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Millwall v Boro
 

Millwall v Boro

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Hot on the heels of our fortunate/professional (delete as appropriate) victory over Preston in midweek, Boro head to the Den on Saturday in the battle of the opposing rampant lions.

As we head towards another pointless international break that seemingly no-one wants, Millwall have been the picture of mid-table inconsistency with form figures of D-L-W-L-W-L leaving them in 10th place, 7 points behind Boro with no hope of promotion nor fear of relegation. Indeed, no side has drawn as many games as Millwall (16) throughout the course of this so-so campaign for Gary Rowett’s side.

Good news for the Boro is that most of Millwall’s points have come away from The Den – they are 8th in the away table from 19 matches, but only 18th in the home table without their, ahem, “vocal” fans.

The reverse fixture back in December saw Boro run out comfortable 3-0 winners thanks to a blistering seven-minute spell which saw Duncan Watmore score two goals either side of a Marcus Tavernier strike, with Boro all but wrapping up the points in the opening twenty minutes. A repeat of that particularly feat would be most welcome, please fellas!

However, Millwall were really struggling at that point, languishing down in 17th place and nervously looking over their lion’s tails. Since then, they have picked up 28 points in 19 games, compared to Boro’s 29, so a more even contest is perhaps to be expected this time around.

The season may be as good as over for Millwall but optimistic Boro fans still harbour hopes of a late surge into the top six, with Reading’s fixtures in particular looking tricky. However, Boro will come out of the international break with three games in quick succession against Bournemouth (away), Watford (home) and Barnsley (away) which will surely go a long way to deciding our fate regardless of the outcome against Millwall, if indeed it hasn’t already been settled by then. Perhaps more likely, is that the game is another opportunity for Neil Warnock to assess his squad as he plans for a genuine play-off push next term.

First things first, though. Will Boro go into the break as big-game hunters with lingering play-off hopes, or will the Lions claw us back into the pack and hurt our pride down at The Den?

 

 


Powmill-Naemore
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Good opener AndyR. Thankyou.

It is just now that we need to maintain a consistency that has alluded us all season. Let's hope it is all coming together for us at the right time, because if we do squeeze into that last play off spot, we will have done so as the team in form and to be avoided.

 

 


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Andy,

Well done on the leader article about the Millwall match.

I remember going to the Den around 1968 and happily cheering Boro on and seemingly being the only Boro supporter in the ground, halfway through the second half I got a tap on the shoulder from a kind gentleman behind who offered some advice and said I should take it seriously. Very seriously. He said I should leave in about five minutes mate. My innocent reply was,"why?". His reply was raised eyebrows and "just go if you have any common sense". Needless to say I took his advice. It was a really friendly place the old Den.

Crazily I think Boro can win this and I'll predict an away win. Remembering the Millwall aerosol graffiti in the underpass at Waterloo Station, 'Come on you Loins' I'm going Loins 1 - 2 Lions, maybe it was 'Lions' written in dialect?

Stay safe everyone and thanks Andy.

UTB,

John


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Excellent opener, Andy.  Thanks.

 


   
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Selwynoz
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Posted by: @john-richardson

Andy,

Well done on the leader article about the Millwall match.

I remember going to the Den around 1968 and happily cheering Boro on and seemingly being the only Boro supporter in the ground, halfway through the second half I got a tap on the shoulder from a kind gentleman behind who offered some advice and said I should take it seriously. Very seriously. He said I should leave in about five minutes mate. My innocent reply was,"why?". His reply was raised eyebrows and "just go if you have any common sense". Needless to say I took his advice. It was a really friendly place the old Den.

Crazily I think Boro can win this and I'll predict an away win. Remembering the Millwall aerosol graffiti in the underpass at Waterloo Station, 'Come on you Loins' I'm going Loins 1 - 2 Lions, maybe it was 'Lions' written in dialect?

Stay safe everyone and thanks Andy.

UTB,

John

John

you bring back mixed memories of Cold Blow Lane. I lived in London and Boro always seemed to be playing Millwall in top of the table games in seasons when neither side went up. Going to the match was always a battle between support and prudence. No scarves and very little cheering.

I’m guessing that McNair won’t be playing at Millwall and, unfortunately (ho ho) won’t be able to travel for the internationals. In his place Saville can be unleashed against his former club.

utb


   
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Great opener Andy, delighted to see the openers being spread around a little so that everyone can have a go plus it relieves some pressure off myself and OFB. Let's hope we make it three on the trot!


   
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Thanks Andy for an excellent pre match starter.

Similar to Selwynoz and John, I also lived in London and still remember vividly visits to Cold Blow Lane when pennies with filed edges were often thrown, inside the ground, at anyone who might voice their support for the opposition!

Another difficult result to call and whilst the team have won two on the bounce, scored five goals and conceded none, I still feel that in both games we were less than convincing and had more than our lions share of the luck in the last game! 

If there is any semblance of some of our early play against Stoke and Preston this weekend then I think our luck will run out and our outside chance of sixth spot will die a death in the Den.  

CoB time to prove me wrong again and keep me on the knife edge for the week of fate to come! 😎


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Andy brilliant topic starter thanks for that it’s appreciated.

I suppose it’s a foregone conclusion  that Saville will be playing against his former teammates on Saturday and hopefully justify his £8m price tag!

it was interesting to note that NW had enquired about Saville whilst he was manager of Cardiff but only valued him @£2m and baulked at the price of £8m that the Lions had valued him at.

Hopefully Paddy will not miss too many games and the international break will allow him to recover because I think he’s such an influential figure in the Boro team and fear that Premiership clubs will come swooping for him during the close season.

A good result for Birmingham last night against Reading has made things more Interesting in the playoff positions and the fact that we have to play both Bournemouth and Barnsley mean that our own performances can influence our position to reach a playoff position.

Unfortunately as we are all aware this Boro team is inconsistent and lacks conviction to obtain results but if Tavernier Bolassie and Double Barrel whatsit can get fit and some game time and understanding together we may have a chance.

So it’s not 👀 eyeballs 👀 in the Sky for me as it’s a must win game. So I’m going for a sneaky 0 1 win for Boro with a 93rd minute controversial penalty. Why not ?

 

OFB

 


   
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jarkko
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Thanks, Andy for the starter. I hope the main course on Saturday is as good 😇.

I think were we a bit more consistent after the first day loss to Watford. Everything went well until Chrismas but then the decorations went down on Teesside.

So let's hope a similar run is due now. We have the talent.

I hope for a win, 0-2 with Watmore and Saville scoring. But not an easy game as is the the norm in the Championship. The matches at Bournemouth and Barnsley will be mint, though.

Interesting times ahead. Rather this than the end of last season to get nervous about. Up the Boro!

 

This post was modified 3 years ago 4 times by jarkko

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Posted by: @original-fat-bob

Hopefully Paddy will not miss too many games and the international break will allow him to recover because I think he’s such an influential figure in the Boro team and fear that Premiership clubs will come swooping for him during the close season.

With the accounts being published today I think we have to brace ourselves for the reality that nobody isn't up for sale at the right price. As bad as these accounts were the accounts for the last twelve months will no doubt look even more daunting. Tav, Paddy and Fry could all be deemed as assets with a value that can be realised for the right price. Even then I doubt that they would cancel out the losses from the accounts just published.


   
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Selwynoz
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Posted by: @redcarred
Posted by: @original-fat-bob

Hopefully Paddy will not miss too many games and the international break will allow him to recover because I think he’s such an influential figure in the Boro team and fear that Premiership clubs will come swooping for him during the close season.

With the accounts being published today I think we have to brace ourselves for the reality that nobody isn't up for sale at the right price. As bad as these accounts were the accounts for the last twelve months will no doubt look even more daunting. Tav, Paddy and Fry could all be deemed as assets with a value that can be realised for the right price. Even then I doubt that they would cancel out the losses from the accounts just published.

All hail Steve Gibson. In the Gazette article, his investment in the club is quoted at Pds205 million. Where would the club and the town have been without him.

This post was modified 3 years ago by Selwynoz

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And supporters still moan about him !


   
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Ken Smith
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Posted by: @original-fat-bob

And supporters still moan about him !

Surely they shouldn’t be classed as supporters then. Just count themselves  lucky that Boro aren’t playing in the National League along with Hartlepools, or indeed have a Middlesbrough FC club to moan about at all.

This post was modified 3 years ago 2 times by Ken Smith

   
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Posted by: @original-fat-bob

And supporters still moan about him !

In fairness to the supporters he has made some very poor decisions (which have cost him personally a lot more than the fans).

The angst, ire and frustration is with the incredulity of some of those decisions and more so that he doesn't seem to learn from them. I bet he doesn't set the menus at Rockliffe, selects and orders the Veg or cook the Steaks and likely trusts an experienced Head Chef with all that. The fans are just wishing he would do the same with MFC and if he had/did it would have cost him a lot less in the end.

Without him it is highly questionable if there would even be an MFC in existence today but at the same time it could, should but most importantly can be run a lot better for everyone's benefit especially his own. I don't think we could wish for a better owner/benefactor but wishing for a better Chairman isn't unreasonable in light of our very recent past.


   
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@selwynoz

Yes, to be an owner of a football club is a great privelege, and if you are not a shark, and a particularly mean shark it will cost you a lot of money. Note the behaviour of the leading owners, they are in charge of every detail of the running of the club, if it moves they know about it, and any signings are vetted by the owner personally, as are the negotiations. No one, but no one, signs any deals, but them, and no one is lost without they know and approve of same. There is no argument about the awfulness of the, contracts, deals, release clauses, not to mention the quality of players bought seemingly without a thought for the consequences to the club. When one notes the ruthless search for the best Young players by a few clubs whe know the proper way to enjoy running a club without the endless panics and disasters and loss of money. It can be done, and is done by people who make no secret of their methods. When one thinks of the Burnley people who actually asked us to take back Gibson and give them Fry plus money, one realises just how we are regarded in the game, an easy mark!             


   
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@redcarred.  Some very valid and well reasoned points RR.

A far cry from some so called supporters who criticise and call for SG to go in a very unpleasant manner without providing any well thought through reasons or alternatives as to who would replace him and continue to support the ongoing survival of the club, as he has done for many years; perhaps he needs to review the role/responsibilities of the Chief Executive as a means to improving the club's overall performance. 😎


   
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Powmill-Naemore
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@k-p-in-spain and @RR

I think a large part of the problem is that he has had the wrong people in to run the club and has had the need at times to step in and make decisions himself.

Finding the right calibre of person to operate as a CEO and that wants to work for MFC can't have been an easy ask down the years.

 

Very important that we never forget (as you both recognise) that we simply would not have a team to follow without him. We have to hope that the right succession in ownership/control will eventually come along, but I am sure SG won't hand over the keys to the castle if he fears that will destroy the essence of what remains (despite everything) a very local enterprise.


Selwynoz
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In answer to everyone who has commented, I was not trying to say that SG is above criticism. It was a simpler message that we would not have a club to support without him and for that we should all be eternally grateful. 

it has certainly been a roller coaster ride and there have been many poor decisions but there have also been some good ones leading up to the splendid insanity of Cardiff and the EUFA years. Since then one even argue that it has taken him all these years to find a true professional to point his club in the right direction but now with NW in charge it feels as if the club is being run intelligently and if anyone can set a proper direction fir the coming years, he is that person.

Supporting a club such as MFC is often a triumph of hope over logic but i am enjoying things at the moment and long may it continue.

Looking ahead, Millwall won’t be easy but another win today and we can have fun dreaming with the week of death to follow.

utb


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Topic starter  

I think as a group on here we’re all pretty agreed that Steve Gibson is the best Boro fan in the world and we’re externally grateful to have him around but he needs help to turn his passion and commitment into success.

This post was modified 3 years ago by Andy R

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@andy-r.  Well said Andy it says it all for me.  I can't think of anyone better to take over but that does not stop me getting frustrated and critical at times with some of the things that go awry in the club; let's also remember the good things, particularly the support to the local community.  😎


   
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Martin Bellamy
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I see SG as a kinder, more sane version of Dave Whelan, the ex owner of Wigan Athletic. DW has a reputation in the town of being a ruthless businessman who was a bit of a bully. My business dealings with him weren’t pleasant experiences. 
What he had was a love and desire to develop the Latics into a much bigger more successful team and he certainly achieved that, as has SG at the Boro. 
My worry about replacing SG would be a repeat of what has happened at Wigan - none of us want that. 


   
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Ken Smith
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I remember Dave Whelan as the Blackburn fullback who had his leg broken in the 1960 FA Cup Final, but haven’t a clue who Roy Cropper is or which club he played for.


   
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Not strictly Millwall-Boro-related, but it does concern a rival.  There was an interview wth Woody, billed as "exclusive", in the Match Zone section of yesterday's Metro, i.e. a preview of this weekend's football, under the heading "Woodgate wants to blossom with the Cherries".  This link may not work:

https://e-edition.metro.news/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=f95e5b2a-c1d8-4759-b469-8ac05bf368a3&pnum=1

(it's the e-edition, so you need to flick through to pages 16 & 17).  If not, the key paragraphs as far as Boro's concerned, read as follows:

Woodgate says he has taken in the lessons of his tough apprenticeship in the dugout on Teesside.  "It was my first job and I was a local lad, so you can imagine there was a lot of pressure from the outside," he added.  "This is a different job - there's pressure, but it's a different pressure.  Being thrust into it after 48 hours was another learning curve

At Middlesbrough I was very hands-on and I could say I did a little too much.  I've come down here, learnt different things, watched different training sessions and given coaches advice on what I want and they're putting sessions on for me and we talk about it, so it's good for me to watch as well."

I suppose he had to start somewhere.  It's just a pity he did so much damage at Boro before he was moved on... ☹️

This post was modified 3 years ago by Stircrazy

   
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Martin Bellamy
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@ken There’s a running joke in Wigan that he ALWAYS mentions his broken FA Cup Final leg in any football related interview. 


   
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Posted by: @martin-bellamy

@ken There’s a running joke in Wigan that he ALWAYS mentions his broken FA Cup Final leg in any football related interview. 

Surely the opposite of running...


   
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Today's team:

So Paddy available & Spence, Tav & Johnson in for Fisher, Morsy & Kebano; Fletch on the bench & no Britt...


   
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Tony Pulis's comment on Bournemouth's 0-3 loss against Southampton on the BBC live commentary page:

Bournemouth will be disappointed - they can do better than this, I'm sure. They've got eight games to go to get in the play-offs so they need to focus on that now.

Talk about stating the bleedin' obvious...


   
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Having looked very comfortable for 30 mins Spence loses the ball in their half and Wallace picks up the ball drives to the bye line with Howson in his wake and crosses to the near post where it hits Hall and goes in for an own goal! 😎

This post was modified 3 years ago by K P in Spain

   
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Well after that half Boro are on course for another typical performance, with both Barnsley and Reading losing we don't look as if we can seize the opportunity to make up lost ground.  

Need changes up front at half time if we are to get anything at the Den; currently we are more like pussycats than a rampaging lion! 😎


   
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Saville on in injury time after yet another injury to Tav.  ☹️ 


   
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