Some very interesting posts, especially deleriad, Len and exmil.
Thanks for all of those and other contributions. This has turned out to be a great thread, despite the defeat.
I thought that it was significant to hear our Managers words re. How pleased he was about our general situation. I thought that what our opponents faced last night bore no resemblance to our current talents. The method we used last night, giving the ball to a winger who dribbles furiously in a crowd of opponents (endlessly) and further more, is ill suited to our killer game, which is swift passing, and quick shooting, and fearless of going behind. The resting of our priceless striker was displaying a ruthless streak which unfortunately has to be displayed in these situations, in the cause of the big prize. I am opttomistic !
Not too sure that Luton will finish 3rd yet. If Blackburn beat Luton, then the Hatters might find it difficult to overcome Hull City on the evidence of the Tigers first half performance at the Riverside and Luton’s display last night, and assuming that Boro even with a depleted team beat both Rotherham and Coventry then Boro would finish 3rd.
In any event until all clubs have only one league match to play, then we really have no idea which club Boro would prefer to meet in the playoffs or at Wembley. Personally I would love Boro to meet Sunderland at some point.
As most of us seem to agree that Boro are the team that every other team would wish to avoid, why should the Mackems be any different?
For our last match of the regular season home against Coventry on 8 May there is only 25 tickets left UTB
Come on BORO.
@exmil - That's good news and hopefully there will be a raucus atmosphere at the game.
And no doubt there will be the usual warnings (which may be ignored): "Please do NOT invade the pitch at the end of the match - supporters who ignore this may be banned from future games . The players want to walk around the pitch to show their appreciation to fans who have supported the team all season. If there is a pitch invasion the players may not be allowed to make their walk."
I think that clubs may not fancy playing the Boro but they also can’t fancy playing Luton. They are 12 games unbeaten and have found their own way of winning games without much fuss. MC has quite rightly received glowing praise for his work but the Luton manager’s statistics are virtually the same but hasn’t always received the appropriate plaudits.
Luton look likely to finish third in the Championship- deservedly so and the table doesn’t lie at the end of the season.
Philip of Huddersfield
@andy-,
“tactically and aesthetically superior in the main - but the performance was some way short of many, many others we've put together over recent months.”
I concur with that assessment Andy but it also has to be put into the context of five changes in the side, players who were rusty and with very little game time.
A number would have struggled even to make the bench had MC had a full complement to choose from and given that I think it speaks volumes in the way we played, dominated a very physical and direct side who were on a long unbeaten run; take out the dubious decisions then on another night we may have been comfortable winners. 😎
@exmil. Gulp, just going to check my brother has got mine!😉😎
I have now watched two full Luton games recently against Watford and ourselves and at best I would describe them, more kindly, as a functional team, more critically as a kick and run side.
Perhaps Rob Edwards has identified their strengths and is utilising it to the full but I am very glad that he didn’t become our manager no matter what the results and table may say. 😎
I have now watched two full Luton games recently against Watford and ourselves and at best I would describe them, more kindly, as a functional team, more critically as a kick and run side.
Perhaps Rob Edwards has identified their strengths and is utilising it to the full but I am very glad that he didn’t become our manager no matter what the results and table may say. 😎
I think that's unfair. You don't have to be kind to say that they're a team that is direct, aggressive and well-organised. They may not play pretty football but they do play good, honest, no-frills football that makes the most of their players. Edwards apparently did much the same at Forest Green Rovers.
Sure, I prefer the way we play under Carrick but doesn't mean I can't appreciate different ways of playing. I'm sure that Luton fans are on Cloud 9 right now.
Hard to know what Edwards would have done with our squad, which has been assembled with a focus on good technical players. He clearly wouldn't have been able to coach them to play the way Carrick has but we would probably have set up much the same way as Sheffield Utd do with a very structured shape that lays a foundation for their creative players.
@martin-bellamy Hi Martin. It is due to be available on the SKY Red Button.
The goal scoring feats of this team just keep getting better. Three players in double figures, Archer most by a loan player since Patrick Bamford. 38 away goals most since 1961 and if we score one at Rotherham the most since 1931.
I don't blame you exmil. I always associate cold wet Tuesday nights with Stoke.
@martin-bellamy Hi Martin. It is due to be available on the SKY Red Button.
Damn, I don’t think I get the red button on BTTV/NowTV.
@martin-bellamy I get my SKY Sports through NOW TV as well, but not on the BT platform.
NOW is one of the Apps on my "Smart" TV, so I take it directly from the Internet. For me the Red Button games are available by scrolling down to the bottom of the NOW home page and whenever there are Red Button games being streamed they show as a set of "BONUS STREAMS" to choose from. These streams only show on the home page when they are actually active (i.e. once the particular 'event' has started to be be streamed.), otherwise there is nothing to let you know they might be there when a match starts.
I just took a look on some BT TV forums and it looks as if the Red Button "Bonus Stream" should be available to you on NOW TV as well. Same as for me, from the Now home page scroll to the bottom and the "Bonuys Stream" options should be there, but only when the stream is active (ie the match is about to start)
Here's the link I got the information from .... https://community.bt.com/t5/BT-Devices/BT-TV-red-button-sky-sports/td-p/2274274
@powmillnaemore Remenber the old days, when you looked the local newspaper for the programme details. Then you opened the TV and it was there. No log-in problems, no freezing screens, etc. It was easy.
Now I have over 50 channels available (I guess) but only use two plus EuroSport for snooker and cycling and ViaPlay for football. But not anything else.
It is the same with my 2 month old car. 90 % of time I can see the camera view when reversing but not always. 90 % of time I can switch from Spotify to radio, but not always. Even once the engine did not go from normal drive mode to dynamic (diffent settings for gearbox, gas pedal and power steering).
How easy life was before digitalisation.
But of course nowaday I can watch all Boro matches live via ViaPlay or RiversideLive. Up the Boro!
PS. I can listen to BBC Radio Tees or commentary from a Boro match while driving. But watching is not allowed yet. Up the Boro!
I wasn’t sure where to give my thoughts on Hartlepool United’s likely relegation to the National League, but as many Boro fans were grateful for allowing Boro to play at the once named Victoria Ground in 1986 I decided to give a brief history of Hartlepool United, the club I often visited in my youth as my parents had friends in ‘British West Hartlepool’ as it was often referred to during the Second World War; I’m not sure why, but perhaps someone will enlighten me.
The main news today is that the club has been put up for sale, the news coming days before their last home match of the season against Barrow. Pools biggest win 10-1 was against Barrow in 1959, but even a repeat 10-1 win against the Cumbrians on Saturday is very unlikely to stave off relegation to the National League.
But now for a brief history of the football club so dear to my heart. They were originally founded as West Hartlepool A.F.C. in 1900 and joined the Northern League winning the FA Amateur Cup five years later with a 3-2 win against Clapton Orient. The club then changed its name to Hartlepools United in 1908 and from there onwards always played in Blue and White because of their near location to the North Sea.
Hartlepools United were admitted to the Football League in 1921 and beat Wrexham 2-0 in its first league game in Division Three North finishing the season in 4th position.
The final capital ‘S’ was important at that time due to the merger with West Hartlepool (more famous as a Rugby Union club in those days, who actually played in the Rugby Union Courage League for several seasons). It wasn’t until 1968 when Hartlepool Borough Council was formed that the ‘S’ was dropped by the football club to embrace Hartlepool with the village of Hart.
Hartlepools United largest attendance was on the 5th of January 1957 when 17,426 spectators attended the FA Cup third round match against Matt Busby’s Manchester United. Liam Whelan, Johnny Berry and Jack Rowley scored in the first 30 minutes to put the Busby Babes 3-0 ahead, but the tenacious Pool’s fought back with goals from Frank Stamper, Ken Johnson and Jackie Newton to draw level. It took another Liam Whelan goal in the 79th minute to win the game for the Babes. Nevertheless Matt Busby praised Pool’s for their endeavours and maintained that it was the most exciting match that he had witnessed at the time.
Richie Humphreys holds the record of most appearances for Hartlepool with 543 from 2002 to 2013, though I don’t recall his playing except on television, but the stand out player for me was captain Watty Moore who made 472 appearances between 1948 and 1960. The only player to play for his country whilst still playing for Hartlepool was Ambrose Fogarty who played in a match for the Republic of Ireland against Spain in 1964.
Finally the cartoonist Reg Smythe was born in Hartlepool and created the cartoon strip of Andy Capp in the Daily Mirror from 1957 till 1998, the year of his demise.
I’ve purposely refrained from reporting about Brian Clough, etc as most Boro fans are well aware of most of the history of our nearest neighbours, but I’ve added titbits which some Diasborians might not be aware of. But please don’t shoot the messenger!
@powmillnaemore That's great info - thank you so much, I’ll check it out.
Watched Sheffield United tonight. They never seem impressive when I’ve watched them but have the knack of winning games.
Difficult for their opponents WBA to finish in the top 6 now, with games v Norwich and Swansea who are in good form.
Do not rule out Boro v Sunderland in the play offs which didn’t seem possible a few games ago. Mogga has done a remarkable job with long term injuries to key players. Has been forced to play young lads - average age last game only 22.
Meanwhile, the locals here, are pleased Sheffield are promoted as they play them soon and are hoping they’ll field a weakened team and also not be as motivated to win the game having secured promotion.
Philip of Huddersfield
@martin-bellamy. Martin according to the MFC website the match is available via Riverside Live. 😎
@martin-bellamy. Martin according to the MFC website the match is available via Riverside Live. 😎
Thanks KP.
As a great supporter of our local teams I thought I’d give folks an insight into how the season has evolved. Having written about Hartlepool United’s impending relegation to the National League where with each club having only one match to play Wrexham have already confirmed promotion to the Football League with 110 points, 4 more than Notts County who like Pools last season are probably favourites to win the elongated playoff system. Amongst our local clubs both York City and Gateshead have avoided relegation.
Sadly in the National League North Darlington who at Christmas were heading the table, have had a disastrous time since not only missing out on the playoffs but with only one match left to fulfill their season have sunk as low as 13th at the moment.
In the National Premier League South Shields who were unfairly deprived of promotion due to Covid, are Champions with 85 points. Both Whitby Town and Marske United who for much of the season were in the 4 relegation spots, have recovered sufficiently to finish 15th and 16th and safe from relegation. This will certainly please one of my relatives whose house overlooks the Mount Pleasant ground as by January he envisaged a return to oblivion. Meanwhile Stockton Town face an away trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels for a grand final playoff in the Eastern part of the league.
In the Northern League First Division Bishop Auckland finished 3rd with 78 points but missed out on promotion. Redcar Athletic rounded off their season with a 2-0 home win over Whickham to finish 6th with 63 points whilst Guisborough Town finished 9th with 57 points. Sadly however Thornaby finished bottom with a meagre 40 points and will start next season in the Second Division.
The outstanding team in the Second Division has been Boro Rangers who have headed the table practically all season. They have finished with 93 points and automatic promotion, whilst Billingham Town with 86 points finished 4th and will contest against Bedlington Terriers for a place in the Grand Final and a quick return to the First Division. Redcar Town with 64 points finished 7th, whilst Billingham Synthonia with 40 points finished 16th but nevertheless just escaped relegation.
I note the messasges above about NowTV, SkY Red button etc. I reeived a letter from BT a week or so ago, in which they reminded me that my BT Broadband and landline contracts were about to end and that, if other arrangements were not made, I'd be paying for phone calls on BT's (expensive) normal tariff. I have no idea what would have happened to the Broadband coverage and I can't be bothered now to look further at the letter to see if it spells that out. However the letter didn't give any phone number for BT (a little ironic, don't you think?) as they offered only their internet details to go to their website. I had to Google "How to speak to a Human at BT"! Once I rang the number I got straight through.
I wanted to speak to somebody because I wanted to sort out everything (Landline which I need as mobile coverage in my home is "patchy" even for text messaging; Mobile Phone contract which I got through BT and now EE and which is linked to the other services, Broadband package as well as BT Sports which I previously had only on my phone but wanted on my TV as well). I have in fact now sorted everything out vai telephone, with all services running from the same date. So all this mention of BTTV is interesting to me. Apparently I will be onstream sometime tomorrow but I am waiting for my new EE SIM Card for my Mobile Phone, and a BTTV Box (which in my ignorance, I'd never perviously heard of). So I will have to install the new kit and then have a look around the system and find out what will be available to me. Hopefully all the channels.
This may be irrelevant to those Diasboro readers/members who live in other parts of the UK or even abroad, but in August 2021 there was a fire at the Bilsdale Transmitter, on top of the North York Moors, which services Teesside, North Yorkshire and much of County Durham. The mast & broadcasting equipment had suffered such damage that a repair was not possible. A new mast was needed and in view of its size/height and because of bad weather and difficulties with the local landowner, it has taken AGES to get the project to a conclusion. No doubt if it had been a transmitter providing coverage to London it would have been resolved much quicker rather than taking almost 2 years (and counting). A temporary (shorter) mast was put up to allow some parts of the region to get some of the services provided by the original mast, whilst the full-size mast is erected. Sadly my house (like many others in my village) can't receive the signals from the shorter mast despite being in line-of-sight from the original tall mast. So I had an engineer call and put a temporary aerial in my loft, pointing towards the Pontop Pike transmitter near to the top of County Durham. Reception is far from perfect and I don't get all the channels and some go missing at different times of the day/night, but at least I get some TV and radio but it is "Tyne/Wear TV" not "Teesside/North Yorkshire". Arquiva have said the new mast should be "switched on" in Spring, I think in April 2023, but deadline slip by and we are already at 27th April.
I really need a new widescreen smart TV because some of the pixels have started to "go" on my current equipment. It didn't seem to be a good idea to get a new TV and watch the warranty slowly run out before even a proper picture is available on it!
Maybe with the TV coming via BTTV (ie internet rather than an aerial), I will be a happy bunny soon. Fingers crossed, and let's see what the Postman delivers today or tomorrow. And I may get to see some football and other sports on my TV...