Ken has volunteered for this one ☝️
Middlesbrough will today make their case for Paddy McNair's Huddersfield red card to be overturned.
The club have confirmed an appeal will be submitted this afternoon, with a hearing expected to take place on Thursday.
Boro will include video evidence of the incident from several angles in their appeal in the hope the sending off is wiped out.
My point was that they were brilliant, did as they wanted, would have, could have, scored at will (had they got the equaliser even five minutes from time then they would have got the winner) and that was a very uncomfortable feeling, this is of course the last 30 minutes, almost as though we had nothing more to give. Shall we say that we did not see it out, the ball simply would not enter our net, I can still see that left winger deciding what to do with the ball, doing it and then watching as we had another hair raising escape. I hope we got his name, because he can play at a higher level. Who needs scouts when players like that are giving a free trial on your own ground?
@plato. Whilst I don't dispute he had a good period, one swallow does not make a summer. 😎
READING BETWEEN THE LINES
I know an awful pun about Reading FC, but the Royals founded in 1871 are the 5th oldest English club that are still in existence participating in the four English Divisions (for the record Boro are 12th). However the Royals didn’t turn to professionalism until 1895 and weren’t elected to the Third Division South until 1920, and remained in that Division until six years later when they gained promotion to the Second Division and during that time twice paid host to Boro at Elm Park winning 2-1 in 1926 but losing to Boro 3-2 a year later. They were then relegated back to the Third Division South at the end of the 1930/31 season and remained there right up to the Second World War and beyond . They were probably unlucky not to be promoted to the Second Division again in both 1949 and 1952 when they were Champions, but in those days only the Champions of the two Third Division titles were promoted.
Having then spent 8 of 13 seasons in the Fourth Division Reading held the record for the number of successive wins for the start of a season with 13 in the 1985/86 season with a certain Trevor Senior, eventually becoming well known to Boro supporters, being top scorer for 7 seasons out of 8 for the Berkshire club. However the real turning point for Reading came in the 2005/06 season when they won the Championship with a record 106 points and only losing twice all season. Even so they were one of the favourites to be relegated from the Premier League in the following season. However they shocked Boro in their opening match at their new home named the Madjeski Stadium after their benefactor John Madjeski. In the televised match Boro had taken a 2-0 early lead with goals from Stewart Downing and Yakubu only for Reading to score twice in two minutes just before the interval with goals from Kitson and Sidwell, and the winner from Leroy Lita 10 minutes into the second half. Reading finished 8th in that season but were relegated the season after.
The Royals have had a somewhat chequered existence since with one season in the Premier League in the 2012/13 season, 3rd in the Championship in the 2016/17 season but finishing 20th in both 2017//18 and the following season, but here they are again in a playoff position. Nevertheless Boro’s record away to Reading is fairly even with 6 wins for Boro, 5 for the Royals and 6 draws. After the win against Huddersfield, Boro may now be considered reasonably safe from relegation, but if they have aspirations for a playoff place I reckon this Saturday’s match is a ‘must win’ game, not merely a ‘not lose’ one. However Millwall won at the Madejski a week or so ago, so why can’t Boro?
"talking about me, like" a Geordie would say " talking about me, you know though but"!
Is this a secret life OFB.
UTB,
John
Posh Geordie ? Talking about me.....?
I think we said posh Geordie not rotund! 🤣 🤣 🤣
READING BETWEEN THE LINES
I know an awful pun about Reading FC, but the Royals founded in 1871 are the 5th oldest English football club that are still in existence participating in the 4 top divisions of the Football League (Boro are the 12th). However they didn’t turn to professionalsm until 1895 and were elected to the new Third Division South Division in 1920 and remained in that Division until gaining promotion to the Second Division six years later, entertaining Boro at Elm Park twice winning 2-1 against Boro in 1926 but losing to Boro 3-2 in the following season. They were then relegated back to the Third Division South at the end of the 1930/31 season where they remained until the Second World War and beyond. They were probably unlucky not to regain their status in 1949 and again in 1952 as they were runners-up, but in those days only the Champions of the two regional Third Divisions were promoted.
Having then spent 8 of the following 13 years in the Fourth Division, they survived a takeover by the Labour MP Robert Maxwell and Oxford United owner who wanted to merge Oxford and Reading into a club to be known as Thames Valley Royals. That merger or takeover was doomed to fail and suddenly Reading sprung to life by winning their first 13 matches in the 1985/86 season with a certain Trevor Senior who became well known to Boro fans in 1988, being the Royal’s top scorer in 7 out of 8 seasons at that time. However the real turning point for the Berkshire club came in the 2005/06 season when they won the Championship with a record haul of 106 points, and only lost twice. By then the Royals had moved into the Madejski Stadium named after their benefactor, John Madejski. Even so the tipsters had the Royals favourites for relegation. Their opening match in the Premier League was a home match against the Boro. The televised match soon had Boro leading 2-0 with goals from Stewart Downing and Yakubu, but Reading scored twice in two minutes just before the interval with goals from Kitson and Sidwell, and Leroy Lita scored the winner for the Royals ten minutes into the second half.
Reading actually finished 8th in that season but were relegated the season after. The Royals have had a somewhat chequered existence since with one more season in the Premier League in the 2006/08 season, third in the Championship in the 2016/17 season but 20th in successive seasons thereafte, yet here thev are again in a top six position this season. Nevertheless Boro’s overall record away to Reading is finely balanced with 6 Boro victories, 6 draws and 5 defeats. After the win against Huddersfield, Boro may well consider themselves free from relegation this season, but if they have aspirations to reach the playoffs this is a ‘must win’ match, not a ‘must not lose’ fixture. However Millwall won at the Madejski a week ago, so why shouldn’t Boro?