I'm Boro's Mr February

I can see the clubs point on this. They can’t give it away cheaply, but how much would you expect to get from Shirt Sponsorship annually? £250,000? £1m? I don’t know what the club were looking for but we can’t expect the club to spend money this summer and not pursue fully the revenue streams open to the club.

It would be a great gesture to leave it blank or free for local worthy causes but at the expense of being able to afford Kris Boyd’s wages? I’d like to think the club does work with Local good causes and that player’s appearances and tickets might be more appreciated.

Anyway it’s got us all talking about it which I expect is what the club would have wanted and gives smaller local business the chance to sponsor the team and feel part of the club again.

Newboulds
The Gazette
Boro Taxis
Mandy’s Massage
One North East
University of Teesside

All great Teesside Company/products to be associated with the Boro. Quite what the Swansea fans will make of it when we play down there in shirts sponsored by ‘Pete’s Parmo Palace’ is anyone guess.

**AV writes: The last one with Garmin was one of these incremental deals worth up to £1m but was signed when we were in the Premier League so how much we giot last season is just guess work. I think at this level £250k would be fantastic and given the recession and squeeze in public spending - so you can rule out the University, One North east etc - you may be looking at far less for a Championship side seen to be on the slide (crowds etc).

If the club can get £50k a month for ten months they are quids in. If they can only get £20k a month - and sell them all - I think it will still be at the top end of the Championship scale. I'll have a nose around comparable clubs later on.

West Brom did something similar last year - but sold sponsorship only when they were on TV. They tried to do it the year before while in the Prem, but it was blocked by the Powers That Be.

Pretty sure only blank shirts were available in their Club Shop - here's hoping for the return of the white band.....

What a ridiculous idea, who wants a blank shirt - you can get 22 of those from the wholesaler. If they cannot get a sponsor for a season how will they do it for a month?

After a good news story about Boyd we get this latest rubbish from our PR/marketing/business managment team.

Oh dear.

Put £1 on the admission price, average £20,000 pounds per game and put Zoe's Place on the front of the shirt. If a player cannot play with passion whilst wearing that shirt he never will.

AV: I dont live in the town so I dont get to the club shop. Is that the new shirt?
It's not in the club shop online. Has it actually been released yet? Have you just spilt the beans?

Would the Gazette actually take a punt at a month if they new one hadnÂŜt been sold at a discounted last minute, beat the deadline deal rate?!!

**AV writes: No, that's a mock up that was floating around last year.

I'm not sure what the Gazette position would be if we were asked (and I'm sure we will have been but I genuinely don't know, that's for suits who will take these decisions with one eye on the bottom line). We already have tickets and do hospitality and support the club that way plus give acres of free publicity every week as part of our relationship with the club. And how do we benefit in commercial terms in having our brand seen by viewers in Scunthorpe or Bristol?

That said we have stepped in before when the club were in a fix and as the club's biggest, most steadfast and most active supporters in many ways over generations I'm sure we would again if need be.

Ian Gill at 1.15pm - "Mido's shirt could feature Newboulds or Greggs".

More like his shirt could display a print out of the Middlesbrough area telephone directory from A to M. Or the first two volumes of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy in print that could be read from the centre circle to the first row of seats in each stand?

Oh, how we love him and look forward to his Return to the Boro pitch!

I quite like the idea of a blank shirt. How conditioned have people become when they think it's not a "proper" shirt because it doesn't carry a sponsors name on it? Barcelona don't do it,.I do agree a charitable logo would have been good,perhaps a different one of those every month. Woul dbe good publicity for the club.

Middlesbrough have completed the signing of Charlton captain Nicky Bailey, skysports.com can reveal.

Up the Boro!

**AV writes: I'm not sure it is formally 'completed' yet but everything is agreed. Nothing has changed from several days ago except Sky Sports turned up at the presser today for the first time in months so the situation is news to them.

If only the Red Faction won the lottery and put 'Stand up if you love Boro'.

General thinking in our office is that maybe the club are hoping we are doing really well at Christmas and get a decent deal.

I text John Powls and got a spluttering response, that is if texts could splutter, from a cafe in Turin. He did air the view that maybe the Count was trying to sell multiple kits.

The full set for a season could become a collectors item. In 2096 the antiques roadshow could visit Rockliffe Hall and someone could bring along the framed collection for valuation.

'It was my great grandfathers. He got them just before being committed and they have passed down through the family. Not much use but of sentimental value.'

They could be valuable like those old matchbox cars with adverts on them.

Sorry for digressing but one feels that humour is needed at this point. Sorry to disappont. It looks likely to be as succesful as the mini season ticket jape.

The best situation would be no shirt sponsor in a month where we play the bar codes in a cup game. Then either through a local rich lad or a collective whip round we get, on the front of the shirt:

"U R Trophy Virgins"

That would be worth millions to the club in shirt sales!

Given the fact that there is clearly no financial gain of significance to be had in a sponsorship deal because of the league we're playing in and the economic climate then it was a very very obvious PR opportunity for a charity 'reverse' sponsorship arrangement a la Barcelona.

Sometimes you wonder what planet the clubs senior management are living on.

I am all for a non sponsored shirt. Remember Heritage Hampers? Who wanted to have that logo? Plenty did though.

Barcerlona have UNICEF. As AV mentioned why don't Boro kick off with Help the Heroes for example. A lot of respect would come there way for that move.

We've had a bit of a joke about it, and I'm sure there'll be more funnies to come, but I am warming to the charity shirt idea.

If we don't get a proper sponsor, I think advertising and letting people know how to donate to "Help for Heroes would be

1. A really good cause
2. Good for the club
3. Good for the charity and those who have been injured (or worse) while we have been watching people "trying" to play football.

How about Help for Heroes until Christmas, which would give the brains in PR/Marketing time to organise a few local charities for a month or two each in the second half of the season?

I never thought Boro would get a serious mention in the same breath as Barcelona, but this is a potential disaster out of which much good could come. It would be popular with the supporters, make us feel proud of the club and even get us some good publicity (not only locally) which would be a change. Isn't that what PR/Marketing is largely about?

Rescuing a little victory out of the jaws of defeat?

Boro Doug is a simpleton and small town, small minded fools like him are quite frankly an embarrassment to the town and the football club. Perhaps I might sponsor the club to have Boro Doug is a complete doyle on the shirts.

**AV writes: You could club together.

'Nigel 'Reevalinho' Reeve said: Sometimes you wonder what planet the club's senior management are living on'.

That'll be Planet Lamb then, you know, the one even more preposterous and fantastical than anything ever written in a Roald Dahl story.

AV, I agree that the Gazette - and especially you - told us long ago that Bailey is joining Boro. But it is now official on the club's web side, too. So it is official now - great!

McManus next? Up the Boro!

Another thought.

Find some rich Russian or even the Russian Govt and we could have Red Army! Even Vic would be happy.

Lamb & Bauser = Elvis & Costello without the laughter but plenty of the calamity.

I don't think the Shirt Sponsor idea is all that ridiculous. Its pretty obvious that potential Sponsor's (like the Fans investment in Season Tickets) are at an all time low.

Economically and financially businesses globally are struggling just to keep their heads above water. Just look at our High Streets where once household names filled every shopfront. Now we have artistic mural efforts to try and make the vast swathe of empty Pubs, Shops and Offices look attractive and full of lucrative potential.

The Riverside is not isolated from all of this and the vast swathes of empty seats last season allied to "creative" attendences does not make for a Marketing Manager with a seriously reduced budget and a heightened critical analysis for a return on their investment salivate with excitement.

If say we normally get £1m in a good season and over 10 months that works out at £100K a month or around £25K per game. How many Companies have £1M to spend on Advertising this year compared with last year? I don't know the answer to that one but I do know it will be considerably less than July 2009 and far less than 2008.

Conversely how many Companies have £75K to spend on Marketing versus those with a Million? Again I have no data but it doesn't take a genius to work out that its a damned site more than those Organisations with a £1M budget. Please note the £75K and not £50K, yep that means we could make even more than with one "biggie" if we fill all 10 months or we could afford to have a couple of virgin months and be no worse off!

Rather than a PR disaster in the future Boro could well be lauded by the top European clubs as masterminding a new way of maximising revenue even in times of future Marketing excesses (if those days ever return).

The Club could if shrewd enough, target seasonal highs and strategic months (next May for example). Think about the value if your Corporate logo is on the Shirts of a Team lifting the Championship Trophy or ironically better still winning the Play Offs? Next May will undoubtedly have a higher price tag than October.

Likewise a Cup Run could bring untold advertising benefit for a lucky Sponsor who was earlier willing to commit to a relatively small sum for a "lucky" Man U v. Boro tie at Old Trafford where a paltry £35K could get you Global coverage (Yahoo).

Also bear in mind the heightened interest and newfound curious awareness of Boro on the Clyde (Tenants?). How many of Boro's games have already been rescheduled for TV coverage and how much do you think a 30 second ad costs on TV nowadays?

The argument of the plain shirts and which sponsor's logo to commit to is small fry compared to the potential if Marketed correctly by the Boro themselves! On the subject of positive marketing can we have the white band back (adidas Autheno)?

**AV writes: The problem with next May is that there is only one game scheduled. If you want to sell well in advance it will be a brave company that will stump up on the off-chance of the play-offs. If you leave it until closer to the time to sell and Boro fall short who will buy a month with one dead rubber game?

I think you are right that a prime time TV game would potentially be marketing gold but those broadcasts are decided at short notice whereas the sponsorship slot will need to sold probably months in advance. You may be better off not having a sponsor at all and just selling the TV games on a one-off basis... if you could guarantee half-a-dozen juicy fixtures. But you can't.

Apart from the logistics of running a model such as the one we think has been proposed, I'd seriously question the advertising value of short-term shirt sponsorship deals, particularly for regional businesses who have no real market profile in other geographic areas of England and unlikely to see any serious business profile-raising benefit from having their name on a club's shirt in a location where they don't have market presence.

In such circumstances, the relative perceived advantages of shirt sponsorship have to be re-weighed and assessed.

It's not only advertising that shirt sponsorship can get you, if the marketing "Product" is right. Advertising is only one component of it. Hospitality and expenses management (tax offsetting) can be beneficial perks which, when re-packaged as an alternative "perk product" may have hitherto unrealised or unrealisable benefits to smaller companies. But...

Why doesn't the club simply tell us exactly what is their strategy for marketing sponsorship deals? Is it because they haven't thought it through properly or they just don't care about how their supporters - their own marketplace - view their apparent failures - even if they're NOT failures!

It would possibly save a lot of negative speculation if someone at the club would put a little more meat on the bones of how they see the sponsorship model working, to whom they consider it may be attractive and why.

That way, they take the support along with them in their thinking and don't appear to be knee-jerking from one crisis or communications faux pas to another! (That is assuming they've actually thought the strategy through, done their homework and maybe even tested the alternative market!)

Until then, I like many others remain to be convinced that it's not just another shot from the hip when confronted by unanticipated circumstances. There are some further thoughts on the matter on Boro Banter.

http://borobanter.gazettelive.co.uk/2010/07/sponsorship---dont-bet-your-sh.html

Maybe an added carrot would be that the monthly shirt sponsors name would also appear on the boards behind the manager/players at pre/post match interviews and press conferences.

Even if the match is not televised these interviews are regularly on Sky on Saturday tea-time and regurgitated throughout the week. I can see the local signwriters might getting some overtime.

For all the poking of a bit of fun at shirt sponsorship it is an irritation rather than an embarassment.

Would be nice to have the money and a top brand name on the front but it shouldnt unduly affect how the team plays and that is our main interest. Start the season well and be near the top and you will get televised matches. That will draw the interest of sponsors.

Of interest this morning is the fact Barcelona have had to take a loan to pay the wages. Football finances are not just an issue in this country and when you consider that the Spanish league is set up for the benefit of two teams it shows how fragile the situation is.

For all clubs, money is welcome from any source, it just a shame so much gets squandered on ridiculous salaries and parasites.

If Mido leaves would that be better value than a shirt sponsor?

How about suggestions for the monthly sponsors? I'll start with Tampax for December when we go through our customary bad period. I'll get me coat.

**AV writes: Ho ho. Oxo. Pampers. You can rule out Winalot etc.... Come on, you lot are better than this.

AV - exclusive in todays Daily Record suggests Boro are in negotiations to sign Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2010/07/08/middlesbrough-look-to-sign-kevin-thomson-from-rangers-and-offer-striker-lee-miller-in-2-7m-deal-86908-22396463/

I'm sure you blokes at the Gazette are more privy to insider gossip at Boro than the hacks in Scotland. Is there any truth in the Thomson 'scoop'?

The kitty at Boro seems to get bigger? Thomson and hopefully Hooper will make us well and truely frontrunners for promotion.

Is there money now for a decent goalkeeper and a couple of fullbacks?

Can't wait for this season to start! optimistic already!!!

**AV writes: There is some interest but the clubs are "miles apart on valuation." Boro are looking to get Big Mick sorted and shift a few out while they think about it.

I propose Hooters for a shirt sponsorship with the waitresses doing a turn at half time!

Otherwise, there is always Dunkin Donuts, Mido - sit down...

Daily Record report:

"Middlesbrough last night stepped up their efforts to land Rangers star Kevin Thomson by throwing in ex-Aberdeen striker Lee Miller as a makeweight in a £2.7million deal.

"Boro boss Gordon Strachan has deemed Miller surplus to requirements after the arrival of Kris Boyd from Ibrox and is now trying to punt 27-year-old Miller in the opposite direction.

"Rangers are reluctant to sell Thomson but with the former Hibs midfielder entering the last year of his contract they may be tempted to do business if Strachan ups his offer for the 25-year-old."

I still think that the midfield is our biggest concern - presuming McManus joins in. Up the Boro!

Got to agree with Bob, I just don't think a sponsor on a shirt makes many people buy anything at all. Couple that with the availability of internet now, how many people just go and buy a brand?

Personally anything I buy receives a reasonable amount of research on the web to find out who sells it, who has the best price, who has the best reputation and so on. Doesn't take long and means I have knowledge of most of the brands before I make my decision.

Of all Premier League teams (never mind championship), how many shirt sponsors could you name off the top of your head? I think I might get a handful if I really think about it.

Paul Bell - If I am a simpleton you must be the Grinch, Scrooge and Meldrew all rolled into one!

Personally I'd give anything to have my name on a Boro Shirt!! Doyle included!
As long as we could have "U R Trophy Vigins" on the bottom of the shorts!

Life's a piece of hits
When you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

Hello AV, in response to your points:

The monthly sponsorship would need to be sold as one of a number of packages dependent upon the sponsor's needs and spending power - that is typical in media agencies. It is like buying a car then adding extras, maybe taking the radio and leaving out the rubber mat - based on what the sponsor is trying to achieve. You only guarantee what you can and of course you contract to say that games may be called off; that could happen with the current model, say for a big FA Cup game that was due to be televised and then is not for whatever reason.

August, when we assume higher interest, could be priced differently to perhaps January or February. The pricing would need to be flexible and just as crowd numbers are influenced by the performance of the product on the pitch then so to would the sponsorship earning potential.

The key for the Club would be to get as many months sold sooner rather than later. It may well be that the deals are being done for three or even six months to manage the worrying unpredictability you raise.

Why not just buy an advert in the Gazette? Don't beat me up for this, but fewer people read papers generally (I don't have stats for The Gazette in front of me), especially younger age groups and on-line banner effectiveness has faded too. On top of that the sponsors may feel they have already exploited The Gazette and want to reach a different audience.

Question: does the club know its match day customers well enough to brief businesses about the potential audience?

However more businesses are interested in talking direct to customers, hence the spread of Twitter etc, and experience marketing is proving to be successful - so with your message on the shirt, the AV brand would also make a big splash on match days outside the ground, in the concourses, on the pitch at half time etc.

I reckon this would work well for retailers, especially food products (although that may damage concourse sales?). Again the value of this is subject to the number of potential customers turning up to watch the game. It also has to be relevant to the majority of fans, without upsetting the minorities.

The club would have to be proactive with this concept and ensure it had the contacts available to help make it work, so the organisation involved would not put off smaller businesses lacking the time for that level of effort.

As for blank shirts; if that's what happens as the sponsor entering in to the deal I would have to understand that that is an element. Perhaps shirts are printed quarterly to make one in three months more valuable? Perhaps the August sponsor pays more for the benefit of fans wearing shirts printed with their brand?

Agree there is a lot for the club to consider but it could be an plan that works or not but I would give them some credit for trying to reinvigorate an area that has become more than a little tired generally.

**AV writes: I'm all in favour of trying anything new but this feels rushed and ill thought through. It may have had more leverage if they unvieled it with a marquee name already lined up for one month to prove its viability.

My main concern is that the kind of firms interested in a national profile-raising exercise through football would see little value in such a short window bedevilled by the potential problems raised here while the ones who may see the attractions - smaller and more local - may not have the budget to meet the pricetag.

I am very converned that the press release had an appeal for sponsors to contact them. It suggests that the club don't really have a firm target audience already in place. They don't have a database of suitable clients for this project - or worse, that they have been through their list and found no takers.

As someone in the know can you outline the kind of profile of a company that may find this attractive - size, location, sector, turnover, marketing budget. Who would you be pitching this to right now?

Personally I hate walking around as a commercial billboard and would welcome a shirt without sponsors logo.

Surprised Gibbo doesnt take the opportunity to advertise Bulkhaul or even more likely the new complex at Hurworth. It would just be a case of moving money around between his companies and he would save some tax as it would be a legitimate business expense.

Failing that why doesnt he use the shirt advertising space to try boost his mate Mallon's bid for city status for the town.

Frankly there will not be any local interest stirred up. What business around Teesside can risk funds at present with the massive closures of major industries and the knock-on effects to the local economy of the drop in the workforce spending money.

Hello AV

I admit to reading the article thinking yep, yep, interesting idea and then coming to a dead stop on seeing the phone number... On the one hand why not after putting a new idea out there, but then on the on the other hand it looks like something a non-league team would do.

Of course if it works and businesses are calling and useful leads are generated then why not? At least the club can claim to be offering an opportunity.

Has the new sponsorship idea being floating around at the club for a while? Maybe and they have just publicised it? Then again perhaps it is a case of the old way of sponsorship failing to meet an existing expectation and Mr Lamb or Mr Gibson telling their people to get something sorted asap. Who hasn't been in that position before?!

They are cutting it fine for the start of the season, especially when most marketing budgets would have been agreed last year and early 2010 for financial years to start in January or April respectively.

Another challenge for the club is reaching people in companies or agencies that will listen to an idea now, many will have a plan that they are working to. But if they idea is good enough there could be takers...

So:

1. A car manufacturer e.g. Kia that could have their brand on shirts and elsewhere but also get people into cars at the car park outside the ground. There are people that would do displays with the cars, meeting all health and safety considerations of course, perhaps have fans been driven around a high speed course? Maybe a squad player or two competing against the clock?

Personally I have not thought about buying a Kia, but maybe if I got in one that would change my view. That's a problem for a challenger brand, the heart rules but the head should look at the low price and good warranty. Suitable for Teesside, I would say so and there is a dealership in Middlesbrough already. Getting people closer to the cars might appeal to Kia. Getting fans to the ground earlier should appeal to the Club.

Like I said in an earlier post the club must be able to talk about the match day audience demographic accurately to sell this type of idea.

2. Independent shops are suffering due to competition from larger national stores. Why not approach the local Chamber(s) of Commerce with a 'shop local' idea? Or just one type of shop e.g. butchers? On match days the Club could sell local produce, do taste tests inside and outside the ground, perhaps from the existing burger bars and get fans interested in better, not just buying meats/pies at the supermarket. Blackwells in Norton springs to mind as one place that makes great food. The 'butchers' would share the cost.

3. The MOD; I am not sure if the Army still needs to recruit but if they are it would be logical for them to sponsor the team and do their displays outside the ground. Locally based service personnel and veterans could also be invited to fill the East Stand.

4. Drinks. Red Bull usually excel at this type of activity; perhaps one of the regional companies e.g. Black Sheep. They are involved with the Tall Ships at Hartlepool in August.

5. A local hairdressing salon business or a larger business with local salons e.g. Toni and Guy. Cuts in the penalty box?!

6. Energy. Perhaps edf or E-on. Everyone at the ground is or will be paying an energy bill at some point. It may be attractive for the suppliers to tell us why we should choose them.

This all depends on each particular business and its motivation. I approach this for a business to consumer perspective, but there may be Teesside businesses that would like to highlight their presence in the area, as Waitrose do at Reading. How about GDF Suez?

**AV writes: Interesting. I believe you have already thought more about it and have a more concrete prospectus than the club have. I hope they are reading and take some of your ideas on board. Give them a ring, you've got their number.

Just been looking at the website...

http://www.zoes-place.org.uk/

I think that Teddy would look great on a Boro shirt.

Kevin Thomson has had 2 serious injuries. we should stay away from him because of this.

Anyway, we are signing Kevin Prince Boateng and John Utaka from Portsmouth.

**AV writes: Are you opening a second front in your bid to flood the internet with two plus two transfer guesswork?

There could be fall back positions for the club if they cannot attract interest.

If there is no sponsor willing to pay decent money allow charities or organisations such as the University, College, tourist bodies to use the space. Show that we care about the community.

Sell space to companies in the areas we are playing. Ginsters down in Plymouth! Tetley in Leeds.

P2 suggested KIA, why not the blogs very own favourite the Trabant?

And off on a slight tangent whilst having a cuppa ....

I really hope people at the club read this blog. Obviously there will be the occasional loose cannon shooting abuse from the hip (if that isn't a mixed metaphor!) but the majority of people on this site will be Boro fans and a large proportion of those will be people who put money over the counter in support of the club. They are preople who have the interests of the club closely at heart.

As will have been said before, advertisers pay good money for market research. Reading this blog would give those at the club free market research into the views of the paying customers' hopes, doubts and fears. And some of the contributors are clearly in the advertising and publishing world. It would make sense to listen, wouldn't it?

With all the talk about new players coming into the club, I have been thinking about the lads likely to be leaving.

I'm surprised that we have not seen any sales so far this summer. We have seen Aliadiere, Riggott & Pogatetz leave on free contracts at the end of their contracts. I suspect that they will be joined by anywhere up to half a dozen others by deadline day.

It is pretty obvious that Mido, Emnes & Digard are available for transfer but I suspect that Taylor, Lita, Miller, Walker, Arca, Coyne & Hoyte would all be allowed to leave if the right offer was received. The same may also apply to O'Neil as well, as long as sufficient replacements are brought in. His wages will currently be one of the biggest burdens to the club finances.

It actually surprises me that we have not offloaded Emnes & Digard already. Digard is still only 23yo & has been called up to train with the full French squad. His time with the Boro may not have been successful, but he remains a talented player who can easily develop to become a top class midfielder. I would have thought Ligue 1 teams would be queuing up to take him back home.

Emnes falls into a similar category. He is only 22yo & was highly rated as a great prospect a couple of seasons ago. I would have imagined plenty of Dutch teams would be happy to sign him up. I believe the club would accept lower fees for the pair than they paid in the first place. Likewise, it would make sense for the players to accept a drop in wages, in order to achieve a move home & first team football.

At the moment I am cautiously optimistic. If the club can get Mido off the wage bill & recruit McManus, Dawson & Hooper (as AV assures us they are "confident" of doing) then I will be able to upgrade my mood from optimistic to excited ! It seems there is a bit of work still to be done yet though. The Chief Executives talk of "several more" signings is however, very promising.

The new shirt sponsorship deal is something I am less enthusiastic about. In fact, I can think of only one word to describe it - Debacle.

All this talk of an "exciting opportunity" is simply spin. The club have failed to negotiate an acceptable sponsorship deal & are now currently fire fighting. They are trying to dress this up in the best possible way to the fans, but must be aware that the majority of us are not nearly naive enough to fall for the hype.

I hope the monthly arrangement can work in our favour, but if I was a betting man, I would be offered pretty generous odds on that happening.

Grove Hill Wallah,

That my friend is an absolutely brilliant idea. £20k a fortnight to Zoes Place would be very noble indeed. Alas I think Larry would do the Ebeneezer bit and keep the loot.

Didn't Villa do something like that a couple of seasons back when they had the Acorn kids charity put on their shirts? I think the charity prospers very well from that sponsorship.

It seems that us Boro fans are not the only ones to be optimistic about our chances of success in the coming season.

I had at look at the latest online odds for 2010/11 Championship winners & found that Paddy Power, William Hill & 888.com all currently have us as favourites, at around 8/1. Forest are the second favourites with all three of them as well, with Pompey & Hull a good way down the list !

**AV writes: It's not often the bookies are wrong... but we were joint second favourites with West Brom this time last year.

Forever & Ian,

I've always been a little surprised that the club doesn't take the opportunity to occasionally join the discussion on this board. It's come up a few times in the past. I'm assuming they read, and maybe discuss behind closed doors (AV - you might comment). But why not go the next step and actually engage?

Many companies are crying out for opportunities to engage more directly with their customers...what would be so wrong with a club representative occasionally getting involved in the debates we have.

They don't have to agree with us...it would be impossible to do so given the frequent divergence of views...but they can put forward their thoughts and rationale, tease out some suggestions, explain why others might not work.

Just like the rest of us, they can happily ignore the obvious rants, there's no obligation to respond if someone's getting a bit het up or abusive. I would have thought that Mr Bauser would be jumping at the chance to get involved in this discussion, and talk a bit further with P2 or BoroDoug.

Bear in mind that some of us might be potential customers of this latest idea...and I don't rule out the "Untypical Boro" community in that, tongue in cheek though your opening comments may indeed have been.

**AV writes: The blog is certainly read by people in the club because I've had the occasional barbed comment and complaint about it. I think over the years a few of the ideas and arguments I've used, certainly in the column, have been quietly picked up on, assimilated and recycled a few months later... but only after they have been frisked, disarmed, quarrantined and sanitised.

I think there is a deep-seated insular and defensive culture at the club that equates healthy debate with outright opposition and hostility and as someone who engages with debate and voices constructive criticism of the areas where the club could do better I am pretty seen as being an incorrigible dissenter.

Many times it has been expressed in various forms by people at the club that you are "with us or against us." They think I am against them.

A Derby player was in the office and I was geting abuse for being a Boro fan. His view was that he really fancied us to go up this season with the players we are buying and the squad we are building up.

I have a couple of colleagues whose second teams are Rangers or Celtic (not both at the same time) and their view is that Boyd is a great buy. The Celtic fan is especially pleased. They also believe Robson and McDonald were top buys and that if the big man comes in we will be some team.

The Derby/Rangers fan has a signed shirt of David Weir on the wall and is so one eyed it is unbelievable. (When Derby lost to Leicester by 4-0 he didnt appear for three days). To get him singing our praises is like a national journalist talking about the football rather than the view over the West Stand!

I am not being a foamie just passing on others comments.

If it was a school report it would read 'Much improved. If it can be maintained there is no reason why a good result cannot be achieved'.

There are still several positions to bolster and Rockcliffe to survive in pre season. Then there is the 'small' matter of getting players off the books.

**AV writes: I agree. We are well on the way to being a very good team. He is getting exactly the people he wants and there is a steely single mindedness about Hurworth. The Strachanovite Revolution is go!

Matt said:

'it is simply spin. The club have failed to negotiate an acceptable sponsorship deal and are now currently fire fighting. They are trying to dress this up in the best possible way to the fans, but must be aware that the majority of us are not nearly naive enough to fall for the hype"

I just don't understand this mindset. Do you really think the club goes out of its way to hoodwink the fans? Ok, so they are putting a positive spin on things, what's wrong with that? Would you rather they came out with 'Boro are unpopular - fail to find any sponsorship. Doom. Gloom.' on the official website, and then told everyone they aren't going to bother trying to do anything else?

They've obviously had problems finding a sponsor - you are hardly the only person to deduce that and break through the spin. As it happens, they've tried to make the best of a bad situation and try something different. Good for them.

It's hardly a debacle.

Picking up on Bob's point about whether or not club officials read the blog.

We have I think all identified the clubs weakness as being a reluctance to engage with the fans. I strongly believe this is driven by Steve Gibson, as an entrepreneur he probably has the characteritics of single minded determination and the belief that he is always right, therefore in his mind he doesn't need to engage with the fans. He believes his opinion over rides all others.

A classic example is the white band on the shirt debate. He clealry doesn't believe that the white band is iconic or integral to Boro's identity despite tens of thousands of fans disagreeing with him.

If I'm right then while SG is owner the club will never engage with the fans with any level of enthusiasm because the man at the top doesn't see the need.

The comment eminating from the club reported above by AV 'you're with us or against us' even if it didn't come out of SG's mouth is the sort of comment you would expect to be attributed to Stalin of Hitler (actually it does smack of paranoia) and while SG is clealy a decent man as Ian Gill has stated many times a benign dictator is still a dictator.

I suspect the clubs refusal to engage with the fans is something we will simply have to live with. So the chances of Boro saying okay we're going to do a charity sponsorship deal on the shirt are about as great as Tony Mowbray giving AV a lift to the moon on his Vespa.

Brian Hewitson - even though you're clearly a plastic geordie, show us some geordie wit, who do you think should sponsor the Boro, go on give us a laugh we can take it!

**AV writes: The white band is a good example. For years in our Robbo red phase I banged on about the band being iconic, instantly identifiable and popular as well as a PR godsend and was annually rebuked by people at the club who insisted quite forcefully historically our shirt is red, stop knocking the club at every turn, stop rattling the cages of fans over this, butt out.

Then suddenly one year the band was back and all my old arguments were trotted out glibly by the same brassnecked people who had blasted me for my sedition and who still regarded me as some kind of trouble-causer.

Here's that leaked list of next seasons monthly shirt sponsors...

August: Bulkhaul
September: Rockcliffe Hall
October: Bugger-all
November: Marketing Manager required
December: Mido's Xmas Puddings
January: Mido's Mature Fruit Cakes
February: Mido's Diet Video
March: New Season Lamb
April: Marketing Manager required
May: Bulkhaul

Not being able to find a sponsor for the club is a complete debacle.

Ian,

I agree with your analysis, but it doesn't make the constant swiping and criticism any more useful.

In fact if I was the club, I would point to the constant negativity from some of the fans and ask myself why should we engage with them when everything we come out with is slated.

**AV writes: I think it IS a problem that many of the club's public facing staff do only ever come into contact with people who are wild-eyed steaming mad and with a gripe. It would be easy for them to see that as representative of the fans.

But that is only because there is so little exchange of ideas and so few avenues of communication that the only time the club and crowd do seem to intersect is at times of crisis and when there is an obvious and pressing problem.

The club need to realise that not all their audience is either a pliable foamer they meet at the official supporters club or a Three Legends default moaner who can never be satisfied. In fact there is a vast mosaic of groups of people who have different relationships with the club across a broad emotional/social/financial spectrum but who are all equally important to the cause and the club need to find a way of dealing with them all in a healthy and beneficial way.

Nigel .... "even though you're clearly a plastic geordie, show us some geordie wit, who do you think should sponsor the Boro, go on give us a laugh we can take it!"

you know what would be really very funny....

If Richard Branson come in as your shirt sponsor.... I can see it now!!!

At 2:34pm Grove Hill wallah said:
"Maybe you could follow suit with MFC and have several sponsors through the season for the "100""

Would that mean you forgoing your usual last gasp winner for 9 out of every ten months ?

Now that is very charitable of you !!!

Brian H,

did you know that Richard Branson got involved with football when he sponsored Nuneaton Borough for their January 2006 FA Cup 3rd round game against Boro. That game ended in a 1-1 draw and the Virgin brand was also on Nuneaton Borough's shirts for the replay which they [Nuneaton that is]lost 5-2

brian hewitson - 'Virgin' great idea, very ironic

**AV writes: It's there! Ton up!

Blow me, that was a long meeting.

I must admit I had a little chuckle at the the thought of Branson sponsoring us but he does have a history of climbing on succesful bandwagons as a 'man of the people'.

The problem is that he makes me feel ill well he pontificates about doing good. Bit like his airline colluding with BA then blowing the whistle on them. Sneak.

Better go to another meeting and get this posted

I would of course forego any prize for the good of the blog.

**AV writes: I think you are losing your touch....

AV: You ARE such a tease!

Well gents I've never made the 'ton' before so that's set me up nicely for the weekend, I'm off for a beer in the garden to celebrate!

Just seen owen coyle on Ssn and he's was saying that he texted his congratulations to Howard Webb. Is this allowed? Can managers fratenise with officials? I can just image sir purple noses reaction if Webb gives a penalty at the reebok against man utd.

Anyway I would just like to take this opportunity to congratulate all chimpship refs on their tremendous work and look forward to welcoming them back to the riverside next season

The club SHOULD realise that the vast majority of contributors to this blog (despite the occasional rant - well, you'd be unusual not to be annoyed about some of the stuff we've had to watch over the past few years) are behind the club. And that AV is behind the club, too (maybe not as much as Billingham Town...but that's another story).

We are not in a totalitarian state here (at least not yet). Steve Gibson is owed a lot of grateful thanks by most of us, but he is not a God. He is not even the Pope. He is not infallible. There may be times when a little constructive criticism is justified. To give that criticism is not a sign of disloyalty.

It's a bit like one girl not telling her friend that the dress she is looking at really doesn't suit her. Or like the friend who fails to mention his mate's bad breath (or BO?) when they are about to head off to meet some girls.

Friends, supporters, loyalists, are there to help - to be constructive. To sit quietly by whilst the captain of the ship makes a big mistake helps no-one. The club should be able to recognise its friends from its foes.

Having said all that, with recent movement of players in, there seems to be a more optimistic feel to the wind now than a week or two ago. One season ticket holder to whom I was speaking this morning was almost beginning to become impatient for the start of the season. Maybe things really are looking up? I hope so.

OK - having recovered from spluttering in a Turin cafe over the shirt sponsorship thingy, here are a couple of ideas for making sense of this 'opportunity' and linking to some other themes on this thread.

The charities nominated by fans suggestion is a good idea but how about a couple of other ways to raise money and involve fans.

- select one month (December?) and sell lottery tickets across the DiasBoro from now - a fiver for adults, a quid per kid - have the draw in November and the winning fan gets their name on the shirt for the month.

- alternatively, and maybe the 'Untypical' banner might be a little too much for some in the MFC hierarchy to stomach, why not have a 'Twelfth Man' month for all Boro fans. Set a minimum contribution, like the 'lottery ticket' prices above, and find a few perks (certificates etc) for those contributing and put 'Boro Fans - the Twelfth Man on the shirts for a month.

**AV writes: Good one. I like the Twe12th Man idea.

Like to see a blog from you on this stupid transfer window. I think its hurting more clubs financialy than the idea it gives the younger player more time to develop.

Clubs should be able to buy and sell at anytime. If nothing else it gives clubs in financial trouble a chance to sell players to increase revenue, I find this law elitist

gt at 7.26pm yesterday -

the whole of professional football is elitist! Rich and powerful clubs corner the market in sponsorships and other commercial revenues, and use their financial muscle to acquire the best players money can buy. Some clubs buy players so as to have a bench, or a reserve team, that would probably be able to play in their top league if it were a separate team.

Clubs like Arsenal scour the youth prospects of poorer continents like Africa and bring them to distant London with the dream (sometimes realised) of untold Premier League riches.

Top teams form groupings, crossing national boundaries, to promote the financial interests of themselves and their "peers" even if it challenges or damages the financial and football interests of their neighbouring "home" clubs. How many has the Group of 14 now become (I realise these numbers may sometimes be "inflationary").

Sorry chaps - football is at least as elitist now as in its very earliest days when representatives of several public schools (Eton, Harrow, Shrewsbury, Rugby, Winchester etc) met at Trinity College, Cambridge in the 1840's, and put together the Cambridge Rules which form the basis of modern football. There was no invitation to the representatives from the precursors of Port Clarence Juniors or Stockton Secondary School.

Just imagine you are a working bloke who, from a child, supported Chelsea when it wasn't fashionable, when it won very little and lived in the shadow of Spurs and Arsenal. Whilst no doubt delighted that the club now has access to undreamed of wealth with which to buy the world's most celebrated players, the fan is likely to find himself completely priced out of the market to watch his favourite team (and therefore watches only via TV).

How much is a season ticket at Chelsea now? Well, for an adult going on his own to the game the cheapest season ticket is in the Matthew Harding Upper Stand at £695 (no doubt right at the back or behind a stanchion!) or the Shed End Lower, and with other tickets varying from £835 to £1210, our working lad finds himself priced out of the market (or he would if there were any season tickets to be had, but they have sold out already for next season!).

A club supported by bankers, accountants and high-end businessmen, as they are the only ones who can pay the prices! Does anyone know how much canapes and a glass of Chablis cost these days at Stamford Bridge?

There is so much about football that is elitist, that the transfer window comes way down the list. And don't even dare mention the high-rollers at FIFA and UEFA.

They would have NO idea of the price of canapes and a nice Chablis at the Bridge, not simply because noses would distinctly turn up at anything less than a vintage champagne, but because none of them will have paid for anything at a football ground anywhere in the world within living memory. Or had to endure the difficulties of travelling to a games when you are NOT whisked through the crowds and into the grounds with outriders in front. I doubt any of them have had to queue for hours whilst waiting to have their ticket checked, under the noses of a hostile and armed police force! First class travel only!

Football - the people's game (quietly chokes in the background as the bubbles from the Krug 1990 Vintage Brut catch in the back of the throat...)!

Great to see the collective optimism that is flooding the blog with regards to next season.

The recruitment thus far, and the noises being made about what's still to come have given hope to Boro fans in greater numbers than in quite a few years. And it's more than just hope about next season. It's hope that the club have got long-term direction again.

It is myopic, however, to assume that an improved and rejuventated Boro = promotion without looking at the competition. And there could be as many as 12 other clubs who feel they've got at least a play-off chance.

Forest and QPR will definitely fancy their chances of automatic promotion. Forest perfomed very well last season and I don't think they've lost much from their squad so far. Billy Davies knows what it takes at this level. Ditto Neil Warnock and he has cash to burn.

The three relegated Premier League sides are somewhat unknown quantities, as are Leeds and Norwich but you can bet they're all thinking about the top six, however delusional that may prove (as with us last year).

Ipswich improved as the season went on; Leicester and Swansea will be looking to at least repeat their achievements; Bristol City and Sheff Utd look like top half sides.

It's an ultra competitive league.

Dormo -

After this WC debacle I think maybe the you know what is going to hit the fan, The Prem has been finally found out. I know the Fox channel in the US is showing more Spanish and Itallian games now than English

Forever -

Krug 1990? Obviously hit upon hard times.

Poetic justice hives one vicarious pleasure. Now you know my views about Aussies encapsulated in the story - whats the difference betwwen a Rolls Royce jet engine and an Aussie? The engine stops whining when it lands at Sydney.

But even I had some sympathy with Webber when the took the nose off his car to give it to Vettel when his broke in qualifying. I had a little chortle as Vettel had a puncture and rejoined in last place.

**AV writes: Is this some kind of Masonic mystic gibberish? You're not talking about cricket again are you?

AV (is this ok, it is about football, well the sort played in the dark days)

It was refreshing to see the Dutch displaying the Corinthian values of Revie's Leeds Utd. It is a long time since I have seen the dark arts so well performed on the world stage.

It was capped off by the unbiasesd view of Kuyt (Lorimer like) that it was all the referees fault for favouring Spain.

Spain were not blameless by any means but it was a depressing spectacle.

I thought the world cup final lived up to the rest of the tournament - over-hyped and on the whole dull.

I'm not sure what Howard Webb could have done to stop the mayhem without ruining the game further - perhaps FIFA should introduce another card other than red or yellow - the black card which means a player must be substituted.

The 3rd place playoff would have been a much better final as when football becomes about avoiding defeat rather than trying to win the game it is no longer an interesting spectacle for the neutral.

Anyway, forget the hype - Bring on the new season!

Nigel -

I dont know if millionaire playboys still pay teamowners to drive about at the back of the grid. I suppose it is a better situation than us paying for our millionaire playboys to fail to get England football team into final qualifying.

I dont know why I am sticking up for Formula 1 because I watch the start then look at the result later. And Bernie Ecclestone is the Blatter of motor sport.

Of more importance is how the metal working is coming along. Any signs of a large gate to keep the back secure?

In the English league you go into a tackle studs showing you normally get a red card. To go in studs showing and take your oponent out in the chest is definately a red card.

Holland were lucky to finnish with 10 men and not 9.

Good football won in the end. 10/10 to Spain

If Tarmo Kink is the answer, what’s the question? I look forward to the North Stand anthem for that one!

Now, Parmo Kink – I think we could all get that!!

Ian -

I used to love watching F1 but it strikes me as a fairly dull sport these days although having a couple of British drivers in contention adds a little interest. Maybe if rich playboys can still buy a drive we could offer Mido to Ecclestone? Although he may strugggle to squeeze into the cockpit.

Perhaps the Smithy is waiting for another delivery of coke so he can turn up the heat a little and knock out some more ironwork.

I agree with John Powls about International Football.

I agree with John Powls about the World Cup tournament.

I agree with John Powls about the Netherlands, and the named players specifically.

I also agree with John Powls about Howard Webb. I thought he had a great game.

I thought the Netherlands were an utter disgrace. Their style of hard-man football showed the modern game up in a bad light and for what it has become. Not that this is entirely new as we had Zinadine Zidane's heartfelt Glasgow kiss to Materazzi last time out, supposedly in response to something particularly unflattering the latter said of ZZ's mother or sister!

It is disgraceful that a team in a World Cup Final - an event that should be showcasing the sport - should finish the game with nine yellow carded players and down to ten men, and THEN have the bad grace and poor sportsmanship to confront the referee on the field of play, supported in their protestations by their coach.

If there is any justice, Howard Webb should come out of that game with an enormous amount of credit. I can't remember another high-pressure game in which a referee was so sorely challenged by the antics of so many players and yet kept the game on the rails.

The Netherlands were lucky not to have lost more players and it was only through Webb's deference to the occasion and his good common sense, that a few more than would otherwise have been the case, remained on the field of play.

AV technology showed Webb hardly got one wrong. The only one for me was the corner that Netherlands ought to have got towards the end of extra time and all the assistants failed to see the deflection off a Spanish player. Not all, but most other replays of tough tackling incidents stacked up heavily in favour of Webb's correct calls.

Lesser men than Howard Webb would have lost control of that match.

Match interruption every ten-fifteen seconds isn't how football should be played. It's no longer "the beautiful game". It's losing its identity by the routine and perpetual rule infringement. If I want to watch a heavy contact sport, I'll watch rugby or American Football.

That it is, is not the referee's fault. Without Webb's positive intervention, last light's game would have descended into complete anarchy at times.

Football should be about skill, speed, ball control, flowing movement, ball distribution and team interplay, and who does it best. It should NOT be about ripping jerseys from guys backs or going over the ball in desperate lungeing tackles that have little consequence and random possession outcome, yet may break someone's leg or ankle.

It shouldn't be about elbows in the jaw or back of the neck, nor tackling from behind or simply because "I got the ball ref!" justifies leaving a fellow professional footballer in a crumpled heap, hurt and possibly broken!

For me, THAT is not the beautiful game!

The last word(s) on Holland:-

"I am deeply saddened. They didn't want the ball and, regrettably, sadly, they played very dirty. So much so that should have been down to nine almost immediately and then they made two such ugly and hard tackles that even I felt the damage. This ugly, vulgar, hard, hermetic and hardly eye-catching, hardly football style meant they still lost playing anti-football."

Not me - Johan Cruyff.

The Daily Record is saying that a fee is agreed with 'Gers for Thomson and he is on his way to discuss personal terms. I know this is MFC we're talking about - so no jumping the gun until the deal's done - but, if true and assuming the deal gets done this is very good news.

If Big Mick follows this week then that would be excellent work by the club. As I said in my BoroBanter piece, if these come off we're in danger of having a competitive Championship team to start the season with!

I'd still like a new first choice goalie, though.

This growing group may also make Dawson and Hooper keener and it also, I guess, pushes some others - rightly dropping down the pecking order - closer to the exit as part exchangers of straight sales to offset the incoming.

Talking of new first team goalies, here's one for the conspiracy theorists.

As of this morning, Brad Jones has been photo-shopped out of the MFC website illustration of the new kit, having appeared in the original reproduced in the Gazette yesterday.

Hmmmm.....

**AV writes: Was there a second un-named keeper on the grassy knoll?

Second un named keeper on the grassy knoll? The first one came rushing off it but it was the wrong cavalcade.

John, well spotted on the airbrushing on MFC. Clearly the dark arts are still being practised at MFC. Rumour had it they tried airbrushing Mido out of Rockcliffe pictures but ran out of virtual paint.

Spoke to a tame Rangers fan and he says Thomson is not afraid of putting his foot in if required. Like Bryan Robson his injuries have, in part, resulted from his occasionally robust approach to tackling.

Get in the big man and we should be well on the way to a good squad. It certainly wont lack for character but good players with a competitive attitude will always do well.

I do not want us to go down the route that Netherlands followed but you do need some physicality within the team. You earn the right to play football.

JP, Conspiracy over as I think you'll find that Brad Jones is still there on the MFC site but you have to scroll to the bottom of the page - having said that it looks like they've photo-shopped his hands out of the picture though.

Werdermouth

Or, the conspiracy deepens!

The triptych including The Corporal was definitely not there at 06.30 this morning when I first looked. I did scroll down when I noticed the 'disappearing goalkeeper' to see if there was any explanation or the text had been altered too.

Interesting that it's now been re-introduced but not atop the article.

If they can photoshop him some hands, maybe they can use ones from a 'keeper that can take crosses!

Pity you can't photoshop decision making, commanding presence and distribution too.

Well done the Boro, The chairman, the Chief Exec and the manager. Earlier this summer there was some unfair criticism of the club ‘why don’t we do this, why haven’t we done that’

The club would always have wanted to bring their top targets in and in earlier but it is not always possible. Now I think some credit is due.

So what has been the big difference this summer as opposed to other years? The manager. We are signing players who want to come and play for Gordon Strachan. They know him, they respect him, and they feel he will make them a better player and hopefully a bit of success too.

When was the last time that happened? Yes the players are getting good money, but they want to come here. Not necessarily to play for MFC but to play for Gordon Strachan.

Let’s get it on.

Come on Boro!!

If we keep getting all our targets in I see problems ahead.

What the hell are we going to blog about on 31st August? How are we going to get another megablog going?

These are serious issues because I dont want to stay up late watching for players leaving the club. A tense David Craig stood outside Rockcliffe waiting for people to depart just doesnt have the same grip on the imagination.

There must be some cure for rosetintium gegi brownleii. We are even moving towards solutions for AIDS, it would be cruel to have another incurable virus on Teesside to set alongside Post Xmas Slump.

Is it that feared mutation between chicken and swine flu known in research circles as pigs might fly flu?

An outbreak of both in the same season would cause such devastation in the community that the plague would seem like a minor irritation. It may require intervention by the WHO.

This needs bringing to the worlds attention, how widely is the blog read? Maybe we need a blockbuster blog to create awareness. How about setting up BoroAid and to put us at the forefront of world media?

I will go and do the paperwork I have been shuffling around my desk then I need a lie down. Optimisim is not a Boro default position

Big Mick's signed!! Hurrah!

Brilliant news. One excellent signing from Scotland after another.

Strachan should be given the freedom of the town when Boro romp away with this league. High praise also should go to Keith Lamb without whom the Boro would not be the most succesful club ever outside the big four.

**AV writes: LOL. You two are are back to your best.

Now for outgoings, I wonder what posts you will get as the unloved depart?

The vast majority will get thanks and good luck from me. There are very few who do not try, some do less well than others, some may find it difficult to work with a new management team. That is the same with any new regime at most clubs.

But there is the odd case where good riddance may play around the lips as they depart.

Bring on the season start.

**AV writes: My boy is a contrarian...During the World Cup he got dipped into his pocket money for an international top and rejected the usual suspects to opt for Paraguay."

If I'm not mistaken, I believe Paraguay play in red & white stripes. Perhaps some parental control might have been called for.

**AV writes: They are two very broad bands. We measured them with a portable Mackemeter and they just passed muster.

AV, when does this flow of good players stop? This is getting serious ;)

If we sign also Thompson who is going to stop us next season? Frighting thought.

Any news about departures - I mean our non-Scottish players?

Up the Boro!

**AV writes: I think there will be a few leaving pretty soon. Other clubs are a week behind us in training. They will be looking for new faces next week I think.

I do not fall into the sanctimonius grouping alongside the likes of Shearer and along with many on the board am 'amused' by his holier than than attitude.

Nor do I fall into the group that thinks Holland did nothing wrong and if they did it was Webb's fault. They were a disgrace and even Cruyff said so.

There is a difference between pressing and being brutal. We have got points against Arsenal by closing them down and playing 4-5-1. We didnt launch them into the air at every opportunity.

And as I posted in my first comment on the match Spain were not blameless. Angels they are not but if someone decides spring is in the air and if you dont spring you will get leathered than they will resort to dark arts themselves.

Of one thing we can be certain, I cant see us being bullied in the coming season.

Credit all round at planet MFC.

Does GS have some power of influence over Keith Lamb, or is it that the Count been badly mis-represented these last several seasons for procrastinating too long over transfer and contract deals?

Its great that players are coming as much because they clearly respect and want to play for Strachan, but also appearing very happy that is at the Boro - but I'm also certain because they believe they will be playing English Premier League football the season after this as well.

I can't remember when this blog has sounded so optimistic and we are still weeks from the start of the season. Let's hope it all translates into good results, good crowds and a great atmosphere.

On Holland and Spain and Webb. I think referees shuld be instructed not to go out of their way to preserve the spectacle of the showcase final, but to simply apply the rules as consistently as they do week in and week out in in league football.

That Webb didn't immediately red-card De Jong gave the Dutch the confidence they could get away with their brutal tactics, including one tackle (can't remember the players names) right into the side of the lower leg, that could have broken the leg - also red-cardable.

Had De Jong been sent off, they would more than likely have restrained themselves from their excesses so the spectacle might have been preserved. Certainly the integrity of the game would have been. I've always been a fan of the Dutch international team, but not anymore.

"If we sign also Thompson who is going to stop us next season?"

Leicester
Forest
Cardiff
Burnley
Sheff Utd
Dirty Leeds
Pompey
Swansea
QPR
Ipswich
and Dull City

AV

How is the smithy doing for steel? It is probably like the old days with the shovelling of coal, pumping of belows and the sound of the hammer on anvil.

**AV writes: It's like the height of the industrial revolution in there *wipes brow with charcoal blackened kerchief*

"Jarkko said:

Arthur Lightning - don't you feel positive after this week. Of course it won't be easy but at least we are with a change this time around!"

No - the Scottish League is pap and Strachan has aquired a bucket load of slow players namely, McManus, Thomson, Robson, Boyd, Bailey, Miller and Killen.
All of these players take around 18 seconds to run or limp 100 yards.

**AV writes: It just shows the traditional divide between Boro fans at either end of the spectrum. On the Boro website there is a poll about where fans think Boro will finish next season and while 40% have already booked the open topped bus convinced th etitle is in the bag a THIRD expect a bottom half finish.

A third predict the bottom half? That's pretty good for the Boro supporter.

I reckon this is the most optimistic I've felt in awhile. These signings offer goals and grit, a desire to see the job done whatever the location. Get prepared for the open top bus.

Just the Teesside way isn't it AV? When you've been knocked down so many times you keep your expectations low and never get disappointed that way. Let's hope that come May next year these people will be pleasantly surprised.

Personally, I'm feeling quite positive about this season so far and think with the additions to the squad we are in with a very good chance. However, just because I'm positive doesn't mean I feel we're just going to have to turn up to games to win them and neither does Strachan.

There will be plenty of other teams in with a chance of those top 2 spots but the main thing to be positive about is that Strachan is bringing in players who are going to fight in every game to give the team the best chance of being one of them.

Realistically though, the transfers will only just be warming up and there is plenty of chance for every other team to buy quality too.

Makes a nice change to see things moving and a squad being built BEFORE the season starts for once!! Feeling cautiously optomistic that this season will, at least, be better then last.

Interesting that in a number of interviews, all involved wiht the club, including the players, are mentioning that promotion is the aim "this season"!!!

Can we read this as an admition that it never was an ambuition last season, and the master plan was always to consolidate and push for promotion in our 2nd Championship season??

The pessimism comes from the total lack of defensive cover for the centreback partnership of McManus and Wheater.

We have lost Riggott and Pogatetz and even taking into accoutn the frequency with which they were unavailable we are NOT going to get anywhere near 46 games out of either McManus or Wheater either.

Only Dawson is on the horizon and he has to step up 2 divisions even if we get him so is not a shoe-in for 1st reserve either. That leaves Williams, Bates, Hines and Grounds have got to show considerably more than they have in the past.

That's not taking into account the 2 fullbacks who fill very few fans with confidence and we still have Brad Jones behind the 4 of them. Things are looking much rosier for the times we have the ball but what about when we dont?

Arthur Lightning you're not William Bunter in disguise are you? I think so.

It's very obvious in black and white.

Arthur - Coventry

Jiffy -

I understand where you are coming from defensively. Jones certainly doesnt fill me with confidence, Riggott and Pogi are a loss but were hardly ever fit so we are no worse off than before.

A crucial point is that all defenders look better when the team is playing well. If the midfield is wide open and dont control the ball then defenders will struggle. Unlike when I started watching football and defenders could hoof an attacker and ball (ball not compulsory) into row z, tackling is now a risky business.

There is still time to bring in a couple more players though some outgoings may be necessary to free up space. There is also time for the curse of Crockcliffe to strike and our signings to prove disappointing.

But at the moment I am feeling positive.

William Bunter - who else do you want me to Google?

Arthur -

Not the quickest between the sticks I seem to recall.

On to transfer businee and it is reported Derby have pulled out of trying to sign Hooper unless on a loan. Unwilling to match the valuation placed on him by Scunnie.

I must admit that it is elswhere we need to strengthen first, as Jiffy says the back could be a concern.

"Boro Doug said:
William Bunter (???) - who else do you want me to Google?"

and you dare call yourself a Boro fan. LOL.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/00440/news-graphics-2008-_440786a.jpg

AV

I am amazed people are still obsessed with posting just to get to random landmarks.

**AV writes: Yes, it is shocking isn't it?

Hola Smog!

re: But what music would wee Gordie choose?

Some Gang of Four perhaps? To Hell With Poverty! Though if Digard and Mido feature maybe Damaged Goods or Not Great Men might be more appropriate...

**AV writes: Given the marines taking training at La Manga, how about Armalite Rifle (which is definitely in my all time top ten by the way.... also featured World Destruction by John Lydon Afrika Bambaata; White Man in Hammersmith Palais by the Clash; Police And Thieves by Junior Murvin; and many more)

I'm going to have to revive the Defcon scale.

**AV writes: A return to form for the legendary landmark buster.

Long range shot from skippy?

In the words of David Coleman - GHW opens his legs and shows his class.

Mike in SA i am in Queenstown Eastern Cape will be there the whole of September.

On the defence dont forget Bates is back a big if he stays fit. Think Taylor can do a job at fullback again this year i think he was not fully fit last season.

The big thing for me this year is injuries obviously we will get them but lets face it our record of keeping our squad fit has been horrendous. This would be a big plus would stop a lot of square pegging and give us a settled side.

A day without a signing. What the hell's going on?

Seriously, let's get Thomson nailed today.

Aside from his box to box qualities, I think the whole defensive side of Boro's play will benefit from having a 'proper' holding midfielder like him ahead of the centre-backs (as opposed to a square-pegged defender or someone else without the necessary skills and disciplines who vacates that area too soon and too often - and too often because they don't know the role). It will tighten us up.

Whilst Dawson is a necessary add, Hooper would be welcome and the full backs can be addressed - despite what Boro already have there - I still feel that the priority is to complete the spine of the side with a new first choice goalie.

A season long loaner of the right quality and experience would do, if the object is to ease Steele in as the long term answer.

According to the Daily Record this morning, Thomson is stalling, stating he wants a pay off for the final year of his Rangers contract,adding (according to the paper) that he has been forced out of Rangers. Doesn't strike me as being desperate to play for Strachan and the Boro. When are these fools finally going to get real?

Right place,............ wrong time? What's happened to me? I hope this is not a bad omen for the season.

Right off to traing with GHW,

I'll be back!

I’m with Powls on this. 24hrs with out a signing, LAMB OUT!!!!!!!

And those that he does sign are unable to hit the 100 on this blog!!

Real signs of a solid squad coming together well done one and all.

Any fans who weren’t intending to go now more likely to make the Ipswich game?

On to todays prize for hype. According to Terry Boland of MFC retail our away kit is 'stunning'. A set of blue crew necked shirt, shorts and socks from Adidas cannot by any stretch of the imagination be stunning even though it sports the Boro badge designed by infants at a local primary school.

It also transpires that the chest band is popular, fancy that. I suppose the poor chap has to drum up as much business as possible

Borobythesea -

Who knows what goes on in the murky transfer market. If Thomson is messing about and stalling on the move and doesnt come, so be it. We do not want him if he doesnt want to come.

There may be some brinkmanship dealing going on, we may never know.

AV -

Any news on the moves for Thomson or is the smithy locked for the moment.

**AV writes: I think it is just a routine contractual obligation dance over severance pay, bonuses, image rights etc magnified by the intensity of the Glasgow media.

I don’t think Thomson is doing anything untoward. He signed a contract and I don’t believe he has handed in a transfer request so by the terms of his contract he will be due a pay off from Rangers for his final year.

Now whether it is him or his agent instigating these discussions that is another matter. He may be taking a pay cut to join us, and therefore his agent as well so why shouldn’t they get what they are due. As soon as a player starts bellyaching about wanting to leave we all talk about no loyalty and contracts not worth the paper






Can’t have it both ways.

Boro Phil -

Not surprisingly I am with John on the subject of goalies.

Jones scares me, he will have a decent run but then hit a bad patch which tends to be fairly grim. He is a decent shot stopper but once he starts thinking his brain seems to scramble. He doesnt command his box and that is where the uncertainty comes in. At times he seemed frozen.

If we could combine Jones and Coynes good points we would have a top keeper. But we cant and I think they are both No 2's.

We may get away with what we have if we play well. If we keep the ball and dominate possession then Jones and all the defenders will look good. That is the same for all teams.

I would put a goalie at the top of my list though the squad is fairly strong depending on who leaves.

Re Brad Jones:

We have been saying the same things for several years now. Surely that is the point - he isnt getting better - the problems with him are not going away.

Going back to the defensive cover yes I agree a more solid midfield will ease the burden on the defence.

BUT most of our goals conceded come from 2 sources: dead ball situations and long punts down the middle and both those methods tend to bypass the midfielders.

jiffy -

Vulnerability to the dead ball, set pieces and long punts down the middle by-passing the midfield?

Yup - that's why we need a goalie that can cope with those and manage his defence to also.

Boro Phil -

The problem with Jones is that his mistakes come along quite regularly and in clusters. It may be he will improve with age, keepers often do but I must admit he scares me.

It wont be the end of the world if we start with the Corporal but if you told me we could strengthen in only one area my choice would a goalkeeper.

They say that good goalkeepers can earn their team as many as ten points a season. With the best will in the world I can't see Jones doing this. As such, persevering with him could ultimately cost Boro promotion.

However, if Strachan is happy with him, then so be it, but I do worry. He has something of Ben Roberts about him.

I agree with Powmill about Steele, if you are good enough you are old enough. With Goalkeeping though that usually means a few years older than he is currently.

Brad has had his fair share of stick over the seasons but thinking about things more objectively a lot of our problems/demise started when Gareth hung up his Armband. Since then we have desperately struggled to find someone, anyone to provide leadership and direction on the field.

Added to this the Armband seemed to weigh heavily on the Boat and he was never the midfield dynamo he once was. In truth we have never been the same since as a team, always looking frightened, nervy, "Rabbits in Headlamps".

Our squad now has MacManus, Robson, Bailey and even Thompson (if he joins) was touted as a future Gers Captain. The backbone and leadership is now there in abundance and this could make a massive psychological shift to the team in general and take an awful lot of pressure off the Defence and Keeper. So we may see Brad have his best season ever much to our surprise or conversely it may enable WGS to blood Steele.

Players being signed, White band back its starting to look a lot more optimistic!

Someone commented earlier that some of us want O'Neill out, that is not the case for myself. I like his work rate and team ethic.

It is purely economic. If Thomson does come and having bought Bailey I suspect the money we get for O'Neill would largely cover those fees and we may well save some money on the wage bill.

Losing say Arca, Digard and Midough would be a huge saving on the wage bill and depending on the way fees are structured could help transfer fees from revenue.

The main danger would be a law suit for consequential loss being brought by Greggs though the counter argument would be that we received no finders fee from them when we bought the Sphinx.

I cannot see any offers coming in for Jones so from what AV is saying I think he will be staying. If you turns into a commanding keeper I will be delighted and will happily drink a four pack of Pedigree as a forfeit. Cant say fairer than that.

I'm not sure how or why the discussion about Jones has kicked off, but it's my recollection from the home matches I attended in the latter half of last season that Jones surprised me, and those around me, by putting in some fine displays.

I find it strange sitting here and typing this in his defence, because I had been a serious critic of Jones ever since he dropped the shots that led to Steaua's two goals in the UEFA Cup Semi 2nd leg.

He pulled off some amazing saves last season and I also noted that he was first to try to turn defence into attack by looking for early breakout opportunities once on possession. I also remember him being frustrated, at times, by the lackadaisical attitudes if some of his team mates in those circumstances.

Why do I remember this so well? Because, having been such an acknowledged vocal critic of Jones for years, over several home matches last season, I made what turned out to be a stream of comments during several matches to initially "amuse" my immediate neighbours, by being sarcastic - as you do! "There you go - see? Nothing to worry about, Brad had it covered!" Stuff like that.

It slowly graduated to, "There you go, I told you! Best goalkeeper in the country, our Brad!" However, I realised that I was saying these supposed sarcastic comments more frequently than would justify the sarcasm. Every time I said something, it defeated its own sarcastic purpose!

It finally dawned on me, (duh!) that the sarcasm was being replaced by genuine appreciation for his performance. The lad was actually playing well. It got to the point where my neighbours, who also shared exactly the same misgivings about him, also acknowledged that Brad WAS doin' good!

All of this was after he'd come back, having had a 'mare of a match which saw him dropped for a few after taking huge stick from the crowd. I can't remember which match it was, but it gave a Coyne a run in goal for several matches, during which Boro results didn't improve at all!

I don't rate him in anywhere near the same class as Schwarzer, but in the latter part of last season, he seemed a safer bet than he had at any time previously.

There's probably a big element of "confidence" to goalkeeping. And If the 'keeper feels nervousness and tension from the crowd because of his presence between the sticks, it's not going to help his ability to focus on what matters - defending his goal - rather than defending his back, or his shaky reputation.

He's had his issues, no doubt. But, at this time, if money's tight, I would like to see some preferential depth-strengthening of the defensive outfield that might reduce the reliance on whoever the first-choice goalkeeper is. I'd be more concerned about relying too heavily on some of the young lads who have had serious injury issues in the past. It's a long season and we need strength in depth as well as the right quality.

That GHw - he's a rogue with more cars in his fleet than AVIS. Even now he is lining up 300.

On the keeper front, I want to add my voice to those who feel nervous about Brad Jones. I am not saying he is rubbish, but he doesn't seem to instil any more confidence in the defenders in front of him than he does amongst the supporters.

I agree that 28, whilst it might be the age at which outfield players might be at or around their peak, is young for a keeper. But by 28 there should be an indication of his quality, an indication (if you like) that he might be very good for the next decade or so - or not, as the case may be.

Compare our current keeper with some others:

Gordon Banks - made his debut at 20, and his England debut (against a lot of competition) at 25 years in April 1963.

Peter Shilton - made his debut for Leicester (where Gordon Banks was the 1st choice keeper)at 16 years, quickly supplanted Banks (who was still then the England keeper but was sold to Stoke) and made his England debut at 21 when there was lots of competition.

Peter Schmeichel - made his international debut at 23 years and was Man Utd first choice keeper at 27 years. Not struggling to convince in the Chaampionship at 28.

David James - league debut at 20 and England debut at 26 (and by the time he was Jones' age had played well over 200 first team games at Watford and Liverpool (so, again, not a bad standard).

But, you may say, you are choosing only the best of the keepers as a comparison! Let's bring it closer to home:

Mark Crossley had played well over 200 games for Nottingham Forest by the time he was Jones' age (he was first choice keeper for Forest when he was just past his 21st birthday).

Jim Platt - made his debut for Boro at 19 years and then went on a consecutive run of 112 games (and went on to play 481 for the club), so there was no doubt he was first choice material nearly a decade younger than Jones!

In short, I agree that by 28, it should have been possible to say whether this is a keeper likely to be a Number One. He isn't. The staff at the club say he is often really good on the training pitch but, as we know, the game is played on the stadium pitch in front of a crowd which, at least half the time (eg at away games), is likely to be hostile. Good trainers are not always the best players.

The club has high hopes of Steele. He might be a really good, first choice, keeper (and, if we don't get promoted, maybe at a higher standard than Boro). The point is how long do we wait for him to be given a chance?

If Shilton had not been tried out at 16 (in a team that had BANKS as the number one keeper!) no-one would have known how good he was. You might say that it would be foolish to compare Steele at this stage with Shilton, but then again it would be ridiculous to compare his competitor, Jones, with Banks.

Maybe Shilton might have been kept under wraps there for three or four more years, and that isn't so far fetched as it might have seemed reasonable to stick with Gordon Banks at the time.

If you are good enough, you are old enough. If you aren't given a trial, nobody will really know whether you are good enough. I will be amazed if, in a year or so, it isn't clear to those at the club that Steele is by then a better keeper than Jones.

One could imagine it easier to make a debut in the Championship rather than the Premier League. But then again, that might just be a foam-handed tendency breaking out there....

News from STV that Thomson signed yesterday evening.

If true that means the smithy is now working shifts and bucking the downward trend of manufacturing on Teesside.

That boost in output has a spin off as it opens a factory shop for items not quite up to the high standards required or the end of line items. It doesnt mean these items cant do a job for someone just that they no longer are part of the current product range.

Just in time manufacturing (or in Arca's case just too late) require reduced inventories so the factory shop will help reduce the cost of unwanted/unused stock.

Any proceeds will help the running costs of the smithy.

Our resident tipster tells me we are favourites with the bookies to win the Championship. 13/2 with Skybet. It isnt all Boro money shortening the odds. We have moved from 10/1 not so long ago.

Favouritism doesnt sit well with being a Boro fan. There is plenty of time for other clubs to make moves in the transfer market, Sheff Utd have already done a fair bit of business.

I'm in the 'he scares me to death ' camp where Jones is concerned, I'd be very happy for him to prove me wrong and I'll gladly eat lots of humble pie if he does. What I won't be doing is slagging him off at a match, that really is daft.

The old smithy is knocking out the ironwork at such a rate that maybe we need to upgrade to a blast furnace, I understand there is a spare one down Redcar way!

The team GS puts out for the first match of the season will bare no resemblence to last seasons, let alone GS1's team's which can only be a good thing.
Who knows how well we'll do this coming season, but all the indications are that we'll be contenders.

It's amazing how the strong decisive leadership displayed by Strachan has transformed the mood around the club and started to build optimism among the fans, lets hope the players can feed off the buzz from the crowd when the season kicks off and we can build that magic ingredient needed to succeed....'momentum'.

I haven't done the season ticket thing (yet), but I've renewed the Boro Pride Card.

Strachan, Gibson and Lamb have done enough to provide hard evidence of real intent this time round. That's what I've been waiting for, along with quite a few others I imagine.

Although the crazy Premier League money isn't there, they've done what they can with the reduced budget and that's BEFORE ditching some of the high earners. That's convincing.

I'll be there on opening day.

SSN reporting our interest in left winger Tarmo Kink ...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6262452,00.html

Is this true or a mere fabrication? It reds like speculation to me,but what do I know?

**AV writes: The name has been floating around the ether for a few days now but I've never heard it mentioned at Hurworth.

Come on Richard (at 2.53pm yesterday). Get your credit card out! You know you really want that season ticket/card.....

Incidentally, if you did the Boro Pride thing, and THEN got a season ticket, would you get some money off the season ticket on the basis the season ticket supercedes (and maybe repeats some of the benefits of) the Boro Pride thing?

AV, I tried to post this link yesterday but it seems to have disappeared into cyber space..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jul/16/gordon-strachan-middlesbrough-celtic-rangers

GHW -

Read the Guardian link with great interest but I think it has missed a point.

The problem has not been with the home grown talent but the players brought in to supplement and nurture them.

We have talked long and hard about the fact that we needed to reduce the age of the squad and then the wage bill. Does anyone doubt that we have needed someone like Barry Robson and Thomson for some time? Alves and Mido cost £20m and with hindsight I would take Boyd and McDonald anytime.

Strachan isnt daft, he will play the kids but they will be supported by hardened pros not the likes of Aliadiere, Mido, Alves and Digard. Even Tuncay abd Huth were on their bikes soon as they could

I kept having the debate on the blog last year with someone who said Strachan wouldnt play the kids but he did. It is the other players who let the team down. And we cannot blame him for the sale of Downing and Johnson, they were facts of life.

I noticed the journalist didnt mention Joe Bennett or Franks or young Williams nor the fact other kids got time in the squad. Nor did he mention that Williams was square pegged, bates and Hines injured

But it is the Grauniad after all. Their type of working class hero live in Islington. My guess all his match reports would start with 'under the slate grey sky overlooking the chemical and steel factories' because it is easy to cut and paste in Fleet Street using teletext to follow the match. Totally ignoring the fact it was August, a heat wave and the moors looked great if he was actually there.

GHw & Ian Gill:

On Louise Taylor's article in the Grauniad:

The factual reporting bit - concerning Strachan's concerns about the immaturity of the squad he inherited - was fair enough.

I think Louise Taylor did get some of it right - the bit that implicitly acknowledges "Hanson's Law".

Where she wandered off beam a bit, was in drawing too generalised conclusions about the executive's supposed expectations of the academy. She fails completely to make any reference to the need for debt reduction as being a primary factor in the club's restructuring under Southgate. She, like so many national journos not present, has swallowed, hook line and sinker, the spin about the local ambition being to form a top flight competitive team full of home grown talent as being the prime mover in the promotion of youth at MFC over the last four or five years.

We on Teesside know differently, however. Although it took a long time for some of us to realise it! (Louise Taylor doesn't visit here too often (in fact, I seem to recall that I read somewhere that she's never been on Teesside)- or read AV's blog!)

It may have sounded plausible - and did, to may of the Boro faithful for a while, until Luke Young's departure - but it became clear, if not completely transparent at that point, that something serious was amiss in the financial department.

The youth promotion, the Arsenal Lite and "fast, attacking football" was a smokescreen that hid the real strategic goings-on. These were simply synonyms for "debt and cost reduction".

As for current strategic robustness, Taylor's article is careful not to place immovable stakes in the ground and doesn't actually conclude anything other than what we already know about management dynamics and change regimes.

I'm not unhappy to see articles or references like this to MFC appearing in the nationals. If people ARE sitting up and taking notice, they must recognise that something notable is happening. And for it to have a generally positive tenor to it, makes for a refreshing change - even if they ARE remote and out of touch with some of the local political subtleties.

It IS annoying that they can't spell Middlesbrough correctly however! (OK, it's a bit tricky, granted, as it doesn't get mentioned frequently enough to appear in the Grauniad's spell-checker database and is, in that sense, on a par with Teesside, which is commonly deprived of an "s"!).

Perhaps we should start a regional campaign of retaliation and insist that AV and his colleagues refer to Lundun or since we're dealing with the Grauniad here, ....Manchistor?

**AV writes: Louise Taylor has been a regular at the Riverside for years, although like most of the north-east based national reporters she did not visit very often at all last year as "the story" was elsewhere. She also tells me she reads the blog.

Ian Gill said of the Guardian 'their type of working class hero lives in Islington' Thats brilliant and very funny and I hope you don't mind me using it when I'm out with some of my southern pseudo lefty friends.

With regard to the dreadful Louise Taylor, she's worth googling in order to read some of her stuff, including her take on the spat between Carrol and Taylor at Newcastle.

Ms Taylor is described by the Guardian as their north east football correspondent, so I guess AV knows her and whether she actually live in the area.

Regarding Hooper or in particular young Nigel Clough's ambition for Derby this new season; he wants to improve on last year by finishing higher than 14th. Expectations eh!

Can u update us on the Mido situation AV please? I wrote a while ago that we simply must get this poor excuse for a footballer out of the club, so what's the story??

The phenomenol success by the club in the transfer market in getting the players GS wanted has been nothing short of miraculous ... it would be too much to ask for an equally miraculous turn in attitude from Mido! Anyway, his wages must be so out of step with the rest of the revamped squad it must be an embarassment.

**AV writes: My understnding is that Mido was told some time ago that he had no future at the club and would be best advised to find a new one. He never really did himself any favours on loan last year either at Zamalek or West Ham and that is a big headache for Boro who hoped to sell him quickly this summer.

His agent has been touting him around Europe since May and has had no interest up to now. He's been through all the 'A' list teams and is now working through 'B' and 'C'. A few clubs have gone public and said they had been ogffered him but had said now.

The latest story is that Kayserspor in Turkey may be interested. The boss there is Shota Avadladze who played with Mido at Ajax (where he was good) They were after Kris Boyd and were ready to pay £50k a week so they could afford the wages... the question is are they daft/desperate enough?

AV: So Louise Taylor is a little closet Borophile is she? I don't think so!

But if she was, (which she isn't, by the way, although your "factual corrections" of my earlier post may lead some to conclude otherwise) isn't it all the more reason to expect her to a) get the spelling of the town correct, b) understand a bit more about what has driven Boro to where we've been these last three or four years?

Although I don't live within the 5-mile radius of the Riverside, I've had occasion to write to Ms Taylor, defending the town and the region from some of her stereotypical bile. I reproduce below, a post I felt compelled to place on her Grauniad column some time ago. Regrettably, I've lost the original link to her column article, which I felt was unnecessarily pandering to the national image of the "bleak North-East" and Middlesbrough's place in it...........

"By the way Louise, your example

'.............the realisation that pockets of Teesside's post-industrial landscape ­remain just as much a wasteland as when Margaret Thatcher embarked on her "walk in the wilderness" by the Tees in 1987.",

is so inappropriate that I'm tempted to say that it could have been written by a London-based, desk-bound journalist who never ventures further than Docklands!

Every area that has contributed to Britain's industrially-based wealth has areas of apparent "deprivation". There's nothing geographically unique to the North East in that. So why feel it necessary to bring in such an irrelevance?

Drive through parts of any city, North, South, East or West, or drive through parts of suburban Manchester, or Liverpool - or London (before it was granted the huge boost of expenditure through the 2012 Olympics as well as the favourable treatment the Capitol gets anyway) - and it's like you've entered the Third World!

Please don't perpetuate this commonly-perceived image of the NE as the single most grotty, undeveloped region in the country!

As for the location to which you refer as the staging post for Thatcher's photo opportunity in 1987, why don't you visit the riverside development at Stockton-on-Tees and discover for yourself the 20-year transformation that has turned the old Head-Wrightson Engineering works area into what must be one of the most attractive and scenic waterside areas in the UK, complete with commercial, residential and educational and recreational facilities?

And it doesn't cost a fortune to live here and have a decent standard of living, either.

Come and see what a wasteland can become when creative investment is coupled with good local management!"

AV: Why would I have been driven to write such a defence of the region if Ms
Taylor, that regular visitor to the Riverside and avid reader of blog, was as familiar with the area/region as perhaps a regional reporter should be with the wider goings on in her area of reporting responsibility?

I suspect Anthony, that Ms Taylor's familiarity with the geography of the North-East is pretty much limited to those areas that she's found it NECESSARY to pass through on her regular (would that be once a month, or once a season) visit's to the Riverside Stadium. I also would venture to suggest that her immersion in things Boro WILL be significantly more superficial than if she was locally based.

Wait 'til she sees Temenos! I bet she'll be well-impressed!

ROFLMAO!

**AV writes: It is not really my inclination or my job to defend other reporters or the nature of their work. They have to take responsibility for that themselves.

And I never suggested LT was a Boro-phile. I was just pointing out that to believe she was one of the London-based national hacks who twist the knife from afar is wrong. She was born and lives in the North-east and I would assume the mis-spelling of Middlesbrough was the work of a sub who wasn't and doesn't .

Like most of the NE based national corps the frequency of and reasons for visits are more down to the London-based sports editor's perception of "the story" than any personal choice. Last season, as far as the nationals were concerned, "the story" in this region was a toss up between Newcastle's push for promotion/civil wor between fans and Ashley and Steve Bruce's big Black Cats £100m push for 12th place or better. Boro barely got a look in.

We saw the odd one or two (not always the same ones) most home games (if Newcastle/Sunderland were away/on telly on Sunday) but I don't keep attendance records. The only times the entire NE press pack turned out last term were the opener against Sheff United (Friday night, the big kick-off, only match on, early chance to get some exes in) and Derby (all the smoke signals said Southgate was going to get the boot... he did but only after their deadline.) In fact, the absence of the national hacks at the matches and the weekly press conferences actually started to get embarrassing. It has been noted by the club.

If Boro get off to a flying start and Strachan's Old Firm adventure becomes the story I would expect to see a lot more of all of them. Which will be nice.

I'm happy with the way it is going. We are getting some good players in and most (not sure about Halliday) will go straight into the team. I can't remeber the last time that happened. We can't afford 'projects' now.

AV - on the reporters. Who does Louise Taylor support? Not Boro I'll bet. Most of the national reporters in this region are Newcastle fans I'll bet judging by the reaction to the 'Trophy Virgins' prank and the way they buy the "greatest fans in the galaxy/too big a club not to be at the top/ everyones 2nd favourite team" claptrap.

**AV writes: To be honest who people support isn't something that is ever mentioned in the press room. It is not the done thing to ask as there is always a presumption of professional objectivity and we must do nothing to undermine that. Even on massive occasions the main concern is "the story" rather than any subjective emotional reactions. No one turns up with scarves or anything. Some of the NE posse are certainly from Newcastle but one of them - just about the only one I can remember making his position public - supports Celtic. There are a few from outside the region who's loyalty probably lies elsewhere.

I know Boro fans (probably most fans at all clubs) believe the press is hostile and biased against them but I don't think that is true. The problem is rooted in ignorance of the nuances, indifference to the politics of the situation and the lack of emotional engagement . Reporting the facts, which is what the press do, doesn't always do justice to the enormous wider cultural impact of an occasion, which is what the fans react to and hope to see reflected in what they read. To do that you must care. In that sense, most reporters don't care.

AV -

Bit unfortunater that Louise Taylor got the grumpy broadside as she is not the biggest villain in the national press.

Where I disagree with your response to Ste Mac is that often journo's dont report the facts. In this case she missed the point that the kids havent been thrown away, it is the players brought in who are being changed.

Still, at least it has added some legs to the blog so thanks to GHW for the link. If I was cynical I would suspect he has his eyes on the 300 to add another Trabant. Out of interest what colours and specs do they come in?

Onto the Northern Masters. Sadly defeated by Sunderland in the penalty shoot out but what intrigued me was how we ended up in a group with Celtic and Rangers whilst Toon and the Mackems got Carlisle.

Is this a conspiracy against us or are the old firm really trying to get into English football via the Jock revolution at Rockcliffe?

It's always nice to see us in the national press - but before everyone becomes too apoplectic about those pesky southerners spelling Middlesbrough incorrectly, perhaps we should wonder ourselves (given the spelling) why we nicknamed ourselves the 'Boro' and not the 'Bro' - or am I missing some obvious logical reason?

**AV writes: The Gazette shortform for the club up until the mid-70s, as seen in all the old Cliff Mitchell match reports, was 'Borough. It annoys the hell out of me when I'm going through the cuttings.

"AV - on the reporters. Who does Louise Taylor support? Not Boro I'll bet. "

Louise is a mag hating mackem dear boy.

**AV writes: I think this illustrates the point that most fans of whatever club believe the press are against THEM. I bet there are Sunderland fans who believe she is a Mag with an agenda against their club.

You know, I've always taken Louise to be a Mackem, but (having been a Grauniad reader for many more decades than I'll own up to too publicly) I've never really detected any hostility in her writing.

Let's see this season, as the big story will be the Borough [I couldn't resist that AV] running away with the Championship (or will we be overshadowed in the news once again by the massive relegation scraps up the road !!)

Questions that have always been in my mind since I was a kid... First is the Boro vs Borough thing mentioned above and another is, is our name Middlesbrough Athletic Football Club as it stated on the pearly gates ouside Ayresome Park (now at the Riverside). Are we indeed called Middlesbrough Athletic as Charlton and Wigan?

Rob Hulse £1m, come off it. We all know he is worth nearer to the £4.5m mark.

AV has the smithy been given a week or two off or its all toil and sweat again down there?

**AV writes: The main anvil basher is in Ireland for a few days but he has done the drawings for his next few jobs and the materials are on order.

Reading another article on the website about the bid for City status, the estimated population of the Tees Valley is 720,000. So to get 35,000 into the Riverside is only 0.05%. Surely this is achievable?

But you can immediately discount over 360,000 as they will be female. Next you have the age groups who can’t attend because they are too young or old. Due to the ageing population this = 20% of the 720,000.

Next up there is the % that work on match days or have other commitments, this = 5%. Due to the economic downturn there are those that can’t afford to get to games this equals 15% of the population. And not to forget the Tees valley area covers the metropolis of Hartlepool and Stockton and we all know of their Football supporting tendencies, This swathe of the population = 10%.

After this thorough research it can only be concluded that in fact we do very well to get any support at all. Sadly my findings have led me to treat with suspicion the ‘official’ attendance figures at some of last season’s home games.

My research suggest we have only 1,536 fans, 1,530 are male, all live south of the River Tees in a 5 mile radius of the ground. Most popular Christian names for supporting the Boro is, Bob, Paul and Chris. Aged between 28-44, other interests include betting, beer and Pies.

Surely after this insightful piece of research the club should be able to find plenty of sponsors.

**AV writes: Bob's Steak And Ale Pies it is then.

AV, -

EG report that Mido is not fit enough to travel to Ireland (is he a professional footballer?).

But another local paper report the following: "“A Turkish club offered a lucrative transfer offer,” said Mido. “I will consider it. They offered me much more than I earn from Boro. Money is not my first priority at this time, but I want a club where I can have an important role with their first team.”

I hope the latter is true that Mido goes to Turkey (even though the money is not so important...)! Hope KL is successful here, too. UTB!

**AV writes: As said earlier, he has been offered to a lot of clubs. Kayserspor have had a sniff and a nibble of the bait but I don't think it has gone any further than that yet. My bet is we have to pay him to go away.

If I listened to every rumour about which football team journalists support, I'd be convinced AV was a Mag!

Those wishing to follow Billy In Berks's link to Louise Taylor's article on World Cup 2010 should note that the link, as Billy posted it, has an embedded space between the "2" and the "0" of "2010" that causes a "copy and paste" into a browser address bar to fail to locate the article on the Grauniad's website. Remove the space after pasting and it's fine.

I'm sure I can see GHW quietly warming up in the distance .....

Been on holiday trip last week so I wonder any news on Dawson and Hooper. How it looks like at smithy's? Or are we concentrating on selling the fat guy and the injured froggie. I know our Argentinian midfielder doesn't have a lot of admirers - and now he really have difficulties to fit in. UTB!

Thanks, AV, for the link to the article on the Ajax youth scheme. Interesting to read about.

And, while I think about it, it reminds me of a little snippet I heard a couple of weeks ago on TalkSport. They had a Spanish journo losing his cool about bringing on the youth (I think in England, and in the context of England's senior team having been dumped out of the World Cup).

Can't remember the precise figures, but he said there were something like 750 coaches in Spain with the UEFA "A" classification and about 150 in England. Virtually all in England were coaching adults, he said, and about the same number (150) were coaching adults in Spain. The difference was that the remaining 600 or so (4 times the total of such qualified English coaches) were employed in Spain coaching youngsters.

Obviously the number of such qualified coaches operating with youngsters in England was fairly negligible compared to Spain.

And everyone connected with football in England will tell you tales of young lads with apparent skill, but not the physique, being rejected. That the coaches and scouts here want "athletes" who they might hope to teach the skills...that players like Iniesta, Messi or Juninho for that matter, would have been rejected in England in favour of some 5ft 11 inch 13 year old. And that the 5 ft 11 inch lad is likely to be "encouraged" to go to central defence in the hope he'll grow a few more inches in the next few years.

On the same basis I was told yesterday by a chap who runs a youth team in "Europe's largest youth league set-up", that a majority of professional footballers are born in the first half of the school year (so they are likely to have been six months, or in extreme cases almost a year, ahead in terms of development than the youngest kids in their school year, and therefore on average taller and bigger).

I'm told the staff from clubs often want to see the parents - to have some idea how tall the 11, 12 or 13 year old might eventually grow - and that many are rejected on grounds of size even though they might be so young it seems ridiculous. (Ironically the chap I was talking to is very small, possibly 5 ft 6 inches, and his wife isn't exactly big either, but his brother - who IS a professional footballer - is about 6 ft 1 inch or even a little taller).

If Kris Boyd has to come off for Lee Miller, something fairly serious must have been going wrong! Like Boyd's legs had fallen off after a particularly brutal tackle and apart from the starting 11, all the rest of the Boro senior squad excluding Mido and Digard had gone down with a virulent strain of Parmo poisoning during the morning.

On balance, strike out the reference to Digard. He might get on before Miller. In fact there is a possibility we might play the reserve keeper as an outfielder BEFORE Miller gets on.....

Well - that is the view from the regulars at the Festering Ferret.

Louise,Kelly, Gabby....

What would a girl know about football....

Hi Anthony,

I was just casually reading your wonderful blog, as I often do, and happened to notice that you seem to get many, many more contributors to your blog than I routinely get on my national column.

I was thrilled and quite astonished to notice that the running total for your current enthralling article is approaching 300!! Goodness! You really DO have the common touch, do you not?

I think your decision to remain local on Teeside, supporting Middlesborough is absolutely right Anthony, although it's rumoured that the club doesn't always appreciate your brand of loyalty!

If it ever gets too much for you, if you ever tire of slum-dwelling or creative, humourous writing and you're prepared to move away from your home town, as far as say, Stockton, let me know and I'll have a word with the Ed at The Echo and I might be able to get you some part-time work doing ads for the concession stalls at the Stadium of Light.

I understand there might be a free Merc going? Any chance?

Mwah! Mwah!

PS Probably not make it for Borough's opener! Bigger fish to fry up the road, you know! LT

**AV writes: There is a spoof LT twitter account that is actually very similar to this.

A Trabant would fit in well InBaku.

Well, Kris Boyd got off the mark at Athlone (though a 1-1 draw wont have generated a rush of season ticket applications) but will it be enough as GHW gets his name in the record books again.

And Skysports tells us that Parmo Kink will be joining us early next week. Having seen the photo accompanying the article I must admit I cant see him becoming the pin up choice of young, Boro supporting ladies. Lets hope he scares defenders as much as he does me.

Kris Boyd

Glad to see you stayed on long enough to nab your first goal!

I know it's only a first friendly to shake the rust off - but after so many 'strikers' who struggled for so long to get off the mark at Boro and many who remained 'non-scoring' for their time at Boro - it's good news that the ex-Gers man has notched straight away.

So a draw in the first practice match. The result really doesn't matter as Boro have trained hard all week and I suppose also on the match day.

What was interesting is that the same players played nearly the whole match. So not many substitutions and not much square begging either. Very nice to see Bates at centre back again playing 90 minutes - absolutely great. And Boyd scored his first goal - now he can concentrate on training and none of the media or fans are asking when.

How did our new midfield work? Who played where - wingers used?

Looking forward to Uncle Eric's covering story from the Emerald Isle. Up the Boro!

Estonia international Tarmo Kink is set to join Middlesbrough subject to a medical, according to his agent.

The left-sided forward currently plays in the Hungarian top flight for Gyori ETO, but he has been linked with a move to The Riverside for several weeks.

"A representative from the English club will arrive at Gyori for the (Europa League) second tie against Atyrau in the Europa League on Thursday," Kiss told Gyori's official website.

Any news on this, AV? Tarmo is a common first name both in here as well as in Estonia. Fits well with Parmo I suppose - but not the way Mido does. Up the Boro!

**AV writes: I've seen all the speculation but no-one at the club has mentioned him in recent weeks when they have been quite open about other targets. I note that all the quotes floating around are from his agent.

299! hit the post and into the keepers arms.

Dormo:

re your post/comments on the weakness (blinkered approach?) of the youth coaching set-up in this country at 8.12 pm yesterday, you will find that this article in the 'Echo' echoes (sorry!) many of hour thoughts:

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/football/middlesbrough/8266880.Monday_Spotlight__The_most_famous_English_coach_you___ve_never_heard_of/

Nice to know he's been helping out at Boro, though! ;)

One down 99 to go.

I dedicate last nights goal to my mentor, the best finisher planet football has ever produced. That was for you wallah.

And I shall dedicate every goal to a member of this blog, as it is the reason why I joined from Rangers.

I am, therefore I score.

Boro Bloggers I salute you.

I'm pink therefore I'm Spam.
I'll get me coat.

Okay lads the pre-season excitement is too much for me to stand any longer, I'm off to France for a couple of weeks, I'll do my best to get Digard a gig while I'm there!

**AV replied to Jarrko: I would say Dawson, Conway and maybe a full-back (probably left.)

AV,are you projecting these all as permanent signings?

**AV writes: Yes. Comprehensive squad building.

Powmill -

Well done, I hope the Trabant goes with your eyes. I never even thought about the 300 because I posted when there was 290 on the board in the morning and fully expected GHW to wave sewn it up by then. I feel a bit like Lee Westwood!

AV

Time for a new thread even if it is of the talk amongst yourselves variety. Hope the kids are enjoying themselves.

What about a debate on how the fans think we are doing?

Schemes for assisting Midough to leave - that could be the first 1,000 a case of never mind the quality feel the width. What a wasted talent, at his best a subtle Drogba, at his worst a disinterested Alves.

Agree on the right backs, also Bates as well, who can pretty much fill in anywhere so could be very useful if he stays fit. GS2 seemed to be raving about his performance at CB last night.

Seb Hines could probably play both full back positions as well, and of course we have wunderkind Bruno Pilatos who played full-back for the England youths.

Over 321 comments so far here. Difficult to believe the quantity as the 'Borough have not lost recently. Is the doom and gloom over finally?

After tomorrow's match we should go back to debate about our team's spine and dandy as we know more now.

Up the Boro!

What about David Goodwillie!!!

I honestly think that the opening Riverside fixture attendance will be 22,000 plus. This is based on the fact that even I have made provisions to be there.

**AV writes: I hope you are right.

latest...

KRIS BOYD admitted he was all over the place at times during his debut for Middlesbrough.

But the ex-Rangers hitman insists he is ready to build on his scoring start and fire his new club back to the big time.

The Scotland international marked his first appearance for Gordon Strachan's men in perfect style when he netted their goal in the 1-1 draw with Irish First Division side Athlone Town in County Kildare.

However, Boyd said he felt rusty after missing out on vital pre-season work due to his protracted move to the Riverside.

He said: "It's good to get off to a scoring start. The first game of pre-season is always the worst but we had a good run-out.

"You want to win games but the most important thing is to get your fitness up and get ready for the season starting. It feels as if I'm getting there now after a slow start as the boys were back for a week before I started training.

"You want attempts at goal, you want your sharpness and your touch. Sometimes it was right and sometimes it was all over the place."

Boyd knows Strachan's new-look Boro - complete with a host of former Old Firm stars - have to hit the ground running in this season's Championship if he is to achieve his ambition of playing in the Premiership.

And the 26-year-old is determined to prove he has made the right move by scoring the goals to take the Teessiders back to the big time.

He added: "It was time for me to move on to a fresh challenge. I felt I'd done my time at Rangers.

"Everybody wants to play in England as it's such a great standard - it's everyone's dream to play in the Premier League.

"I've got to start banging in goals for Boro because the most important thing for me is to get to the Premier League.

"We've got a great chance of doing that as long as we apply ourselves properly and get stuck in from the word go."

WILLO FLOOD last night tipped wing wizard Craig Conway to light up the Championship.

Flood admits he can't wait for his former Dundee United team-mate to join him at Middlesbrough.

Two-goal Scottish Cup Final hero Conway has turned into one of the SPL's most polished performers since then Tannadice boss Craig Brewster signed him from Ayr in 2006.

United are in talks with Boro about a fee and will demand more than £1million.
And Flood is convinced the wide man has what it takes to sparkle in the quest for promotion to the Premiership.

He said: "You could argue that Craig is one of a dying breed - a traditional winger in every respect.

"It's rare the way he can play comfortably on one side and switch to the other at the drop of a hat. Craig is really two-footed. Defenders just don't know which way he's going to go and when you add his skill and strength, he's got the lot."

Conway's departure will be a blow for Peter Houston's Cup holders, who are waiting to find out who they will face in the Europa League.

Flood said: "A few of us have moved on from Tannadice which is all part of the game. I can't wait for him to join us. He'll be a great addition."

Conway, 25, would be the 10th Scot signed by Strachan for Boro and Flood said: "It shows the SPL is of a high standard when so many players are signed by English clubs. I really enjoyed my time at United but when the chance comes to move you take it."

Ex-Celtic skipper Stephen McManus and former Rangers hitman Kris Boyd are already on board and Irishman Flood insists it's a happy camp.

He said: "We have quite a few Scottish lads down here which is good in terms of settling in. We all get on really well together. There's a good atmosphere in the dressing room which we take on to the park."

Forever Dormo said: "Cliff Mitchell used to drive a very mean VW Beetle. But it has to be "Up the Burgh!" (doesn't it?)."

I remember when I started to support the Boro in the late 1970's I found it very difficult to understand the two nicknames: 'Borough and Boro. I mean because the full name was Middlesbrough - without the 'o'.

I think the Borough was still occasionally used in late 1970's. Perhaps it was my late pen friend Austin who used to write it 'Borough still by then. From 'Borough it was more logical to go to Boro', of course.

I also seem to remember that some locals spelled the name Middlesborough by accident in the 1970's! Perhaps the education has helped here (and having no PCs to help spelling!). But all this was interesting for me as a foreigner, though.

This is still the best football team in the world. Up the Boro!

London based fan at 12.05 yesterday - thanks for the link.

We can't all be wrong about this, can we? Not if the most experienced and famous (but not in his own country) youth coach is saying the same thing!

And I can't wait until that small young lad surfaces in Real Madrid if he's as goods as Spry and Mourinho say.

Good reports about Conway from players who have played with or against him.
Would be great if a deal could be done.Have been really suprised at the amount of cash available to bring these players in.

Even though the deals done have been done well and we have not paid over the odds for anybody that i can see.

Cant wait to be there in Sept to be part of it all.

**AV writes: When you take into account the sale of Adam Johnson and factor in the reduction in wages over the past year (Aliadiere, Riggott and Poggi all on £25k or so... that's £3m plus saved) then Strachan's net spending is restrained. A couple of big earners out in the next few weeks and GS may break even.

I still think we are short when it comes to squad numbers. The exodus after leaving the prem has us still without enough players for the full season ahead in my opinion.

The Boro open day on August the 3rd seems like a good idea and a chance for Boro fans to see the players.

What I don't understand is why Boro have restricted it to season card and Boro pride members only. Surely Boro should be trying to entice new fans and this seems like an opportunity missed.

C'Mon Boro!

Sick as a parrot:

If YOU haven't already, get yourself a Boro Pride Card then! Go on - it's only a tenner! (Get the message? - Pass it on!)

If you can't afford a tenner, then I'm genuinely sorry.

But in which case, you're just as unlikely to be able to attend as a paying customer during the season either, given the cost of attendance. So why bother making a plea for those who won't attend?

It's a club gesture towards those who show some up-front commitment I guess. And THAT is something to which I can relate. (See earlier posting).

Having said all of that, I DO take your point. But it's a bit like subscribing to Boro World. You want it - you pay for it! It's undoubtedly a tough call for a club which is, by necessity these days, a commercial entity yet seeks to present community values.

That's the biggest single dichotomy with which most football traditionalists struggle these days - at all levels.

I hate glory hunters me said:

"So we have two Jarkko's do we and am I right in thinking that you are not the "glory hunter" that latched on to the Boro in 2004?"

-- Sorry, but I have been to Hartlepool to see Boro at the start of the season 1986! The greatest match so far for me - and I think not many Boro supporters were there that day. My first visit to a match at Ayresome Park was against Notts Forest in 1980. Met Cliff Mitchell and Terry Cochrane then - well there was a winger (not great defensively I'm afraid but who cares?)!

Jarkko is a typical Finnish first name. As there are two of us supporting Boro should I need to start using my last name? I think it's been only me blogging here so far.

Up the Boro!

Richard -

I have a season card, I just don't understand why the club just don't open the gates and invite all fans.

Even if it meant just one more SC holder or Boro Pride member it would be worth it.

C'Mon Boro!

Sorry, but I have been to Hartlepool to see Boro at the start of the season 1986.
Of course you did.

"The greatest match so far for me - and I think not many Boro supporters were there that day!" Gerraway.

You forgot to mention who we played that day and the score. Can you remember or will you have to google it?

Admit it, you jumped on the Boro league Cup UEFA cup bandwagon didn't yer, ergo you are a glory hunter. :)

Owyaz! That knacked. I've had to come off, nowt serious like, but big lee
is on. Nicky B has already banged one in, champion.

Jarkko happy holidays pal, don't bite to the wind up monkeys. Any bother and I'll send robbo round.

Come on boro

AV wrote: The Gazette shortform for the club up until the mid-70s, as seen in all the old Cliff Mitchell match reports, was 'Borough. .. I think the new formulation "Boro" comes from the proto-Broken Britain spray paint urban rash of graffiti in the early 70s.

Sorry AV, but I was definitely watching "the Boro" in 1966-67. Not sure how closely you've been looking but plenty of Gazette reports I still have from that season used the shortform (often but not always as Boro'), eg.

Cliff Mitchell's match report from the Goldstone Ground on 6 May 1967. Admittedly he still sneaked "Borough" into that opening para, but I suspect he was the only person around doing so! My first matchday programme, home v York City on 7 Jan 1967, also mentioned "Boro".

**AV writes: This needs some more deatiled socio-linguistic digging.

Dear Mr I Hate Glory Hunters Me
Please go away, you are embarrassing yourself.
Thanks.

More support for Jarkko and his closing comment on his 9.43am post.

“This is still the best football team in the world. Up the Boro,” he writes.

Simple but uplifting, it put a real spring in my step. Thank you Jarkko.

AV – where has GS2 gone? Most references are now to GS only. As big a sign as any of a collective leap forward.

**AV writes: There was a GS1? Doesn't anyone tell me anything?

Dear Mr. I hate glory hunters me.
My Dads Bigger than your Dad.

I Hate Glory Huntere Me - perhaps you don't realise but this Blog officially recognises Jarkko as its Finland correspondent. There is a vacancy for the correspondent in North Africa, so if you would like to go to Timbuktoo.....?

Braveheart1 -

That's a good interview you've pasted there. Its all good common sense from GS and confirms that he knows exactly what he is doing and that he is putting together a group of winners that really should take us back up to the top flight.

What pleases me most about this squad is that it is experienced without being old. In other words, there will be something to build on for the next season and the season after that.

Feeling positive.

Jarkko:

Using your phone, use the live links in the Recent Comments column on the right hand side of AV's Untypical Boro page ( http://anthonyvickers.boroblogs.co.uk/ ) to navigate to the last comment posted. Select one of the most recent comments and it'll take you there. Scroll up a little from there to the last one you read. Saves hours on threads like this!!

You'll find your last post close to the top of the list by the time you get and react this I expect. (It's at the top now, as I write this).

And Uncle Eric thought that it was some trendy cocoa. He couldnt understand why there were no Jaffa Cakes to go with his 'cocoa'.

"I Hate Glory Huntere Me - perhaps you don't realise but this Blog officially recognises Jarkko as its Finland correspondent. There is a vacancy for the correspondent in North Africa, so if you would like to go to Timbuktoo.....?"

Any normal person would prefer to live in Timbuktoo rather than Dormanstown so your point is????

**AV writes: This is all a bit playground. Isn't there another board you can go to?

I hate glory hunters me..

..is now sleeping with the fishes..

I'm with Jarkko all the way, accessing this blog on my iPhone from the heart of France while on holiday, I now have 'scrollers thumb' and can tell you it takes 174 scrolls to get to the bottom of the page!!!

I hope you appreciate the dedication, and not least the subtlety that I have to utilise to hide said scrolling lest it attracts Mrs Smogs attention and causes a peremptory command to put my 'jabber' (such as it us!) away while we're on holiday!

And for the record, we all (bar one fuleish infant) love you Jarkko, even though like the rest of us you're just a glory hunter!!

Jarkko & Smoggypaul:

I repeat the advice on the use of smartphones & circumventing the need for excessive scrolling, in my post timed at 1:15PM yesterday as it got lost in a backlog of posts on AV's latest update.

On the use of your phone: Once you've navigated to the Untypical Boro page, I suggest you use the live links in the "Recent Comments" column on the right hand side of AV's Untypical Boro page ( http://anthonyvickers.boroblogs.co.uk/ ) to navigate to one of the last comments posted.

The first few words of every post are listed there and have hyperlinks automatically assigned to them by the website software. (The last dozen or so postings are listed). Select one of the most recent post links and it'll take you the position in the postings list without having to scroll at all. From there you can scroll back and forth among the most recent posts and bring yourself up to date quickly without fear of repetitive strain injury or wearing a groove in the phone screen!!

The same applies of course, to using a computer although the scroll bars or Pg Down buttons on computers are easier and quicker to use than touch-screen scrolling on iPhones and the like.

This historical confusion and uncertainty over the roots of Boro/'Borough is interesting given the Gazette's on-going debate over Teesside/Cleveland/Drabshire/Tees Valley (urgh!).

Are we a club AND area without any clear roots. Even the chairman doesn't recognise (or want?) half of his fanbase. didin't there used to be scraps on the Holgate between Boro/Stockton? Is it any wonder the club is such a strange nuerotic beast?

2mil for Gary O'Neil, NO WAY!

During some of our worst performances as a team O'Neil has been one of the players who still played well. He is in his prime and had a great season -last season. Stop the unsettling BS as too many of our best players have gone out the door and many for the wrong reason under Southgate.

We havent got a massive squad and its folly to get rid of a player who was head and shoulders above the rest till Barry Robson turned up that pompy performances add on nonsense. Can we not have Robson and O'Neil next to each other in the team.

There will be injuries this season like always too.

Dont do it Strach!!!

**AV writes: It will be an interesting test of how far Boro are willing to push the boat out for a promotion push. The thinking earlier in the summer seemed to be that thee gaffer would keeper GO'N if he could but with two more midfielders in he would be sacrificed if a bid came in to balance the books (wages more than fees.)

The signals in recent weeks however have been that the club are more willing to take a gamble in order to get promoted this season and I think that has made them more inclined to resist offers and keep GO'N.... so if they do get a tempting biggish bid there will be a very big decision to make that will send out signals about exactly how robust the club's ambitions are.

AV

Arca too slow for left back? If only that was the only problem he has in that position!!

On the Borough/Boro thing - against my better judgement, I was lured to the Daily Star website this morning by a Boro related link from the Beeb Gossip & Rumours page. Mostly, I wouldn't go near it with your bargepole, let alone mine.

Although the spellings were correct in the body text the sub responsible had managed to get from there to 'Middlesborough' and 'Gary O'Neill' in a six word headline.

That takes talent - of a sort!!

Meanwhile GHW starts stretching and doing his warm up exercises.

Well said kris. It's like you took the words right out of my mouth. And don't forget some British success too.

How's the ankle Kris and how are you finding Teesside? I'm not a native either but It feels more like home than my old home town (the place that must never be named)

p.s. Please score the winner on the 19th October