Werdermouth
And yet the Teesside nostalgic Evening Gazette newspaper ‘Remember When’ which ceased publication in 2017 is making its comeback by public demand this year. Perhaps it’s an age thing especially for people of my generation as I always used to say that nostalgia was wasted on the young.
Obviously I was wrong as more and more people want to read articles and look at photographs of local history including football about the past. One that comes to mind is the Mannion match on the 22nd of November 1947 reprised 70 years later by Eric Paylor I believe.
I didn’t actually see the match but remember reading about it at the time as Wilf had apparently just because engaged to his future wife Bernadette and wanted to impress her on her first visit to Ayresome Park. The penultimate time that Blackpool had visited Boro the Seasiders had lost 9-2 in 1938 and a youthful Mannion had scored 4 times in their demolition, but this was even better as Boro inflicted another defeat over the Tangerines 4-0 although Mannion didn’t even score. In between the two encounters Blackpool might have thought they had exorcised their demons with a 2-1 win at Ayresome Park, but not a bit of it as Wilf produced the greatest individual performance by any Boro player any time anywhere. Not in tackles or saves, but the complete domination of one individual over another set of individuals in the history of sport at that time. The Seasiders maybe thought they knew everything they needed to know above Boro’s golden boy, but they were shocked into oblivion.
Although Wilf didn’t score he was not only instrumental in all four goals, but in every attack that Boro made and there plenty of those in this one man extravaganza. There had been a hint of what might happen as Wilf had been instrumental in all five goals as Boro had won 5-0 at Grimsby on the previous Saturday, and had set up two more goals at Highbury in midweek for England’s 4-2 win against Sweden when both he and George Hardwick had both earned their 12th full international caps.
He even tested the Blackpool goalkeeper Jock Wallace into making two fabulous saves and when the Seasiders lost possession he was like a terrier after a bone. Even the young Brian Clough was at the match and likened Wilf’s display to that of Fred Astaire on the dance floor. In the second half Wilf even performed a series of ‘keepy- uppy’ as he ran several yards flicking the ball from foot to head without the ball touching the grass. Although the Boro fans were stunned and mesmerised by Mannion’s performance, also were all the Blackpool and Boro players who stood back at the final whistle to form a guard of honour to allow Wilf to leave the field of play first to great applause and the clapping and roaring of the near 39,000 crowd.
Most of the platitudes came from the Evening Gazette reporter Cliff Mitchell, the doyen of all reporters, and reprised in one of the editions of ‘Remember When’ 70 years later although I have no longer a copy of that, so I’m writing from memory here.
Werdermouth
It’s even worse on Rugby League shirts with so many sponsors of clubs nowadays that not only do several camouflage different parts of the shirts, but St Helens started a trend of some sponsors names appearing on the posterior of shorts also, and now several clubs are following suit. Maybe even the clubs logo might be designated to shorts eventually, but I won’t comment on the likelihood of kissing one’s posterior, but who knows what might happen in the secrecy of the scrums.
@Ken-Smith
There was nothing more I used to enjoy on a Sunday morning when I was younger than spending a couple hours with a long leisurely breakfast reading the substantial Sunday Paper and magazine with lots of diverse interesting long articles.
Sadly, I just don't have the time these days and tend to just skim through online articles while eating breakfast. There's definitely a cultural change since the internet took over and people now probably stick to their bubble and often don't read that broadly any more.
I think I'd better stop before I get nostalgic...
Werdermouth
Before the internet I used to buy La Marca when in Spain, A Bola in Portugal, or my favourite La Gazzetta del Sport in Italy drinking a black coffee with a small brandy imagining I was James Richardson presenting Channel 4s ‘Football Italia’ especially when Paul Gascoigne was playing for Lazio and Fabrizio Ravanelli for Juventus never imagining that the White Feather would eventually play for Boro. Not that I spoke Spanish, Portuguese or Italian fluently, but just to get the football results and League tables of the major European football countries which I now peruse every Monday morning on the Flashscores website.
What a fantastic last day’s play at the US Open Golf Championship from Brookline Country Club in Boston, Massachusetts where I stayed with my wife in the Fall of 1994. Tonight was a triumph for Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick as he won his first major accompanied by his fellow Yorkshire born caddy Billy Foster who I’m so elated for after caddying for 40 years for the likes of Darren Clarke, Seve Ballesteros and Lee Westwood but never having the joy of tasting a Major championship win with any of them. He was even more emotional than Fitzpatrick as when interviewed by Sky Sports Nick Dougherty about getting the monkey off his back, replied it had felt more like a gorilla after all those years.
Back to Matt Fitzpatrick though as his parents and younger brother watched one of the most enjoyable Majors for many a year as the lead changed to and fro between Matt, Will Zalatoris and the World’s newest newest number one Scottie Scheffler who both finished equal second only one stroke behind Fitzpatrick’s 6 under par. Only nine players fell below par in one of the USA’s most brutal of courses.
Matt is only 27 years old but looks far younger, and is a big Sheffield United supporter, but this win today more than makes up for his disappointment at the Blades failure to regain their Premier League status. I know that Chris Wilder is a big cricket follower, but not sure about golf. Nevertheless it would be a great double or even triple if Fitzpatrick wins next month’s Open from Royal St George’s and Boro win promotion next season as triumphs like disasters have a habit of appearing in threes.
I think we will have Johnny Howson only for next 10 days or so if he would not sign a new contract that was offered to him by Boro.
So no news of Howson signing yet. Was the offer good enough for our skipper?
I hope there will be a couple of signings completed this week like Howson and Republic of Ireland defender Darragh Lenihan from Blackburn Rovers.
Then we can start to wait for the really important signings like a new goalkeeper and a few strikers 😉.
Up the Boro!
So caught up with the emotion early this morning over the greatest finish to a major golf championship that I got it wrong about the venue of this year’s Open Golf Championship. Not that anyone noticed my faux pas, but of course it’s St Andrews. Nevertheless I’m so elated that a Yorkshire duo of golfer and caddy have done the broad acres proud. It maybe a difficult week for me health wise come Wednesday and Thursday, but I’ve had a good innings with few regrets so can die happy now even if I’m not here to see Boro back in the Premier League.
@Ken-Smith
There was nothing more I used to enjoy on a Sunday morning when I was younger than spending a couple hours with a long leisurely breakfast reading the substantial Sunday Paper and magazine with lots of diverse interesting long articles.
Sadly, I just don't have the time these days and tend to just skim through online articles while eating breakfast. There's definitely a cultural change since the internet took over and people now probably stick to their bubble and often don't read that broadly any more.
I think I'd better stop before I get nostalgic...
I read the online version of the Guardian every day - there’s loads of stuff in there that interests me and I learn a lot too.
I tend to read (fiction) books via Kindle rather than via paperbacks, something my wife finds alien as she loves the feel and smell of real books. For me, part of the issue of real books is what to do with them when you’re finished. We try to pass Alison’s on to friends and relatives and some go to charity shops but we’ve still got too many at home.
People can be very disparaging when they see others staring at their phone screens, but they never have the same view when they see people with books and newspapers. Each to their own I say.
It is already three months, but seems only yesterday, that I posted about Powmill Junior planning to do the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for PAPYRUS (Prevention of Young Suicide) in memory of his friend who took his life earlier this year. Many of you were very generous and made donations on the Just Giving site for this venture. Thank you all again. My son did notice the donations and messages you left and said to me, that’s your Diasboro football friends isn’t it? He was impressed at the kindness of so many total strangers. Like I said to him, not just any total strangers, but total Middlesbrough strangers!
Now the time is drawing near, I thought I should post a brief update for you as the challenge is due to take place this coming weekend.
The team completed its last “training” climb a couple of days ago, bagging a final Munroe in the dark. They are now as ready as they are going to be to start the challenge, going up Ben Nevis at 6am next Saturday. Mrs Powmill and myself will not see them go up Ben Nevis, but will see them up Scafell Pike later that afternoon and we will also see them down off Snowdon early on Sunday. Fingers crossed that the weather will be kind for them.
Thanks to you and to the many others that have made donations they have raised well over £4,000, so much more than they had hoped for and there is still time for that total to grow. All of that is going to translate into many young peoples’ lives being saved. So, thank you all again.
I will post another update next week, to let you know how they will have got on and if they do manage to complete the challenge inside that 24 hour target.
Liam Roberts (GK) is signing for @boro on a two year deal after leaving Northampton on a free.
Was players player of the season for them & a fans favorite.
OFB
More goalkeepers to come !
And a new goal keeping coach from Man U according to the EG. 😎
Fixtures released on Thursday. Time for a new thread then perhaps?
More goalkeepers to come !
And a new goal keeping coach from Man U according to the EG. 😎
I wonder what that means for Leo?
More goalkeepers to come !
And a new goal keeping coach from Man U according to the EG. 😎
I wonder what that means for Leo?
No change, he is an assistant manager/coach to CW and has not been the goal keeping coach for awhile. 😎
More goalkeepers to come !
And a new goal keeping coach from Man U according to the EG. 😎
I wonder what that means for Leo?
No change, he is an assistant manager/coach to CW and has not been the goal keeping coach for awhile. 😎
Ah. Thank you for that KP.
Zach Hemming, goalkeeper, returning to Kilmarnock on season long loan as per MFC website. 😎
Zach Hemming, goalkeeper, returning to Kilmarnock on season long loan as per MFC website. 😎
The suggestion in the paper is that he is seen as a long term candidate for no 1 position and a season playing in the Scottish top division will be the best option. With Sol Brynn going out as well for a full season, you can sense a plan being put in place. The Northampton keeper coming in is the next piece of that puzzle with, I would guess, another to come in as number one. Do we know how good this new guy is?
utb
Here’s a whimsical tale that Lee Westwood relates about his former caddie Billy Foster who is now employed by Matt Fitzpatrick, winner of this weekend’s US Open Golf Championship.
It was several years ago during a Ryder Cup match at the Belfry and Billy decided he needed a bowel movement before play commenced so he toddled off to one of the two vacant cubicles and rolled his pants down, but then discovered that there was no toilet paper so then got up, dressed himself, and checked the next cubicle where there was some and restarted the procedure. Anyway whilst performing his lavatorial duties he heard the footsteps of someone wearing spikes. He recognised the voice of Tiger Woods who then had just completed his motions and heard Tiger saying to himself “ Oh sh—-“. So Billy then wonders whether he should leave Tiger alone in his obvious embarrassment. But Billy thought about the situation and decided that would be too cruel, so passed 4 sheets under the door to a grateful Tiger and as he left shouted “Europe one up”.
This is not a joke, but actually happened as Lee Westwood confirmed.
Zach Hemming, goalkeeper, returning to Kilmarnock on season long loan as per MFC website. 😎
The suggestion in the paper is that he is seen as a long term candidate for no 1 position and a season playing in the Scottish top division will be the best option. With Sol Brynn going out as well for a full season, you can sense a plan being put in place. The Northampton keeper coming in is the next piece of that puzzle with, I would guess, another to come in as number one. Do we know how good this new guy is?
utb
Seems to have a good track record at the lower level and it will be interesting to see if he can step up to the challenge of the Championship if and when it comes.
I am assuming that we are looking at a more experienced stopper as No1, with Tom Heaton at Man U being mentioned and given our new goalkeeping coach has been working with him before then this may come to fruition in the next week or so.
Whoever gets the gloves has to be an upgrade on Lumley and Daniels in my view. 😎
Ben Foster has also been mentioned (free agent). He has a Man Utd connection as well of course.
Andy:
There are so many names being mentioned at the moment, Heaton, Foster, Darlow, Iverson and Butland, to name but a few, it is difficult to establish if there is substance to any of them.
I suspect we will have to wait until the 1st of July after which things may become clearer/firm up. 😎
Almost 90% of the 1,350+ Boro fans who took part in the Gazette survey believe Chris Wilder's side will finish in the top six in the coming campaign.
I was among the 19.1% who are backing Boro for automatic promotion and think they'll finish in the top two.
Let's hope we as fans will be correct. But it looks the general mood is very, very positive on Teesside again. Up the Boro!
June has certainly been a stellar month for Sheffield born athletes, especially from the red side of the city. First Joe Root has regained top spot in the ICC mens world cricket rankings for batting, and now Matt Fitzpatrick has become only the 4th Englishman to win the US Open Golf Championship, and the first since Tony Jacklin in 1970. Perhaps this might be the month when Sheffield born Chris Wilder is inspired to build a Boro team through the transfer window to gain automatic promotion by the end of the season, as he has done it once before with his beloved Blades in 2019 after a final 10th position the season before. Or am I clutching at straws ?
Middlesbrough make first (after Howson signed an extension) summer signing as Liam Roberts arrives from Northampton Town
The 27-year-old joins Boro on the back of an impressive season in League Two. Welcome to Boro!
Sammy Ameobi has left Middlesbrough after a nightmare campaign for the winger in which he failed to play a single minute due to injury.
I wonder if he had been fit, would we have colllected two or three points more under Warnock. That would have helped us with Wilder in the Spring time to finnish 6th possibly. If fit.
Up the Boro!
Great to see Jonny staying with Boro.
PS. Sammy's contract was originally to continue until Jun 30, 2023 according to Transfermarkt. UBT!
Yes Jarrko, he originally signed a two year deal. A wasted year and more money to pay him off one would guess.
Yes Jarrko, he originally signed a two year deal. A wasted year and more money to pay him off one would guess.
I suppose that it depends on how he sees his chances of picking up another two year contract somewhere else. He was unlikely to get a game under Wilder and so it might have been a mutual agreement to end the deal.
utb