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Match Report: Boro ...
 

Match Report: Boro 1 - 0 Forest

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Magic Johnson's tricky treat!


A confident Boro took on the Trees at the Riverside hoping to keep their seven-game unbeaten run going. Normally a game against Forest would be one with a degree of trepidation against one of the Championships “bigger” clubs but this season. Having jettisoned Sabri Lamouchi who had lost the first five games in a row they have now acquired the services of Chris Hughton.

Forest on paper have a great squad and now a Manager for this level with an impeccable pedigree, indeed many if not the majority of Boro fans wanted him at the Riverside as the Golden Thread farce was being plotted. That he will get his team playing in a manner befitting the quality and depth of the resources he has available to him is not in doubt, since taking over he is undefeated albeit with only one win and three draws.

The quality of that squad was slightly diminished this week by news that Kamil Grosicki would not be joining them due to a delay in paperwork with their appeal being overruled. Consequently, the Polish Winger who has been devastating against Boro many times in the past has remained at West Brom for the foreseeable and unavailable to torment us this afternoon.

Injuries and absences are taking a toll during the hectic Championship fixture schedule. Harry Arter, Joe Worrall, Lewis Grabban, Tyler Blackett and Fouad Bachirou were all struggling with injuries to one degree or another for Forest. Cypriot Left Back, Nicholas Ioannou who was sent off in midweek would definitely be missing. Such are the riches that Hughton finds himself in he didn’t have to look far for a replacement at LB with Ribiero, Bong and Jenkinson all equally likely to step in.

Any of those above-mentioned would be coveted by Boro whose squad is desperately short in depth. For Boro and NW, Grant Hall was still out along with Ashley Fletcher but fellow striker Chuba Akpom’s “illness” was less of a concern after being diagnosed as just a heavy cold and making the bench. In came Wood, Bola and Coulson in three changes for Boro. Dael Fry was the shock omission with an “illness” giving youngster Wood a big moment in his career. Fry had been walloped a few times in midweek with one in the back and one which even raised concerns of concussion so time will tell the nature of his ailment.

Hughton also made three changes and put his trust in his former Brighton Left Back Gaetan Bong with his first start of the season. Miguel Angel Guerrero also came in for his first start, the third change from Midweek was with Luke Freeman coming into the team. Along with Nicholas Ioannou suspended, Joe Lolley and Lyle Taylor were the other two missing, both dropping to the bench. This afternoons game saw another Riverside reunion for Cyrus Christie and Sammy Ameobi.

Lee Mason was the man in the middle and whistled for a minutes applause in memory Nobby Stiles who sadly passed away yesterday. Forest adorned in Grey kicked off in a sunny but very blustery Riverside with Boro setting up 4-3-2-1 with Coulson and Tavernier as Wingers. Almost immediately Colback went down very easily earning a soft and early free kick taken by Keeper Samba. Howson then set up an attack towards Tav chasing the ball and winning a corner as the ball ricocheted off Bong. A short corner was put in by Coulson but Colback cleared and then Samba collected Bola’s poor aimless ball back in.

Another Boro corner came in the fifth minute delivered in by McNair, headed clear by Figueiredo out for another corner. McNair’s second attempt ended going over with the suspicion that it should have been another corner but a goal kick was awarded. Enterprising start from Boro so far. Wood got a good strong early header in on the halfway line showing strength and in no way fazed. So far Forest were tentatively playing the ball out but in the opening ten minutes, they hadn’t looked convincing, no doubt that would have to change as the game went on if they wanted a result here.

Saville went down about thirty yards out looking for a free-kick but Lee Mason waved his claims away. Two minutes later a suspected handball in the build-up led to a Forest attempt from Yates fizzing over with a quarter of an hour gone. Yates was soon complaining about being hit in the face a minute later which ended with Morsy being booked yet Boro being awarded the free-kick in a strange piece of refereeing. Presumably, Morsy must have foolishly said something despite winning the decision.

An error in the Forest defence allowed Coulson to break but Samba stood strong and done well to save at the angle. The resultant corner from Tav was cleared out, hit low and at an easy height on eighteen minutes. On twenty minutes Morsy found Britt with a great cross and the ball going out for a Boro corner which was punched clear by Samba. Tav had a half scuffed shot trickle wide after being closed down in the twenty-third minute as Boro continued their dominance. It was a comfortable afternoon so far but Boro needed to make their domination count as the game headed towards the half-hour mark.

A mistake by Tav allowed the always lively Knockaert in but Wood met the cross in the box and cleared the danger down the touchline, going out near the technical areas, no messing from the youngster. From the throw-in Dijksteel stood strong, like a colossus on his right touchline, fending off the attacker, bringing the ball out of defence to the halfway line to send a tantalising ball seeing a clever run by Coulson and reading the intention but was just inches short of connecting.  

Figueiredo was thwarted by Wood and then as Boro went forward Britt picked up a loose back pass and should have buried it but dithered and then hit a soft shot straight at Samba to palm away into the path of Tav who picked up the rebound made space and then after doing the hard work launched it when he should have just simply slid it in. That was a gift that should have seen Boro one up. Strangely Morsy was then brought off for Spence with Tav going into the middle. Maybe it was to prevent a red card for Morsy who was both physically and verbally obvious to Lee Mason or tactical sensing that Bong looked suspect against the potential pace of Spence pace.

A run by Spence against Bong saw the Sub brought down on the touchline, McNair launched a great ball in towards the middle of the Forest box then a couple of air shots from Wood and then Tav saw a half chance go begging on thirty-eight minutes.

Knockaert put in a free-kick into the Boro box, blocked by Wood with Mckenna looming in a dangerous moment for the Boro with five minutes of the half remaining. A long ball clearance from the arms of Bettinelli was propelled by the wind, bouncing straight into the Forest box collected by Samba. Forest then strung a few close passes together but the end cross from Freeman was poor sailing behind Bettinelli’s goal.

One minute added time came up on the board as Bettinelli launched his goal kick straight out of play just over the halfway line. The half ended with Boro looking confident and we should have been at least one up if Britt had been more clinical. Forest had sixty per cent of the possession surprisingly but it was very much in their own half, recycling the ball with very little threat. Surely Hughton would address his sides indifferent showing in the second half especially looking at his bench with Taylor and Lolley sat there?

Boro recommenced with no changes but Hughton had brought Ameobi off for Lolley. Christie got a good early cross in but Wood once again got a great block in to deny the visitors and with it Guerrero their best chance so far. A soft free-kick conceded by Colback just over the halfway line saw McNair send in a ball that was cleared away by Knockaert, headed back in by Tav going out eventually for a Forest throw which looked to have come off a grey shirt on fifty minutes but Lee Mason seemed to favour Forest whenever a decision was questionable.

Figueredo brought down a breaking Coulson in a cynical foul earning himself a yellow card allowing another McNair free kick this time headed out by Christie's and eventually going out for a throw in to Forest seemingly on the basis that the Referee wasn’t sure so awarded it to the defending team. A Bola cross after Coulson played him in was easily collected by Samba as the game was entering a cagey safety first stage.

Howson fed Spence who in turn found Tav who was brought down for yet another free kick on the left side. Tavernier took it, driving his shot off the wall for a corner kick off Colback. A fierce McNair corner was headed up by Figueredo and then punched by Samba, cleared by Colback after a bit of chaos in the Forest box. On sixty minutes a Coulson cross found Britt in the box, prodded it to Spence then to Dijksteel just outside the box to Saville who skied his shot on sixty minutes. Frustrating!

McNair was done by Guerrero but done well to get back and put in a timely and not to mention classy sliding challenge in. That was nervy, resulting in the ball going out for a corner. As the corner was readied Cafu came on for the lacklustre Freeman. A packed Boro box saw the ball just go past the post from a rising Yates centrally who just glanced his header wide as the game approached the sixty-fifth minute. Phew!

Akpom was stripped ready to come on as Coulson advanced with Tavernier and in a great piece of play involving several red shirts Dijksteel saw his cross blocked for yet another corner this time conceded by Yates. The corner came in, cleared and then McNair and Saville put each other off and as the ball came back into the Forest box Figueredo swiped wildly and once again Lee Mason saw it as a goal kick rather than another Boro corner. Britt then made way after a disappointing afternoon which had looked slow and laboured, not for the first time Britt had failed to put away a sitter against his former side.

Seventy minutes saw a set-piece delivered in from Forest after a nothing incident imagined by Lee Mason and cleared. Boro needed to be careful that they didn’t fall behind to a sucker punch. Worryingly the visitors were enjoying their best spell of the game so far. Howson blocked a Lolley ball, cleared it to Akpom, in turn to Tav who was brought down on the “D” for a free-kick. McNair blasted it straight into the wall and Lee Mason blew as Yates went down with genuine concerns about his future fertility. Mason dropped the ball in favour to Boro much to the chagrin of Knockeart who wanted to “sportingly” send it back down the pitch to Bettinelli. As it happens it didn’t make much difference as Boro managed to conjure the same effect.

Marvin Johnson and Lyle Taylor were readied as Guerrero went off for Forest and the lively and effective but tiring Coulson off for Boro on seventy-seven minutes. Almost immediately Johnson put in a low cross, Tav went down under pressure from Yates looking for a penalty but Lee Mason was having none of it. A Bettinelli clearance upfield to Spence once again linked up well with Dijksteel who pulled it back to Saville who then put in a peach of a cross and super-sub Johnson outsmarted his marker Christie to hit a low, poked volley at the far post to put Boro deservedly one-nil up on eighty-one minutes.

In reply, Christie put in a good cross for Forest but not for the first time Wood stood firm and as the ball came back in from Lolley, Bettinelli came out and claimed it, deflating the brief spell of optimistic Trees threat. McKenna then had to cut out another Dijksteel cross as Spence played him in with the game livening up with Forest now having to go for it. In an advanced role, Bong then caught Dijksteel in the ribs with a raised boot in the Boro box as Spence combined with the Dutch destroyer to defy Bong from crossing. The free-kick was a welcome opportunity to take the sting out of the game.

Three minutes remained and it was getting a bit feisty out there. A Knockaert cross came in as he went round Dijksteel, Wood (yep again) cleared it out for a corner which was headed out to Cafu but Johnson sneaked in, swept up and snuffed out the danger. A long Forest ball was cleared out by Dijksteel but the ball came back in and Bettinelli wasn’t convincing in dealing with it but Johnson prevented a corner. With the Boro box now resembling the Alamo, another Knockaert cross went straight behind for a goal kick which Bettinelli in his accustomed manner delayed taking.

Three added minutes had come up, Boro were holding firm as bodies were being laid on the line. Finally, the whistle went. Nathan Wood channelled the late Nobby Stiles in his celebration with Bettinelli. Another three points, eight games unbeaten now, fifth place, into the Play-Offs places, two points off second place and dare I say it just six points from Reading at the top!

MOM for Boro was Jonny Howson but there were a few contenders in Red. Bola had his best game in a Boro shirt, unrecognisable from whoever the Bola of last season was, Virgil van Dijksteel was brilliant, Wood was imperious in his debut alongside the predictably fantastic McNair. It was by no means an entertaining, swashbuckling performance from Boro, it was another solid, impenetrable display that continues to breed confidence and belief. It was so complete that even the Prime Minister has taken a leaf out of Neil Warnock’s playbook and introduced a Boro style lockdown for the Country.

Team Line-ups, Substitutions and Match Stats


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Topic starter  

Savour this and enjoy!

https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/middlesbrough/form-guide


   
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The second half was the best I've seen us play as an attacking team since Woodgate's golden month. I thought the link up play between Bola and Coulson was excellent. Pretty much everyone playing seems to be playing in a position that they enjoy and are good at. Still not convinced by Spence; if Morsy was subbed to prevent a red card then I would have liked to see Wing get a chance but Warnock has proven a good judge of players so I can believe that he hasn't seen enough from Wing. I also get the impression that no one really knows what Tav's best position is yet. 


Ken Smith
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I reckon Redcar Red got as much enjoyment in writing this excellent report as we all did in reading it. The next three matches look tough but 4 points from those  would be very acceptable as we would have completed the first quarter of the season.

This post was modified 3 years ago by Ken Smith

   
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Clive Hurren
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Great report, RR. Thank you. 

This was a tremendous win. We not only stopped a potentially dangerous Forest side from playing, limiting them to very few shots on goal, we also dominated the game and carved out several chances. It was noticeable today how many crosses we put in, especially down the left where the link-up play between Coulson and Bola was impressive. Defensively, we must surely be the meanest side in this league - only 5 goals conceded in 9 games. 

It’s very much all coming together for Boro right now. Dare we start to dream? 

 


   
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Redcar Red, A veritable dissertation but I'm not complaining, a great report, another win and Mr Warnock has popped into the player store cupboard and out comes Wood, well done everybody.

Experience and nous, after last season Boro were left dangling by a golden thread now it's holding the team together as a team. A sterner test next but aren't they all?

Stay safe everybody,

John


   
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Once Again RR , writing up a win for the Boro. It just goes on and on, life imitating art?

I think we are in danger of the manager of the month curse, but it would be well deserved. That would be the true acid test of our latest form.

Thoroughly enjoyed the read and enjoyed the game as well. We had a small Halloween party by the pool at the Boro club house all carefully distanced..... all in all an enjoyable evening, topped off with Japanese draught beer.

Looking forward to the midweek game.

Hope this form keeps up.

 


   
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jarkko
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I agree with RR for his MoM nomination - Houson.

Also Nathan played well and the Echo gave him a nine.

And their Man Of The Match: NATHAN WOOD – You don’t get many 18-year-old centre-halves playing in the Championship – and you get even fewer who look as composed and accomplished as Boro’s latest academy product.

A great team performance. Let's enjoy the moment. Up the Boro!


   
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Thanks RR for another great read and spot on report, including MOTM.  

Not a classic by any means but I enjoyed our organisation and discipline, coupled with determination.  Some of our build up play was good to watch it's just a shame that at times we seem to lack quality in and around the box.  

As NW has mentioned provided you are patient and persevere then a goal will come and so it did, its just a shame that Britt is so inept with 1:1 situations.  Yesterday was one of his worst displays for a while and for me Akpom is the better option as he holds up and controls the ball better and I would put money on him to score more often than Britt in 1:1.

It was good to see Coulson played in what I believe is his best position, a wide left attacking role with a left back behind him, it worked so well in my view and made us more offensive.

Can't wait for Tuesday, it's about time we got something at Blackburn. 😎


   
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Many thanks to RR for rather spookily reporting on yet another win and it seems Boro are certainly playing without fear this season. I think the opposition are probably beginning to worry about how they can manage to score against Neil Warnock's men and that's now just one goal conceded in the last five games. Given that this season there are no real stand-out teams in the championship then Boro are beginning to put down a marker that they are surprise contenders.

Just listened to Neil Warnock's post-match press conference where he was very entertaining and came across as a well-balanced man who is clearly enjoying his time on Teesside. Here's the link if anyone wants to listen...

https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/watch-neil-warnock-post-match-media-conference-forest


   
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I get the feeling that an analogy of NW finally becoming Boro’s manager is a bit like being on holiday, you find the best places to go and meet the nicest people the day before you go home. 

The club, players and fans are the perfect mix for him. I get the impression he is enjoying this more than his previous tenures.


   
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Magic Johnson's tricky treat! A great headline and a great match report which as ever is appreciated by all of us at Diasboro. Long may this run continue right up to promotion (well I can dream can’t I ?)

I did think of another head line “Couldn’t see the Tricky Trees for the Wood!” But yours was great and better.

it’s a nice feeling to have a winning team and a manager who knows what he is doing. I love his press conferences and I have a completely different opinion about NW from my original perception of him. Either he’s mellowed or I have!

There seems to be a real good team spirit in the Boro which was highlighted when you saw Wood doing a little jig and high fives at the end of the game it meant so much to him.

Thanks again RR

 

OFB

long may this continue and that the season won’t come to a premature 

 

 


   
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@werdermouth...Great by NW but oh why can't they get the sound sorted for the reporters asking the questions. Very hard to hear.


   
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jarkko
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Posted by: @original-fat-bob 

There seems to be a real good team spirit in the Boro which was highlighted when you saw Wood doing a little jig and high fives at the end of the game it meant so much to him.

Thanks again RR

OFB

Exactly. Nathal's action at the end of the game was the highlight of the match for me. Up the Boro!


   
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Ken Smith
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Wasn’t Dael Fry much older when he made his debut at Deepdale? 


   
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I see Boro players didn’t kneel before the game. I have to admit I was glad, this empty gesture is just virtue signalling and should be dispensed with. 


   
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@grovehillwallah

Loved the report and the general tone of this blog, the person who mentioned the word control pleased me the most. When watching us close out recent matches one could not help remembering all the matches surrendered by blind panic in the last quarter. Must say that the manager has wasted very little time making game changing subs. When one thinks of the times Britt had been left on the field as other more effective ones had been removed, it is game changing at the end of matches to bring on someone who is going to scare the opposition.   just a final point, a great finish at a vital moment in the match, it was not a gimme, and not easy, probably best to blast it as he did than try to be clever.  


   
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Martin Bellamy
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@grovehillwallah I’d like to see a lot more virtue on display generally, whether signalled or not. It seems to be in short supply at the moment. 


   
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jarkko
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@ken

Dael Fry's full debut for Boro came on the opening day of the 2015/16 season when he turned in an impressive display at the heart of the defence during a 0-0 draw at Preston.

Date of birth: Aug 30, 1997

So I think Dael was 18 years old later the month when he made his debut. Nathan Wood was 18 on the last day of May 2020.

Up the Boro!


   
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Personally, I think taking the knee has long outlived itself as a gesture that makes a powerful statement and so have many people involved in football, including black players who now only see it as little more than a gesture that will not be backed by action.

Although, I'm equally against the phrase 'virtue signalling' that seems to have entered the mainstream but it's actually a phrase from the right that was designed to diminish those people who demonstrate their agreement with causes and campaigns that derived mainly from the left. While there may indeed be a few who wish to gain credibility by pretending to show concern on issues, I suspect it's a minority.

OK, you can highlight hypocrisy where it is evident in individuals but I'm wary of the trend in the media that happily use these new linguistic attempts to bully public opinion away from being able to agree with sentiments that are on the whole worthy - it's become a kind of subliminal nudge to dissuade people from showing support for just causes and is now become an easy retort to accuse people of not being genuine by some who may disagree with the cause.

We now hear regularly of words like 'woke' or 'snowflake generation' that are now forms of verbal insult that target people who publicly demonstrate concerns for social justice or appear sensitive to being offended. I suspect all these new phrases have just been amplified through the bear-pit of social media where all that is seemingly being achieved is the polarisation of society as users are now forced to take a side or have an opinion.

Maybe social media should be turned off during lockdown and then people may have to start thinking for themselves again and working out how to make sense of what they hear and read instead of just reacting to the daily noise. Maybe then at least we'll see the end of all these mindless conspiracy theories that undermine collective common sense and create endless unworthy cause that eat up priceless time and energy.


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Posted by: @jarkko

@ken

Dael Fry's full debut for Boro came on the opening day of the 2015/16 season when he turned in an impressive display at the heart of the defence during a 0-0 draw at Preston.

Date of birth: Aug 30, 1997

So I think Dael was 18 years old later the month when he made his debut. Nathan Wood was 18 on the last day of May 2020.

Up the Boro!

Thanks Jarkko. Actually I’ve just realised I meant to write ‘NOT much older’ but I’m still struggling to type with my left hand.


   
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Martin Bellamy
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@werdermouth Personally I’d be very disappointed if people didn’t think I was woke. I’ve always struggled to see any negative side to wokeness. 


   
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I'm still not sure what woke means - its a new word for me.


   
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jarkko
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Posted by: @allan-in-bahrain

I'm still not sure what woke means - its a new word for me.

And I was thinking I was the only one googling it ...

UTB!


   
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Posted by: @allan-in-bahrain

I'm still not sure what woke means - its a new word for me.

Don’t worry, by the time the vast majority outside the media world come across these words they are already several years out of date. Most people just live their normal lives and don’t concern themselves with this nonsense.


   
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I assumed that "woke" referred to the Pulis era when very few if indeed any of us could manage that for the entire ninety minutes 🙂

Either that or its a direct assault on the average age of most of us on here in which case can I be officially offended and take the settee for a nap?

This post was modified 3 years ago by Redcar Red

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@werdermouth

Just picked up on your reference to NW post match interview, clicked over to see it, yes, someone who regards the game as an amusement, sport, hobby, or pastime. Lovely to hear him lower pretentions when the Questions got heavy, Nice to have manager who can say things like 'our lads are not good enough to be ambitious', and we can only play whoever is available. All with an easy manner and a smile. 


   
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@allan-in-bahrain

It's very simple, 'woke' means aware of every statue that needs tearing down, every job that should go to some undeserving but worthy person who rather fancies a go. I think that should cover it.  


   
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Martin Bellamy
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@plato That’s the most ridiculous comment I’ve seen on this Forum so far. I’d like to think it was tongue in cheek, but I’m not so sure. 


   
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Ken Smith
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Here’s two older words that I’ve not heard recently:-

‘Wassock’ meaning an annoying or stupid person.

‘Radged’ meaning slightly crazy. Or another definition is to be aroused with excitement which might refer to Boro fans at the moment. However it was usually an alternative adjective for ‘orgasmic’.


   
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