I will start a new topic now as Werder is on holiday.
Boro will play the final match of the season tomorrow. Against Wednesday in Sheffield on Wednesday. I wonder if the always play their mid week matches on Wednesday.
The club was so named because it was on Wednesdays that the founding members had their day off work. They were initially based at the New Ground in Darnall, and often went by the name of Darnall Wednesday, but also played at Hyde Park.
Although it is widely assumed that the club's nickname changed to The Owls in 1899 after the club's move to Owlerton, it was not until 1912, when Wednesday player George Robertson presented the club with an owl mascot, that the name took hold.
The nickname of 'The Blades' was first adopted by Sheffield Wednesday before they became 'The Owls', and ironically, Bramall Lane was the home of Sheffield Wednesday before it became the home of Sheffield United. So quite confusing.
The Owls uséd to be my second favourite club when Big Jack moved down the road to there. In the late 1970's and early 1980's they used to play in the lower leagues so I did not see a conflict in following their results. Later I have been to Hillsborough couple of times. My late friend from Great Ayton used to take me there if Boro had an away match.
So I still have a soft spot for them but I wouldn't call them a favourite team anymore as they often play on the same level as Boro. But I hope we all remember Jack Charlton when his former teams play each other. I think Jack's funeral is today 21st July.
I would have been fabulous to have the crowd in there singing Charton's name together. And Boro playing in a retro red shirt with the white band.
But we do not afford to be centmental in the game. It is a game which Neil Warnock will want to win. He would be delighted to keep his 1.5 points per match average.
But we need to get a point to keep all the people in Teesside happy. Hence I will go for an OFB and predict a dull ⚽️ ⚽️ draw. I hope the ghosts can then be laid down after the match.
Up the Boro!
Is it possible to sign Ben Stokes for tomorrow’s match?
Thanks Jarkko, I was just about to ask if someone could do the match preview - good man!
@werdermouth I think it is the time difference (BST - 2 h). Usually in the morning I have time for the blog and today realised the last match is already tomorrow. Up the Boro!
Thanks, Jarkko it's nice to know we at least have a plan B on this blog
Bri
Well done Jarkko. Now I know that a lot of Boro fans are in a state of paranoia over having to face Sheffield Wednesday on the final day of the season most of it based on two seasons, 13th May 1989 when Boro lost 0-1 to finish bottom and the only time during that season that they were in that position, and also on the 4th May 2013 when Boro again lost, this time 0-2, although Boro finished 16th so was not a ‘must win’ game.
It’s also true that visits to Hillsborough have not been very successful with only 13 wins, 5 draws and a massive 33 defeats there, but Boro have won their last 3 visits there, and of course it was a happy hunting ground there in 1997 when Boro reached their first FA Cup Final after a 3-0 win albeit in a replay against Chesterfield.
Of course I’ve always maintained that previous results should have no bearing on current form, although the 1-4 home defeat to the Owls earlier this season was an embarrassing defeat to say the least. Boro’s biggest win away to the Owls was 5-1 way back in 1909, but probably the most intriguing recent result at Hillsborough was as recent as December 2017 when Wednesday’s current Manager Garry Monk, then Boro’s Manager, and Carlos Carvalhal his counterpart at Wednesday were both relieved of their respective posts shortly before Christmas. In that match Boro were behind at the interval to a Ross Wallace goal, but Boro equalised with a Jonny Howson goal with less than 20 minutes remaining and a Ryan Shotton goal 10 minutes later giving Boro the points in a 2-1 win with Boro only 3 points from a playoff place at the halfway point of the season.
With Garry Monk’s position as Manager of Wednesday now in jeopardy, and the Owls’s own position hinging on a possible points deduction, it is to be hoped that from a Boro point of view, that Monk doesn’t extract revenge for his Boro sacking, although the Owls’s recent home record is almost as bad as Boro’s with only 1 win and 3 draws in their last 11 matches at Hillsborough, one of those 7 defeats being a 0-5 thrashing by Blackburn.
So all in all Boro are due a draw as the last one was against Forest on Leap Day which 16 years ago was of course the day that Boro at last won their first major trophy at the Millennium Stadium. More tellingly a draw will put to bed the paranoia surrounding some of our fans. So hoping I get one result correct I’m hoping for that 🏐🏐 which OFB often predicts.
So as a follow up to the Adam Clayton story the suspension of Johnny Howson has changed things again !
Here’s the latest Press Love-In with Neil Warnock.
What would your three questions to NW be?
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/watch-neil-warnock-pre-match-media-conference-sheffield-wednesday
@original-fat-bob What is your thinking about the final score at Wednesday then? I was hoping for a draw down there. Up the Boro!
Thanks Jarkko for your informative pre-match preview, much appreciated.
As for the result I have us down to lose in the Exmil challenge and so far have been 100% wrong so fingers crossed that continues as we need a point so we can at least save face and say we escaped relegation under our own steam! 😎
Thanks Jarkko for the preview - I am very nervous about tomorrow - I fear that we will lose and be in a relegation position pending the outcome of all the points deduction appeals.
i have only had one good memory of Hillsborough when we won back in 2009 when Adam Johnson(cough) played a blinder before he left us.
The rest of the games I have seen have not been great to be fair.
I hope that tomorrow will change it but I doubt it and forecast for me is a 1 0 defeat. My predictions have all been wrong so maybe an omen!
Thanks for the preview Jarkko. Great to see you stepping into the breach.
As for Wednesday on Wednesday I am not confident we will get the result we need to control our own destiny. Hope to be wrong, but it would be absolutely typical for us to end up in a relegation position and for the EFL blow it in respect of allocating points deductions for any of the 4 teams that should be hit hard.
Heart ruling mind , I'll borrow one of OFB's eyeballs in the sky....⚽️-⚽️
Remember Bielsa and Leeds giving the opposition a free goal after a Leeds player had scored a goal unsportingly?
I think he will be very professional and sproting in tonight's match. I trust he will field a strong side against Charlton. Pity there are no fans present for the Champions.
Charlton will need a win to overtake Boro. I think Luton have an easier game at home versus Mogga's Blackburn than Charlton have at Elland Road. Also Birmingham can get a point or three when entertaining Derby. So it won't be easy for our Boro.
So a ⚽️ ⚽️ draw will do for us. We haven't had a clean sheet for ages and are due one tonight. Up the Boro!
To pacify Boro fans here are some further statistics to mull over:-
1. Sheffield Wednesday have won only one of their last 12 home matches.
2. Only 4 teams have failed to score in more home games than the Owls.
3. Only 4 teams have won more away games whilst keeping a clean sheet than Boro.
4. Boro have won 4 of their last 5 away matches.
5. Neil Warnock has never lost a League game against a team managed by Garry Monk, 3 wins and 2 draws.
6. Birmingham at home to Derby haven’t won any of their last 13 matches, 6 draws and 7defeats.
7. Luton at home to Blackburn haven’t won any of their 4 home matches since lockdown, 3 draws and 1 defeat.
8. Charlton away to Leeds haven’t won any of their last 6 matches, 3 draws and 3 defeats.
9. Meanwhile Leeds have lost only 3 matches at home all season, and in fact have won 6 and drawn 1 of their last 7 home matches.
10. As we all know Boro only need to avoid defeat today to be safe from relegation as Barnsley and Hull can’t match Boro’s 50 points, but if Boro should lose tonight then ALL of the following results must occur:- Birmingham must lose (possibly), Luton must win (possibly) and Charlton must win (unlikely in view of their current form). So what could possibly go wrong? I know that some of you will state that this is Boro we’re talking about. But nevertheless Boro aren’t the only team that that quotation can be levelled at, so have some faith as Boro have won their last 3 visits to Hillsborough. Although I had Boro losing this match in the ExMil competition I’ve yet to get one prediction correct, so long may that continue.
Is it a 'back of the couch' evening? It's to late to dig a foxhole in the orchard and only emerge to check the fixture list when the leaves are falling, complete with beard and long hair. No, it's time to man up and follow the game, torment the blood pressure and tackle the stress head-on. 'Back of the couch' it is then.
Seriously, I'll follow the game on all available electronic equipment and enjoy a few San Miguel giant bottles that boss bought me for the occasion, there's nothing else to do except hope and maybe even pray. To paraphrase Mogga's line and the new Boro motto 'it'll be what it is'.
It's terrible that they've managed to get themselves into this shambolic mess and all they have to do tonight is get at least a point, mind you with the way they play the game even that could be a very tall order, as in all things Boro the away sequence of wins has to end sometime so if it does let it be a draw. However I am haunted by that late goal at Hull, what a difference that point would make now. Small mistakes...
Fasten your seatbelts and enter a meditative state by the evening DiasBoro.
UTB,
John
a 'back of the couch' evening
Some of us have to watch it and then relive it! 🙂
I won’t be watching or listening to tonight’s match. I’ve two options, either watch Sky Sports news with Jeff Stelling as his team of observers watch every goal scored seconds after they’re scored and/or log into Flash Scores as a little red dot appears against each match as a goal is imminent followed by Goal if it’s allowed by VAR though doesn’t matter for Championship matters of course. It’s too stressful to watch or listen to live commentaries, and I’ve now got into the habit of avoiding stress over anything at my time of life. Incidentally my sofa is against the wall, and if I was able to hide behind it I’d have to ring Home Call to get me on my feet again.
Think Boro will fired up tonight regarding the EFl fiasco and of course their desperate bid to stay in the championship. So I am going for a 2 0 Boro win and sod the rest of them.
We interrupt this thread to go LIVE to the White House where Jim Acosta is about to pose questions to Donald Trump.....
Latest but appeal wont be heard till July 31 st !
Thanks for the preview Jarkko. Just a few more hours of terror before the end of this dreadful season (unless we are have to wait for 31 July for our fate to be decided).
I have cans of Brew Dog Barnard Castle Eye Test and 2 vanilla slices to celebrate/drown my sorrows.
A gourmet indulgence there, I've only got mixed nuts to with the San Miguel!
UTB,
John
Thanks for the preview Jarkko. Just a few more hours of terror before the end of this dreadful season (unless we are have to wait for 31 July for our fate to be decided).
I have cans of Brew Dog Barnard Castle Eye Test and 2 vanilla slices to celebrate/drown my sorrows.
We may all need our Eyes Testing by 1000 tonight!
If we survive then I will open the bottle of rose [red and white] sparkling champers we had for the play offs. amazing that has been in the bar for two years.
I ma not hopeful though and have that Boro feeling in the pit of my stomach