April 2011 Archives

BLOODY repeats.... its five years to the day since Boro's Spirit of Steaua famous fabulous fairytale fight back at the Riverside and Ali Brownlee invited us all round to his house for a parmo. Here's another chance to read the adrenaline splashed blog I rattled out live on the night. Brilliant, evocative, emotional stuff that has my heart-pumping even now. Those were the days. Enjoy.

TARMO Kink became an instant cult hero when he landed a last gasp double salvo of the Estonian Exocet against Burnley to salvage an unlikely victory.

Twice unfeasible long range torpedoes - launched from a sub remember - streaked home through crowded boxes to land a breath-taking double KO blow, to snatch three points and after a brief spell being hailed as the Baltic Beckham, to condemn him to life as the perpetual archetypal impact man.

That stirring 2-1 win, back in September 2010 and at the fag end of the Gordon Strachan era, was at the time a real collectors item: A dramatic fight-back by Boro.

BORO blasted their way to Championship safety with a certain sunshine swagger at Hull that deserves praise. They bounced back from leaking an early goal to hammer Hull in a pulsating four goal first half blitz.

Yes, the goal glut was aided and abetted by hapless Hull's hari-kari defending but equally, the errors were forced by the pace, persistence and fluid movement of both revived Marvin Emnes and Aussie hitman Scott McDonald.

The pint-sized poacher's treble was the first Boro hat-trick since Afonso Alves ran riot in the 8-1 demolition of Manchester City in the Premier League back in May 2008. And it was the first opening 45 treble since teenage goal machine Alan Kernaghan struck in a famous 4-2 win at Blackburn in 1989... a match Tony Mowbray played in.

It was a great way to ease over the line after what has been a long road to redemption.

SUN-baked Burnley was hot and sticky and basking Boro turned in a factor 40 and flip-flops performance. The gaffer denied it after the one-sided thumping at Turf Moor, but having crossed the 50 point line with weeks to spare, some players looked to have eased off the gas and are winding down ready for a long session on the sun-lounger.

It was sombreros and speedoes.

STEVE Gibson has broken his silence to tell the Evening Gazette that the Teesside tittle-tattle about the club going into administration are 'nonsense' spread by people who are 'no friends of the club'.

In an exclusive interview with Eric Paylor Gibson blasted the rumours and insisted his ambition remains as strong as ever - and that his investment is as big ever, although instead of money going on transfers it has been supporting a wage bill that makes Boro the 'best resourced club in the Championship'.

"But it is getting value for money for your wage bill," he said. "Until the return of Tony Mowbray we were not getting a return on the pitch from our wage bill."

FIGHT Night. For those who couldn't wait for Bolton battler Amir Khan's bout later on there was a tasty undercard at the Riverside. A tedious end of season trudge was flat-lining when it all kicked off. Big style. Ding, ding; Seconds out.

SEASON tickets: as you were. Prices have been frozen for the sixth season running.

CRAZY. And it's Ipswich 3 Melchester Rovers 3 in a pulsating game that defies even Hollywood logic as a surreal script-ripping season finally jumps the shark.

TRENCH warfare. Tin hats. War of attrition. Aerial bombarment. Midfield battle. Pick a military metaphor. Boro stood up to a route one pummelling at Bramall Lane and somehow came out on top to snatch a last gasp win that all but seals survival and probably condemns Sheffield United to League One derby games with Wednesday next term.

THE FAT Lass is gargling and doing scales backstage. Supporters are actually enjoying and looking forward to games again. A demob happy massed Red Army is making plans to meet up for a pint of Trapdoor Dancer at the Riverside Bar in Sheffield's Mowbray Street and the bookies have made Boro far flung 50-1 outsiders to go down.

Someone tell the Gazetteshire public.