Dave Bassett on Uwe Fuchs

[LoughboroBlade]

In a Guardian piece looking at various loanees over the years, Uwe Fuchs’s time at Middlesbrough is mentioned.

4) Uwe Fuchs (Kaiserslautern to Middlesbrough, 1995)
Bryan Robson signed the 6ft 2in Fuchs on the advice of former England team-mate Tony Woodock, saying “in Germany they call him a typical English centre-forward.” As Middlesbrough fan Harry Pearson wrote in the Guardian, those were ”words which are to football what the phrase ‘contains mechanically reclaimed meat’ is to fine dining,” yet for a few magical months Boro’s fans took Fuchs hungrily to their hearts.

It wasn’t just his goals that endeared him to fans – there were rumours of a romance with Jet from Gladiators and tales of his quirky foreign habits became the subject of fevered debate. He liked, for example, to warm down after a match with six laps of the pitch – “I used to warm down with several pints of lager,” sniffed former Boro midfielder Gary Gill. But then, suddenly, it was over: he was sent off against Sheffield United – “There have been some excellent foreign imports to this country, but Fuchs is a disgrace,” raged Dave Bassett – and suspended for the season’s final game. Bryan Robson declined to trigger a £500,000 pre-agreed permanent fee and he ended up moving to, and being rubbish for, Millwall. SB

For those like me that only have about a couple of strong memories from the 94/95 season, what prompted that reaction from Bassett? Cheating behaviour? A shocking challenge? Or was he just jealous of the rumoured fling with Jet from Gladiators?

 

[BigBed]

Caught him with his wife at half time in the baths.

 

[Bergen Blade]

In a Guardian piece looking at various loanees over the years, Uwe Fuchs’s time at Middlesbrough is mentioned.

4) Uwe Fuchs (Kaiserslautern to Middlesbrough, 1995)
Bryan Robson signed the 6ft 2in Fuchs on the advice of former England team-mate Tony Woodock, saying “in Germany they call him a typical English centre-forward.” As Middlesbrough fan Harry Pearson wrote in the Guardian, those were ”words which are to football what the phrase ‘contains mechanically reclaimed meat’ is to fine dining,” yet for a few magical months Boro’s fans took Fuchs hungrily to their hearts.

It wasn’t just his goals that endeared him to fans – there were rumours of a romance with Jet from Gladiators and tales of his quirky foreign habits became the subject of fevered debate. He liked, for example, to warm down after a match with six laps of the pitch – “I used to warm down with several pints of lager,” sniffed former Boro midfielder Gary Gill. But then, suddenly, it was over: he was sent off against Sheffield United – “There have been some excellent foreign imports to this country, but Fuchs is a disgrace,” raged Dave Bassett – and suspended for the season’s final game. Bryan Robson declined to trigger a £500,000 pre-agreed permanent fee and he ended up moving to, and being rubbish for, Millwall. SB

For those like me that only have about a couple of strong memories from the 94/95 season, what prompted that reaction from Bassett? Cheating behaviour? A shocking challenge? Or was he just jealous of the rumoured fling with Jet from Gladiators?

Horrible tackle on Kevin Gage, 1.20 in here:

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Horrible tackle on Kevin Gage, 1.20 in here:

A great video that. A rare piece of average goalkeeping from Kelly, some Fjortoft footage a couple of years before he joined, and a marvellous piece of play where Flo passes it to the opposition and then slices through the back of someone right in front of the red for a free-kick. Not even a card from the red, who clearly enjoyed that spectacle as much as I did.

Awful tackle, and the Boro fans are chanting a defiant “Uwe! Uwe!” right up to the point he’s red carded.

 

[bricktop]

Horrible tackle on Kevin Gage, 1.20 in here:

Cheers for that.

That was my first proper away day without adult supervision. A group of 5 or 6 went up there on the train, got pissed, pissed wet through, and ducked and dived through a few skirmishes as we hadn’t realised what a rough and unforgiving place Ayresome Park actually was. Happy days.

 

[Wards]

Didn’t make that one but remember a 2-0 defeat a year or two before. Had about 20 corners to their none. First and last time I went to Ayresome Park. Proper dump. Young lads today won’t understand how lucky/unlucky they are not seeing some of these old grounds!

 

[South London Blade]

Horrible tackle on Kevin Gage, 1.20 in here:

I was at that game, sat in the home end and narrowly avoided a kicking.

Fuchs was a big useless dirty fucker.

 

[Jan Age]

Ive seen worse challenged

 

[mancunianblade]

Who was #8? Mitch Ward? Thought it was Carl Veart but With Blake and Flo playing doubt he would have been on the field at the same time. Anyway whoever it was great through ball to Blake

 

[CarlingBlade]

Who was #8? Mitch Ward? Thought it was Carl Veart but With Blake and Flo playing doubt he would have been on the field at the same time. Anyway whoever it was great through ball to Blake

Looks like Veart to me.

 

[tyneblade]

I remember that it prompted the classic teletext headline “Fuchs off at Middlesbrough”.
I’m guessing that they had that one ready for months.

 

[DifferentClass]

I remember that it prompted the classic teletext headline “Fuchs off at Middlesbrough”.
I’m guessing that they had that one ready for months.

If only his first name wasn’t pronounced Oo-vuh

 

[Grecian2000]

Young lads today won’t understand how lucky/unlucky they are not seeing some of these old grounds!

Ahh, forget it was a complete shithole with a desperate view from behind the fences, just bask in that great atmosphere!
One of the few grounds I like less than it's replacement (Manor Ground possibly being the only other in fact).

 

[I should coco]

One of the few grounds I like less than it's replacement (Manor Ground possibly being the only other in fact).

Burnden Park, Bolton and the away end view of a supermarket brick wall?

 

[Grecian2000]

Burnden Park, Bolton and the away end view of a supermarket brick wall?

True, except I remember it pre supermarket and quite liked it, much in the same way I prefer Leeds Road, Filbert Street, Victoria Ground to their updated counterparts even though they'd seen better days.
I suspect if I'd done Boro and Oxford prior to their intrusive fencing I might have a fonder view of them also.

 

[Bert]

Cheers for that.

That was my first proper away day without adult supervision. A group of 5 or 6 went up there on the train, got pissed, pissed wet through, and ducked and dived through a few skirmishes as we hadn’t realised what a rough and unforgiving place Ayresome Park actually was. Happy days.

1971, Ayresome Park, rained all day, snooker ball (white) whizzed past Bert's head, score 0-0

 

[Stretch]

Cheers for that.

That was my first proper away day without adult supervision. A group of 5 or 6 went up there on the train, got pissed, pissed wet through, and ducked and dived through a few skirmishes as we hadn’t realised what a rough and unforgiving place Ayresome Park actually was. Happy days.

I never had the pleasure of visiting Ayresome Park but I do recall a few of the older chaps who I first started going to games with saying that and Leeds Road were the 2 Northern grounds where you needed to have your wits about you.
Never did either ground sadly.

 

[Silent Blade]

1971, Ayresome Park, rained all day, snooker ball (white) whizzed past Bert's head, score 0-0

1-1. Dearden for us heading in a TC free kick just before half time. Late in the game Hickton equalised and John Hope ran to the ref protesting that he was fouled

 

[gordoncharles]

I remember that it prompted the classic teletext headline “Fuchs off at Middlesbrough”.
I’m guessing that they had that one ready for months.

I remember that. Rivalled only as a headline by the sacking of Alan Dicks at Bristol City. Two words. Those who don't know it already can make it up, that sort of thing writes itself.

 

[Bert]

1-1. Dearden for us heading in a TC free kick just before half time. Late in the game Hickton equalised and John Hope ran to the ref protesting that he was fouled

The Bert memory had it down as a draw but the score eluded it.

 

[The Crab]

1971, Ayresome Park, rained all day, snooker ball (white) whizzed past Bert's head, score 0-0

Did you call a "miss" and make him play again?

 

[Bert]

Did you call a "miss" and make him play again?

Bert headed it back at them

 

[DifferentClass]

I remember that. Rivalled only as a headline by the sacking of Alan Dicks at Bristol City. Two words. Those who don't know it already can make it up, that sort of thing writes itself.

Or when Uwe eventually left Boro... the headlines were “UWE FUCHS OFF TO BENFICA”