ZDS: You Never Forget Your First Time
ANOTHER chance to see: a blast from the archives....
INCREDIBLY it was 21 years ago today that 34,000 emotional Teessiders made the long-awaited first ever pilgrimage to Wembley. And it was fantastic. Boro were second Division relegation strugglers with the boss booted out just a fortnight before, and we were about to take the football world by storm.
March 25, 1990 was the delirious day a collective schoolboy dream came true.
It was a brilliant weekend that, back then, was the pinnacle of the club's achievement and a landmark moment in the cultural history of Boro fans.
It may well have been a tournament mainly identified with one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon rodents, and one that today even fans of the clubs who won it can barely remember, but at the time Boro fans didn't care.
We were going to Wembley. It was our first ever sniff of the national stadium and we made sure we extracted every last fluid possibility of glamour. Medical experts were flown in from big clubs to deal with outbreaks of 'cup final fever', a previously unknown debilitating mental condition that caused wild-eyed zealotry and foaming at the mouth.
There were cup final mugs, souvenir fanzines and even a hastily knocked-up special cup final shirt that looked like it had been designed by the YTS lad at Jack Hatfield's on the back of a betting slip.
The first come, first served distribution - no three years season card with bonus plaque, red book/white book caste system, no Pride Cards... not even that many season ticket holders then - ensured chaotic queues that snaked from Ayresome Park up Kensington Road and along Linthorpe Road as far as the Village from the East End ticket booths and along Ayresome Street and back along Roman Road past the General Hospital gates from the Warwick Street ticket office.
The Sunday morning queue started in the early hours as 'the lads' - the working class hardcore from the estates who used to dominate the Holgate demographic - headed to the ground after chucking out time at the Maddison and Claggy Mat.
They were soon joined by early bird ra-ras (I got there at sparrow fart and joined at the Acklam Road junction) then other die-hards, and those who had frantically flown in from London and Dubai and offshore, part-timers, former fans determined not to miss out, then kids and nanas and those who had never been to a game but were whipped up in the rising hysteria. And barely a replica shirt to be seen.
By seven, two hours before the tickets went on sale, the bobbies arrived to control crowds and prevent pushing in and fisticuffs.
Somehow, with a mopping up operation and the ripple down of word of mouth mates' mate spares, everyone got a ticket and Teesside descended on London en masse for the first time amid some confusion, as the clocks had gone forward that morning and coaches and cars and trains were in disarray as people raced around the town bleary-eyed and unwashed.
A beery vanguard had already set up base camp in the capital. We took over the West End, sat drinking cans on the lions in Trafalagar Square and chanting at bemused tourists on their way back from Les Mis, or any of the big shows.
And then, for the first time, we streamed up Wembley Way gazing in awe at that mythical Venue of Legends. Fantastic. A dream come true. Then we found out it was a crumbling hole with cracked bench seats, poor sight lines, rusty metalwork and streams of wee running through the concourses. That's the glamour of the cup!
Injured Mogga led out the team - cruelly denied his chance to play - and we gave it a decent shot. We sang our hearts out for the lads and poured out our pride while Boro battled bravely and had the lion's share of the game but very few real chances only to go down to a free-kick by Tony Dorigo.
Yet it felt like we had won. We were the jubilant ones doing all the singing and dancing while the bored Chelsea fans who begrudged even being there for such a mundane event ambled off moaning about hassle on the tube.
"Just because some bloke in blue scored a goal it doesn't mean we lost" proclaimed Monday's Gazette. Naive days. Now we would be demanding blood.
At the time - with cash strapped Boro only four years out of liquidation and still battling bravely against a return to Division Three - only the insane would have predicted cup final queues becoming a regular feature in our club culture.
After waiting 114 years for the first national final, the next big day out in London was comparatively short - and then cup finals came like buses. In 1997 there were two finals in six weeks with another outing less than a year later. Since then we have also queued for Cardiif, for a string of semi-finals and for Eindhoven, often with the same chaotic scenes but with localised added hurt as season ticket priority has not always delivered on its promise for all. It may be a while before we have to worry about that again.
But we should not forget the humdrum non-event of the ZDS Cup final. You never forget your first time.
*****
Here's the only footage I can find. I have got a tape of the full three hours on the then new fangled Sky Sports. Maybe I'll transfer it to YouTube in the long summer months.
This is the original Tyne Tees report. Clearly it wasn't though worth sending a camera crew down to Wembley.
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I managed to get a ticket via someone I worked with whose relation worked for a London Bank. Our view was fantastic, vurtually the royal box position on the opposite side.
Shame we were surrounded by Chelsea morons which ruined the occasion for us. A Boro fan who must have been in his 70's came back from the toilet covered in blood.
Very intimidating when I had my girlfriend (now my wife) with me.
I still consider the Leicester final as my first real Boro experience at Wembley. The build up to that final was awesome, though ultimately frustrating because we should have won.
My dad still harps on about that day in the sun. It seems that football still had a place in peoples heart back then, instead of a dent in their wallet.
I went with my dad and a mate, Wembley was such a pit my dad swore he'd never go back and he hasn't.
I remember queuing for tickets and my mum bringing me a flask. The lads at British steel knocked out some 'souvenir' t-shirts, still got mine.
It was great fun, but the highlight for me from the ZDS campaign was Bernie scoring and winning the semi, I'd never seen my dad dance on a grandstand seat before!
OMG I'm actually in tears reading your article.
Thanks for the memories - I could write a book it.
Seems like Dads are the theme! I went with myn old fella too - on one of the many official coaches.
A special day despite Dorigo.
I have to say, thought, that I was very glad when our run of Wem-bur-lees in the Bryan Robson era eclipsed it and then Cardiff put the lot in the shade.
My main memory is not of the game, but of managing to park the car about 100 yards from the stadium. On the final whistle I was first out, sprinted to the car, and was about to open the door when I felt a searing pain in my chest. My immediate thought was 'What a brilliant way to go. A heart attack outside of Wembley, just after seeing the Borough play in a Cup Final. I'm happy'.
Thanks for making the vid available AV.
That really was a dream come true. I remember sitting on the tube on the way to the ground counting down the stations as we got nearer to Wembley. All the disapointments of years gone by went through my mind. Manu in 70, ManCity in 76, Orient, Liverpool, Wolves etc.
It was an occasion that we thought we might never live to see. And then that magic moment at the bottom of Wembley Way as we finally laid eyes on the Twin Towers.
I can't remember much of the match. But I do remember 34000 Boro fans all singing you'll never walk alone at the end. That was brilliant. Put that on Youtube, if you've got it. Pleeease!
I worked in Nuneaton and one of my employees taped the second leg against Villa from that Sky thingy. I kept it for years until someone used it to taoe Thomas the Tank or some such nonesense.
Anyway just glanced at Serbia v N Ireland played out in front of 200 Irish fans, I guess if I watch it long enough there will be a reference to the Riverside!
You lot don't know you're born - I wasn't allowed to go and was dragged to the Metro Centre instead.
AV - I spoke to you in Trafalgar Square the night before the ZDS. You were very drunk. To be fair, so was I. There were loads of Boro singing and EIOing on the lionns. It was a great weekend but a poor match.
Wembley was a hole. I was gutted I'd waited all that time to reach the Mecca of English football and then had to wade through lakes of urine to get to the toilets and sit on planks of wood screwed to concrete.
There was a lot of fighting outside after the game too. It was only a couple of years after the Battle of Stamford Bridge and the Chelsea morons were on home soil. It was big of them to frighten my Mam. But that was old football for you. Compared to Cardiff it was a different world.
**AV writes: Very drunk? Me? We went down on the Friday and made a weekend of it. I remember singing "Men of Iron" on the lions with a load of lads from Billingham and getting some strange looks from tourists. And joining in the permanent 24 hour anti-aparthied picket of South Africa House for a while. As you say, Wembley was a crumbling mess. Very disappointing.
Vic,
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was 12 at the time and remember massive chunks of it.
The hostility before the game and half time was scary and I remember the tube ride counting down the stops as another poster mentioned).
Always remember my Dad crying as they sang Abide With Me (?) Remember how big the stadium was and everyone was just in awe we were actually at Wembley Stadium.
Above all, I remember that the semi final first leg was probably the best away performance I've ever seen the Boro produce (I really mean that) and like many lads and lasses on here, I've seen a few (Man U was class but tainted by defeat and of course Roma wasn't too shabby either:).
I remember Villa being a very good team (Platt, Cowans, Mcgrath etc) and we just edged them. That game had the lot...
Seems strange to think that it was a tin pot cup when I remember the emotion of the second leg in the Holgate (real joy matched nearly as much as the euro games only for the novelty/shock factor). A few tears being shed ("never thought I'd see the day Son!")
Also remember one or one lifelong friendships nearly coming to an abrupt end when a few "lifers" struggled to get tickets while the Johnny come lately/"glory hunter:)" crew get theirs by being connected. Some things never change eh?!?!
Brilliant Vic, truly Brilliant!
Mark
I was working away (as ever) at the time but managed to get two tickets via an organised trip that included the hotel. Great Saturday night in and around Covent Garden, everywhere you looked there were drunken smoggies (were we smoggies then?) having a great time and no sign of trouble incidentally.
The event was slightly tempered having to go to hospital at five in the morning as the missus scratched her eyeball on a feather in a pillow. Interesting place the A&E in the Royal Free Hospital at that time in the morning!
As you say Vic, it'll never be forgotten.
Andy R - dragged to the metro centre.......nasty! I hope yer mam bought you something worthwhile!!!
Just carrying on the Dads theme, a generation(ish) later when we won at Cardiff, I watched it on telly with a load of mates with our kids and we all did the conga down the street afterwards, which being in Barnet caused some bemusement among the neighbours!
21 years ago ? How scary is that ? Great days to be a footy fan before the game sold it's soul.
Never forget the semi final 2nd leg against Villa, the whole town was bouncing after the game. Remember being in the Corner house, singing our heads off.
We travelled down the day before and stopped in a posh hotel in the West End, remember it was a bit of a drama at reception checking in 20 drunken Doggy lads.
A drink in the Globe on Baker St before the game and then the walk up Wembley Way for the 1st time.
At the top we saw Willie Whigam, poor fella was on crutches. We all sang " We got Willie, Willie Whigam in our Goal", he was in tears at the end.Great days, great memories, as previously mentioned some of it spoiled by Chelsea's moronic element.
Nigel Reeve -
I can't remember. I spent the whole staring down at my shoes.
ZDS: You Never Forget Your First Time.
Just as well it wasn't sponsored by Standard Tractor Diesel....
Too early for me, I had only been to one match at that time, and didn't start going regularly till the next season. In fact, I might have to admit owning a Liverpool strip at that time (I was only 9!)
The only thing I remember about that season was my first game in the FA Cup v Everton and listening to the 4-1 Newcastle game on the radio at the end of the season.
My Dad wasn't a big football fan (I dragged him to games rather than the other way round) so I'm not even sure I was aware the final was going on at the time.
AV,
Back to more mundane issues. The rumour od administration is not going away.
I heard the story again on Friday, from a well connected football source - that if we can get 10+ points clear this season, we will take the medicine. But if not, we will start next season -10 points.
Can you enlighten us?
**AV writes: They'd better get a move on then - the deadline for doing it this season was last Thursday. Any team who goes into administration now gets the 10 point penalty next season.
It is a rumour that won't go away, partly because it is being allowed to flourish in a vacuum by the silence from the club and partly because the club at every turn stress the need to slash wages, sell players and cut costs. People fear the worst.
But rather than rushing to believe conspiracies we need to face up to a few simple realities - Boro are in trouble because the wage bill is too big, it has to come down and until it does, all the money that steve Gibson would usually pour into transfers (in January say) is instead propping up the wage bill. We are carrying a Prem wage bill on Championship income. It has to stop.
The fact that the club are taking steps to actively stop it has sent out a lot of bleak messages but they are not behaving like a club on the verge of administration. A company has legal obligations and had it been on the verge of admin then the bids in January for Lita and Taylor would not have been turned dow, neither would the club be taking on the obligations of long contracts to lads like Bennett.
I think Boro are in a tight situation but one that is under control. Like many firms and households right now we can meet our obligations and pay our bills but there is no room for luxuries.
AV said in reply to Hade Edge Boro at 8.50pm, "...I think Boro are in a tight situation but one that is under control. Like many firms and households right now we can meet our obligations and pay our bills but there is no room for luxuries."
It must be a worry to Boro that, for many people on Teesside, even people who have been used to following the Boro, buying a matchday ticket might be seen as a "luxury" many families find it increasingly difficult to afford in these difficult times. And it is likely to get worse...and season ticket renewal forms will be sent out soonish, no doubt.
I accept clubs can't be expected to come out and respond to every rumour going the rounds, but this one - "the club will go into administration if we can get another three wins so as to be more than 10 points clear of relegation" - is so deeply entrenched that it actually harms the club to allow it to go unanswered. Needless to say, and not for the first time, it was told to me as "Gospel" on Friday!
For reasons already canvassed on previous threads, I would guess administration is one of the last things Steve Gibson would want to happen. It must have been painful enough the first time round, and to repeat the exercise would effectively be to say that we are in no better position now than in 1986 apart from some happy memories.
If there were rumours going around that Barclays Bank (or BP, or Vodafone etc) was going bust, I am confident the Chairman, CEO or someone of similar authority would be on the front page of the FT (or the BBC) making it clear there was no truth in the story. Sometimes, even though you might fear a few missiles might be unleashed, you just have to stick your head above the parapet.
Administration rumours if we go 10 points clear of the delegation zone have to be nonsense. Surely?
What advantage would be conferred by doing so? Creditors not paid? Salaries not paid? What effect would that have on the players' morale? We may not avoid relegation, taking a gamble like that.
Then again, Gibson & Lamb between them have made quite a few crazy decisions over the last few years. So having said the above, and in the words of every US "Defence" Secretary since WWII, all options are on the table!
AV - I missed the chance to go to Wembley as that was the year that we migrated to Australia, 114 years in waiting and we picked that year to get there!
What I do remember though, was that when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in February of that year, he was asked by a reporter what the judge had said when he was sentenced 27 years previously. Apparently Mandela had asked the beak how long he was being banged up for, to which the judge replied, âYouâll get out when the Boro get to Wembleyâ
The old ones are the best.
Stevie Gibson are you out there? Why are you not talking?
You have an obligation to this town and all of its football team supporters. Come on Steve, do the right thing, come clean and let us all know what is happening.
AV, when the Gazette ask the club about the rumours circulating, what is their official response?
Or haven't the Gazette asked?
**AV writes: The club insist they will not comment on unsubstatiated gossip.
"If there were rumours going around that Barclays Bank (or BP, or Vodafone etc) was going bust, I am confident the Chairman, CEO or someone of similar authority would be on the front page of the FT "
What, so Barclays bank would respond to a rumour on an internet message board or what some bloke said down the pub? Utter rubbish.
If these rumours were coming from sources within the industry, then perhaps the club might want to quash them, but otherwise why should they? I honestly can't understand why anyone with any sense would even consider these rumours as truth for a second.
It baffles me why some people need this constant re-assurement - if the club aren't saying anything, why not assume the logical position, that everything is fine. Rather than panicking and assuming the totally illogical opposite position?
BoroPhil March 28 10:34am -
Totally with you there. Even if Steve Gibson did come out and quash the tittle tattle some people would take the stance that he wouldn't have said anything if there wansn't some truth in the rumour. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Would be nice to hear something from him on general footballing matters though....
Brazilian hot-shot Neymar, 19, who scored twice in a friendly against Scotland on Sunday, says he would prefer to move to Italy rather than England when he quits Santos to move to Europe.
Perhaps we should send our South American ambassador, TLF to see this guy together with Lamb. Up the Boro!
Boro or Coventry?
Which one of the clubs are in trouble? There have been rumours about Boro but I suspect the latter is not well at the moment.
SkySports report that Coventry City have confirmed Ray Ranson has resigned as the club's chairman. ... The Sky Blues sacked boss Aidy Boothroyd earlier this month following their drop down the table and then it was revealed Football League had placed a transfer embargo on the club due to financial problems.
Up the Boro!
Inevitably with the Boro having performed reasonably well lately and thus being on the brink of avoiding the possibility of relegation, the 'typical Boro' faction need another catastrophe to latch onto.
The administration rumour fits the bill perfectly, there's no point putting up a counter arguement as logic plays no part in the arguement.
BoroPhil -
I agree and if they came out know it would do nothing to quell rumours.
The problem is that Gibbo and Lamb have painted themselves into a corner yet again. Gibbo was due to go on radio Brownlee but pulled out when Strachan left with the promise he would return. That didnt happen and has left a vacuum in knowledge that is now being filled with rumours.
They have left the Mogga halo effect to provide cover to leak out the financial situation at the club. It looks like it is lack of communication rather than any doom laden future for the club.
We're already in pseudo-administration anyway - our understength defence meant we've been deducted 10 points by failing to replace Wheater.
Also if a decent offer was made for any of our players they will be sold to reduce the wage bill and raise a little cash to pay off the overdraft.
What's the difference between that and real administration?
Where a vacuum exists, something will fill it.
Is it an inevitable consequence of
a) being in the Championship and the relative dearth of media interest and
b) that other vacuum that is the International Break, that leaves football-interested people short of stuff to talk about?
I did get the impression that Tony Mowbray's supporter communication of a couple of weeks ago was beginning to put some kind of sensible and definitive perspective on what's going on at the club into the public domain.
So the spectre of Administration as raised on this blog does come as something of a surprise and, on reflection, when viewed in the light of other information and opinion being expressed, does feel a bit extreme.
We shouldn't necessarily be calling for people NOT to talk or comment on the possibility, but we should also be mindful of putting too much credence on unsubstantiated rumour or comment on such fundamentally important issues (for Boro that is).
I can understand the club NOT seeing it as necessary to comment on rumour that is no more than that. But it's a communication style issue that the club has, which causes much of the unfortunate uncertainty.
The problem Gibson has, is that he's (unjustifiably) called for blind faith in the fairly recent past and Lamb's on record as saying that the town will get the club it can afford.
People have registered these things.
So against this background and with Boro finding itself where it is in the Championship and still with a few big wages we can't really afford (on an ongoing basis) because of limits on Gibson's subsidy and the reduced gate receipts, some are taking a punt and coming to what are, hopefully, premature conclusions.
People talk and people hear if we dont do this and that we will end up in administration.
I think things are being done and will continue to be done at the end of the season to avoid that.
Some of our higher earners may find the shoe on the other foot. If they dont put a good show on until the end of the season and nobody wants them they will have to take a drop in pay to be able to play and stay in the shop window.
I would expect most teams in the Championship are walking a very thin line from week to week as the situation changes.
Whilst I agree that whatever Gibbo could say is not going to quell the wilder rumours, what he could do - and should do, I believe - is to fulil his promise to go back on Radio Brownlee and set out his vision for the future.
In the process, he can dismiss the rumours derisorily and in one sentence - Ali will bowl him the kind of gentle delivery that'll allow him to do that. If he wants to take questions from the punters, doubtless someone on there will give him the chance too.
What I'd be keener to hear - but I just don't see it happening - is how there can be a new settlement' in the relationship between MFC and Boro fans to help build back the active following along with what happens on the pitch.
The least we could expect, though, is to be levelled with about what the situation actually is and what the sustainable strategy is to stabilise, rebuild the team and squad, start making progress again and - eventually - get back to The Prem.
The time for that is not now. First things first - we need to secure our Championship survival first and nothing should distract from that, including - maybe particularly - discussion of future we don't know we have yet. The picture of a strategy if we fall into League One would be very different.
But as soon as we're mathematically over the line would be the time for Gibbo to turn to planning for the future - and telling us about it - just as Mogga has said he will do with matters on the pitch.
**AV writes: Yes that sounds politically astute.
"What's the difference between that and real administration?"
If we were in administration and someone offered us £2m for Joe Bennett tomorrow we'd be forced to sell. As it is, we would laugh in their faces. So, quite different really.
By the way, I totally agree that Gibson should go back on Tees as he was planning to, I imagine he hasn't mainly so as not to get in Mogga's way. I'd be very surprised if he didn't go on once the season has ended.
BoroPhil, Joe Bennet is not the best example as he's likely to attract quite a few offers. As far as I understand the administrators job is not to sell players to the first offer made - they would surely know what a reasonable offer was.
Anyway, my point was that our financial restrictions have already meant our team has not been strengthened where needed. I think Mowbray knows that any decent offer made in the summer will be listened to - especially if the club can't move on other preferred candidates.
Gibson must know that getting the club financial stable is now a priority over any improvements to the squad in order to gain promotion - Afterall MFC had budgetted for promotion THIS year and that means there nothing left in the kitty to throw around.
I guess most of the club loans are probably secured by Bulkhaul, which is doing quite well - but most of our wage bill is being taken up by players not currently in the first team and not in demand by other clubs.
So in summary, Mowbray will be keen to hang onto his most promising players but that is not guaranteed unless Gibson is able to finacially back him - the administration rumours may actually suit him as a means of controlling spending and lowering expectations (again).
**AV writes:
Two more fairly sensible people not given to doom mongering asked me yesterday if the rumours were true. I don't know if they were late getting on the last round of Chinese whispers or ahead of the game for the next wave.
In the pubs and clubs, on the message boards, the phone-ins and on here... it is becoming a verbal tic, a Pavlovian reaction to any mention of the word 'Boro'. I think it is just getting really boring now.
I'm starting to think that there is a section of the supporters who are gleefully wearing a strait-jacket of willful ignorance, who are desperate to believe the liquidation rumours no matter what, despite the absence of any evidence, because it is more exciting and dramatic and fits in with their cataclysmic world view than the dull truth that sensible grey cardiganned acountancy is more important the team right now.
It is clear that after being pushed off the Premier League gravytrain our finances have been radically downsized, that happens to all relegated clubs who don't go straight back up. Our income has gone down by probably two-thirds. It is nothing specific to Boro. A dozen clubs have gone through the process over the past five or six years and some have adapted more successfully than others.
It is equally clear that the club have taken concrete steps to address that financial dislocation by restructuring the decade of debt, cutting back the unsustainable transfer spending of the glory years and robustly pruning the wage bill. That has meant we can't afford to buy - or even loan - until we shift some crippling high-earners.
It is clear too that far from cutting back on investment, Gibson continues to pour money into the club - only now instead of going on transfer fees it is going on subsidising the wage bill and it will continue to do so until the bloated bubble works its way through the system.
That is the reality. No dark conspiracy. No grand abandonment of ambition by an estranged leader. No imminent implosion. Just dull plodding prudent cost control, rescheduling of debt and a reduction in expenditure.
Frankly I would be more worried if the club had not reacted to relegation in that manner and instead continued to spend money we didn't have.
I would have thought that rumours of going into administration (because they are a bit absurd, as AV has detailed: why would Gibbo move to take 10p or 20p in the pound as a return for his years of investment?) might actually suit the management of the club!
Could they even be sourced by the club via a deliberate campaign of disinformation?
After all, in a panic-ridden, rumour-thick atmosphere, they can emerge from a draconian trimming-up of wages and thinning-down of playing staff saying, "Phew! Club saved by skin of a Lamb's teeth...and we even managed to keep Arca!"
And we will all say, "Hurray! Season tickets, please!" Won't we?
**AV writes: Have we signed Machiavelli to mastermind this opinion shaping media massaging masterclass? You think Boro - widely derided for poor PR - could pull that one off?
I hated that 'bloke in blue' comment back then and don't like it any more now. It smacks of being grateful to be allowed to play. Far too 'Oliver, please sir may I have some more'. We were there by right, with every right to win.
Didn't enjoy the game, didnt enjoy the long coach journey home, or the violent Chelsea fans. The semis were far more fun, was particularly drunk in the Shakespeare and then the Linny..
The last game against the Geordies was far more enjoyable than the ZDS final.
The only final I've truly enjoyed was Cardiff. Tho' Eindhoven was a brilliant experience. Shame about the match itself.
Great to see the Boro youngsters getting International recognition.
They are our future and our only real chance of getting back to the Premiership in the long term - if we can keep hold of them.
Administration? God help me! Boring, Boring, Boring.
What we need right now is a game of footie, anyone got a ball?
An interesting thought from the Engalnd match tonight.
For the third time in his career Englands best player is Downing when there have not been the 'star' players available like Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney. These matches have been against USA, Germany and Ghana so teams with some pedigree.
He has done well when he has had the ball and the chance to play. He isnt the explosive player that Jinky is but as a Boro lad I was pleased for him.
Just read the following about Ricky Ponting following his retirement as captain from the Australian cricket team.
"Simply, it fell to Ponting to manage the decline. Spoiled for so long, the Australian cricket public could not accept it and blamed him, which was too easy".
As Boro fans, we may not have been spoiled for as long, or to the extent of the Australian cricket fans, but there is a whiff of the Boro's last three or four years in this comment.
Oh, and where did Ponting come from? A town called Mowbray in Tasmania.
Breaking news, for me at least, in that Toon lost £17m in the year they were in the championship and that Ashley had to put in £42m.
Big numbers.
**AV writes: It's all big numbers in football now.
Newcastle have 'stabilised' with debt sof £150m. Sunderland are heading towards a three figure debt and know they will need to splash out another £20-30m plus this summer to nudge up to the promised land of the Europa League. Villa are already £100m plus adrift with little to show for it. Wigan's auditors have flagged up serious concerns about the club's viability. There are questions over whether Birmingham's new owners have stumped up all the cash. Fulham have run out of money. Man Utd are pumping all their profit offshore to service their debt to the Glazers. And Chelsea and Man City don't make any financial sense whatsoever.
It's a not funny old game.
Right, back from the Sunny East Mids. Heard a worrying rumour of us going into Admin next week? Anyone shed any light?
I suggest we all start our own rumour, and the first one to gain some sort of recognition wins a prize, (possibly a pint at the Beano)
'I was talking to a well connected Derby County employee yesterday and he told me to expect a bid from them for Lee Miller and Marvin Emnes.'
**AV writes: I'm not worried about administration. I've heard the Viduka insurance money will be coming through any day now.
Due to his fine track record Peter Ridsdale is to replace Keith Lamb.....
Yes football is in a hell of a state and the powers in charge need to do something quickly.
There has to be a cap on wages at each league level.
Reducing the amount of overseas players coming in would probably violate European Union laws but would increase the number of local or UK players in our leagues.
Make no mistake there are many many clubs walking a tightrope and on the verge of Admin but the rules get bent a bit to keep teams alive.
Take Portsmouth for instance did somebody wave a magic wand while we were not watching. They lost a lot of players granted but they still have quite a few on Prem wages Kanu and Nugent to name two.
All this must come to a head at some stage probably it will take a Prem club to fall down.
Boro will be ok once the none triers on big wages are out.
I have heard that Mido, Alves and Tuncay have formed a consortium and have made the following offer to Steve Gibson: we give up all money due from unpaid image rights in return for sole ownership and control of the club and surrounding parmo outlets.
One proviso: that Lamb must remain in charge of players' contracts
I have heard that the Riverside is built on an old Indian burial ground and that Keith Lamb dances skyclad on the night before games to summon up the forces of darkness.
**AV writes: *shudder*
From Scottish Press...
"Celtic have strongly refuted claims by Tony Mowbray that the club effectively prevented him accepting managerial jobs at âthree or fourâ clubs before he took over at Middlesbrough.
Mogga was removed from his position as Hoopsâ boss after a 4-0 defeat at St Mirren in March, 2010, but remained on the payroll before taking over at the Riverside Stadium in October.
The former Celtic defender claimed failure to negotiate a pay-off stopped him accepting any job offers and that he had to eventually write off around £350,000 to become Boro boss.
âI had three or four other offers before the Middlesbrough job came along,â Mowbray was reported to have told Boro fans at a question-and-answer session.
âAt the time, I was owed a lot of money by Celtic and they werenât prepared to do a deal to allow me to take those jobs, so I didnât take them.
âI personally wrote off around £350,000 to take the Middlesbrough job. Thatâs not me boasting, itâs just the way it is.â
However, a Celtic spokesman said: âWe are very surprised at these comments. Here are the facts.
âOnly one formal approach was made regards Tony and that was from Middlesbrough. We blocked no other approaches.
âCeltic paid every penny that was due to Tony under his contract up to the point where he requested to be released from his contract.
âThis we did without hesitation in order that he could resume his career.â
I've heard the Riverside is sold out for the remainder of the season...........
Nigel Reeve: No problem, Nigel. Sky Sports are covering every minute of Boro's charge for a play-off spot and pub licenses are to be issued free for the remainder of the season.
Richard, the other rumour I have on 'good authority' is that you and Steve Gibson have been reconcilled.........surely not!!!
Ian Gill -
I had also noticed the game in Germany and last nights England game was void of the so called big players, yet good performances from the stand ins.
Against Germany, Downing and Bridge played together and Downing did well which never happens when Downing and Cole play in the same team. Cole seems to play a more advanced role than Downing.
A cracking match last night. Wasn't it great to see some proper football rather than the robotic sideways and back passing we normally get from England!
When the formation was 4-3-3 Downing was excellent raiding down the wing. When they reverted to 4-4-2 and he was having to cover the fullback as well, he wasn't so effective. A lesson to be learned there.
I would like to see us play a 4-3-3 with Lita and Emnes wide, but unfortunately we don't have a centre forward any more, so that one is out the window.
Unless of course Lee miller is recalled.
peterboroughangel -
The Cole/Downing axis was undermined when Gerrard played.
Gerrard is a cracking player but because of the way he plays for Liverpool he appears wherever he wants on the pitch.
Time after time he would appear on the left wing taking away the space that Cole and Downing needed. And that was just when he played on the right!
Nothing wrong with movement but some structure helps.
Come on lads l thought we were meant to be remembering the ZDS Final. l was working in the south east at the time and could only get two tickets at highly extortionate prices through a dodgy hotel deal but l was determined to be there.
The weekend before me and my mate scoured Brighton and Eastbourne nicking all the red and white warning tape (yeah that was ME!) that festooned the many road works and tied it all together to make one giant ribbon.
On the morning l was dressed head to foot (including face paints painted face) red and white and carrying an inflatable Champagne bottle (must have been an omen, it popped before l got to the station) and my red and white umbrella (l digress here, that l once took to Plough Lane one rainy night to watch us play Wimbledon and everyone followed me like the pied piper!).
Once on the train l realised instantly l was outnumbered by about 150 - 1 Chelsea fans but still decided to decorate the carriage with aforementioned traffic tape. Getting to Wembley l bought the obligatory Boro flag (still got it) and then realised l had a cracking position right behind the goal view, sadly slap bang in the middle of the Chelsea fans.
Undeterred l stood on my seat waving the flag with much enthusiasm until my then girlfriend a southerner and her first experience of a football game noticed a growing hostility to my presence. Discretion being the best part of valour we vacated our seats while we could still walk and were lucky enough to swap tickets with another couple who were sitting where the two sets of supporters met. Still got the scarf too, the newspaper cuttings, the video (got my boss to tape it off his Sky). Happy, sad day.