but we stuck together and showed big character today - we showed the togetherness we need.
"My team has a strong mentality, willingness, we want to take points. 32 points after 22 games is massive. First half I felt we controlled the game but then the reaction from the team (after the red card) was great.
"I am very happy with the assist from Yan Valery, we have four or five players who overcame illness overnight, it's a good story with Callum Paterson who scored - for him it's not always easy but he is always trying, it was great to see him score.
"It was a big moment from James Beadle, he has improved in the last weeks a lot – it was outstanding,
"Di'Shon will learn from this, it's a pity it is two games (suspension) and not one. There are lots of small stories, but the big story is we took the three points in a special way."
Latest twist
Last week manager Röhl was connected to a move to Southampton, but since then Ivan Juric was appointed as The Saints’ new manager on an 18-month deal.
Before the appointment BBC Radio Sheffield's Rob Staton offered some insight into what Southampton could have expected if they had appointed Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl to succeed the sacked Russell Martin at St Mary's.
While saying talk is "very quiet at the moment", Staton told BBC Radio Solent: "He wants to manage in the Premier League. He is a very ambitious manager.
"He also knows Southampton Football Club has the infrastructure of a Premier League team and, unfortunately, Sheffield Wednesday don't have that. For that reason, it's very appealing.
"On the other hand, he has done an unbelievable job at Sheffield Wednesday that can be considered a miracle last season. It's pretty much a minor miracle this year to have them ninth and five points off the [Championship] play-offs.
"He is very flexible. He will pick a team from the players available to him and he's willing to adjust.
"There was a period last season when Wednesday were trying to play out from the back. That led to a few issues, so he changed it and they got some good results.
"He's not tied to one specific style of play. He's very much a student of the game and very data driven.
"He will pick a team and a style that he thinks is suitable to win and then work around the clock to prepare his team."
A tough game at the sold-out Riverside
So, Wednesday is on 32 points after the home win over Stoke City and Ben Gibson. The Owls have won four of the last six games, drawing one and losing the other. So, they are sixth in the form table with Boro 11th after their 3-3 draw at Plymouth.
But more worryingly, the Hillsborough team are top of the Championship Form (Away) Table. They have won their last three away matches after a defeat in the Steel City Derby on Sunday 10th November: Before that they won the two previous away matches and before that drew at Bristol City. Their away form has been much better than at home.
So, without saying, the match on Boxing Day will be tough. If the Owls won at the Riverside, they would be level on the points with Boro, but they have a worse goal difference. Luckily the Boro has a full house to cheer them on. I predict a 2-0 win in front of a 34 000 crowd. We might see Fry and van den Berg starting, with Latte Lath and Burgzorg scoring.
I wish everybody a Merry Christmas. And especially to the red army at Riverside!
I put this starter above on quite early. But it is Xmas time. And busy preparing for the three children to visit. So I hope you understand.
The Christmas is a big thing here in Finland. Even the Santa Claus is living here.
He is living in Korvatunturi mountain in Lapland: https://korvatunturi.fi/en/region-information/send-greetings-to-santa/
And he also has a office at a town called Rovaniemi: https://santaclausvillage.info/
He has a post office here: https://my.posti.fi/en/santa-claus-main-post-office
His official airline is Finnair for over 40 years: https://www.finnair.com/fi-fi/santaclaus
So seeing you latest on Boxing day. We start the holiday period soon, when Santa tries to visit every house with children already on Christmas Eve. The 24th is the main party day over here. And Santa goes all over the world after that. We relax on 25th and 26th after the busy Eve.
Up the Boro!
Well done. That’s an amazing intro.
I’d love to visit Finland but it always seems to have been the ‘maybe next year’. What time of year would you recommend for a visit?
utb
That was a very informative Starter Piece, Jarkko. A good read. Thank you!
I suspect, after yesterday's game away at Plymouth, Santa Claus/Father Christmas has taken the hump and decided he doesn't like the Boro. He can, of course, redeem himself by delivering a late present to the Faithful on Boxing Day. If he does decide to pay us a visit at The Riverside, the weather at kick-off according to the BBC weather App is going to be 11C, with 0% chance of rain and a gentle breeze (10mph from the south west). That at least is good news, as the last thing anyone wants after a heavy Christmas Day would be to have to walk to the ground in the cold through a swirling wind laden with sleet or rain.
Absolutely brilliant, thank you Jarkko for all your hard work in producing such a well researched, written, enjoyable and informative read.
I just hope you are correct about the score on Thursday, I am not so sure as we never know these days which Boro will turn up; not bothered about the score, just need a win and ideally a clean sheet but not holding my breath with regard to the latter! 😎🎅🏻
Thanks for a great starter, @Jarkko. Have a fantastic Xmas with your family.
@jarkko A great headliner positively rammed with information about the opposition, fabulous, thank you.
I've just watched the highlights of yesterday's game at Plymouth, crikey I see what people have been saying about Boro's left side. Wide open and at times continuous traffic, we were lucky with a draw. Hopefully Mr Carrick will attend to that, I hope.
Once again Jakko excellent. Thank You.
UTB,
John
Jarkko, thank you for an excellent and informative opener and like yourself I am hoping for 3 points on Boxing Day. I, like many others, thought there were a few poor performances yesterday. McGree didn’t look interested (and not for the first time) Howson is starting to show his age (especially in poor conditions) Borges is not the answer to the left back question, Hackney has not progressed, Edmundson made some very strange decisions.
Against Shef Wed, I would start RVB and Fry as the CB’s, Dijksteel RB, Ayling LB, Hackney/Howson/Barlaser as 2 CM, Doak RM/W, Burgzorg LM/W, Azaz No10, Lath CF.
Which would also leave us a strong bench.
Come on BORO.
A terrific piece of work, Jarkko, beginning with a nice autobiographical touch of the kind that we so enjoy from your unique perspective on the Boro, going on to a comprehensive historical survey of our opponents, which you present really well, and ending with a review of their formidable current form.
It makes it very clear that this "easy" run of fixtures following our trips to Burnley and Leeds is anything but, (as we discovered yesterday, to the surprise of many though not, I hope, to readers of this blog).
Personally, I had not realised that this will be such a tough Boxing Day assignment and based on your analysis I would say that if we are to have any hope of picking up all three points then we need an immediate and radical solution to our left back problem. The problem being, of course, that we don't have one.
How Carrick and Woodgate manage this in light of the fact that the current incumbent had been on the Boro's radar for a number of years before we signed him may present them with an interesting internal political conundrum.
Intriguingly they had the identical problem last season against Wednesday at Hillsborough. The Owls had started the season playing like relegation certainties, but they over-ran us in the first half particularly down our left flank. Engel was so out of his depth, and not for the first time during our early disastrous run, that at half-time he was replaced by... Well literally anyone would have been an improvement.... But they opted for Van den Berg, who had never played there before. Credit to the lad, he at least plugged the gap and we came away with a point.
It's a curious parallel and I suspect that the coaching staff are going to have to come up with a similar kind of temporary solution this time around.
If they do, how this is managed without it being an implicit public criticism of Boro's recruitment will be interesting to observe.
If they don't and continue with Borges then it will look like, and possibly be, a sign of their own internal weakness within the club's structure.
Of course, now that he is getting back to fitness, they could always pick Engel....
@exmil. Spot on analysis of yesterday’s team/individual performances.
Whilst I am not in favour of right footers on the left, things can’t stay as they are and I agree that what you are proposing is probably a way of addressing the issue temporarily.
Borges has been a poor acquisition in my view and the weakness at LB needs to be addressed in the upcoming window, again; let’s hope the recruitment team can find someone at long last who can do the job properly but not Ryan Giles! 🤞😎🎅🏻
This is just a polite reminder that Jarkko has already posted his Match Preview for Boxing Day's match at home to Burnley... (I know we have continued our discussion on the Plymouth game because we were dazzled by the torrent of goals there).
@forever-dormo Thanks. I think I wrote about Sheffield Wednesday, I am quite sure about this.
Just joking, Dormo 🤣.
Burnley is the next home match after the Owls on Sunday 29th December at 20:00 GMT.
Up the Boro!
@forever-dormo Don’t go jumping the gun. We’ve got to beat Sheffield Wednesday before we beat Burnley. 😉
Just an update on the match vs. the Owls.
Michael Carrick has confirmed that Boro will again be without Luke Ayling and Seny Dieng for the Boxing Day visit of Sheffield Wednesday - and the game will come too soon for Aidan Morris.
No new injuries after the Plymouth match, though.
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
many thanks for taking the time to write this article it’s really appreciated and very informative.
merry Christmas
OFB
What a(nother) wonderful opener Jarkko, thank you, and a very merry Christmas to you and all yours.
Big crowd, big day, big result.... surely.
Between now and then the big feller has a big job on hand. So very merry Christmas to each and everyone and here's to three points in style on Boxing Day.
@jarkko - EEEEK! You are correct! And to make things worse, I'm the one who will prepare the Match Preview for the Burnley game. Losing my marbles...
@jarkko What a brilliant Headliner, delivered as an early Christmas present.
I would probably consider exmil’s choice of LB, but am unsure of SW’s right wide man and Ayling is short of pace. Ahead of him has to be Burgzorg, but again predominantly right footed.
Then we have possibly the bigger midfield issue. Hackney is the best of what we have at the moment, but not as good as last season. Howson has not got the legs anymore. Barlaser, is he the lesser of two evils?
When we were playing well, these issues were not evident. Now we seem disjointed and porous defensively.
Sheffield Wednesday are in form, having only lost one in the last six with four wins, and good on the road.
So, a big crowd, and a sold out away end. I just cannot see Carrick solving our current issues and we may need a miracle for this Christmas match.
A negative post, I know, but come the New Year, the play offs could be but a dream.
Am feeling a bit uneasy about the next game - nothing much new there !!
Sheffield are on a good run - better than Boro, with very good recent away form plus an impressive 2-0 win in their last game with 10 men for most of the game. They’ve got to be thinking that a win puts them up with Boro with eyes on a top 6 position.
To get a result Boro have to improve- we all know where.
I just hope that with a full house Boro don’t let their fans down and put on a performance and secure all 3 points.
Happy Christmas to all 👍👍😂😂
Philip of Huddersfield
A very happy Christmas to everyone on the blog and for those who have suffered ill health just stay positive. An especially big thank you to the headline writers too, I don't know how you do it so consistently and so consistently well, many thanks it is much appreciated.
All the best and merry and happy Christmas to everyone.
All the best and UTB.
John
Merry Xmas everyone.
Feliz Navidad to one and all. 🎅🏻😎
@original-fat-bob - I second what OFB said.
Tambien, feliz navidad a todo.
Happy holidays to everyone nd your families. Best wishes for a healthy and safe new year and may we have a lot of enjoyment following the Boro together.
utb
@pedro - Cool dancing.
Christmas starts here... Better get into the kitchen to rustle up the breakfast (with a certain French fizz). A BBQ to light for later (BBQ leg of lamb planned for that, but the stuffed turkey joint and the "usual stuff" will go in the oven!). Off I go then....
Some Xmas reading from the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/dec/25/championship-delivers-drama-with-packed-promotion-and-survival-races?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Read that this morning too and think Louise Taylor gets it spot on again...
On those days when Hayden Hackney illuminates midfield and Emmanuel Latte Lath remembers his shooting boots, a sweet passing if wildly-inconsistent Middlesbrough look the second tier’s most sophisticated team. Carrick’s problem is that, at other times, his defence springs alarming leaks. Boro’s Boxing Day fixture at home to a Sheffield Wednesday side harbouring serious playoff ambitions of their own offers Hackney and friends a chance to keep West Brom, Watford and Wednesday at bay by consolidating sixth place and perhaps even leapfrogging Blackburn into fifth. It is anyone’s guess whether they will take it.
btw Also interesting to read that Carlos Corberán has left West Brom
Valencia have confirmed the appointment of Carlos Corberán as their head coach on a contract to 2027 after paying his release clause of about £3m to West Bromwich Albion. The Spanish club made an approach on Tuesday after sacking Rubén Baraja.
Many thanks Jarkko for excellent, personal and comprehensive preview of tomorrow's game against Wednesday on Thursday - I really enjoyed it and it does sound like a much tougher game than I'd imagined a month ago. As Louise Taylor said, will Boro take the opportunity to cement their top six credentials? I certainly hope so!