@clive-hurren.  Clive as I read it this means that the squad costs are capped as a percentage ie 85% of revenue (Turnover) + player trading profits.

So if Boro have revenue of say £40M and £10M player trading profit then they can spend up to £42.5M on squad costs (85%). I think that SG can also inject up to c.£11M a year over a three year period.

Hope that helps. 😎

@k-p-in-spain 

It does.Many thanks. 

@k-p-in-spain   Thanks KP

Possibly put more simple

Could we possibly see a stream from Glasgow in a week's time when Boro will visit Celtic for a pre-season match?

Up the Boroĺ

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 

First pre season game done. Farense play in the Portuguese Second Division.

https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2026/july/11/boro-in-portugal--training-game-ends-in-a-draw/

Posted by: @mw-in-darwin

↑

First pre season game done. Farense play in the Portuguese Second Division.

https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2026/july/11/boro-in-portugal--training-game-ends-in-a-draw/

what has happened to Kante. Is he injured or is he definitely out?

@selwynoz 

I thought I saw pictures of him on the first day back. Maybe he stayed back on Teesside along with Hamilton, who has apparently gone on trial at other clubs.

@selwynoz.  It appears that he didn’t play in the friendly game in Portugal. 🤔😎

@k-p-in-spain 

that was the reason for my question

@selwynoz.  Apologies, should have read your post more closely, another Senior moment. 😎

BBC reporting Dobbin to Southampton in a permanent deal for 9million pounds

@mw-in-darwin 

Dobbin to Sinners? 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

@clive-hurren Depends whether you think Dobbins was worth £9m plus add ons 🤔.

Come on BORO.

A bit off topic, but is it a little odd than on our football based Forum, we’ve almost entirely ignored the World Cup, despite current and former Boro players being involved and England reaching the Semifinals? 

I’ve enjoyed lots of the games but have been frustrated by plenty of iffy decisions and as for Trump’s intervention,the least said, the better. 

I’m pretty sure FIFA would like a Messi vs Mbappe Final - hopefully England can do the business on Wednesday. That Bellingham chap is quite a player isn’t he? 

ENGLAND AND THE WORLD CUP

I have found it stressful watching England- just as it is at times watching Boro. It’s the price of being a fan.

Having watched England’s games I haven’t been inspired by the quality of the football.    At times they are like Boro with loads of possession, too much tippy tappy football, don’t create lots of chances and not enough of wingers taking on the full back and crossing the ball.    Defensively they don’t always look strong.

But to England’s credit they have found a way to win the games to face Argentina who themselves have not been brilliant but still have Messi who pops up to create or score a goal.   I’m intrigued watching him. If the ball is 30 or more yards away he is slowly walking to nowhere in particular and appearing disinterested but has a built in radar to be in the right position at the right time. 

It will be a tough game for both teams and England are capable of winning.     But will they?   It may come down to a bit of magic or a mistake  by an individual player ( like the mistake by the Norland goalkeeper)  

Ok, I’ll stick my neck out and predict that England will win - you heard it here first !!!

philip of Huddersfield 

🤔👍🤔

@martin-bellamy 
Just logged in, so that I can reply.
I've been a bit surprised myself and due to the lack of interest, I didn't want to say anything, but I had a massive treat from one of our sons.
He called me on Father's Day and asked me if I'd been watching the England games and what I thought about their progress. At that time, England were due to play Panama in the next round and were going to advance whether they won or drew.

He figured that they would likely win, so took a chance and said he'd bought some tickets for the game in Atlanta for himself and our grandson and said he had a spare ticket, and would I like to go with them for an inter-generational event. I naturally said yes, so he sent me all the details and arranged for all the flights and hotel and I had the trip of my life.

It was a fantastic experience, even though it wasn't the best match of the series. The noise was unbelievable.

Luckily the stadium is air conditioned, so despite the oppressing heat out in the open, it was relatively comfortable inside.

Getting out of the Uber and walking to the stadium and the return trip after the game was something that I should probably have been in training for, but it was a great way to enjoy some family time. Loved it.

The match against Argentina is not going to be easy, but I do think it's up for grabs. 

My wife and I will be watching.

@johnny-canuck That sounds like a great experience, made all the better by making inter-generational memories for all of you. What a fantastic and thoughtful gift.

@exmil 

I think £9m would probably be beyond us anyway, especially when we have so many positions still to fill. My irritation was not that we’ve missed out, but that the club we all now hate is still able to strengthen without worrying about the financial implications. I’m still hoping they lose most of their best players to Premiership clubs before the season starts - anything to weaken their position. Btw, whatever has happened to the FA’s enquiry into Eckert and his spying outrages? 

@clive-hurren. “Btw, whatever has happened to the FA’s enquiry into Eckert and his spying outrages?”

Like so many enquiries it appears to have been kicked into the long grass.  They will leave it long enough for all the furore to die down and then just give them a slap on the wrist. Or am I just being cynical! 😎

@k-p-in-spain

Not cynical, just realistic, unfortunately. It’s what we’ve come to expect from the sweet FA. Consider the Man City case. 

Posted by: @jarkko

↑

Could we possibly see a stream from Glasgow in a week's time when Boro will visit Celtic for a pre-season match?

Up the Boro!

https://player.celticfc.com/

But if I read correctly, you have to have a seasonal subscribtion to see the Boro match. Or does there excist a match pass option? I couldn't find one, though. 

Up the Boro! 

@clive-hurren This article might be of interest:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/13/tonda-eckert-southampton-fa-investigation-spygate?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

SPAIN V FRANCE

Just watched the semi final and victory for Spain who played a flawless game and deserved to win. There was a lot of talented players on the pitch and compared to England, played at a faster pace and looked to get forward quickly.   By comparison England are slow in possession.
Hopefully England will raise their game tomorrow to beat Argentina.

For me , Spain are now the favourites to win the World Cup.

Fingers crossed England do enough to win the game whether or not they play better than previous games .

Philip of Huddersfield 

🤔👍😁

@selwynoz 

There was a Facebook post from the club today with pictures of Hansen and Kante saying welcome back lads, so he may have been granted extra time off as was Morris. Assume Alfie Jones should be back in the next week.

@mw-in-darwin 

Thanks for pointing that out. I don't know why but I have a feeling that Kante could turn out to be a really useful member of the squad. It's probably just wishful thinking. 

It will be very interesting to see how Hellberg creates a functioning squad that can deliver on his preferred tactics. I have a great deal of faith in him.

UTB

@martin-bellamy 

The article reads as if Eckert might still get a ban. I would be surprised if the FA go that far - if they ever reach a decision - but I do hope he gets absolutely hammered. 

@johnny-canuck what a wonderful thing for your son to  have done. What a beautiful memory for all three generations. Whether we win the WC or not, you will always have that.

I went into the world cup period not with much enthusiasm. I mean the sycophantic self-agrandising Infantini is enough to put anyone off. I squirm whenever he graces the screen. However, I did have to endure Scotland forgetting to turn up (again 🥲), and couldn't resist seeing so many minnows of the game swimming with the sharks on equal terms. 

Had to watch England as well, but just like Boro has been in recent years they just move the ball so slowly and fail to attack the fullbacks or play through the lines with any real intensity at all, until the last 15 minutes of a game that is. Mrs Powmill coined a new acronym for England, DAD, after hearing me repeat time and again, "Dull as dishwater". That said, they have had their moments and found a way to win.

England have appeared vulnerable in defence, but martialled quite well against Norway. Argentina has more than Messi that can, and will, cause us problems. On the other hand, to be fair, the Argentines themselves have been no great shakes yet either and have also been shown to be vulnerable by much lesser opposition than England will offer.

I hope it will not descend into the South Americans practicing the dark arts and if they do behave this has the potential to be a classic blood and guts encounter between two wily old foes. Here is hoping for a good watch and for England to make it through unscathed🤞

As for Spain last night, and indeed everytime I have seen them in this tournament, they have shown just how exhilerating it can be when the posession game is played at a pace. I thought last night that they reminded me of Hellball at its best last season. Players hunting the ball in packs, and playing rapid first touch balls to foot in tightly confined spaces. Spain will take some beating be it England or Argentina. But that is for another day. For now. Come on England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Re missing out on Dobbin to the Sinners. No worries about that, I heard Dobbin was a bit of an old cart horse....

Grabs hat and makes hasty exit stage left

Re: the Celtic match on Saturday. 

Now I read, that there is a monthly pass at £ 20 available for the CelticPlayer. Only for foreign customers. Quite a lot if I intend to watch just one match. Must think over.

https://player.celticfc.com/

Secondly, is anyone planning to do a preview for the Ibrox match? Just thinking out loud ...

Up the Boro!