Thanks RedcarRed, for another uplifting report just the type I like to read.
First lets get the apology to Roberts out of the way, he was trying to beat his man(the easy bit) and pass the ball, make a cross, or a forward pass, or a shot, and it showed all through the match. Any criticism of Roberts is based on his skills (considerable) and the knowledge that this level is easy for him.
Next up is Tav. A truly lovely player, a fans favourite because of his all round effort, speed of thought and action, maddening that successive managers should be oblivious as we stumbled on to one disaster after another. Can we now have Wing on the field, and playing up front where his talents can help us the most. I regard it as quite wrong that fans(who know nothing) can spot the bleedin obvious, as we suffer the dreadful results of this season, for no other reason than the chairman's toleration of a failed manager. Nice to see the Keeper problem solved. It needed doing, serious errors were conceding goals and costing us.
Finally, George Friend, a long lay off is finally over, the kinks are out of his system, and he can enjoy one final season at his club, because his knowhow is formidable and should be retained.
Thanks RR. A great report. I agree with every last syllable.
I think that I am now able to say definitively that RR is Boro's best ever match reporter. Earlier this week GHW referenced a wonderfully nostalgic Tyne-Tees documentary, Charlton's Champions. In it there is a brief shot of Cliff Mitchell doing his match report. Now Cliff was rightly held in high regard by many of us because he was for so many years our main link with the club, especially for away games, whilst during the week he managed to report something useful about the club every week day. His reporting was conscientious and he always managed to strike that difficult balance between reliability and discretion. He seemed to enjoy a good relationship with both the fans and the club.
However, I was a little taken aback when I went to a club AGM in the mid-60s to hear Cliff given special thanks by the Chairman for his reporting throughout the season. Fair enough you might think. Yet the tone was just a bit too cosy and knowing; it seemed as though the club regarded Cliff as their ideal PR man. In the days before the club had a media relations officer it was apparent that they didn't really need one.
This may be being more than a little unfair to Cliff. He had supported Cloughie over the round robin incident, so he wasn't averse to expressing an opinion. And if the Boro played badly he would say so, though always diplomatically. And it was imperative for him to have the best possible relationship with and access to the club, since it was the single source for all of his reporting. And yet, whilst fully recognising all of this, I had not quite realised how hand-in-glove reporter and club had been. And on reflection Cliff never gave us -or, by the nature of his position never could have given us- the honest warts- and- all reporting that Redcar Reed always provides.
And that Tyne-Tees documentary revealed another aspect of Cliff's work that I had never known about or considered. He was literally phoning in his report, describing the events of the game as they happened. I had naively assumed that he would have made shorthand notes and phoned in his composed piece after the final whistle. But no. There was a secretary on the other end of the line for the whole 90 minutes writing it all down.
This method of composition accounts for the fact that Cliff's match reports simply consisted of one darned thing after another, with little or no analytical content or overview of how the game was progressing. Just one event following another. The analysis, such as it was, was spread out to fill Cliff's columns in a more leisurely fashion throughout the rest of the week.
As we all know and appreciate, RR's match reports combine setting and background, assessment of the team sheets, very detailed match description and ongoing honest analysis all within the same report, something which Cliff's work never aspired to let alone achieved. And he does all of this whilst making notes during the game. No phone. No secretary.
And that is why I believe RR to be our best ever match reporter. As Bob memorably once said: Read Redcar Red and there is no need to read anybody else.
Thanks a million, RR
I’ve never been to Wigan so have no affiliation with them but will be very sad if they are relegated. As Jarkko remarks their situation reminds me of Boro in 1986. To have a 12 point penalty inflicted so late in the season, but to show such resilience is a credit to the club. Their goal scoring is now a positive of 1, very rare for a team fighting relegation. If they win their last 2 matches they will probably be safe despite the 12 point penalty; I really hope they do, and I think they will.
I knew Cliff on nodding terms. He didn’t possess a car when I was a paperboy delivering his newspaper and sometimes saw him at the bus stop on Coatham Road, Redcar and gave him his newspaper there, can’t remember which one possibly the Northern Echo. I expect the club provided a selection of newspapers for him to peruse, but he liked something to read on the journey to Middlesbrough. Always called him Mr Mitchell as one did in those days out of respect for all adults. I particularly loved his match reports in the Sports Gazette and envied him his job, but have to agree with Len, Redcar Red’s reports are better. I’ve often wondered though if Redcar Red is related to Cliff with both living in Redcar, probably not though.
The usual thanks to RR for his report - your talents Are much appreciated- just don’t go leaving us for a better gig!
Just watched the highlights and those with the report give a great feel and makes one wonder why we can’t do that every game. There was intent and a desire to win having conceded. The defending was a bit poor for the goal but maybe Saville being off the park didn’t help. Just hope that NW can sort them out for Saturday.
I would have been going to the last home game of the season, a family tradition come what may so will be watching along with my kids from our homes.
Hopefully by then we will be safe regardless of what happens with Wigan. You do have to feel for the players and supporters if they do get a points deduction and go down because of it. You can’t say that the players aren’t trying their best and the circumstances would appear to make if difficult for the EFL to come to a decision.
Anyway, 3 valuable points, and we can start to look forward to another season of consolidation with another manager - 4th season on the trot - so much for stability eh!
UTB
I’ve never been to Wigan so have no affiliation with them but will be very sad if they are relegated. As Jarkko remarks their situation reminds me of Boro in 1986. To have a 12 point penalty inflicted so late in the season, but to show such resilience is a credit to the club. Their goal scoring is now a positive of 1, very rare for a team fighting relegation. If they win their last 2 matches they will probably be safe despite the 12 point penalty; I really hope they do, and I think they will.
The EFL have a right conundrum with Wigan. They are partially to blame in the sorry story having approved both take overs. You do have to wonder about their due diligence process.
The most recent one would appear to me to be very dubious and without looking too closely, appears to be a cynical ploy and I think that if in my working life I had been asked to lend money to a company in that situation, regardless of any guarantees then I would have declined. It all looks very fishy.
However, the EFL have to be seen to apply their rules otherwise it makes a mockery of them and leaves the door open for others. I would therefore expect to see a fudge whereby they are deducted just enough points to keep them safe after the end of the season!
I echo completely Len Masterman's piece on RR. The best by far and thanks RR for your comprehensive report on the Reading game.
With ref to commentators, I managed to get a stream for the game but in the first half it kept going down, so missed Boro's first goal. However the second half stream was much better although had to refresh a few times. The commentary was from Radio Tees. Oh dear me, what a load of dribble from those two. I ended up turning the volume off after M. Drury and Maddison went on and on about Roberts miss. Surely Tees can find more professional local commentators.
About Roberts. Totally amazed that he has been getting some flack on Diasboro and other blogs.
The player is class and I hope that either we get him on another loan or SG spends the money to secure his future to Boro. Sixty Thousand Celtic supporters and management would have him back tomorrow.
Is theRE a league table that shows the situation with Wigan with their 12 reduction of points somewhere? That would be interesting to follow now.Up the Boro!
I corrected my first sentance above in here. There, not the.
Why I can sometimes correct the post, but not now. Is there a time limit for the corrections, Werder? I am still logged in as I post this 😜.
BTW, Wigan cannot finnish below the bottom three anymore. So it means the 12 point penalty will be imposed this season. So all the league tables should be corrected as per se.
Up the Boro!
After the match NW said: "I dont think Dejans done badly at all but I just wanted to have a look at Pearsy really and he did well."
He also said that he wanted to see Anfernee Dijksteel in playing too.
For what reason? For the new manager we will have next season? Or he might know who that new boss is. He saw the new chap in a mirror earlier that morning. Up the Boro!
I’ve often wondered though if Redcar Red is related to Cliff with both living in Redcar, probably not though
No relation whatsoever Ken or at least none that I am aware of.
And that is why I believe RR to be our best ever match reporter. As Bob memorably once said: Read Redcar Red and there is no need to read anybody else.
Thanks a million, RR
Glad to know that my efforts are appreciated Len by yourself and others. I just wish I could be more positive and complimentary than most of my reports have been, especially this season.
@lenmasterman I thought young Dijksteel grew into the game and looked promising
My only note of caution from yesterday's game was that I didn't think Reading were up to much. I'm not convinced that that was them at full tilt. It was a world away from Bristol City's performance at the Riverside just a few days earlier. Under Warnock, we've shown that we can win games when the other team isn't fully up for it or not at their best.
Cardiff will surely bring their "A game" and I think it will be a much stiffer test on Saturday as they fight for their place in the playoffs.
Yesterday was a giant leap towards survival but I don't think it's over yet.
Is theRE a league table that shows the situation with Wigan with their 12 reduction of points somewhere? That would be interesting to follow now.Up the Boro!
I corrected my first sentance above in here. There, not the.
Why I can sometimes correct the post, but not now. Is there a time limit for the corrections, Werder? I am still logged in as I post this 😜.
BTW, Wigan cannot finnish below the bottom three anymore. So it means the 12 point penalty will be imposed this season. So all the league tables should be corrected as per se.
Up the Boro!
Jarkko, the current situation at the bottom if Wigan are deducted 12 points is as follows:-
Sheff Wed 56 although a possibility 9 point penalty would mean 47
Boro 50 goal diff -12
Stoke 49 goal diff -10 game in hand away to Bristol
Birm 49 goal diff -17 game in hand home to Charlton
Hudds 48 goal diff -16
Charl 46 goal diff -11 game in hand away to Birm
Wigan 45 goal diff+1 including 12 point deduction
Hull 45 goal diff -26
Luton 45 goal diff -30
Barns 45 goal diff -21 game in hand away to Leeds
Wigan safe at the moment but can still be overtaken by the bottom 3 clubs. I think you were probably looking at the current League table forgetting that there are still 2 matches to play, 3 in the case of Barnsley.
@ken The word from Wigan is that the Warriors owners are putting in a bid to buy the Latics. This makes lots of sense, although there’s never been any love lost between the two sets of fans, which I found baffling when I started working in the town in 1993.
Thanks RR. A great report. I agree with every last syllable.
I think that I am now able to say definitively that RR is Boro's best ever match reporter. Earlier this week GHW referenced a wonderfully nostalgic Tyne-Tees documentary, Charlton's Champions. In it there is a brief shot of Cliff Mitchell doing his match report. Now Cliff was rightly held in high regard by many of us because he was for so many years our main link with the club, especially for away games, whilst during the week he managed to report something useful about the club every week day. His reporting was conscientious and he always managed to strike that difficult balance between reliability and discretion. He seemed to enjoy a good relationship with both the fans and the club.
However, I was a little taken aback when I went to a club AGM in the mid-60s to hear Cliff given special thanks by the Chairman for his reporting throughout the season. Fair enough you might think. Yet the tone was just a bit too cosy and knowing; it seemed as though the club regarded Cliff as their ideal PR man. In the days before the club had a media relations officer it was apparent that they didn't really need one.
This may be being more than a little unfair to Cliff. He had supported Cloughie over the round robin incident, so he wasn't averse to expressing an opinion. And if the Boro played badly he would say so, though always diplomatically. And it was imperative for him to have the best possible relationship with and access to the club, since it was the single source for all of his reporting. And yet, whilst fully recognising all of this, I had not quite realised how hand-in-glove reporter and club had been. And on reflection Cliff never gave us -or, by the nature of his position never could have given us- the honest warts- and- all reporting that Redcar Reed always provides.
And that Tyne-Tees documentary revealed another aspect of Cliff's work that I had never known about or considered. He was literally phoning in his report, describing the events of the game as they happened. I had naively assumed that he would have made shorthand notes and phoned in his composed piece after the final whistle. But no. There was a secretary on the other end of the line for the whole 90 minutes writing it all down.
This method of composition accounts for the fact that Cliff's match reports simply consisted of one darned thing after another, with little or no analytical content or overview of how the game was progressing. Just one event following another. The analysis, such as it was, was spread out to fill Cliff's columns in a more leisurely fashion throughout the rest of the week.
As we all know and appreciate, RR's match reports combine setting and background, assessment of the team sheets, very detailed match description and ongoing honest analysis all within the same report, something which Cliff's work never aspired to let alone achieved. And he does all of this whilst making notes during the game. No phone. No secretary.
And that is why I believe RR to be our best ever match reporter. As Bob memorably once said: Read Redcar Red and there is no need to read anybody else.
Thanks a million, RR
For the avoidance of doubt, I was responding to this posting from Len
Ken, thanks. The situation is what it is. But I hope the web sites posses the league tables correctly as now the -12 points will be implemented for Wigan, for sure. UTB!
Brilliant match report RR. You continue to amaze me how you can watch the match, especially when in the stadium, and make these notes that finally become a true picture of events from your position.
Also the prematch analysis is always informative. Many thanks.
@ken The word from Wigan is that the Warriors owners are putting in a bid to buy the Latics. This makes lots of sense, although there’s never been any love lost between the two sets of fans, which I found baffling when I started working in the town in 1993.
I think that could be the makings of a good symbiotic set up based upon a mutual love of sport. Both Clubs need to share the overhead burden to enjoy decent facilities and the people of the town deserve the opportunity to support whatever shaped ball they prefer. A massive amount of credit and respect has to go to Paul Cook and his Players for the Herculean efforts they have been putting in. It would have been very easy for heads to go down and as we have seen Players walk away from the fight.
Normally I'm all in favour of punishing Clubs that cheat but this is a totally unique situation where the staff, players and fans alike have been cheated by the actions of unfit owners. The fact that it was exacerbated by those at the EFL who now wish to punish them due to their own unfit incompetence leaves a very sour taste indeed. On the final day (or Saturday if it comes sooner) I will be cheering as loud for Wigan if they stay up as I will for Boro.
As I see it a victory for Wigan right now is a victory for football fans everywhere. I do however accept that those who are hoping that the points deduction will drag them down instead of their club may see it slightly differently.
From the Echo: https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/18584273.neil-warnock-looks-set-remain-middlesbrough-manager/
Also from AV
Even if Boro don't take another point they could be safe come close of play on Saturday if a few things fall their way to stand three teams below them.
If Barnsley lose to Leeds tomorrow they can no long catch Boro. That is one.
Luton and Hull play on Saturday and if one one them win the other can't catch Boro. So that is two.
And if they draw then neither can make the 50 point mark. That will be the job done.
But it would be nice to get to safety under our own steam. A point for Boro on Saturday will seal it.
I saw an article from Scott Wilson from the Echo intimating that Warnock will be here next season. I'd be surprised if he wasn't to be honest, at the time I didn't think that Blackwell and Jepson came up here for a few weeks work.
It likely puts the Summer of the Golden Thread to bed now albeit probably only on a back burner for now. I think Warnock will be looking at what he has to work with, who he wants to retain (Friend and I suspect Johnson for his versatility and crossing) and will have a shopping list already in terms of profiles at least if not actual individuals. As he knows the Championship I would hope its Warnock that gives the nod of approval and not the "Recruitment Two".
I read a speculative article elsewhere about Premiership interest in Spence with £10M being mentioned. Whilst his potential "could" end up being five times that amount we have to live in the here and now. There is also the Fry links and figures of £15M talked about and then there is Britt who in the last year of his contract and big wages may have to be sold off at say around £5M to a Norwich/Villa/Bournemouth parachute rich club. Getting rid of decent Players isn't palatable at the best of times but if the above came to fruition then that could create £30M of a war chest.
I'm not necessarily wanting to lose players but with Stubbs and Woods coming through and the likelihood that Warnock would sign CB's of his preferred image it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Fry was sacrificed plus at his age it may be a good thing for his own development (although not Burnley). Spence is maybe an easy transaction complete with a resale add on to Spurs and even loaned back to us for the season. Dijksteel is probably more the type of Player Warnock would prefer as a RB being physically robust and by the looks of him no pushover.
Britt I think has to be sold to save on wages and to try and recoup something in the process. Fletcher on the other hand I think is coming good and I suspect we are just about to see the best of him. Bringing in a £3M replacement for Britt on a third of his salary would be good business and I think that is comfortably doable.
A midfield pairing of Howson and Saville under Warnock could be a strong and dynamic pairing if last night is a glimpse of what we could have had. Fletcher up ahead and then two strong CB's behind provides a spine of a team with the likes of Coulson and Tavernier to add some sparkle to the mix. Just need to cement our Championship place in the meantime but I would guess discussions are already underway with a relieved Steve Gibson.
Pears is not the answer, he is too raw . and right now , erratic, one point needed , then the purge.
With the club struggling and looking for a new direction, the current number of contracts expiring probably comes at quite an opportune time.
Well Jekyll and Hyde aka Boro confounded us all again and got 3 well deserved points. That also maintains my 100% record in the Exmil challenge of getting their results wrong!
A fully committed all around team performance with some outstanding work from Tav, Friend, Howson, Saville, Fry, Fletcher and Roberts. We may also have found ourselves a right back in Dijksteel who looked more confident the longer the game went on.
I particularly liked the way in which we saw the game out after the second goal; non of the typical Boro of defending deep and inviting them on as so often in the past and then conceding. The ball was played into the channels, worked down the line and hoofed into the stand as required. Appropriate game management which we have not experienced for many a year.
Having said all that, I can equally see us not turning up on Saturday and losing to Cardiff just to keep us all interested for the final match!
Sorry to see Ryan Shotton's time with us come to an end as it has but no complaints from me. He is an honest hard working pro who has given of his best and whose reasons for not wanting to play again whilst injured is fully understandable.
Some may question his loyalty but I don't and it should be remembered that in January he was nearly on his way to Wigan. Good look to him in his last few years.
Thanks to RR for another excellent report and I fully endorse Len's comments.😎😊
If we finally escape the drop, then we can all start to speculate on next season
i would not be adverse to Mr Warnock taking charge, as much as his football is not always entertaining, he has an excellent record of getting teams promotion.
i think to entice NW though, he would want to be able to have a decent chance of promotion even through the play-offs. Next season, as every season, there will be the three relegation teams with cash and the already decent teams that missed out this year.
As RR said, that will mean sacrificing some players that can bring in high-ish fees and reduce the wage bill, to build a squad in Mr Warnock’s image. Somebody big upfront to hold the ball up, a couple of big CB’s and possibly a new big goalkeeper.
As for the midfield, I still have my doubts over who we have under contract. None are gifted with pace, something lack generally within that area, Tav apart.
So if we get over the line, the rumours will intensify. Hopefully an interesting summer and I will renew my ST.
Oh and if we do survive, please NO Ben Gibson.
What odds on a back four next season of:
Dijksteel, Fry, Gibson & Friend? 😎
Transfer window will be interesting . July to Oct I believe , does that mean next season starts in late Sept?
I think Neil will stay in some capacity , with the other two guys running the first team,
Strange situation really, if we survive, what does Gibson say " Thanks a lot ,see ye" to the other coaches if Neil doesn't want it?
Sadly not the Charlton defeat at Birmingham tonight that would have all but meant Boro were safe but at least a third minute injury-time equalising goal by our former striker Lukas Jutkiewicz kept them to just a point!