Craig Johns
A Sunderland Reporter has tweeted this
I'm absolutely delighted to announce that I will be moving to @GazetteBoro to cover all things @Boro alongside @DomShawGazette. With my family all from Saltburn and Guisborough way, Teesside was a huge part of my childhood, and the chance to move to a great patch is v. exciting
OFB
For some reason my Diasboro link disappeared off my Phone!
Anyone else had problems today ?
OFB
For some reason my Diasboro link disappeared off my Phone!
Anyone else had problems today ?
OFB
I've also heard from GHW that he's had problems viewing the Diasboro site today - I've got no problems viewing from my laptop and have also just checked from my iPhone and appears ok. There may have been a problem today but I can't confirm as I've been at the beach all day 🙂
I had to close the page and then google Diasboro for some reason the page wouldn’t refresh
Seems to be ok now though
It’s amazing how a chance conversation in a pub miles from Middlesbrough led me to revisit the story of one of my boyhood heroes. We didn’t have many international players at the time so I held him in some kind of awe.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/nov/02/forgotten-story-john-crossan-ban
I have to admit that I've never heard of John Crossan - though in my defence he was born the same year as my father in 1938 and his last game for Boro was 1970, which was a few years before I started taking an interest in football.
Anyway, thanks for the link it was a great read and article that can boast references to Clement Freud and Jimmy Hill in the same paragraph is definitely worth checking out - though quite unbelievable how he was stitched up by the suits!
I see the Northern Echo have resurrected the Ben Gibson to Boro story again (Middlesbrough's hopes of re-signing Ben Gibson increase) - apparently Burnley are running out of options and Gibson is still persona non grata having being the only unselected squad member in pre-season. I still suspect the numbers will never add up but I guess it remains a slow news period on Teesside in terms of transfer gossip.
@grovehillwallah Thank you for the link.
Yes, I had not heard about Crossan before as I started to follow Boro in Finland in 1970's - just after he left Boro. And I started to read every Boro story from the Evening Gazette and the Northern Echo only from 1980 or 1981 onwards.
@werdermouth I think we desperately need a left-footed centre back 😉. I hope the transfer happens as he is from our academy.
You know, a loan for a season first and then a permanent as we must be promoted in May. I trust Warnock's barbeque as much as Harry Redknapp trusted his dog for transfers, me.
Beside there has not been a single Boro story in the Echo for weeks now.
Up the Boro!
Thanks for yet another of your hidden gems.
It's a brilliant article, very well written and researched, and will entertain everyone who reads this blog.
I remember Crossan - and Peter Doherty - very well. Although Crossan was coming to the end of his career by the time we signed him he remained a class act. He had great ball control was an excellent passer of the ball and scored some remarkable goals for us.
His back story was very well known at the time. It was an extreme example of the commonplace hypocrisies of the day surrounding the amateur/ professional distinction.
Harry Sharratt, the Bishop Auckland keeper, was widely regarded as the best goalie in the country, but he made more by keeping his job and playing as an "amateur". He eventually went on to play for Man United.
The Bishops also had an outstanding international amateur international Seamus O' Connell who occasionally turned out for the Boro playing as an amateur in the 1950s. He was only one of a number of amateurs who played in the professional game, all of them presumably on extraordinarily generous "expenses".
They couldn't officially be paid without permanently compromising their amateur status, and therefore being ostracised from the amateur game for ever after.
I just happened to start chatting in a bar with a couple from Belfast about football and mentioned Boro’s N. Ireland connection, but long before their time. Originally we were talking about Eric McMordie ( I’ll never forget his winning goal against Chelsea in the League Cup) and how he came across from Belfast with his pal George Best.
Yes, there is a strong NI connection at Boro. I think George Best was playing for Boro in Jim (James) Platt's testimonial match. They were very close friends, too.
Up the Boro!
@grovehillwallah I remember Eric McMordie very well. Boro fans thought he was the teams best player but when Jack Charlton arrived he shipped him out to Sheffield Wednesday permanently.
when Eric retired I met him a few times as he became a sales rep for Crossley Building Merchants and as a young QS I used to buy a lot of products from them for our Contracts.
Funny until I saw the article I had clean forgotten about that episode of meeting him
OFB
Although John Crossan was in his twilight years when he came to the Boro, he did have some good games in his three years. However the memory of him that is etched in my mind, was in a home match.
I cannot remember the opposition, but one of the defenders was giving him a very hard time!!!
Boro had a corner, the ball was swung in and cleared up field. As the ref turned away, followed by the rest of the players, so all facing the Boro end, Mr Crossan elbowed the said defender, who fell like a sack of potatoes. John then trotted after them all.
Of course nobody saw a thing, especially the ref and linesmen. The defender did not bother John for the rest of the afternoon.
@grovehillwallah and another piece on Johnny Crossan
Johnny Crossan was also a great friend of Brian Clough and in their later years used to enjoy going to watch cricket together
OFB
Yes, there is a strong NI connection at Boro. I think George Best was playing for Boro in Jim (James) Platt's testimonial match. They were very close friends, too.
Up the Boro!
MiddlesbroughEdit
Middlesbrough during the latter half of the 19th century had the second highest percentage of Irish born migrants in England after Liverpool.[42][43] In terms of the overall population, 15.6% of Middlesbrough's inhabitants were Irish born in 1861 and 1 in 5 adults (9.2%) were Irish born in the 1871 census.[44][45] During the late 19th century, Middlesbrough became a world leader in the Steel and Iron industry and with the rapid growth of the town, the expanse of newly opened blast furnaces attracted many workers and their families to the Middlesbrough area. Unlike many other towns in England at the time, Middlesbrough showed no signs of sectarianism or segregation within the various communities that lived alongside each other, there were no "Irish quarters"[46] and the many Irish that settled in Middlesbrough integrated into their adopted home. This was most likely as a result of the town's infancy, it was essentially a migrant town. Although the number of Irish born currently residing in Middlesbrough may not be as substantial as it once was, Middlesbrough retains a strong Irish connection and heritage through the ancestry of many residents.
GHW
Yes, only my opinion but I've always thought that the significant Irish population of both Liverpool and the Boro have lent the two places many similarities which continue to the present day.
There's a degree of similarity in their local accents, somewhat flat, but direct, down-to- earth and eschewing pretentiousness. Football is ,of course, akin to a religion in both places. The residents of both towns bow the knee to no one in their expertise on that subject. and there is scarcely a league team in the country that doesn't contain either a scouser or a smoggie.
Neither place conforms to traditional notions of Englishness. They are probably more accurately thought of as two semi-Celtic outposts, one on the NW, the other on the NE coast, whose inhabitants bring a sceptical, sardonic humour as outsiders to the mainstream ideas, values and politics of southern England.
We enjoy being part of the awkward squad when occasion demands it, but both places have a stronger sense of community and family kinship than most other English towns. Yet neither place is insular. Both are, of course important ports, looking outwards to the Atlantic and the North Sea, and both have a long history of community integration.
Above all both are proud working-class towns that helped build modern Britain, chock full of great people who would give their shirts to help a neighbour or a mate.
Whether our own families were part of the Irish diaspora or not, it has given the town a uniqueness which has shaped the character of all of us who grew up there and have called it home.
Following the Jonny Crossan story, there used to be a connection with Ireland especially in South Bank which like Liverpool had a long history of Irish immigrants before the Second World War. Until Boro signed foreign players the 5 most capped full internationals whilst playing for Boro were as follows:-
Wilf Mannion ———England ——--26
Arthur Fitzsimons - Rep Ireland - 25
Eric McMordie ——- N Ireland——-21
Jim Platt —————-N Ireland—- —20
Terry Cochrane ——N Ireland ——- 18
Boro regularly made a tour of Ireland at the end of the season in the 1950s so always maintained that connection with Irish players. Of course Wilf Mannion had Irish ancestors, so whether that was the reason is open to conjecture but probably just a coincidence. Now looking at Irish players from Eire and Northern Ireland in chronological order in my lifetime we have the following players as far as I can recall, although I may have missed some. I exclude the likes of Bernie Slaven, Alan Kernaghan and Andy Townsend as they weren’t born in Ireland:-
1949/54 Jimmy Hartnett (left winger) signed from Dundalk, made 49 appearances, scored 8 goals including a hat trick in an end of season relegation match against Sheffield United in April 1949, 2 caps for Eire.
1950 Peter Desmond (inside forward) signed from Shelbourne, made only 2 appearances, however played in the Eire team the first ‘foreign’ country to beat England on English soil (1949 at Goodison Park), 4 caps for Eire but only 2 whilst a Boro player.
1950/59 Arthur Fitzsimons (inside forward) signed from Shelbourne, made 231 appearances, scored 51 goals, 26 caps for Eire all but one was whilst a Boro player.
1951/58 Frank Mullholland (wing half) signed from Glentoran, made 50 appearances without scoring, no international caps.
1967/70 Johnny Crossan (inside forward) signed from Manchester City although started with Derry City as a youngster before signing for Coleraine, 56 appearances for Boro, scored 7 goals, 10 caps for NI scoring 7 goals.
1969/73 Eric McMordie (inside forward) signed from Dundela, made 277 appearances, scored 22 goals, 21 caps for NI scoring 3 goals.
1976/86 Jim Platt (goalkeeper), 481 appearances, 23 caps for NI.
1977/83 Terry Cochrane (right winger) signed from Burnley via Coleraine amongst many other clubs, made 111 appearances, scored 7 goals for Boro including spectacular goal at Swansea in the FA Cup in 1981, 26 caps for NI.
1987/95 Curtis Fleming (left back) signed from St Patrick’s Athletic, 316 appearances, 3 goals for Boro, 10 caps for Republic of Ireland (formerly Eire).
Yes Len, such a pity that the press and media concentrate on the negative aspects of the town and hardly ever commentate on what a wonderful bunch of inhabitants it has.
Always welcoming and totally unconcerned where a person comes from.
Alan Moore, Chris Morris and Keith O’Neill spring to mind from the 1990’s. I always enjoyed watching O’Neill in particular for his all-action, aggressive if slightly indisciplined wing play.
If I recall correctly, didn’t Alan Moore score four or five goals in his first two appearances? A career that promised much but never quite delivered, similarly to O’Neill’s.
Where’s Simon? I’m sure he’d have something to say on the subject.
Len and GHW just beat me to it with the Irish connection, but nevertheless us oldies always knew that anyway. But in the 1900s Boro always had a Scottish connection as well with many fine players coming from north of the border.
Alan Moore, Chris Morris and Keith O’Neill spring to mind from the 1990’s. I always enjoyed watching O’Neill in particular for his all-action, aggressive if slightly indisciplined wing play.
If I recall correctly, didn’t Alan Moore score four or five goals in his first two appearances? A career that promised much but never quite delivered, similarly to O’Neill’s.
Where’s Simon? I’m sure he’d have something to say on the subject.
There you go, I knew there were some I had missed including Graham Kavanagh of course.
Middlesbrough showed no signs of sectarianism or segregation within the various communities that lived alongside each other, there were no "Irish quarters"
While this may have been true of Middlesbrough in itself I would doubt if it was the case as the Mine workers and Iron Workers were definitely split.
https://grangetownintimespast.weebly.com/victorian-times.html
Its all a very interesting read but scroll down to
1884, 21 April Faction Fight with Eston Miners - Grangetown Hotel
My all time favourite player is Terry Cochrane. An old fashioned winger. Also the first Boro player I ever met.
I have also met Jim Platt, Curtid Flemming, Graham Kavanagh, and Bernie Slaven - but stil cannot call the Glasgowian Irish.
Fasinating stories about the Teesside and its wondeful people. Lovely place to visit. Up the Boro!
Redcar Red
Thanks for that story. I wrote something on Diasboro a few years ago about Henry Bolckow and John Vaughan, though can’t remember why, but it might have been about famous Teessiders including Paul Daniels and Alan Keen MP, the latter two being Old Coathamians. Paul Daniels I knew very well at school as Teddy and at work with Redcar Borough Council whilst I sat next to Alan when we were 14. But of course only Paul was born a Teessider. Henry Bolckow was German born in Sulten as Heinrich Bolckow whilst John Vaughan was born in Worcester. Alan Keen was born in Lewisham and according to the Gazette in his obituary as a friend of Steve Gibson had been instrumental in suggesting Boro should take a look at Graeme Souness as a potential signing for Boro.
Andy R
Sorry to send a belated answer to your question about Alan Moore. He came on as a substitute in the 76th minute at home to Everton in April 1993 as Boro were effectively relegated from the Premier League. But as you say he did score twice on his full debut in the following season in the first match of the season away to Notts County which Boro won 3-2, and another twice in his third match in a 4-1 win at Barnsley. He actually finished up with 10 goals from 42 matches in that season. I also recall that in the following season Boro were losing 0-1 at halftime against West Brom at the Hawthorns with Bryan Robson contemplating bringing him off, that he turned the game on its head in the second half setting up a goal for Jamie Pollock, terrorising Paul Raven to concede an own goal, then scoring himself all in a 10 minute spell in arguably his best ever performance for Boro in a 3-1 win.
I believe Paul Daniels parents ran a cinema in Normandy road South Bank called the Majestic. His brother Trevor Daniels was also in the entertainment business and at some point was resident organist at the South Bank Sporting club (Empire Cinema) which Wilf Mannion was an honary member.
Sky sports report
BURNLEY BOY GIBSON IN DEMAND
Burnley have received a number of offers for defender Ben Gibson, including one from his former club, Middlesbrough.
I wonder if “a number of offers” really means one.
Come on BORO.
I believe Paul Daniels parents ran a cinema in Normandy road South Bank called the Majestic. His brother Trevor Daniels was also in the entertainment business and at some point was resident organist at the South Bank Sporting club (Empire Cinema) which Wilf Mannion was an honary member.
Normanby Road has played a major part over the decades in the history of Teesside. Old establishments such as the Princess Alice (where I had my first pint) to the clubs and cinemas like the Forum, Empire and the infamous South Bank Sporting Club just opposite Southbank FC (founded in 1868) and its Normanby Road ground where the skills of Mannion and many others once graced the turf. The stories from the Road are legendary from the infamous Chubby Brown joke that back fired with the committee and saw him banned from St. Peters Social Club to the crashed Dornier site that resulted in a sensitive moving tribute from the area just before the turn of the Century in 1998.
Just saw a random picture from the Shoot! Magazine. There were the Charton Champions in a team picture.
All the other players are so familiar, but Malcolm Smith is not as well known as the others. Can you help, Ken? How many matces he played in the famous promotion season and where he came from? And where did he go to after Boro?
Up the Boro!