Boro V Preston North End
So, after another weekend of “will Boro make the playoffs?” we look to Tuesday evenings home game against Preston North End Football Club. Another ‘must win’ game for us and three precious points essential if Boro are to try and gain some momentum and charge up the table and go sneaking into the sixth and final place of the promotion hopefuls. As Neil Warnock constantly says, “No team will fancy us playing against them in the playoffs,”
Turning to our next opponents, they were originally a cricket club and Preston has been based at Deepdale since 1875. The club first took up football in 1878 as a winter fitness activity and decided to focus on it in May 1880, when the football club was officially founded. Deepdale is now football's oldest ground in terms of continuous use by a major league club.Hopefully, we will whip their bails off and score six with no wides by Assombolanga on Tuesday. They had a disappointing defeat away at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday losing 1 0, they are now languishing in fifteenth place with 44 points on the table with nothing of note to play for. They apparently played on Saturday as if the season was due to end next week and hopefully,they will continue in a similar vein on Tuesday night.
As Neil Warnock constantly warns “Every team can beat each other in this League” and therefore Boro must be prepared to battle it out, as we all know that our team has not batted away lesser opposition at home this season or bowled over the fans with an attacking display. Boro seem to start very slowly and even against Stoke on Saturday seemed to be under the cosh and gave us the googlies for the first twenty minutes.
For those historians amongst us (Ken) Preston North End was a founder member of the Football League in 1888 and in the 1888–89 season, the team won both the inaugural league championship and the FA Cup, the latter without conceding a goal. They were the first team to achieve the "Double" in English football and, as they were unbeaten in all matches, are remembered as "The Invincibles". Preston won the league championship again in 1889–90 but their only major success since then has been their 1938 FA Cup Final victory over Huddersfield Town. The club's most famous players have been Tom Finney and Bill Shankly, who are both commemorated at Deepdale by stands named after them. Other notable players include Tommy Docherty, Alan Kelly Sr. and Graham Alexander.
Until 1961, Preston were usually members of the First Division but, having been relegated after the 1960–61 season, they have not yet returned to the top-flight. They were first relegated to the Third Division after the 1969–70 season and have spent 28 of the 49 seasons since 1970 in the bottom two divisions of the Football League, including a span of 19 seasons from 1981-1982 to 1999–2000. Preston has faced serious financial issues and was twice in danger of closure.
On a financial note, the club is now owned by businessman Trevor Hemmings and has been established in the EFL Championship since gaining promotion in 2015and he injected just over £15m over the course of the 2019/20 season.
Ex footballer turned pundit Chris Sutton, who won the Premier League title with Blackburn Rovers in 1995, feels Preston North End boss Alex Neil could be a candidate for the vacant position at Celtic.
“He gets a bit of a bashing at times for the job he does at Preston, but I don’t see them as a team with a budget up there with the teams who are going to push for promotion," added Sutton. “They play a decent brand of football, he’s an organiser and knows the Scottish game.”
One of our former players who signed for Preston North End striker David Nugent, is now on loan for Tranmere Rovers and at Wembley Stadium on Sunday against Sunderland. He was loaned to the League Two club in the January transfer window, having not been involved in PNE's 2020/21 campaign in any capacity. His deal at Deepdale is up in the summer after signing a two-year deal in the summer of 2019, with Nugent's second stint with North End not the fairy-tale second chapter many dreamt of.
Whilst it would be a fair assessment for Tuesday’s game that our manager would name an unchanged team, he has a habit of springing surprises. Players like Saville, Johnson, Mendez-Laing and Watmore are still fresh and squad rotation would ease tired legs over a gruelling three match period, culminating in a hard away game at Millwall on Saturday. One thing for certain in my mind is that Paddy McNair has to operate in midfield for the rest of the seasonafter a man of the match performance against Stoke.
My forecast? Well, its not eyeballs in the sky as we need to win so a 2 0 result will suit me fine “howzat”?
OFB
OFB
Middlesbrough's important victory over Stoke City keep them in the race for the play-offs and it was very nearly part of a perfect weekend for us all.
With ten minutes to go, all four sides directly above them in the Championship table were on course to drop points as we looked to be gaining ground on their rivals.
But Barnsley netted a third goal in a five-goal thriller at Bournemouth with ten minutes remaining to ensure their incredible form continued - and their eight-point cushion over Boro remained.
It was perhaps the only negative and frustrating element of an excellent weekend for Boro, as Reading only managed a draw with Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City lost for the very first time under Mick McCarthy.
It just served to tighten things up further still as Barnsley joined Reading on 61 points - both eight ahead of Boro. But just above our side in the chasing pack, defeats for Cardiff and Bournemouth means Boro are just one point behind the Bluebirds and three behind Jonathan Woodgate's team. Warnock is still clear in his verdict that Boro remain underdogs to make up the deficit with ten games remaining, but by the time we reach the international break after next weekend's games we should have a far clearer picture of whether Boro can truly get back into the mix.
For Boro before the break comes two more important games. On Tuesday night against Preston who they lost 3-0 too back in December, before then travelling to Millwall who are hot on Boro's heels in tenth.
The Lions' win over Derby on Saturday kept them four points off Boro and if they manage to beat QPR on Wednesday then the clash at the Den next weekend could have similar significance to the Stoke win.
Realistically, Boro need six points from the next two and hope that the four above them continue to drop points along the way.
Great start to the Preston game OFB, plenty to digest there and reasons to be cheerful (part two, hopefully).
Middlesbrough's important victory over Stoke City keep them in the race for the play-offs and it was very nearly part of a perfect weekend for us all.
With ten minutes to go, all four sides directly above them in the Championship table were on course to drop points as we looked to be gaining ground on their rivals.
But Barnsley netted a third goal in a five-goal thriller at Bournemouth with ten minutes remaining to ensure their incredible form continued - and their eight-point cushion over Boro remained.
It was perhaps the only negative and frustrating element of an excellent weekend for Boro, as Reading only managed a draw with Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City lost for the very first time under Mick McCarthy.
It just served to tighten things up further still as Barnsley joined Reading on 61 points - both eight ahead of Boro. But just above our side in the chasing pack, defeats for Cardiff and Bournemouth means Boro are just one point behind the Bluebirds and three behind Jonathan Woodgate's team. Warnock is still clear in his verdict that Boro remain underdogs to make up the deficit with ten games remaining, but by the time we reach the international break after next weekend's games we should have a far clearer picture of whether Boro can truly get back into the mix.
For Boro before the break comes two more important games. On Tuesday night against Preston who they lost 3-0 too back in December, before then travelling to Millwall who are hot on Boro's heels in tenth.
The Lions' win over Derby on Saturday kept them four points off Boro and if they manage to beat QPR on Wednesday then the clash at the Den next weekend could have similar significance to the Stoke win.
Realistically, Boro need six points from the next two and hope that the four above them continue to drop points along the way.
OFB
Middlesbrough's important victory over Stoke City keep them in the race for the play-offs and it was very nearly part of a perfect weekend for us all.
With ten minutes to go, all four sides directly above them in the Championship table were on course to drop points as we looked to be gaining ground on their rivals.
But Barnsley netted a third goal in a five-goal thriller at Bournemouth with ten minutes remaining to ensure their incredible form continued - and their eight-point cushion over Boro remained.
It was perhaps the only negative and frustrating element of an excellent weekend for Boro, as Reading only managed a draw with Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City lost for the very first time under Mick McCarthy.
It just served to tighten things up further still as Barnsley joined Reading on 61 points - both eight ahead of Boro. But just above our side in the chasing pack, defeats for Cardiff and Bournemouth means Boro are just one point behind the Bluebirds and three behind Jonathan Woodgate's team. Warnock is still clear in his verdict that Boro remain underdogs to make up the deficit with ten games remaining, but by the time we reach the international break after next weekend's games we should have a far clearer picture of whether Boro can truly get back into the mix.
For Boro before the break comes two more important games. On Tuesday night against Preston who they lost 3-0 too back in December, before then travelling to Millwall who are hot on Boro's heels in tenth.
The Lions' win over Derby on Saturday kept them four points off Boro and if they manage to beat QPR on Wednesday then the clash at the Den next weekend could have similar significance to the Stoke win.
Realistically, Boro need six points from the next two and hope that the four above them continue to drop points along the way.
OFB
Doubly correct 🙂
I had a quick look at the remaining fixtures and, going purely by the strength of their opposition, I reckon that Reading are more vulnerable to dropping points than Barnsley unless the enormity of the whole idea of promotion gets to Barnsley as a club. They both have two winnable games before the break and then they meet at Barnsley in the first game back which should be a cracker. Then in the seven final games, Barnsley only play top teams in the top half namely, H to Boro and H to Norwich on the very last day when Norwich will already be promoted. In the same run, Reading have to play Watford (A), Cardiff (H), Swansea (H) and Norwich (A). One could just about imagine them dropping the points that would be necessary to let us catch up but we have to be almost perfect over the next ten games. It seems unlikely but two wins this week would certainly add a touch of spice.
UTB
Before I start to concentrate on the Preston game, I remember yesterday.
Sunderland ended their 48-year Wembley hoodoo by winning the Papa John's Pizza trophy. What was the cup we won at Wembley? Something similar, when Mogga was a captain but injured. Cannot remember the year but AV was there and had fond memories.
And what the Intertoto Cup that was won by Newcastle this Centenary?
Up the Boro!
Before I start to concentrate on the Preston game, I remember yesterday.
Sunderland ended their 48-year Wembley hoodoo by winning the Papa John's Pizza trophy. What was the cup we won at Wembley? Something similar, when Mogga was a captain but injured. Cannot remember the year but AV was there and had fond memories.
And what the Intertoto Cup that was won by Newcastle this Centenary?
Up the Boro!
That was the Zenith Data Systems Cup (the Micky Mouse Cup as it was mockingly labelled).
I think your memory is playing a trick on you Jarkko, because we lost that game to Chelsea.
Excellent opening postings in this thread OFB, thank you.
PNE are definitely capable of spoiling the party for us on Tuesday and after reading what their manager had to say on Radio Lancashire there, I think we will need to be alert from the off as I expect they will start with all guns blazing, which is never a good thing for this Boro side, which is now famously bad for slow starting.
However, I am expeting us to atone for that 3-0 capitulation in East Lancs earlier in the season. The hard way as always, coming back after PNE take the customary early lead, to win 2-1.
Thanks for kicking us off, OFB. A great service provided by yourself and RR as ever in Werder's absence. Just give the rest of us a kick if you want some others to pitch in - I'm sure myself and others are more than willing to take some of the strain.
The win at the weekend kept our faint hopes alive but they are little more than hopes at this stage. Even if we beat Preston and then Millwall we'll still likely find ourselves 5+ points adrift. It's tough to make gains at the top end of the league.
What's more, I don't think we're ready to go up in any case. Of course, you'd never turn down the chance of £100m+ and I'd trust that money in NW's hands more than most but I don't think it's the end of the world if we miss out and can go again next season, when we'd surely have a good chance of the playoffs despite some pretty decent sides coming down from the Premier League.
We need to keep fighting for it though and you feel that if we turn up, we'll beat Preston. I fancy that our best is better than theirs but the usual question applies - which Boro will turn up?
Thanks Andy
Both RR and myself are happy for others to contribute writing the leader post for games.
If you are willing perhaps you could do the post for the Millwall game and this notice period will give you plenty of time to write something. If you are unable to do this it’s not a problem just let us know.
looking forward to your contribution.
many thanks
OFB
I live deep in PNE territory, but there are lots of clubs in the North West and a massive rivalry between them. In some respects Boro fans are lucky, in that if you’re from Middlesbrough, you’re not likely to support any other club (unless you’re purely an armchair fan, I guess).
Preston fans seem to hate Blackpool most of all, so the Seasiders Oyston-backed sojourn in the EPL was a hard pill for them to swallow. What’s happened since at Bloomfield Road has unsurprisingly cheered up many of my Lilywhite supporting neighbours.
PNE supporters have a local tradition that if they get relegated, a coffin is carried through the streets of nearby Bamber Bridge before being “buried” in the cellar of the Trades Club. It only reappears when they get promoted.
No problem, OFB. I'll do something for Millwall.
That was the Zenith Data Systems Cup (the Micky Mouse Cup as it was mockingly labelled).
I think your memory is playing a trick on you Jarkko, because we lost that game to Chelsea.
ZDS Cup! I remember AV is always writing about the Wembley appearance. But it was the first one.
I do not have a clear memory of the Cup as our second child was born about that time. And I followed Boro mainly by looking at the results.
So our Wembley hoodoo is still going on. Is this our 144 th year now? Wembley virgins ...
But let's be positive. We won the League Cup in Wales. Up the Boro!
Is the Burnley v Blackburn still the most fiercely contested derby in Lancashire, ignoring obviously the Liverpool and Manchester derbyies? I may be wrong, but isn’t the post code for Burnley BB the same as Blackburn. I know that WF the Wakefield post code is used in Castleford and Featherstone, but Wakefield is a Metropolitan Borough, but I doubt that Blackburn is. If I’m honest (to quote a Warnockism), I think that there should be no more than 2 clubs from the same city allowed in the same division. There are far too many London clubs in the Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Palace, Spurs and West Ham) giving them a decided advantage in travelling costs and players a days off. How to eradicate that is the problem, maybe amalgamation!!!
Should 3 Welsh clubs (Cardiff, Newport and Swansea, and formerly Wrexham) even be allowed in the English Leagues? After all neither Celtic or Rangers are. Would a Finnish club be allowed to participate in the Swedish League?
Is the Burnley v Blackburn still the most fiercely contested derby in Lancashire, ignoring obviously the Liverpool and Manchester derbyies? I may be wrong, but isn’t the post code for Burnley BB the same as Blackburn. I know that WF the Wakefield post code is used in Castleford and Featherstone, but Wakefield is a Metropolitan Borough, but I doubt that Blackburn is. If I’m honest (to quote a Warnockism), I think that there should be no more than 2 clubs from the same city allowed in the same division. There are far too many London clubs in the Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Palace, Spurs and West Ham) giving them a decided advantage in travelling costs and players a days off. How to eradicate that is the problem, maybe amalgamation!!!
There’s certainly no love lost between Burnley and Blackburn (and you’re right about the BB postcodes) but you can throw Bolton into the mix too.
Since Fleetwood have grown as a club their ire is directed at Blackpool, of course.
The majority of fans who lived in Wigan when I worked there were Liverpool or Everton supporters (it’s a RL town primarily of course). Dave Whelan’s ambition changed that with younger supporters getting behind the club but it’s still not a football hotbed. Good news that the Latics have been saved though.
@ken : Berwick Rangers - Berwick (the town rather than the county) is very definitely in Northumberland yet playing in the Scottish leagues for 100+ (???) years. I suspect since the 1880s.
They have recently been relegated, I think, into the Scottish Lowland League.
Yes they have, but conversely Gretna FC played in the English Northern League from 1947 until being admitted to the Scottish Second Division in 2002. Theoretically they shouldn’t have been playing in England anyway. Sadly after 3 promotions and reaching the Scottish Premier League and even reaching the Scottish FA Cup Final in 2006 where they lost to Hearts after a penalty shootout, they went into liquidation. Apparently a new club Gretna 2008 play in the East of Scotland League.
It is not an accident that so many are in the Prem. The usual 3-4 are playing tricks with the loan system, plus a hand up when it really matters at the end of the season. Because they will never have the votes to grab all the money swilling around the system, they are on a mission to pack the prem with London clubs, as noted it cuts the expenses, cuts the away matches, and ' controls ' the lesser clubs by cutting the supply of 'loans' also known as bribes. Just to point out that there are a few London clubs who, with the appropriate 'help' would fit right in. Fulham have about a dozen loanees, most from the three London 'big' clubs, I might say that these are quality players with big futures ahead of them. It is funny to see the anguish amongst the press men as Fulham struggle frantically just in the last drop spot. Always going to escape, but always some dreadful club from nowhersvill manages to scramble the win at 90 minutes. Who can forget the 90 minute outrage when the Fulham Keeper rearranged an opponent who was about to score and change the result. But all was well, no foul.
OFB,
Thanks for the leader, well written and a pleasure to read. As always one caveat is which Boro turns up and Boro's new 'red-zone' seems to be the first twenty minutes, let's hope that Mr Warnock gets them revved up and raring to go.
He needs to work his magic and of that I'm sure he's more than capable, hopefully he won't play Britt and cripple us with a non-effort making passenger before we start.
Prediction? Boro 3 - 1 Preston. On the other hand...
Stay safe everyone.
UTB,
John
This evening's line-up - Fisher in for Spence, Tav & Fletch on the bench, no Britt:
Off topic, I see that Aitor's left Birmingham & has been replaced by Lee Bowyer (ex-Charlton)!
Boro a goal to the good after 22 minutes courtesy of an OG from Jordan Storey. 🙂
Boro a goal to the good after 22 minutes courtesy of an OG from Jordan Storey. 🙂
And a player to the good too 🙂
So an OG a disallowed goal and a sending off if the Boro don’t win this they won’t win anything this season!
OFB
Hoofball dross from Boro for half an hour with not a decent move in sight.
The only creative passing play came from Preston who hit the bar and had a goal disallowed for offside.
After his season best display on Saturday, Bettinelli was back to fumbling the ball twice when he should easily have gathered.
Yet inexplicably Boro found themselves in front when a poor Bolasie cross was sliced into his own net by Storey with not a red shirt in sight.
Boro's great good fortune continued with a red card for Preston's Brown after a tussle with Morsy.
Thereafter, with a man advantage we began to see more of the ball, though the biggest threat came from a Preston corner on the half-time whistle.
If Boro do not go on to clinch a comfortable win from this position our season will effectively come to an ignominious end, and there will be one hell of an inquest.
Vic's half-time summary:
HT: 1-0. Sometimes you need a slice of luck. Or three. Preston were the better side early on but have hit the bar, had one ruled out for offside, scored an own goal & had their skipper sent off after a tussle. Alex Neil will be fuming. Boro not great but you'll take it
followed by:
HA! RED CARD. Furious Preston boss Alex Neil has been sent off for going full Warnock and haranguing the ref after the half-time whistle
Not sure it's already been mentioned, but the ref, for what it's worth, is Olver Langford.
A very unconvincing first half with Preston looking the better side and more in control of the ball than Boro, who have played like they did against Stoke during the early part of that game.
We have barely threatened and are ahead through a lucky, for us, own goal albeit it could have been 1-2 as Preston have had one goal disallowed and hit the bar.
Morsy is lucky that he did not receive a red card as there appeared to be arms and legs being used by both players.
Despite the numerical advantage we need to improve markedly if we are to keep the lead and gain three points which are badly needed. 😎
Morsy is lucky that he did not receive a red card as there appeared to be arms and legs being used by both players.
Vic:
Morsy taken off (safely away from retribution) with fit-again flanker Tav coming on