Saturday 10 August - 12.30pm
“ Welcome back you Boro fans!
Hopes have been high during the close season with one or two signings made and some obvious weaknesses remedied”
The opening lines of Cliff Mitchell’s match programme notes for the first game of the season, faithfully reproduced every year for most of the 1950s and 60s have a particular resonance as another season beckons.
The hopes of the Boro fans for the season which stretches before us have rarely been higher. Could 24-25 really be a vintage Championship year, one which evokes memories of Jackie Charlton’s first season?
For “Typical Boro” fans this will already be tempting Fate way too much. Yet the auguries are promising. Last season ended well with the Boro having as good a record as anyone in the final run-in. Big hitters, Hackney and McGree will, we all hope, be fully recovered from last season’s serious injuries. Latte Lath turned himself into a scoring machine, and all of our most experienced defenders, apart from Bangura, will be fit and raring to go.
And yet…
I vividly recall the best ever post-war finish to a season by any Boro team. The year was 1953, I was 14 years old and the details remain seared in my memory. The key to Boro’s amazing run of form was the introduction for the final run of games of a now long-forgotten creative left-half by the name of Fank Mulholland.
Frank was a young tall, ball-playing Irishman who took over from the legendary Jimmy Gordon, who was injured, for the final games of the season. Together with his Irish compatriot, Arthur Fitzsimons and left winger Geoff Walker, they formed a left-wing triangle that simply tore all opposition apart.
The results spoke for themselves. The best teams of the day were simply swept away.
Manchester United, then the current League champions, were beaten 5-0.
Blackpool, who weeks later would beat Bolton in the memorable Matthews’ Cup Final, were similarly dispatched 5-1.
Arsenal, who would go on to win the league, were beaten 2-0, and most satisfying of all Newcastle, who had won the FA Cup in the previous two years were beaten 2-1. All of these memorable wins were played in front of around 40,000 fans at Ayresome Park. Boro finished the season with a sparkling 1-4 win at Portsmouth.
In a formidable run-in Boro had scored no fewer than 20 goals in the season’s last 6 games against the best teams in the league. Hopes were indeed high for Cliff Mitchell and everybody associated with the club for the following season.
In the event, it proved to be a memorable season. But for all of the wrong reasons.
Boro won only one of their first nine games, losing six of them. Frank Mulholland was dropped and,though staying on at the club until 1958, played only a handful of games over the next 5 years. He left for non-league Poole before returning to his native Belfast where he died in 2006. His passing was not recorded in the Evening Gazette or in any other newspaper.
That sticky start in 1953 was the prelude to a disastrous season which saw us relegated and consigned to the Second Division . It was a Brexit style moment, whose impact was to be felt for the next 20 years. From the ages of 15-35 I would only ever be able to see second tier football. I still feel it now as an unwarranted deprivation.
So experienced Boro fans will be taking nothing for granted.
And yet…
The stars do seem to be aligning in our favour
Most of Boro’s fixtures up to the end of September look eminently winnable, even on last season’s form. We must surely be looking to take a healthy number of points from Swansea, Derby, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Preston Sunderland and Stoke. Whatever happens during the rest of the season, I would be really surprised were we not to in the top six teams come the end of the month..
Though (and with Boro, there is always a though) we managed to scrape only two points out of eight against lowly Rotherham and Plymouth last season whilst accruing seven out of eight against Leicester and Southampton, both of whom will now be gracing the Premier League. As usual, we should take nothing for granted.
But the late season blossoming of many of last Summer’s signings has also given the club an additional shot in the arm, and raised the stock of the recruiting department to its highest level under Scott, The selling-on of Morgan Rogers for a huge profit was quickly followed by displays of such quality from Latte lath and Van den Berg that they have given a boost to the entire club and to fans’ hopes for the coming season.
I’d like to put in a word too for Alex Gilbert who, when given the opportunity at Cardiff played with astonishing maturity. He is a beautifully balanced player, equally happy turning either way in midfield (Azaz, by contrast, overwhelmingly favours his right foot). Gilbert rounded off a fine display with one of Boro’s goals of the season, a left-footed rocket.
Gilbert’s first team opportunity was a long time coming. Carrick seemed not to fancy him until his hand was forced by injuries. If this is true it may be a rare example of the judgment of the Recruitment Department being superior to that of the coach.
in spite of the success of Latte Lath, Boro’s now historic failure to address our striker problem remains a serious concern. I mentioned last season the contrast between the situations of our strikers as opposed to our central defenders. Forming, as they do the spine of every team it is vital that we have adequate cover for these positions.
At the time our central defensive options seemed ideal. We had two experienced stalwarts in Lenihan and McNair, a fine young academy product in Fry, and an outstanding young teenage prospect in Van den Berg. We seemed to be well covered for the season. and well balanced between youth and experience.
As it turned out four excellent central defenders proved to be not enough. We needed a fifth, and it was fortunate that we had one. Matt Clarke unexpectedly stepped into the breach and proved to be the backbone of our late season successes.
Contrast this with our strikers. Losing both Akpom and Archer left us seriously deficient in that department at the beginning of last season. Incredibly the initial plan was to loan Coburn out to Plymouth. I assume that the proposed move was vetoed by Carrick because otherwise the striker cupboard would have been completely bare.
Rogers was tried for the first game defeat by Millwall, Crooks, improbably for the next game, another defeat at Coventry, before Latte Lath was finally signed. By the time he had settled in any hopes of a top six finish were fatally compromised . Six games in we propped up the league alongside Sheffield Wednesday against whom we played out an uninspiring draw.
Approaching the January window Scott, in a rare interview on local radio, was asked whether signing a striker was still a priority. “We don’t want to be disrespectful of Josh or Emmanuel”, and in particular “we don’t want to put anyone in the way (of Josh’s development)” was his response.
More La-La Land thinking was evident in a later interview when, after the predictable long-term injuries to both of our strikers, Scott offered the opinion that we did indeed have four front- line strikers in the squad: Latte Lath, Coburn, Forss and Greenwood.
With the new season almost upon us we appear to be no further on. Latte Lath and Coburn may possibly be augmented by young Finch, untested and inexperienced at Championship level, who even if up to the mark will have to be carefully nursed through a long and gruelling season.
In this context Tommy Conway is the kind of player that we really need. Young, physical, strong in the air, an energetic presser and defender from the front who has already shown that he has an eye for goal at Championship level
I have no doubt that Carrick and Woodgate will want this deal done with an urgency which does not appear to be reflected in the negotiations so far. They involve add-ons in order to reach a fee attractive to Bristol. For me this is a deal that we cannot afford to fumble. And it needs to be followed quickly by the signing of another striker, either an older, more experienced hand, or a younger Premiership loanee. As with central defenders, we are going to need four we can rely on.
OPPOSITION BREAKDOWN
Manager : Luke Williams
RECORD LAST SEASON
Finished 14th, 57 points
P46 - W15 - D12 - L19 - F59 - A65
Average XG: 1.27 - Average XGC: 1.38
Top scorer(s): Jamal Lowe 9, Jerry Yates 8, Liam Cullen 7,
Jamie Paterson 7Home record: P23 - W8 - D5 - L10
Away record: P23 - W7 - D7 - L9
2023-24 RESULTS
Riverside: Boro 2 - 0 Swansea
Away: Swansea 1 - 2 Boro
(Copyright Clive Hurren) Reproduced with thanks.
Swansea’s striker situation is even more parlous than our own. The departure of their two top scorers last term, Lowe and Yates, has them looking distinctly thin in this department. Indeed their entire squad looks short of both quality and numbers. They have recruited two relatively unknown quantities in South Korean forward, Eom Ji-Sung, and Portuguese midfielder, Goncalo Franco, whilst this week they have come up with the surprise acquisition on a free transfer of Zan Vipotnik, a Slovenian striker who made his county’s Euro ’24 squad.
Manager Luke Williams apologised to the Swansea fans after their 2-0 defeat at the Riverside in April, describing the game as “atrocious” and “an absolutely diabolical example of the Championship”. In truth it was a game of little quality, illuminated only by two fine goals from Latte Lath.
For Boro much interest will naturally centre upon our two new faces, Morris and Burgzorg. Both are likely to be introduced at some stage, though neither may make the starting XI
Swansea look as though they may well be one of this season’s Championship strugglers. Whether that turns out to be the case or not, it will be hugely disappointing and anti-climactic if the final result next Saturday is anything other than a Boro win.
I’ll go with the auguries and predict an emphatic 3-0. win. What say you fellow Diasborians?
Many thanks Len the first and the benchmark for us all to follow and aspire to !
OFB
Great intro Len.
You mentioned the Jack Charlton promotion season in the season previous we lost only one of the last ten games as well and went from 13th at the start of the run to finish 5th, an omen?
Thanks Len, a super stylish introduction to the new season with a typical Boro lesson of history and an excellent analysis of the current squad - plus an insight into your childhood deprivation to far exceed Rishi's Skyless upbringing 😉
I'm looking forward to the new season and am hoping for a good start this time, which is essential to give Boro every opportunity to be among the contenders in what looks like being a fairly even field this year.
Thanks, Len. A superb starter - I just hope the orher writers including me can follow the level set by you even somewhere (I am a bit worried about my turn to be honest).
Here is a recent link that confirms what you, Len wrote about the Swansea squad at the moment:
We also have a record we need to improve on. Boro have not won an opening day league match since 2014/15 when they beat Birmingham 2-0. (W0,D6,L3) 🌐borostats.com
So let's hope we will get the three points on Saturday for a change. Up the Boro!
Thank you Len for your excellent starter to this season, which hopefully will turn out to be as enjoyable as your informative and professional prose.
We can but hope that we will start where we left off last season and then progress as the season goes on to a successful conclusion.
Looking forward to Saturday and hopefully a 2-0 win to the Boro. CoB. 😎
Thanks Len, a welcome start.
Today I return to Bahrain from 2 years in the Saudi Mountains to start my semi retirement again,
I will be rearranging the lounge - putting up the big screen and getting the Subscriptions paid - [already signed up with MTC] and looking for a new fridge to stock.
My best remembered run in was my first as a Boro convert when we went up from Div 3 to Div 2 with our friends HIckton and O'Rouke.. culminating in the Oxford march and the collapse in the stand.
Hope we don't need a run in this time a nice steady rise and then defence to the top would suit me better.
UTB - will be watching it again beer in hand.
Thanks Len for an interesting opener to the new season, although did I note a slight bit of pessimism in the article or was that you trying to keep people’s feet on the ground 🤔. I for one am very optimistic about this season, especially if the latest reports about Micah Hamilton come to fruition along with Tommy Conway, IMHO I think cover for left back/wingback is the only other position we would need for a very good transfer window.
Come on BORO.
What a cracking start to the season, Len - I’m back from holiday feeling refreshed (although a little sad to be back) and ready for the games to begin. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for a winning run so that we’re not playing catch up.
I like to think that you returned from two years in the Saudi mountains with a long beard and much wiser 😉
I'm contractually obliged to remain optimistic before a ball has been kicked - pessimism often results from thinking I could've kick the ball better than the players - though after damaging my achilles on our walking holiday it is highly unlikely...
I think Boro have not announced the squad numbers yet. But they have updated the individual pictures of their players at https://www.mfc.co.uk/teams.
Some players are shown with their old numbers from last season, but some of new arrivals and Brynn have not numbers. Then again Morris has number 18 mentioned there. Delano Burgzorg has no number (he has used nr. 10 in matches, though).
We haven't seen a team photo yet, too. Up the aboro!
Brilliant starter for ten, there Len. Many thanks for the first game of the season Headliner.
I love exmil's optimism, I am sure his own personal issues will win out.
Me. well, I am always worried which "Typical Boro" will turn up. Especially now that Jarkko tells us we have not won an opening game since, it seems like forever.
The first team pick appears quite strong if they can perform to their ability.
What team will run out. Is Howson injured before a proper game has kicked off? In fact can we improve on last seasons abject injury issues? If not then we may struggle in certain areas. We have not started very well with Bangura probably missing for the best part of the season. Fry as normal, uncertain as to his fitness. Hopefully Lenihan can return to his previous level, otherwise we may prove light at the back, again with Smith's return not known, how good he will be and then Dijksteel not good enough.
The midfield should be good enough and also the forward options, if all stay fit.
Hamilton coming in should give us cover across the front, especially as Forss appears to be, possibly injury prone. I would be happy if we got the Bristol lad, but if not, somebody as potentially equal.
So, we need anther forward to arrive and now a left back, who could possibly cover at CB?
I am hoping there will be a good crowd on Saturday, even though it is on the TV, though I guess not many from Swansea, a long haul for an early KO.
Result. I could not hazard a guess, but will be there to see what comes.
Great season starter Len, thank you.
Like many Boro fans, I begin each season on the pessimistic side of the ledger and close my eyes to most things positive on the premise that if I bury my head deeply enough, then the good may actually happen.
The one exception has scarred me ever since. In June 1986 I remember listening to Wimbledon on Radio 5 when John Inverdale broke off to announce that we'd just signed Fabrizio Ravanelli. We'd nabbed Emerson shortly before this and Juninho was in-situ already sand I distinctly recall thinking that, perhaps for the first time ever, 'I have nothing to worry about this season'.
Of course it turned out to be the most disappointing year we've ever had. Soul destroying ultimately.
On the flip side I had no expectation in 1986 or '87 and they are both as good a season as we've ever had.
Much of that uplift came from Bruce Rioch and the spirit and momentum and belief that built from that. Yes, it turned out that we had some very good players in the youngsters who came through and there are some absolute parallels with August 2024.
Michael Carrick is a quite outstanding person and man-manager I feel and there is a core of very capable players who have bought into what Carrick is offering. RVD, Hackney and LL must be the best in their positions while Clarke, Howson, Jones, McGree and (hopefully) Fry very much have what it takes to get us up. Micah from Man City would be an excellent addition I think.
Given the manager and squad we have, essentially it boils down to belief and getting on a roll and enjoying it. The Championship is a very competitive league but it is not an overly strong league adn there is no club that looks light years ahead of us.
The playoffs being for the deluded and the desperate, I hope we can target a top two finish from the off. We're good enough.
That said, I think we'll be a touch nervy this weekend so a 1-0 win to the Boro.
But that will do.
Welcome to Diasboro Rich with a good optimistic post!
What a superb opener, Len! You’ve started the season for us in absolute top form! Let’s hope our heroes do the same on Saturday. I’m very optimistic about this season and will be even more so if some of the trumpeted potential signings do arrive. I think we’ll break the opening day curse this time, too. 2-0 to Boro.
Incidentally, there is no copyright whatsoever on my ‘opposition breakdown’ offering! If anybody wishes to use it, or amend it, then feel free. It’s on the ‘Fixtures and Preview Writers’ thread, towards the end. I’m very impressed at how you’ve somehow squared it all off in a shaded box, Len. I’ll have to work out how to do that.
Thanks to everyone for your too kind words. I greatly appreciate it
And to Werder for setting it all up for me, including the editing in of Clive's statistical work. I too was impressed by Werder's skills, Clive.
A warm welcome to Rich and congratulations on an excellent inaugural post- the first of many I hope.
The Guardian has put Boro in its top 3 for automatic promotion, along with Burnley and Leeds. I’m happy with that! They’ve also included Rav as one of their 3 young players to watch.
Some accolades, these. Mind, it might have helped that the piece was written by Louise Taylor, the paper’s North-East football reporter, rather than some ill-informed London hack! She’s even suggested that MC might ultimately follow in McLaren’s and Southgate’s shoes by becoming an England manager of the future! Lovely idea - just not yet for a couple of seasons, please, while he establishes us in the Premiership!!
It's very easy to get carried away by the approach of a new season. As someone who was born in 1953 and suffered through the endless years of lower divisions, any possibility of us spending time back at the top level is always intoxicating and so to be able to say that we are equal top of the division is a great place to start.
Looking a touch more seriously, I'm not sure that I can remember the start of a season when we had not only such an interesting squad but so many young players who could genuinely be said to be at the start of a much bigger career. The young keepers, Rav, young McCormick, Hackney, Morris, the Academy midfield stars, Coburn, Latte Lath, McGree, Azaz, Jones and quite a few others could easily blossom into much better players than they are now. If that coincides with promotion this year, then we really could be in for quite a ride.
Gibson's last hurrah?
All the very best to everyone and let's hope that we are in for something special over the next ten months.
UTB ........ and promotion for the women. Does anyone on here go and watch them. It would be interesting to know what they are like.
Does anyone know if Saturday’s game is available to watch on Sky? I don’t usually like red button coverage but it’s better than nothing and would be a nice way to start the season.
@martin-bellamy. I believe it may be available on the new Sky Sports+ app which goes live today.
What better way than a mighty piece from Sir Len the Pen to announce that we really are coming to the end of the phoney war of the close season and about to start the real thing, where the opposition bullets really hurt, but the victories can be celebrated with proper joy.
I imagine that a lot of us first became infected with full-on Borovirus during the 20 dark years that Len describes so graphically. When Boro on the telly meant Shoot and picking up a few crumbs after the Magpies and the Black Cats had had their fill and we were granted a begrudging visit from George Taylor and could then watch the highlights in glorious dark grey and light grey. Maybe in those years, we were cowed into thinking that second tier football was all we were entitled to. Since then, though, we've had the full technicolor experience of the top tier. So we know it's allowed to happen.
I particularly loved Len's use of 'And Yet'. They be beautifully delineated the three painful phases of anticipation for us fans - innocent optimism, followed by the dull realism engendered by all those painful years, followed by yet more optimism based on the reality of what we are now seeing, that maybe the faith this time isn't just of the blind variety. Those three phases reminded me of the Five Boys chocolate bars which survived slightly beyond those dark days. I suppose they fit us fans as well - Desperation, Pacification, Expectation, Acclamation, Realization.
Based purely on highlights of the friendlies, I've been very impressed with quality of some of the creative play. I've re-watched the Sonny Finch goal a number of times and the build-up, orchestrated by George McCormick, is a thing of beauty. If I were to try to predict who could be next year's player of the season, it's so difficult to pick one out. We look to have strength in every position, at least will have once the final mooted signings are sorted out.
It's hard not to let the optimism sweep you away at the moment. To misquote Hillel The Elder - If not now, then when?
A welcome statement from the town and club...
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2024/august/08/A-Statement-From-The-Town-And-The-Club/
From the recent announcement below it appears Boro Women are going to be going to additional lengths and letting their hair down...
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2024/august/07/boro-women-announce-new/
A welcome statement from the town and club...
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2024/august/08/A-Statement-From-The-Town-And-The-Club/
I am not one for politics on this site but this is the correct way to stop these thugs hiding behind the tragedy in Southport:
Come on BORO.
Good post and mention of the Boro Women.
i don’t watch them but follow their progress with interest as their Director of Football Ben Fisher is an ex playing colleague of my eldest son.
I previously took an interest as Andy Campbell (ex Boro) was their manager but left when the Boro Ladies was made more of a full time commitment.
Andy has recently joined Thornaby Town FC as Director of Football and my family were friends of Andy and his late brother Neil who was also a professional footballer.
OFB
For the first time in a long time I'm feeling a little meh about the season, im sure that will all change if we win our first couple of games.
Good kickoff piece lensterman
Just back from holiday and catching up. Thanks for the fantastic opener, Len - brilliantly written with many a pertinent point as ever from you.
Like many others, I’m cautiously optimistic about the season ahead. I feel like we’ve had a quietly efficient transfer window thus far and think we can pick up from where we left off with a pretty settled squad, whilst several around us have changed managers or been raided by bigger fish.
I still think another centre forward and an upgrade at left back is required, as well as genuine competition for Jones at right wing though it seems as though that is on the way with Micah Hamilton.
Where I differ from what appears to be the Diasboro consensus is that I would take Ryan Giles back in a heartbeat so long as the fee and wages were reasonable. I accept that he isn’t a great defender but neither are Engel or Bangura and Carrick’s preferred style has the left back high up the pitch in a left wing position. Giles has already shown that he is the perfect fit for that and whilst he wouldn’t improve (or particularly weaken) our defence he would improve the supply line from the left, especially with McGree signed up and fit again to drift in from that side. It’s a yes please from me.
So from my point of view there’s still work to do to convince me that we’re automatic promotion material (though I wouldn’t rule it out entirely) but I think we’re a good bet for the top 6, maybe 4th, 5th or 6th.
As for Saturday, I’m expecting us to win. I’ll go for 2-1 with a late Swansea goal making for a nervy finish.
Thanks again, Len.
I'm unsure of the merits of signing Giles again and am also not sure of the numbers involved in such a deal given he's still got 3 years left on his contract. If he's signed as first choice left-back then it would ultimately see Engel or Bangura being surplus but it sounds like Boro may not be in the market for a left-back as Carrick has instead promoted youngster George McCormick to the first team squad - I'd like to see him given chance to show if he's good enough before bringing in another player in this position - maybe he'll get run out in midweek.
MFC website confirming the signing of Micah Hamilton:
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2024/august/09/micah-hamilton-joins-from-manchester-city/
😎