Thanks, Simon, that is a very fine elaboration of John's excellent post in the previous thread to just enjoy the present moment, and set to one side the anxieties that seem to be the inevitable part of the life of every football fan, even during the best of times. Which these are for us at the moment. A great message then and one which I personally will heed. 

@Simon and Len

My favourite club in Finland, Allianssi from Vantaa, was bought by a Chinese business man about 20 years ago. They were in the local 'Premier" League at the time. The club went bust soon after and we have never seen top three tier football (or higher) in my home town ever since. (I will put a summary of the events below - long live the Boro owner, Steve Gibson.)

So this is the reason I am so happy just to follow the Boro and enjoy the ride daily. I see no point in worrying the goals conceded nor a missed chance. I am just happy I have a team to support - the same team I fall in love in 1970.

I supported the local club a bit less than 10 years as the club was new. I had a season card every year and went to see some away matches, too. But it all ended in horror.

So let's enjoy the ride with Boro NOW. Up the Boro!

The story of my other favourite club:

Summary of the AC Allianssi Betting Scandal (2005)

The AC Allianssi betting scandal is one of the most notorious match-fixing incidents in Finnish sports history. It resulted in the total collapse of the Vantaa-based football club, which had been a highly successful top-tier (Veikkausliiga) team just prior to the event.

1. The Foreign Takeover

In the summer of 2005, facing financial difficulties, the management of AC Allianssi sold the club's controlling stakes to an international investment group. The new ownership was led by a mysterious Chinese businessman, Ye Zheyun, with Belgian former footballer Olivier Suray appointed as the managing director.
The new management immediately brought in a new Belgian head coach and a group of foreign players, completely disrupting the existing squad dynamics and sidelining established Finnish key players.

2. The Notorious 8–0 Defeat

On July 7, 2005, AC Allianssi faced FC Haka in Valkeakoski. The match instantly raised massive red flags worldwide:
• Suspicious Bets: Global gambling markets witnessed an unprecedented, highly unusual surge in live betting volume, with massive sums placed on a heavy defeat for Allianssi.
• Bizarre Performance: The match ended in a staggering 8–0 victory for FC Haka. The Allianssi players delivered a visibly farcical performance. For example, the newly signed foreign players conveniently claimed to have brought the wrong studs for the rainy weather, causing them to slip constantly, while the out-of-shape goalkeeper put up virtually no resistance.

3. Investigation and Admissions

The catastrophic defeat triggered instant investigations by the Finnish Football Association, Veikkausliiga, and the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP).
While the initial Finnish police inquiry struggled to find conclusive legal evidence to convict the individuals involved under local laws at the time, the truth officially emerged less than a year later. In March 2006, managing director Olivier Suray publicly admitted that the match had indeed been fixed, directly pointing out that the club was acting as a front for Ye Zheyun’s international betting cartel.

4. The Aftermath and Legacy

• The Downfall of the Club: Following the scandal, major sponsors pulled out, and betting agencies refused to list Allianssi's matches. The Finnish Football Association officially revoked AC Allianssi's league license in January 2006 due to financial instability. On April 11, 2006, the club declared bankruptcy and ceased all operations.
• Turning Point for Finnish Sports: The incident served as a wake-up call for Nordic sports organizations. It forced the Finnish authorities to radically modernize their investigative methods and fraud regulations regarding digital match-fixing, paving the way for larger global syndicates to be dismantled in the years that followed.

@jarkko 

A very sad tale, Jarkko

As always, an excellent piece thank you Simon.

Whilst may of us have witnessed the highs and lows of being a Boro supporter and have become used to the team building up ones hopes only to dash them a few days later, this season has a different feel to it.

You quiet rightly point out that many of us felt that by the end of last season it was failure again, when we should have acknowledged it as a season of progress; particularly when one takes account of the managerial change after the season had started.

This year, so far, despite not always firing on all cylinders we have found ways to win and on the few occasions we have dropped points it has been through our own failings rather than due to superior opposition.

A point at Wrexham would not be a disaster but given what we have seen before a slight disappointment, as this team/group of players have shown they have the skill, tenacity and togetherness to overcome anyone. 😎

Excellent, as always, Si. 

I couldn’t agree more with those fellow Diasborans who are happy to enjoy the plusses of this season without stressing too much that Boro aren’t a perfect football team. 

I was thinking about KH earlier - given his success and the style of play he advocates, how long will it be before a Premier League club adds his name as a future manager? I hope we can hold on to him and he gets the chance to lead his Boro team out in the EPL next season. For once, I’m actually keen on us getting promoted this year!

Thanks Si - another strong opener and a theme worth thinking about.

You're absolutely right that we should all be thoroughly enjoying what we're witnessing at the moment. Quality creative football, goals galore and the points to match - it's everything and more than we could reasonable have hoped for.

I'm sure it was the Hammarby fans that told us that things would really start to get interesting in Hellberg's second season. Well, despite quite the squad overhaul, it seems very promising that they were right.

I've mentioned in the past that, having been through several promotion campaigns over the years, I think us Boro fans have got a pretty good sense of what a promotion campaign feels like. There's a certain feeling to it. I think this squad and season has that sort of whiff about it now as players have bedded in.

Therefore as mentioned on the previous thread, my only real concern at the moment is that we somehow shoot ourselves in the foot with a poorly thought through January transfer window. We've done it before....

I don't believe that we'll do it again this time though. You have to believe that lessons are learned when mistakes are made.

Whilst acknowledging that it won't be all plain sailing, I'm feeling pretty bullish about the Boro at the moment and fancy us for another win this weekend.

Wrexham 1-3 Boro.

Thank you all. 🙂 Means a great deal.

I'd like to address a couple of points raised by KP and Martin. I’d suggest that if a hugely promising and on balance impressive season ends underwhelmingly or badly then that does tend to overshadow all the good that came before it, even though it ought not to. For example, 2014-15 has been thought of as a play-off failure and 2015-16 has been thought of as “limping over the line” even though the points tallies from those seasons remain Boro’s best of the century in any division. The frustrating feelings of not getting the best out of the resources available, coupled with the clear disappointment at managerial inaction on the touchline, along with public spats and outbursts, nonetheless cast a shadow. Probably unfairly but they can’t be ignored.

It’s that feeling, or fear, of “betrayal”, really, because although a football machine requires a logical framework to keep it running it demands emotional investment for the memories and achievements. And if a player or manager has persuaded you, through performance, charisma, statistics or all three, to emotionally invest in them then you’re really going to feel the pain when they don’t fulfil your expectations.

I recently saw an exceptional production of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer at the Lyric Theatre. It still has a couple of weeks to run. One thing I thought about when watching the play is how we football fans put “faith” in a “football figurehead”, player, manager or otherwise, to “heal” us or “inspire” us. You could say Emerson and Fabrizio Ravanelli temporarily healed our faith in the heady months of August and September 1996, and that Aitor Karanka, whatever his weaknesses, healed our faith by giving the Boro a steely spine that we dearly love in our most famous promotion winning teams. That Kim Hellberg has also been a “healer” in the aftermath of the shockingly truncated Rob Edwards era, and that Will Lankshear is healing our faith right now with all his goals.

Yet when we worry about their future, do we stop to consider what may be best for them? The likely answer is no. That’s what dawned on me as I was watching the Friel play, and seeing monologues from the healer himself, his wife or mistress and his manager - the difference between the purpose they served for other people and the person they were, or wanted to be. I mean, it’s murky - how much of one’s identity is defined by the function they serve for others rather than what they may really need or want? And do they even know what they really need or want?

Needs, or wants, which change and evolve over time. But today I think we are much better prepared to handle change and evolution than we used to be - the manner in which we transitioned from Edwards to Hellberg is proof of this. Contrast this with how we struggled when Emerson’s head was turned and when Steve McClaren left to manage England, for example, and you’ll see there is quite the difference.

Posted by: @simonfallaha

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"Seize the time... Live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again."

.. Let's do our best to, as Captain Picard would say, "make it so"...

What a beautifully crafted opening piece Si. Thank you for that and it is hard to disagree with that sentiment.

I find myself wondering whenever I am posting about our first choice in goal. Perhaps I need to let it go.

Football is all about opinions and to a very large extent, it is all the differing opinions that can lead to an interesting discussion and (thankfully in here) extremely rarely to a falling out. KH and the Coaches (good name for a new band perhaps) are clearly of the opinion Vitek is the best first choice. Who can argue when today we are still two points clear at the top of the table with a +13 goal difference. 

Now is a good place to be for a Boro fan and from now on, whilever this form persisits I am going to revel in it and enjoy it for what it is. I only hope I haven't put the hex on things now and it will all go belly up !!!

I have not seen any news of Lankshear after him coming off with a strain on Saturday. Fingers crossed we can start again wth the same eleven. With that and the strength we now have on the bench we are a challenge for any team. It is a funny old game as another legendary (though not Boro) striker would have said, so nothing to be taken for granted, but at least we have nothing to fear going down to North Wales on Wednesday.

The Wrexham goalkeeper is one Anthony William Patterson, so in keeping with Si's theme and  to pick out another oft used phrase from Star Trek, lets hope the Boro players are fully charged and sent out with the instruction to "Fire at Will".

Interesting & thought-provoking opener, Si, thanks.

Off topic, comment from someone in Chester-le-Street included in the Beeb's live text commentary on the Mags vs Toffees match (EPL this time), which the Toffees are winning 0-1:

Matthias Jaissle = Steve McClaren with nice trainers. No hope, no organisation and no signs of what is being worked on in training.

HH not on the pitch, a fact bemoaned by Everton contributors.

Really good intro Si. Hopefully Wednesday night sees a continuation of our unbeaten run. The referee is Oliver Langford who was in charge of the same fixture last season. Another piece of good news is that the Asian Championships have been cancelled, so Riley Mcgree will now be available for our Christmas and January fixtures. They were due to be held in Saudi Arabia.

@mw-in-darwin That is very good news for Boro, if Riley McGree will be available for the whole of winter. Thank you for the info. 

Earlier, I was asking about our average points since the last international break when we were able train properly with all the new arrivals in the summer transfer window.

So since returning to action in mid-October, Hellberg’s new-look side have put together a run of four wins and a draw from their last five Championship games. That makes 13 points in five matches - averaging 2,6 points per match.

We all hope we can keep our average above the 2 point mark per game. We are not going to keep the 2,6 average for the rest of the season, though. But the three week break looks like time well spent. The team needed time to gel after a busy summer window. 

All that said, I will be happy with a 2-2 draw again at Wrexham. Everytime we play Wrexham,  I cannot be thinking about John Neal and the great young side we had back then. 

Back then like now, we had three England under 21 internationals in David Hodgson, Mark Proctor and Craig Johnston. And now we have Cozier-Duberry, Phillips and Lankshear.  Happy days.

Up the Boro!

Si, that was a brilliantly crafted Headliner from someone who’s knows how to write at a high level.

Yes, maybe it’s about time I learned to enjoy the ride and the scenery of the current route, which has been lovely to see. 

We will lose sometime, let’s just hope it’s not this week. I would take a draw, but given the form between the two sides, let’s hope for three points. 

There has been much debate among us about goals scored and goals conceded and whether we should be stronger in defence.

One statistic which has not been discussed and which I believe is vital is the games played to matches lost.

Currently we have P13 v L1; if that ratio is maintained through to the end of the season then I believe we will finish in the top two. 😎

@jarkko 

I like those stats.

Let's hope nothing happens tomorrow night that wrecks 'em.

Remembering how close we were to defeat at home to them last season (Kieffer Moore at 6'5" missing a header from underneath the bar that he would have put away 99 times out of every 100), I'd normally be inclined to settle for yet another 2-2. And Sam Smith is a lively striker too, so they do pose a threat up front. And they have dynamo O'Brien, whom we should have kept, in midfield. Yet I'll be mildly disappointed if we don't win.

Main interest for me is whether we will see Lankshear on from the start, or whether Saturday's knock is more significant.

If the latter then a draw will certainly suffice.

But with Boro at the moment, where there's a Will there's a way.

Many thanks Si for another excellently crafted opener that also gave tribute to the departure of a fine actor - I must say I generally have enjoyed the journeys of the last few seasons under Carrick and Hellberg and always watch each game with positive anticipation.

Maybe, the last two games have seen Boro shift up a gear after quite a few last-gasp wins and draws - there's certainly a great opportunity to strengthen our position at the top if we take it.

btw West Ham have just sacked Nuno after 2 defeats left them a massive 4 points off the automatic places - so they've blinked first and perhaps losing to two good sides in Southampton and West Brom indicates they think that they should win most games - at least they're not Burnley!

Anyway, to continue the Star Trek theme, let's hope we're all beaming on Wednesday when we Klingon to top spot...

@werdermouth Re West Ham 

The decision means West Ham are looking for their fourth permanent manager since David Moyes left London Stadium in May 2024.

His successor Julen Lopetegui was sacked after just six months in charge with the Hammers mid-table having won six of their 20 Premier League matches.

He was replaced by former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter, who oversaw a 14th-placed finish, but was sacked after only eight months in charge with the club 19th in the table.

I think this is good for us. Let them hassle up in London.

Up the Boro!

@mw-in-darwin.  Great news about RM, thank you.

A fit and functioning RM is vital to our promotion push; let’s hope he remains fit for the rest of the season. 😎

@jarkko 

Apparently West Ham are poised to appoint former Burnley boss Scott Parker - it's like the manager merry-go-round is spinning in ever decreasing circles. Parker's Burnley were known for tight defence and not particularly attacking football so not sure how that fits in with the currently West Ham squad - I guess they'll be hoping he'll drill the players in the international break but from what I read, the Hammers fans biggest criticism of Nuno was they started slowly and weren't attacking enough. Though Parker's biggest selling point is that he is a former player...

Posted by: @werdermouth

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@jarkko 

Apparently West Ham are poised to appoint former Burnley boss Scott Parker - it's like the manager merry-go-round is spinning in ever decreasing circles. Parker's Burnley were known for tight defence and not particularly attacking football so not sure how that fits in with the currently West Ham squad - I guess they'll be hoping he'll drill the players in the international break but from what I read, the Hammers fans biggest criticism of Nuno was they started slowly and weren't attacking enough. Though Parker's biggest selling point is that he is a former player...

There's no "apparently" about it, if the Beeb is to be believed:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c63dj3zpl85go

Posted by: @k-p-in-spain

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...

Currently we have P13 v L1; if that ratio is maintained through to the end of the season then I believe we will finish in the top two. 😎

In the modern era, no team has failed to achieve automatic promotion that has lost 4 or less in the season.

The average number of games lost for teams gaining automatic promotion is 8 (actually 8.5 to be a bit more precise).

Only once did a team fail to get promoted losing only 6 times (that was Preston back in 2005/6, who had a massive tally of 20 draws) and Brighton lost only 5 times in 2015/16, but were pipped at the post by you know who 😆.

So I believe your belief is well founded KP !!

@powmillnaemore 

However we have yet to play any of the four teams immediately below us, plus West Ham, away from home. We will do well to avoid defeat in any of those games.

What is great is that we will go into all of them without any fear, confident in our own passing game, and playing to win. All of those teams currently will have more to fear from us than we will from them.

Inspired to think of Scott Parker's Burnley and how their defensive record in 2024-25, when they won promotion, eclipsed that of Jack Charlton's Champions and Aitor Karanka's promotion winners by a distance.

In their ranks were Boro past and Boro present - Connor Roberts and a certain Jeremy Sarmiento.

What, Tommy Conway was omitted from the Scotland squad for the up-coming international break. Good for us as he can train more after his two operations in the summer. But very sad for Tommy - he would have deserved a call.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c6wyvr870d8do

Up the Boro! 

PS. Where is Malcolm when we need him?

Thanks for a very interesting opener, Si. I fully agree with your thesis that we should just enjoy what we’re getting from Boro right now. And I am. I’m enjoying being top of the league with all the additional media coverage that comes with it, together with the kudos that goes with top spot; I’m enjoying making other sides fear and respect us; I’m thoroughly enjoying KH’s brand of football and the goals we earn from it; I’m loving watching this talented and committed new squad rip other teams to shreds, even if it’s only for a half a game some weeks (!)and I’m loving seeing the absolute determination they all show and the shared desire they all have to not let the opponents have the ball. And I simply cannot believe how lucky we are to have acquired a striker as brilliant as Will Lankshear. 

But as you so eloquently pointed out, Si, this is the Boro we’re talking about with our well-known propensity for shooting ourselves in the foot and missing out on the big opportunities. We can all no doubt name several; umpteen playoff near-misses, two League Cup final and two FA Cup final defeats, Sevilla, Cardiff at home in an FA Cup quarter-final, and so on! So I can’t help biting my nails every time we lose a game or go into a two-game tailspin without a win. It’s part of our make up as football fans, and especially as Boro fans. As my brother all too often reminds me when I get excited about our latest win or our top spot, ‘You win nowt in October / January / April (or any other month but May), mate!’ 

This year I’m quietly confident we will go up. We have too strong a squad and too good a manager to blow it this time, surely? Nonetheless, my anxiety levels will stay very high as the season progresses. What if WL gets injured? What if Man United come in with a stupid bid for him? What if Phillips gets suspended? What if Toon steal our manager? And so on. 

This week’s anxiety is Wrexham away. They’re not in good form, but surely they must turn it round sometime, I’m fearing. Perhaps we’ll have an off-night? Perhaps we’ll give a silly goal away and fail to claw back the deficit? I’ll be a bag of nerves like this throughout the season till promotion is confirmed.

But then I have to get a grip, kick myself and believe that Wrexham right now is a game we should win! 

A chance to extend our lead at the top tomorrow after tonight’s results. It’s exciting isn’t it? 

Posted by: @martin-bellamy

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A chance to extend our lead at the top tomorrow after tonight’s results. It’s exciting isn’t it? 

EXCELLANT ADVERT

Watched WBA v Southampton and was treated to an excellent game of football at Championship level.   WBA dominated the first half and Southampton were fortunate to be only losing 0-1 at half time.

In the second half Southampton dominated the first 10 minutes of the second half and deservably equalised.

Then , to their credit, WBA came back and had a couple of chances and then Southampton took over and were denied the winning goal by the WBA goalkeeper.

Overall,  I think WBA would not be unhappy at taking one point although I would like to have seen them win. Or, being perfectly honest I was hoping Southampton would lose.

So, not a bad result for Boro even if they draw tomorrow and a good result if they win.

Not on Sky is it ?
Philip of Huddersfield 🤔🤔🤔

CLIVE

You express views of being anxious about Boro which many of us also feel throughout the season.

Like you, I’m just trying to enjoy the quality of Boro’s football and being top of the League.
I’m not thinking of promotion but hoping the quality of the football will continue and will accept where that takes us.

Philip of Huddersfield 👍👍👍

The results went our way tonight, yes I know it's too early , so if we do our job on Wednesday a chance to extend our lead. Also Birmingham play Swansea on Saturday. Last season we lost our second game in the 13th fixture so have got past that hurdle this season. This time last season was the occasion of Rob Edwards last match in charge a 1-1 draw at Leicester. Also last season we played Wrexham and Watford in consecutive fixtures, with the Wrexham game being at home.