More Memries of Middlesbrough

[grafikhaus]

The most depressed I’ve felt this season (even more than last Friday…). On Tuesday August 7th 2018, having lost the opening game of this campaign at home to Swansea, United capitulated 0-3 at The Riverside. Already three down by the 25th minute, it was a ‘damage limitation’ exercise after that. Happier times lay ahead as The Blades won their next four league games.

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And a ‘concise summation’ by a Blades fan:

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On 12th August, 2017 in the second game of last season, The Blades lost 0-1 at The Riverside. The only goal came in the first half when Jamal Blackman was caught in ‘no-man’s land’ allowing Rudy Gestede to loop a header over him. However, the day turned sour right at the end. United won a ‘soft’ free-kick which was lofted into the goal area by Duffy and a Middlesbrough defender clearly headed the ball into his own net. Incredibly, the linesman gave offside and the goal was ruled out.

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This sparked ugly scenes outside the ground after the game:

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The opening day of the 2009-10 season saw Sky cameras at The Riverside for this Championship clash. Ending 0-0, both Blades manager Kevin Blackwell and ‘Boro manager Gareth Southgate appeared pleased with the outcome.

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[grafikhaus]

On 30th September 2006, we beat Middlebrough 2-1 in the Premier League. Rob Hulse put us ahead at half-time before Yakubu equalized for ‘Boro. Phil Jagielka won it for the Blades with a typical long-range screamer.

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The eighth game of the 1997-98 season saw the Blades visit Middlesbrough in this Championship clash on October 5th 1997. Having conceded just three goals in the first seven matches, Nigel Spackman’s in-form United won 2-1 with goals from Deane and Whitehouse. We’d finish this season in 6th place and in the play-offs before losing to Sunderland over two legs.

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Boxing Day 1994 and a Division One game ended 1-1 at Bramall Lane. Paul Beesley was sent off before Glyn Hodges put The Blades in front, but Craig Hignett ensured Middlesborough a share of the points.

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Later that same season (17th April 1995) ‘Boro would finish as Champions of Division One. (Due to a restructuring of the league, they were the only team to gain automatic promotion to the Premiership in 1995). The Blades secured a point in a 1-1 draw with an equalizer from Nathan Blake. Making is debut (and scoring) for ‘Boro was Jan Åge Fjørtoft who had joined from Swindon on 23rd March, 1995 for £1.3m.

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Jan was a regular player throughout the 1995–96 campaign for ‘Boro in The Premier League and, as the Norwegian partnered Brazilian playmaker Juninho, ‘Boro finished in a respectable 12th place; although they had occupied fourth place in late autumn, a disastrous run of form coinciding with an injury crisis during mid-season sabotaged their hopes of European qualification or a title challenge. Fjørtoft had scored six goals from 26 Premier League games.

But the arrival of Italian striker Fabrizio Ravanelli pushed him down the pecking order for 1996–97, and he was sold to The Blades for £700,000 on 31 January 1997. In his final game for Middlesbrough Fjørtoft scored a crucial goal against Hednesford Town in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Boro would go on to reach the final after his departure.

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After the Blades lost to Crystal Palace in the playoff final, he played at United until 15 January 1998 (where he had scored 19 goals in 34 appearances), when he joined newly promoted Barnsley to have another crack at the Premiership.

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[grafikhaus]

The 1989-90 season would see The Blades promoted to the top flight. On a dank, cold Bramall Lane (20th January 1990) a single Tony Agana goal won this game for The Blades. (Crowd? 15,950)

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History:

Middlesbrough moved to a new ground in 1903 - Ayresome Park. It was designed by Archibald Leitch and would be the club's home for the next 92 years, having also been chosen as one of the stadia for the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Following the Taylor Report in 1990, the ground either needed modernising or the club needed a new stadium. The club decided on the latter, and moved out at the end of the 1994–95 season. It was used as a training ground during 1995–96, before it was demolished in 1997 and a housing estate built in its place.

Ayresome Park​

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History went under the hammer when the great Ayresome Park Auction took place on 23rd April 1996. The famous old gates were locked for the last time, they were not included in the auction and they are now erected outside the main entrance to the Club's Riverside Stadium.

The current ground - Riverside Stadium, named by the supporters of the club after a vote - became the club's home in 1995. It was the first stadium to be built in line with the Taylor Report's recommendations on all-seater stadiums for clubs in the top two divisions of the English football league system. It was originally a 30,000-seater stadium, constructed at a cost of £16 million, before it was expanded in 1998 to a capacity of 35,100 for an extra £5 million

We first played ‘boro on 17th October, 1891 in The Northern League.

Recent games against Middlesbrough:



Full history Sheffield United v Middlesbrough

To date, our League results against Middlesbrough read:

Home: P: 50 W: 28 D: 10 L: 12 F: 83 A: 49

Away: P: 50 W: 13 D: 10 L: 27 F: 56 A: 102

(Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed the discrepancy between matches played between the clubs, i.e. after this Wednesday’s game we’ll have played one more home game than away. This is because we drew 2-2 at Middlesbrough on 17th March 1915 – early in the years of WW1. Between 1915 and 1919 competitive football was suspended in England. Many players signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players instead. The Great War meant that our next meeting with Middlesbrough was away on 13th September 1919.)

Championship Table: (This will have changed by the time we play Middlesbrough as there’s a near-full Championship programme being played on Tuesday 12th/Wednesday 13th Feb.)



Full Championship Table

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[grafikhaus]

Form Guide: Winning at West Brom at home on the2nd Feb. and only being denied by an injury-time equaliser at home to Leeds on the 11th has kept Middlesbrough right up there. (This will have changed by the time we play Middlesbrough as there’s a near-full Championship programme being played on Tuesday 12th/Wednesday 13th Feb.)


Full Championship Form Guide

Top Scorers:


Men to Watch:


Britt Assombalonga is easily the top scorer at The Riverside. Signed from Nottingham Forest in July 2017 for £15m.


Jordan Hugill joined Middlesbrough on a season-long loan from West Ham at the start of this season. Hugill was bought by The Hammers from Preston for £10m on a last-minute deadline-day deal in January 2018, becoming manager David Moyes' second signing. However he was restricted to a handful of brief cameos in the second half of the 2017–18 season, playing just 22 minutes in total…

The Manager:

Middlesbrough is much-travelled Tony Pulis tenth managerial appointmentzzz…



Blades legend Brian Deane had a brief stint at Middlebrough (October 1998-November 2001 where he scored 18 goals in 87 appearances). After playing for Benfica, Deano returned to England in a £3million move to Middlesbrough. His second season with Boro saw him score nine Premier League goals, but in 2000–01 the goals dried up and he soon found himself struggling for a place in the first team.

 

[benn5712]

89-90 at Ayresome park we went 1 - 3 in front, only to end up drawing 3 - 3.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

89-90 at Ayresome park we went 1 - 3 in front, only to end up drawing 3 - 3.

Is that the one that Bernie Slaven did a job on us? If so, I was at that game.

 

[grafikhaus]

89-90 at Ayresome park we went 1 - 3 in front, only to end up drawing 3 - 3.

My first 'serious' girlfriend - Katherine. I'd taken her to see 'Emmanuelle' at Studio 5,6,7 on t'Wicker for our first date. Fearing she may think I was a bit gauche, I took her to see us lose 1-0 at a freezing cold Ayresome Park, Boxing Day 1974.

Our relationship didn't last. Funny things, women.

Is that the one that Bernie Slaven did a job on us? If so, I was at that game.

Yup. 1-1 at HT, we drew 3-3 (Francis, Bryson (2) for us, Comfort and Slaven (2) for them.

 

[benn5712]

Is that the one that Bernie Slaven did a job on us? If so, I was at that game.

That he did. Adamant he was offside from where I was stood - opposite end and behind a big bloke and a floodlight pylon. Still see it clearly.

 

[Revolution]

(Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed the discrepancy between matches played between the clubs, i.e. after this Wednesday’s game we’ll have played one more home game than away. This is because we drew 2-2 at Middlesbrough on 17th March 1915 – early in the years of WW1. Between 1915 and 1919 competitive football was suspended in England. Many players signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players instead.

No, you've miscounted. We have only played them 49 times at home, not 50. Wednesday's game is the 100th between the clubs in the league.

The 1914-15 season was played in full despite the war. We played them at the Lane on 31 October 1914, losing 1-0.

 

[Worksop II]

Yeh, remember the 3-3, I think they had just sold Pallister to ManU

Tho' the day Stuart Ripley took exception to Sufc being in town sticks in my mind

6-0 and he got a Hat-Trick

 

[Revolution]

Yeh, remember the 3-3, I think they had just sold Pallister to ManU

Tho' the day Stuart Ripley took exception to Sufc being in town sticks in my mind

6-0 and he got a Hat-Trick

Went into the Cinema at half time with United 3-0 down. Saw the Green Un hoarding when I came out:"Blades hit for six".

Brian Smith in midfield - not Bassetts finest hour tactically.

 

[Beans]

I know you don't exactly need a good memory to remember this one, but I still think it's worth posting probably the best Blades goal I've ever seen live:

 

[mattbianco1]

I know you don't exactly need a good memory to remember this one, but I still think it's worth posting probably the best Blades goal I've ever seen live:

One of two home games I missed last season

 

[grafikhaus]

No, you've miscounted. We have only played them 49 times at home, not 50. Wednesday's game is the 100th between the clubs in the league.

The 1914-15 season was played in full despite the war. We played them at the Lane on 31 October 1914, losing 1-0.

Ta for that.

OK, here's another one. On 20th April 1974, we were at home to QPR in the penultimate game of the 1973-74 season (1-1, Keith Eddy, pen.) in the top flight. The pigs were at Middlesbrough in the Second Division and were getting battered 6-0. The 'bloke in the white coat' who put the scores up on the pavilion emerged to a mighty roar. Surely they haven't let a seventh goal in? After a bit of 'joshin' with the crowd, he picked up a '2' and held in next to the '6'. He didn't have an '8'! Wednesday had lost 8-0!

Obviously a 'blip'. Wednesday have always been massive, no?

On April 19 1975, Wednesday hosted Oxford United in front of 7,444 (the club’s lowest postwar crowd) in a ground that had held 55,000 for an FA Cup semi-final a fortnight earlier. After eight minutes the Owls were a goal down thanks to Andy McCulloch, a player who would later play a big part in the club’s subsequent revival. With 90 minutes played, those who were still in the ground to witness it saw Brian Joicey scramble the ball over the line for the pigs' first home League goal since December 14. Link

 

[Revolution]

Ta for that.

OK, here's another one. On 20th April 1974, we were at home to QPR in the penultimate game of the 1973-74 season (1-1, Keith Eddy, pen.) in the top flight. The pigs were at Middlesbrough in the Second Division and were getting battered 6-0. The 'bloke in the white coat' who put the scores up on the pavilion emerged to a mighty roar. Surely they haven't let a seventh goal in? After a bit of 'joshin' with the crowd, he picked up a '2' and held in next to the '6'. He didn't have an '8'! Wednesday had lost 8-0!

Obviously a 'blip'. Wednesday have always been massive, no?

On April 19 1975, Wednesday hosted Oxford United in front of 7,444 (the club’s lowest postwar crowd) in a ground that had held 55,000 for an FA Cup semi-final a fortnight earlier. After eight minutes the Owls were a goal down thanks to Andy McCulloch, a player who would later play a big part in the club’s subsequent revival. With 90 minutes played, those who were still in the ground to witness it saw Brian Joicey scramble the ball over the line for the pigs' first home League goal since December 14. Link

In 1974-5 Wednesday won 1-0 at Southampton on 28 December.

That was their last victory of the season.

They managed 2 goals in their last 18 matches, and won 3 more points.

Good times.

 

[JJ Sefton]

From 5:34...

 

[Silent Blade]

The day before we had sacked Arthur Rowley and John Harris returned as our manager

 

[Stanthemanfan]

I'll always have fond memories of the prem game because when jags scored that screamer me n my mates were (and still are) at the back of the kop stood on our seats, we all went crackers and about ten seats in a row all collapsed!
To this day we still have same seats and theyv never been fixed properly since!
On another note thats not the first seat iv had collapse on me!
Cup quarter final v Blackburn when we won on pens, I think it was Mitch ward who scored the winning pen, stood on seats again going crackers and went straight through it! Wooden seats on John st in them days!

 

[mattbianco1]

Can we break the Riverside hoodoo today?

0 wins in last 9.
7 defeats. 2 draws

 

[DifferentClass]

Can we break the Riverside hoodoo today?

0 wins in last 9.
7 defeats. 2 draws

Naaaaaah.

 

[mattbianco1]

Naaaaaah.

2 wins in last 22 away at Boro.

Only ever won at Riverside once.