[2CRO4TV]

Mount vs Foden will be interesting in the final. I'm a Chelsea fan so rooting for the blues in a few weeks. Shame Arsenal are rubbish as it would have nice to have 4 English teams in the 2 European finals.

[330XDave]

Originally Posted by 2CRO4TV

Mount vs Foden will be interesting in the final. I'm a Chelsea fan so rooting for the blues in a few weeks. Shame Arsenal are rubbish as it would have nice to have 4 English teams in the 2 European finals.

Haha yeah they really are rubbish. Arteta cannot be there next season.

And yes Mount is developing very nicely too. It's very exciting to think we could have an attacking quartet of Kane, Foden, Mount and Grealish at the Euro's. I hope Grealish can be fit.

No doubt Southgate will pin all his hopes on Sterling though!

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

A good friend is a Luton fan, he is gobsmacked that they have survived mid table in the Championship again. I'd just like us to get back to the football league and not the Conference or whatever it calls itself, incredibly hard to get out of these days....

I'm still hoping Wycombe survive in the championship - which I am sure that they now cant...... but only because I want Sheff Wednesday, Rotherham and Derby to go down

We have a great last few games ahead of us with Hartlepools United... They have a shot at getting back into the football league and quite a lot of Boro fans are also getting behind their efforts... and we may even be allowed in the ground for some of the last games there this season to cheer them over the line...

[NotGotABimmer23]

Originally Posted by 330XDave

Haha yeah they really are rubbish. Arteta cannot be there next season.

And yes Mount is developing very nicely too. It's very exciting to think we could have an attacking quartet of Kane, Foden, Mount and Grealish at the Euro's. I hope Grealish can be fit.

No doubt Southgate will pin all his hopes on Sterling though!

Greilish looking fairly unlikely now having been out for so long. If rashford starts im going to stop watching.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by DaveA

We have a great last few games ahead of us with Hartlepools United... They have a shot at getting back into the football league and quite a lot of Boro fans are also getting behind their efforts... and we may even be allowed in the ground for some of the last games there this season to cheer them over the line...

I know, they thrashed us on BT Sport last weekend. Very tight for the one auto promo spot and it might be the team who holds their nerve best

And of course if the monkey hangers dont make it automatically, we could get chance for revenge in the play offs

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by DaveA

To be perfectly honest with you, if it was down to me, I’d have us finish 7th in the Championship every year…

Football in the Championship is awesome in its competitiveness and (whilst it can be awfully frustrating at times) every game is a competition and the title is hard fought and there can be all sorts of twists and turns… Call me cynical, but we go up and a) we have to spend so much money just to try and even stay in the premier league it is just a joke and b) even if we do stay there, what can we hope for..?

The last time we had a season in the Prem it was dreadful… I mean, who wants to watch us trying to compete like that again… and we had a half decent manager... just had to rely on hired guns on loan deals... I mean, our goalkeeper had won the champions league for than most of our opponents...

.. and we are still recovering from the impact of that effort.

Dread too think how we would have copied now if we'd have squeaked up in the playoffs... Now, we can continue to rebuild...

OK, you can do OK, and you can build… so, yes, there is some hope… but many do not… Look at Leeds... But arguably they did what I am proposing for us... spend 5 or 6 years as there or thereabouts, but getting ever stronger, refining the squad, finding that Manager who can bridge the gap...

Then we have the small matter of VAR… the Championship being free of that whole mess…

As an aside, I’d like to see the whole sport levelled out somewhat so that the gap from top to bottom through all the leagues is less… that way, promoted teams can try and compete…

Without any disrespect to Bournemouth, if a club of that size can make it all the way to the Premier League and survive for several seasons there's no reason why a club like Middlesbrough can't do at least as well. That said, I do agree the gap to the PL is more difficult to bridge and, whilst getting to the PL is one thing, staying there is another thing entirely as teams like Norwich and Sheffield United would no doubt testify!

Leeds are my team and for us I think the major change came when Andrea Radrizzani bought the club; after years of owners who either weren't interested or were looking to flip the club and make a profit, he's brought stability and been prepared to invest where it matters (not least in the manager). To be honest I don't think we had been improving steadily before Bielsa arrived and it still amazes me how he's turned a squad that was mid-table at best in the Championship when he arrived into one that's now mid-table in the Premier League. The question, of course, is can we sustain it? This time a year ago people were rightly praising Sheffield United and Chris Wilder for what they'd achieved but in their second season in the PL it all went badly wrong - I'm hoping Leeds won't be a similar story but we'll see!

At Boro you've had the benefit of a good owner for a number of years and in Warnock you've got someone with a proven track record of getting teams promoted from the Championship if he has the resources available; his style of football tends not to be great but generally he does get results. So I think and hope you'll be play-off material next season but again only time will tell!

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by 2CRO4TV

Mount vs Foden will be interesting in the final. I'm a Chelsea fan so rooting for the blues in a few weeks. Shame Arsenal are rubbish as it would have nice to have 4 English teams in the 2 European finals.

Yes, agree on Mason Mount; he was a stand-out player in the Championship for Derby a couple of years ago and is showing he definitely has what it takes to step-up to PL and international level. And as with Foden it's nice to see a player come through the academy at a club and make it all the way to the first team - so much more satisfying than paying loads of money to buy from someone else!

I also agree on Arsenal - maybe Arsene Wenger was past his sell-by date with the club but when you look at what's happened since he left it's difficult to believe things would have been worse if they'd stuck with him!

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Without any disrespect to Bournemouth, if a club of that size can make it all the way to the Premier League and survive for several seasons there's no reason why a club like Middlesbrough can't do at least as well. That said, I do agree the gap to the PL is more difficult to bridge and, whilst getting to the PL is one thing, staying there is another thing entirely as teams like Norwich and Sheffield United would no doubt testify!

Leeds are my team and for us I think the major change came when Andrea Radrizzani bought the club; after years of owners who either weren't interested or were looking to flip the club and make a profit, he's brought stability and been prepared to invest where it matters (not least in the manager). To be honest I don't think we had been improving steadily before Bielsa arrived and it still amazes me how he's turned a squad that was mid-table at best in the Championship when he arrived into one that's now mid-table in the Premier League. The question, of course, is can we sustain it? This time a year ago people were rightly praising Sheffield United and Chris Wilder for what they'd achieved but in their second season in the PL it all went badly wrong - I'm hoping Leeds won't be a similar story but we'll see!

At Boro you've had the benefit of a good owner for a number of years and in Warnock you've got someone with a proven track record of getting teams promoted from the Championship if he has the resources available; his style of football tends not to be great but generally he does get results. So I think and hope you'll be play-off material next season but again only time will tell!

Yes, I have to admit, I was not complaining too much about the prem when we were doing more than simply clinging on… But that last time (5 years almost to the day since we drew with Brighton to go up automatically) was a real heartbreaker… Just no fun going every other week to see us beaten.. (and I missed some of the good games because I was working away… )… and then to have us fall apart after relegation because so many of that squad left (as they wee hired guns etc etc)…

I really like what Leeds have done as he seemed to build a squad team that he though was good enough (perhaps with a few tweaks) to not only get promoted, but also compete in the Prem… a few ups and downs, but a solid overall season…

But, like you point out, Shef U were lauded last year and now look at them… so, whilst not maybe a lottery, there is a lotto potential…

We have a marvellous owner, yes, but I am not sure about some of the managerial choices… seems we waver between ones who are allowed to spend a load of £££ (Strachan, Monk etc) and then the ones who follow who have to tighten the purse strings to re-balance the books (Pulis, Woodgate, Warnock..)..

Lot to like about Warnock and, to be fair, compared to Pulis his football is entertaining… What I really like is he is a pragmatist and is able to handle the dressing room (apparently)… There is some rumour of him moving into a role beyond management in future here… and I would love to see him mentor a recently retired Boro favourite into Management… Take you pick from Grant Leadbiter or George Friend if you want to do that in the coming year or so… Ben Gibson for the future…

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I know, they thrashed us on BT Sport last weekend. Very tight for the one auto promo spot and it might be the team who holds their nerve best

And of course if the monkey hangers dont make it automatically, we could get chance for revenge in the play offs

I think top spot might be a touch too far of a reach for Hartlepool with 4 games remaining... Being beaten by Bromley kind of killed those chances, I feel... But, you never know... Torquay might slip up...

Ah, man, we can re-stage the FA Cup semi final if the NL playoff final is Chesterfield V Hartlepool...

Are you going to try and get to a game after they open the grounds again the week after next...?

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by DaveA

I think top spot might be a touch too far of a reach for Hartlepool with 4 games remaining... Being beaten by Bromley kind of killed those chances, I feel... But, you never know... Torquay might slip up...

Ah, man, we can re-stage the FA Cup semi final if the NL playoff final is Chesterfield V Hartlepool...

Are you going to try and get to a game after they open the grounds again the week after next...?

I'm saving myself for the play offs, cant get back north for our home game weekend and as a non season ticket holder wont get a ticket. But I'll be there when we play Pools in the play off final, and this time I can go home chanting about you messing it up

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I'm saving myself for the play offs, cant get back north for our home game weekend and as a non season ticket holder wont get a ticket. But I'll be there when we play Pools in the play off final, and this time I can go home chanting about you messing it up

Boro were pretty fair with us season ticket holders through Covid... For the end of the 19/20 season they refunded pro-rata the games we missed... For those of us then renewing (at early bird prices) for 20/21 they gave us free access to live streaming from the homes games (and some midweek away)... then, when it became clear we would not be back in this season, they simply rolled our tickets over for the 21/22 season...

I mean, considering how challenging all this has been financially, they have been proper about it all...

Am sure other clubs have, also, but just wanted to give a positive shout out for how we have been treated...

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by DaveA

Boro were pretty fair with us season ticket holders through Covid... For the end of the 19/20 season they refunded pro-rata the games we missed... For those of us then renewing (at early bird prices) for 20/21 they gave us free access to live streaming from the homes games (and some midweek away)... then, when it became clear we would not be back in this season, they simply rolled our tickets over for the 21/22 season...

I mean, considering how challenging all this has been financially, they have been proper about it all...

Am sure other clubs have, also, but just wanted to give a positive shout out for how we have been treated...

That sounds pretty good, clearly for national league teams without the proverbial pot its been much happier. Most season ticket holders were happy to roll last seasons money into the club, and they have kept prices down for this year / next year in return (even if we had been promoted).

Season tickets are a bit of a waste when you live 130 miles away so I havent bothered recently - currently expecting just over 3000 allowed in versus about 2500 active season ticket holders so may be some other tickets on general sale - and if play off final is in a bigger venue and post social distancing I will be there....

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

That sounds pretty good, clearly for national league teams without the proverbial pot its been much happier. Most season ticket holders were happy to roll last seasons money into the club, and they have kept prices down for this year / next year in return (even if we had been promoted).

Season tickets are a bit of a waste when you live 130 miles away so I havent bothered recently - currently expecting just over 3000 allowed in versus about 2500 active season ticket holders so may be some other tickets on general sale - and if play off final is in a bigger venue and post social distancing I will be there....

Long time since I have been to a ‘pools game… Basically, when I lived away from Middlesbrough, I would travel back for home games (was a 240 mile round trip) and, when I was younger, also go to a lot of the away games… I started only going to local away games and when Boro were far away, I would look to see if ‘pools apr Darlo were close by…

It was watching ‘pools, at Bolton one year (many moons ago - bolton were still in Burnden Park), we witnessed one of those brilliant own goals where the full back long-distance passes the ball to where he thinks (you can see where this is going, right) the keeper is right into the net… in slow motion…

The sounds of belly laughter from the ‘pools end were far louder than any cheers…

Tony Felgate was the keeper but I cannot recall the defender’s name…

[isleaiw1]

I am also generally now in the camp of away games when my team are in the vicinity (for vicinity read most of the south of england!)...

when my son was younger, he wanted to watch Arsenal with Thierry in his pomp. Of course getting tickets for games was a challenge but we could sometimes get tickets to unfancied away games mid week - so we did Wigan one season, Burnley another. I remember the Wigan game well as I had told his mum we would be home by midnight as he had school the next day - we were still in Wigan in the car park at midnight...... He of course slept, but I struggled with the 5.45am alarm for work.... The things we do for football and family!

[2CRO4TV]

Originally Posted by 330XDave

Haha yeah they really are rubbish. Arteta cannot be there next season.

And yes Mount is developing very nicely too. It's very exciting to think we could have an attacking quartet of Kane, Foden, Mount and Grealish at the Euro's. I hope Grealish can be fit.

No doubt Southgate will pin all his hopes on Sterling though!

If they have any ambition they would sack him buts it's Arsenal so I doubt they will.

Kane with Foden, Mount & Sterling behind should be attacking quartet for England but what do I know.

[2CRO4TV]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Yes, agree on Mason Mount; he was a stand-out player in the Championship for Derby a couple of years ago and is showing he definitely has what it takes to step-up to PL and international level. And as with Foden it's nice to see a player come through the academy at a club and make it all the way to the first team - so much more satisfying than paying loads of money to buy from someone else!

I also agree on Arsenal - maybe Arsene Wenger was past his sell-by date with the club but when you look at what's happened since he left it's difficult to believe things would have been worse if they'd stuck with him!

Yep agree there's nothing better than seeing home grown talent come through at club level and mount has worked hard to get to where he is now. Same for Andreas Christensen who is rapidly becoming a top class defender.

I laugh at Arsenal now as I remember being Chelsea being unable to beat them with Kanu's hat trick the worst moment ever.

[dizzy619]

Originally Posted by 2CRO4TV

If they have any ambition they would sack him buts it's Arsenal so I doubt they will.

Kane with Foden, Mount & Sterling behind should be attacking quartet for England but what do I know.

sterling...

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I am also generally now in the camp of away games when my team are in the vicinity (for vicinity read most of the south of england!)...

when my son was younger, he wanted to watch Arsenal with Thierry in his pomp. Of course getting tickets for games was a challenge but we could sometimes get tickets to unfancied away games mid week - so we did Wigan one season, Burnley another. I remember the Wigan game well as I had told his mum we would be home by midnight as he had school the next day - we were still in Wigan in the car park at midnight...... He of course slept, but I struggled with the 5.45am alarm for work.... The things we do for football and family!

My most active year I did every game, league and cup, bar two… we were relegated from an early premier league that year… this madness included only two away wins, and am glad to say a sneaky 0-1 win away at Ipswich on a Tuesday night was one I made it to..!!!

Seem to remember the two away games I missed were Norwich and Southampton.

Used to love going to the away games in London. Park up at Stanmore in the early morning. A day pass on the tube. A walk around the west end and an afternoon game. Back up north before midnight…. Was going through a lot of bad stuff back then and these away days were a lifeline…

[330XDave]

Originally Posted by 2CRO4TV

If they have any ambition they would sack him buts it's Arsenal so I doubt they will.

Kane with Foden, Mount & Sterling behind should be attacking quartet for England but what do I know.

Sterling

Have you seen him play this last 6 months?

He's been absolute garbage, he wouldn't even make my squad nevermind 1st team.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by 330XDave

Sterling

Have you seen him play this last 6 months?

He's been absolute garbage, he wouldn't even make my squad nevermind 1st team.

Have to agree, Sterling seems to have lost his way at the moment.....

[330XDave]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Have to agree, Sterling seems to have lost his way at the moment.....

It's called the Phil Foden effect

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by DaveA

My most active year I did every game, league and cup, bar two… we were relegated from an early premier league that year… this madness included only two away wins, and am glad to say a sneaky 0-1 win away at Ipswich on a Tuesday night was one I made it to..!!!

Seem to remember the two away games I missed were Norwich and Southampton.

Used to love going to the away games in London. Park up at Stanmore in the early morning. A day pass on the tube. A walk around the west end and an afternoon game. Back up north before midnight…. Was going through a lot of bad stuff back then and these away days were a lifeline…

I have always loved away games. When younger with my father in law and son (less than 10). For a few years, fill in a weekend and distract from life... now, because I can and havent been able to because of the pandemic... I will be there when we can.

Good luck to Warnock and Pools, we cant catch the latter and as much as I want Stockport to go up, I dont like them so I will hope for Pools..