Hi All
Tough game away at Middlesborough tomorrow at the Riverside, they are as expected up near the top but did lose 3-0 to Villa in their last home game.
I unfortunately cannot make the game tomorrow as I have a boys day out in Skipton (twice yearly catch up with old friends) will be messy !! Been to Borough twice before both at Ayresome park and both times remember it was one of the coldest grounds I had ever been to ( 0 -0 in 1985 crowd 5,000 ish and 3 - 0 win in 1990 crowd 15,000 ish).
Middlesborough are nicknamed Boro or the Smoggies and we're a founder member of the premier league with Rovers, but we're one of the teams relegated in that first season.
Inter club fact - 96/97 season Boro were deducted 3 points by the PL for failing to fulfill their fixture against Rovers.
There have been quite a number of recent connections between the clubs:
Tony Mowbray, Mark Venus, Danny Graham, Richie Smallwood, Stuart Ripley, Harry Chapman, Paul Ince, Craig Higgnet, Yakubu, Marcus Bent, Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede.
Area Facts
Yarm great place for a beer similar to Clitheroe and you would often see footballers past and present (Gary Pallister last time there)
If you are a golfer, two good links courses ( Seaton Carew and Cleveland) but also inland is the new set up at Rockliffe Hall where Boro have there training ground, it is magnificent and is owned by Steve Gibson who owns Boro.
Let's hope for a Rovers win and kick start our tough festive period, I will leave all the team formations to everyone else !!
COYB