@ken: They were talking about the possibility of DC leaving Hartlepool on BBCTees as I was making my way to the Riverside. To be fair, they were largely doubting that, after having tried for so many years to get into the Football League as a team manager, he'd then voluntarily go back down into the National League when he'd just acheived his target with Hartlepool. They acknowledged the money-pot the owners (of Stockport County??) had available but still thought DC would stay at Pools. So it's a bit of a surpirse to me (and BBCTees commentators?) that he's gone. However, I'm sure there will be several applicants for the Victoria Park post as this is not a club in crisis despite the last result, but a club which looks like cementing its league status and, as we know, the first job for any promoted club is to ensure survival in the higher division. Hopefully Pools' home form will secure that.
Well, I suppose it's time to tune into the NW Press Conference for the Luton game which, this time, I'll follow via BBCTees. I wonder which great insights will be laid bare for our surprise and information...
Surprisingly Boro have only played Luton away from home 15 times in league matches especially as the first was in Boro’s first season in the Football League in February 1900 at the old Dunstable Road ground. Amazingly they had become the first southern club to become fully professional 10 years previously. The match ended in a 1-1 draw with a certain Fergus Osbourne scoring Boro’s goal before an estimated crowd of about only 1,000 spectators. That was the season when Boro used a record number of 40 players. Luton were relegated that season and it was 60 years before the clubs were to meet again at the Hatters’ current home of Kenilworth Road when Boro lost 1-6. In fact that was the start of 6 consecutive defeats at Luton. Then came three successive 1-0 wins for Boro from 1973, the most significant being on the 30th March in the following year when Boro reached promotion as Champions with still 6 matches remaining. Luton were also promoted that season in the following season and Boro again won at Kenilworth Road 1-0, but sadly Boro have never won there since, albeit in only another 5 meetings.
However as this is apparently my 1,000th blog I want to tell you about one of those matches that had a bitter sweet moment for yours truly. I started collecting annual football handbooks in 1956 ostensibly to record the scores each week as I started my National Service at RAF Cardington not far from Luton, and this season is the first season that I haven’t bought these small handbooks as I have yet to fully read last season’s Nationwide Football Annual. There was of course no internet in those days so I bought a short-wave radio and when I had a time-share apartment I used to pin up the Saturday’s football results in reception before going out with my wife for our evening meal. In those days the Sunday newspapers didn’t arrive in the Algarve until 10.30am on the Monday so I hoped I was providing a service for fellow Brits on holiday.
Anyhow in 1994 my wife and I visited New England and at one strategic stop on Saturday 15th October I was able to obtain all the day’s results and instead of answering questions from fellow tourists about the results of their teams, I asked the courier if I could stand at the front of the coach and take the microphone to do my James Alexander Gordon impression and read out the football results. Fame at last! That was the sweet moment. I started with the First Division, then onto the Second Division with Bolton Wanderers 2 Oldham Athletic 1, next up Luton Town 5 Middlesbrough 1. I was proud that I didn’t show any emotion as I continued, but that was the bitter moment. As it happened the return fixture was the last competitive match at Ayresome Park and Boro were promoted as Champions.
So all’s well that ends well, but it would have been nice to have recorded a Boro win in my moment of glory. Nevertheless perhaps it’s a good story to recall on my 1,000th blog. Maybe one of those 1-0 wins I’ve mentioned will have to suffice today.
It is reported that Chris Wilder is about to take over as Barnsley boss, after being in the crowd at Leicester v Arsenal on Saturday, maybe he was scouting for loans in January.
Come on BORO.
Thanks for the opener OFB and congrats on a thousand Diasboro posts!
So another Boro game chosen for international TV coverage and unavailable to stream over here on Matchday Live because of the thousands of neutrals who will be apparently tuning in across Germany - clearly this is delusional thinking as I suspect I may be one of the few people in Germany bothered enough to be prepared to endure staying up late to view a mid-table low-quality Championship game. I would like to see the proof of these mythical viewing figures in non 'Dark Market' countries that show some commercial reason for not allowing us to watch the game on Matchday Live!
Anyway, as for the game, I can only hope it's not a repeat of the Birmingham performance as unlike Neil 'I thought we played some good stuff' Warnock, it was a poor display all round with perhaps two decent moves during the game that concluded with less-decent finishes.
The Championship appears to be contest where two-thirds of the teams are jockeying for mid-table obscurity - where the title of the most consistent inconsistent team has become hotly contested. Boro sit nicely in 11th, just three points off sixth and three points of sixth bottom - neither dead or alive that would make Schrodinger's cat purr (or not) in content/discontent.
Talking of random possibilities, it will be interesting to see how Neil Warnock's logic sets up his team tonight and whether he believes a return to players playing in the positions they played before that recent mini-run is what is needed. I'm not entirely sure if Boro have missed Dijksteel at right-back enough to allow Howson to break the Payero-Crooks midfield understanding.
Nevertheless, despite Saturday's defeat Boro still sit fifth in the form table - which in the land of inconsistency is possibly not a great indication of what is likely to happen tonight.
Prediction: If I was a betting man then firstly I wouldn't be betting on the Championship let alone Boro - though I'm hopeful of a Boro win tonight otherwise probably wouldn't be watching. It all depends if Boro start on the front front and can actually pass the ball to each other and somehow manage to hit the target. Sounds simple - unfortunately it rarely looks it. Let's see if Boro can keep the cat alive!
@exmil Howabout Woodgate for the free seat at Hartlepool? Just joking, me. UTB!
Congratulations, Ken, and many thanks for all the pleasure you have given to the blog with your meticulous research and many memories.
I was actually at the 6-1 drubbing at Luton in 1960. Went with my best mate, Dave Bingham, who in due course was to become a Boro director. We were both students and we hired a car and drove down from the Boro in the pouring rain. After a couple of hours the windscreen wipers gave up the ghost and Dave drove with his window open and arm stretched out wiping the screen as we went.
Eventually the car broke down completely so we left it at a garage, got the train to London, then another train to Luton.
It was a complete nightmare, nicely rounded off with that 6-1 hammering. Ronnie Waldock played quite well.
It left Dave with a jacket that had one sleeve six inches shorter than the other, and, as a student lawyer, with an interesting court case as we successfully sued the bloke who had hired us the clapped-out car for all of the costs we had incurred.
For me it was an early apprenticeship, hardening me for all the inconvenience and bother which was to follow over the years in being a devoted Boro supporter.
If we can avoid another 6-1 it will like a breath of fresh air.
Have no fear, you are part of the furniture.
OFB,
Thanks for the opener and no funny stuff in the team selection tonight either.
With Boro's slightly abstract interpretation of 'form' coupled with formation tinkering I'm going for a 1-1 draw and I and probably a lot of other Boro supporters would take that at full-time. But with Boro you never know what will happen, here's hoping they start with some energy rather than the dozy and overslept version that we know, kind of expect and love.
UTB,
John
Team News: So Dijksteel does indeed return but Payero not even in the matchday squad - Jones and Coburn also start as does Hernandez - with Peltier on the bench it sounds like wing-backs...
Quick congratulations to Ken on also reaching a thousand posts on the Diasboro forum - both Ken and OFB have provided many of us 'young uns' with much insight into the history of Boro that we missed out on!
I didn't even notice Lumley was dropped - maybe a bit harsh as he'd made some important saves in recent games and distributed well. Good luck to Daniels and let's hope he doesn't make any major errors!
I didn't even notice Lumley was dropped - maybe a bit harsh as he'd made some important saves in recent games and distributed well. Good luck to Daniels and let's hope he doesn't make any major errors!
🤞
@werdermouth: "Young 'uns" (*snigger*).
What a surprise to see Daniels, Jones & Coburn starting. Not unhappy about it though. Go on! I'll be silly! Boro to win. Maybe 0-2. (I will take the tablets now, nurse).
Congratulations to Ken on reaching his 1,000th post.
Some injury enforced changes and some axe wielding in tonight's line up so let's see if it has the desired effect of maybe upping the work rate and concentration levels. Luton had a bad day on Saturday as well so I wouldn't be surprised to see a cagey draw tonight but at some point Warnock has to beat a half decent side let alone one away from home so maybe tonight is the night?
@exmil Howabout Woodgate for the free seat at Hartlepool? Just joking, me. UTB!
jarkko I thought you liked Hartlepool 😂😂😂
Come on BORO.
And Josh Coburn puts Boro 1-0 after 15 minutes. 👍 From the Beeb's text commentary:
Josh Coburn (Middlesbrough) right-footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Andraz Sporar with a cross.
Back up to sixth - for now.
I don't want to spoil anything, but it's looking good at HT. More tablets please, Nurse.
Brilliant cross, but a better finish. Took it soooooo well. Boro rode their luck at the end of the half. Need to step up a little more. more from Hernadez and get Jones against the full back.
Well, if Warnock can keep us playing like this he deserves to keep managing. Good, enjoyable game of football.
Impressed by Daniels. Coburn has been immense. Luton have come back in the last 10 so it could go either way.
I think we've played some good stuff, me.
The Hatters now running riot: 3-1! Three in five minutes! Vic says they were all self-inflicted & is in apoplexy mode! 🙁
3 quick goals for Luton!
A long way back now when we should have been out of sight by half time.
Now down to 14th. 🙁