Middlesbrough FC v Barnsley Saturday 3 October

MIDDLESBROUGH v BARNSLEY

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2020, 3PM OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE FREE ONLINE

Neil Warnock

1500 th league game as a manager

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NEIL WARNOCK Good afternoon once again.

Barnsley come here shortly after their cup victory over us, but I’m expecting a completely different game this time around.

It’s dissappointing not to have fans in the stadium as the turn-out for the last home match was fabulous and made for a welcome atmosphere in the stadium. It sounded great watching it, as I did, on the live stream and you could certainly hear the difference.

Since our last home match no doubt you’ve been aware that I’ve had the virus and I can tell everyone it’s not a nice thing to catch. I would implore everyone to listen to the government and follow all the precautions because even if you think everything is okay you could easily pass it to someone else, including an elderly relative.

The first international break is now upon us and the Northern Irish lads are going away, playing three games in six days so we’ll have to treat them gently when they come back. The games come thick and fast after the break and we need everyone firing on full cylinders.

As I write, I’m not aware of any transfer news, and am still crossing my fingers on the odd one coming in. Though as I said in my press conference on Thursday, I think we all have to be realistic at this moment in time with the current financial situation that all clubs are coming to terms with. We all have to play our part and look after our clubs.

This is a big game for me today with it being my 1500th league game as a manager. If I look back to the days when I was playing at Barnsley, I’d never have realised that I’d rack up all these games as a manager. I am proud of it and it’s a wonderful achievement. I’ve never let the highs and lows of football affect my enjoyment for what is a wonderful game. Long may it continue!

Be lucky Neil

1500 UP!

I can’t quite believe I’ve reached 1500 matches in league football, another tick on my bucket list.

I know how important it is to surround yourself with people you trust so my friends Paul Evans, Mick Jones, Kevin Blackwell and Ronnie Jepson should all get a special mention.

The job of a football manager isn’t an easy one. When you win a game or get promoted it really does make all of the difficult times and hard work worth it. Over 40 years I’ve pitted my wits against my fellow managers, learning a few things along the way.

You can’t succeed without the people in the background, the coaching and medical team, club staff and the chairman who have faith in you. The players are why I keep coming back to football. You can’t win them all but I love the laughs I have on the training ground, they keep me young. A big thank-you also to the fans, blimey we miss you. I’d like to think that along my journey to 1500 games I’ve given them some cracking memories.

Finally, I’d like to thank my family, my incredible wife Sharon and my children, James, Natalie, Amy and Will. Their amazing support and honest opinions have kept me sane.

It’s not over yet, I’ve got some new memories to make with the team here in Middlesbrough. I’m so grateful to have my life in football and for the support of the LMA along the way.

Neil Warnock

SHARE THE GAME

MATCH ACTION Saturday 19 September Sky Bet Championship Riverside Stadium Boro 1 (Browne 81) AFC Bournemouth 1 (Solanke 38) Boro: Bettinelli, Dijksteel, Hall, McNair, Spence (Fry 86), Howson, Saville, Tavernier (Morsy 90+1), Johnson, Fletcher Browne 69), Assombalonga. Subs not used: Pears (gk), Fry, Browne, Wood, Bola, Coulson.

Bournemouth: Begovic, Mepham, S Cook, Kelly, Stacey (Rico 73), Lerma, Gosling, A Smith, Brooks (Surridge 84), Solanke, Groeneveld (Billing 73). Subs not used: Travers (gk), L Cook, Simpson, Anthony.

Referee: Matt Donohue Yellow cards: Saville (Boro); Mepham, Stacey (Bournemouth) Attendance: 1,000

Marcus Tavernier

GO INSIDE OUR BOURNEMOUTH MATCHDAY HERE

A thousand fans were allowed to watch, for the first time in six months, as a pilot.

Grant Hall Marcus Tavernier

George Saville

Marcus Browne equalises... and celebrates (right).

MATCH ACTION Saturday 26 September Sky Bet Championship Loftus Road Queens Park Rangers 1 (Osayi-Samuel 28) Boro 1 (Akpom 19) QPR: Dieng, Kakay, Dickie, Barbet, Wallace, Amos, Cameron, Thomas (Carroll 60), Chair (Smyth 73), Osayi-Samuel, Dykes. Subs not used: Kelly (gk), Kane, Ball, Oteh, Masterson.

Boro: Bettinelli, Dijksteel, Hall (Fryat 55), McNair, Howson, Spence (Morsy 64), Tavernier, Saville, Johnson, Assombalonga, Akpom. Subs not used: Pears (gk), Wing, Browne, Bola, Coulson.

Referee: Dean Whitestone Yellow cards: none (QPR); Dijksteel (Boro) Behind closed doors

Chuba Akpom (above) gets in first to head at goal... then watches the ball hit the back of the net for a debut strike.

Britt Assombalonga

Marcus Tavernier

Paddy McNair

Marvin Johnson

GO INSIDE OUR QPR MATCHDAY HERE

PRESENTING THE MIDDLESBROUGH FC BUSINESS PARTNERS

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FAN MESSAGES

Send your photos and messages to programme@mfc.co.uk

1 Happy 40th birthday to Sarah Coleman who is pictured last season in the 12th Man Bar with Chloe and Katie. We hope you have a lovely day – love from Nicola.

2 We hope you feel better soon, Johnny. Keep rocking the boat. Love from Chloe x.

UP THE BORO! 3 Happy 60th birthday to Andrew Watson. We hope you have a great day. Lots of love from family and friends.

4-6 Wishing all the members of Boro North America a happy seventh birthday! It’s been especially hard to be away from Teesside and our families this year, but our “virtual happy hours” have kept us occupied and, more importantly, connected during the lockdown and travel ban.

Thank you to all the players, past and present, for their involvement, and to all 250 members for helping us to grow across the pond. Stay safe, and UTB!

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Come on Boro! Let's get that first win of the season with a belated birthday present to me! It’s been a good start, performance-wise – we just need to get those big three points and it starts today against Barnsley! #UTB Yusuf.

Happy birthday to Matthew Quinn from Rory and all at the Boro.

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GAME CHANGER footballfoundation.org.uk

GAMES THAT MADE ME

GEORGE SAVILLE Liverpool 1 WOLVES 2 28 January 2017 Everyone remembers a good away win, don’t they?

Going away to Anfield is one of those places that people give you no chance of winning. Jürgen Klopp was their manager, and they had players like Coutinho and Firmino playing.

Facing the Kop, the Wolves fans sold out the opposite end and the atmosphere was unbelievable. We scored in the very first minute and managed to hold on and win 2-1.

Switzerland 0 NORTHERN IRELAND 0 9 November 2017 I hadn’t always known I could play for Northern Ireland.

I’d lost my mum when I was nine, and we didn’t keep in close contact with her side of the family but my grandparents, who had sadly already died when I was born, were Northern Irish.

Boro’s Northern Ireland international midfielder picks six matches that had a major impact on his career…

One of the lads at Millwall at the time, Connor McLaughlin, said they thought it was possible and asked what did I think.

You can’t hide and say I always wanted to play for Northern Ireland, as far as I knew I was English as simple as that. You have to be honest about it. But since I’ve been there, everything grows on you. It’s such a tight-knit group and the fans are unbelievable. It was such a good opportunity for me, and now I love it.

This was just at the start of my international career, and we were in the play-offs to get to the World Cup. We’d lost the first leg 1-0, and one of our midfielders Corry Evans picked up a suspension so Michael O’Neill chucked me in for the away leg. It came at me quick.

We played well and drew the game 0-0, so we didn’t lose the game but we didn’t qualify, either. They were a good side, the pitch was awful, and we were coming up against Granit Xhaka in midfield – but we had chances to nick it. It lives long in the memory because even though I hadn’t been part of it that long, it was one of the worst I’d felt coming off a pitch because of what was at stake. That one hurt.

BRENTFORD 1 Preston North End 0 18 April 2014 I was young for this one. I think it was my second loan...

Mathematically we could get promoted from League One that day. Griffin Park was sold out, and you know what it’s like – a smaller capacity but tight, fans on top of you.

I won a penalty and we went 1-0 up, and then something must have happened in one of the other games because the stadium erupted.

I just felt the hairs stand up on my neck, I remember that feeling, that realisation, of, “We can do this”. I remember Jonathan Douglas shouting, “We’ve still got a job to do, Sav!” because I was a little bit away with it for a few minutes.

It was Bank Holiday, and it’s close to my house so I had all my pals and family there. That feeling was like the opposite end of the spectrum to the Switzerland game. It was unreal.

MILLWALL 1 Brentford 0 10 March 2018 After I left Brentford the fans would give me a bit of stick. The fans had liked me on loan and wanted me to sign but it never happened.

I remember going back there for the first time with Wolves and they won 4-0, that was a tough one – we just got battered.

This one was a London derby, and you can imagine the fans. Millwall fans can be something else when they want to be.

I scored and shushed the Brentford fans which maybe I shouldn’t have, but as a footballer sometimes you just want to give a bit back! That was a good day.

We had a really good season, finished eighth, but Boro beat us to a play-off position and I missed the game at the Riverside through injury.

West Bromwich Albion 0 BORO 3 29 December 2019 The Hawthorns is a good ground for me with Boro, the first time I scored and we came from behind to win 3-2, Britt (Assombalonga) getting a double.

The one last season, I thought we played unbelievably well. Especially in the first half, and then when we were hanging on Fletch [Ashley Fletcher] scored that unbelievable goal. Goal of the Decade, wasn’t it?

Millwall 0 BORO 2 8 July 2020 Another one going back to a former club...

The only thing stopping this being one of my top, top games is that the fans weren’t in so that takes the edge off a bit, especially at The Den. But this game still had an edge to it, and there were a few tackles going in, especially second half. It was a really important win for us and we played well to get it, our form away from home was what kept us up.

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1996/97

Season In Brief Our second season at the Riverside Stadium proved to be a roller-coaster ride full of emotion.

Before the campaign got under way, Boro smashed the club’s transfer record to bring in Fabrizio Ravanelli – nicknamed the White Feather due to his shock of grey hair – the Italian striker fresh from scoring in the Champions League final for trophy winners Juventus. His signing was reinforced by the recruitment of Portuguese Player of the Year Emerson in midfield, the new duo joining Juninho as part of a head-turning squad for the plucky Teessiders.

Bryan Robson’s side showed they were fantastic going forward, but proved flawed when working to keep goals out. Relegation troubles further compounded by an FA points deduction incurred for failing to field XI from an injury-decimated squad for our trip to Blackburn Rovers.

Boro’s league struggles following the turn of the year were added to, perversely, by a packed fixture schedule brought on by unprecedented success in the domestic cups.

March 1997 saw the Teessiders’ first ever

appearance in a major cup final – facing Leicester City at Wembley Stadium for the chance to lift the League Cup, then sponsored by Coca-Cola. A nervy encounter with the Foxes went to extra-time, then a replay at Hillsborough 10 days later when Steve Claridge’s 100th-minute goal put blue ribbons on the trophy.

The league campaign ended in a final day draw against Leeds United that confirmed the agony of relegation when Juninho shed tears on the Elland Road pitch upon the full-time.

Incredibly, Boro were back at Wembley come May, this time in the FA Cup final. But the final was another ill-fated visit to the stadium’s twin towers as Chelsea prevailed.

LEAGUE POSITION: 19th FA CUP: Runners-up LEAGUE CUP: Runners-up TOP SCORER: Fabrizio Ravenelli (31) HIGHEST RIVERSIDE ATTENDANCE: 30,215 v Tottenham Hotspur

WATCH IT ALL UNFOLD WITH THE 1996/97 SEASON REVIEW RELIVE THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THE HEARTACHE…

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Y O U R G E T

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B A X T E R P E R S O N N E L . C O . U K / R E G I S T E R

Cult Heroes EMERSON

Midfield maverick Emerson was, perhaps more than any other, a bonkers Boro season in microcosm.

The unmistakable Brazilian, complete with curly black locks and beaming smile, was another high-profile capture for Boro when he arrived on Teesside in July 1996, a month which also saw the club smash our transfer record to land Fabrizio Ravanelli.

Emerson was Portugal’s Player of the Year, had won two titles at Porto under the tutelage of Bobby Robson, and was attracting the interest of several European powerhouses. But not for the first time, Boro swooped to seal the deal ahead of them.

Well-built and strong as an ox, Emerson combined his physical prowess with a box of tricks that was fit for any stage. He had a rocket of a shot in his locker, too, as Boro fans in a crowd of over 30,000 would discover when he danced past a defender and rifled in his first goal for the club during a 4-1 demolition of West Ham United in September 1996.

He formed a symbiotic relationship with compatriot Juninho in the centre of the park, bringing a bruising physicality that was beyond the little fella but provided the platform for some of the most dazzling attacking football seen at the Riverside.

A 7-0 demolition of Hereford produced another stunning strike, while a rocket on Boro’s final visit to Sunderland’s Roker Park

earned Emerson a special place in the hearts of our fans.

Sadly, as the winter months drew in, his effervescence waned.

Rumours of difficulties settling on Teesside began to circulate, not helped by Bobby Robson’s publicised desire to be reunited with the Brazilian and bring him to Barcelona.

His unmistakable grin became a rarer sight at the Riverside – trips home to South America were often improperly extended, and when he was on the pitch he struggled to produce his early season form.

Boro’s form took an alarming dip, too, although success in both domestic cup competitions meant the fixtures were piling up.

Emerson did continue to feature for Boro, scoring another rocket in a 3-0 replay win over Chesterfield as well finishing off a fine team move in a lively 3-3 draw at Old Trafford.

He was part of the Boro side that walked out at Wembley for both the Coca-Cola Cup and FA Cup finals, as well as the one relegated on the final day of the league campaign at Elland Road by virtue of a points deduction.

The midfielder stayed for the first half of the 1997/98 campaign, too, adding another special strike against

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Sunderland at the new Stadium of his Light to his collection, but boss Bryan Robson eventually lost faith in the often errant star, allowing him to move on to Tenerife.

Matt Barber

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Season by Season

This season marks 25 years since Boro left Ayresome Park to move into the new Riverside Stadium. For every game this season SHAUN WILSON revisits each campaign since that historic move looking at memorable games, players and moments – showcasing plenty of memorabilia along the way. This week: the second season, 1996/97...

AN ITALIAN JOB

Excitement was high on Teesside as the new 1996/97 season was drawing near. Boro shocked the footballing world by signing Juventus’ star striker Fabrizio Ravanelli for £7m, as well as shelling out another £4m for Brazilian midfielder Emerson from Porto.

As part of the Ravanelli deal, a pre-season friendly was arranged between the two clubs. This took place just before the season started, not in Turin or on Teesside – but in Cesena, a city close to the Adriatic coast.

The Italian side fielded a mouth-watering starting XI, with the likes of Zinedane Zidane, Alessandro Del Piero, Alen Boksic, Christian Vieri and Didier Deschamps all starting. Over 25,000 Juventus fans were present to show their appreciation of Ravanelli whose goal months earlier had won

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them the Champions League. Vieri gave Juve the lead after 35 minutes with Del Piero doubling their advantage five minutes into the second half.

Boro captain Nigel Pearson pulled a goal back in the 85th minute, but the side couldn’t fashion an equaliser in what was an entertaining work out for both sides.

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ENTERTAINING INTER

Just a few days later came another glamour friendly when Italian giants Inter Milan were visitors to the Riverside Stadium in a game for Boro legend Willie Maddren’s testimonial.

Over 20,000 fans were in the ground, and saw Nicky Barmby suffer a calf injury after just six minutes – which put his hope of starting the Premier League season in the balance.

Both sides had chances in a match that became increasingly littered with off the ball incidents.

Fabrizio Ravanelli saw his free-kick ruled out by local referee Jeff Winter, who adjudged that a Boro player had impeded the Italian’s defensive wall.

Earlier Curtis Fleming headed off the goal-line from future Boro player Benito Carbone before Steve Vickers had a header palmed against an upright.

New signing Emerson was outstanding in a midfield heavyweight clash versus Paul Ince as the game ended 0-0.

Fabrizio Ravanelli scoring from the penalty spot against Liverpool.

OPENING DAY: THE WHITE FEATHER TAMES THE REDS

Boro’s first league game of the season was at a now 12-months-old Riverside versus Liverpool.

The away side stunned the capacity home crowd when opening the scoring after just four minutes when Stig Inge Bjornebye powered home.

Boro equalised in the 27th minute when Juninho was upended in the box and a penalty was given.

Up stepped “The White Feather” Ravanelli to smash the home spot-kick and gave the Boro faithful the first sign of his trademark celebration.

The lead was short-lived as Liverpool retook the lead three minutes later through John Barnes – but Boro were level again 10 minutes before the break when Nicky Barmby set up Ravanelli to score his second.

The visitors looked to have sewn the game up in the 65th minute when Bjornebye floated in a cross for Robbie Fowler to sweep home. Ravanelli, however, had the last word when Juninho did well to win the ball from Steve McManaman. Robbie Mustoe was unable to get in a shot, but the ball broke to the Italian, who made no mistake to make it a final score of 3-3.

THE LAST HOME GAME

The final home game was versus Aston Villa with the away side still in with a chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Boro, meanwhile – despite reaching both domestic cup finals – were staring

relegation in the face after having three points deducted for failing to fulfil their fixture at Blackburn Rovers in January due to illness in the camp. That left them only three games to come – all away. These were the rescheduled fixture at Blackburn, plus Manchester United and Leeds United.

Boro started the Villa game in imperious form with visiting keeper Mark Bosnich looking very shaky.

In the 19th minute the Australian stopper raced to the corner of his box, only to see Fabrizio Ravanelli flick the ball past him to open the scoring. Thirteen minutes later he did the same thing again, selling himself so Mikkel Beck could go round him and score from an acute angle.

Villa pushed on in the second half with the positional change of Steve Staunton in midfield turning the game around. Goals from Savo Milosevic and Ugo Ehiogu

looked to have rescued a point but 10 seconds from the end Boro were awarded a penalty after Gareth Farrelly bowled over Craig Hignett in the box. Up stepped Ravanelli to coolly score his second goal of the game to earn Boro three vital points.

Staunton was sent off in the aftermath with future Boro captain and manager Gareth Southgate fortunate not to follow him after remonstrating with the referee.

DRAWS SINK BORO – WITH WEMBLEY PAIN TO FOLLOW

Draws in the remaining three away games consigned Boro to the drop and a season in the Nationwide Division 1 – which we’ll cover in the next edition of the Riverside Review.

There was still one final game to conclude the season, though, and that was Boro’s first ever appearance in the FA Cup final at Wembley against Chelsea.

For the Londoners, Roberto Di Matteo scored what was then quickest ever cup final goal after just 42 seconds.

Late in the first half Gianluca Festa had an equaliser controversially ruled out for offside, and Eddie Newton added salt to the wounds by scoring Chelsea’s second goal seven minutes from time. It was the ultimate heartache to end a season Boro fans will never forget.

Many thanks to Steve Roberts and Pete Hindhaugh for help with research into this week’s column.

Riding a roller-coaster

Two cup finals, Brazilian superstars – and relegation. TOSH WARWICK looks back on 1996/97: the second chapter in 25 years of history...

The 1996/97 season saw Emerson, Juninho and Ravanelli at the height of their powers in a season that continues to baffle Boro fans as the most frustrating in the club’s history in terms of what might have been!

Without doubt the highlight of the season were the two cup runs that would see Boro reach Wembley twice! The early rounds of the League Cup brought comprehensive wins against lower league opposition. Whether it be in the early rounds or in the Coca-Cola Cup final, Fabrizio Ravanelli’s celebrations left fans in no doubt that the man signed from Juventus enjoyed scoring goals.

Hereford were the first lower league side to feel the wrath of the Italian’s left foot. In a 7-0 win at the

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Riverside, Ravanelli scored four of the goals and a 3-0 away win secured a 10-0 aggregate win.

Huddersfield Town were the next victims of Boro’s international superstars as Boro’s 5-1 win featured goals by Juninho, Emerson, Ravanelli (two) and Mikkel Beck.

With captain Nigel Pearson injured, Nick Barmby sold to Everton and national newspaper reports pointing to turmoil in the ranks (with Emerson AWOL), things weren’t going Boro’s way in the league. However, in front of the Sky cameras a Coca-Cola tie against Newcastle United brought one of the best performances of the Riverside era.

After Derek Whyte give Boro the lead, an Alan Shearer equaliser on the stroke of half-time cast doubt over Boro’s progression. Beck restored Boro’s advantage before “The White Feather” Ravanelli scored late on to put Middlesbrough into the

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quarter-finals. “Que Sera, Sera” serenaded Man of the Match Juninho as he ran riot and almost set up Ravanelli for a fourth against a side that had narrowly missed out on the Premier League title.

My outstanding memory of the night is Juninho’s performance, which remains the best individual display I have witnessed in 25 years at the Riverside. I remember that the next morning in the playground at St Peter’s in South Bank, there was a sense even among the most pessimistic of young fans that Middlesbrough’s name might be on the cup!

In early January Boro’s FA Cup campaign kicked off with a 6-0 win over Chester City despite Juninho missing out through injury. As manager Bryan Robson put it in his post-match interview: “The lads seem to be saving all the goals for the cup competitions.”

The next match brought Liverpool to the Riverside to fight it out for a place in the Coca-Cola semis. A month earlier Boro had been trounced 5-1 at Anfield but the cup once again brought out the best in them. David James made a poor clearance and former Anfield apprentice Craig Hignett rifled home to put Boro ahead. Unlikely goal hero Steve Vickers put the home side 2-0 up within the first half-hour. The next hour saw Boro battle a Liverpool onslaught and despite a Steve McManaman goal, Boro held on to set up a two-legged semi-final tie with third-tier Stockport County.

Before that, Boro survived a scare against nonleague Hednesford Town, winning 3-2 after falling behind in an FA Cup tie that embodied the romance of the competition. An away tie at Maine Road followed and an outstanding team goal finished

off by Juninho put Manchester City out of the tournament and Boro into the quarter-finals.

After the initial fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, the first leg of the semifinal with Stockport County was held at Edgeley Park with Boro’s new signing Mark Schwarzer in between the sticks as Beck and Ravanelli gave Boro a 2-0 lead to take back to the Riverside.

An impressive 2-0 win at the Baseball Ground courtesy of a fantastic Juninho solo effort and Ravanelli blockbuster put Derby County out of the FA Cup and Boro into the semi-finals – we were on for two cup finals in one season!

In the next match, Boro needed only to avoid a two-goal defeat to reach the Coca Cola Cup final.

Yet, within five minutes of the second-leg against Stockport, Boro were a goal down in an all too familiar “typical Boro” scenario. Despite a 1-0 home defeat, Boro triumphed 2-1 on aggregate to secure a first ever appearance in a major Wembley final.

I was one of the thousands who camped out at the Riverside for a coveted ticket and eventually the 6 April trip to Wembley arrived. Leicester City stood between Middlesbrough and a first major trophy as a professional club. Having won 3-1 at Filbert Street in the league, confidence was high among Boro fans.

The cup final was at a stalemate at 90 minutes after Ravanelli hit the post and missed a glorious chance. In extra-time, Boro eventually took the lead courtesy of the Italian international smashing home a clearance after a dazzling Juninho run. I have never experienced euphoria like when that goal went in and it seemed like history would be made! Unbelievably, a late goalmouth scramble in the dying minutes saw Emile Heskey bundle home an equaliser to send the tie to a frustrating replay at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough.

Wembley-bound manager Bryan Robson with Craig Hignett and Fabrizio Ravanelli.

Juninho in action against Leicester City in the League Cup final at Wembley.

Before that match, Boro had the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final against Chesterfield in what proved to be one of the competition’s alltime classic matches. Down to 10 men following the dismal of Vladimir Kinder, Boro fell two goals behind and dreams of an FA Cup final seemed over, with some Boro fans in tears. Then Ravanelli bundled home to make it 2-1, before Higgy equalised from the spot.

One of the greatest controversies in the tournament’s history then followed as Chesterfield seemed to have scored with Jon Howard’s shot crossing the line and the assistant referee agreeing – only for referee David Elleray to rule it out amid offside claims.

Boro went on to take a 3-2 lead courtesy of Gianluca Festa before more drama followed as Jamie Hewitt scored in the last minute to deny Boro just a week after Wembley heartbreak. More disappointment followed with a 1-0 League Cup final defeat to Leicester courtesy of a Steve Claridge extra-time goal. A week later Boro returned to Hillsborough with more success as Beck, Ravanelli

and a late Emerson strike ensured Boro were “ready to samba to Wembley Way again”.

The club’s first ever FA Cup final appearance was accompanied by an official cup final song – the iconic remake of Chris Rea’s “Let’s Dance” featuring Bob Mortimer. The showpiece final came less than a week after relegation at Elland Road and there was an atmosphere of injustice at Wembley as the FA officials were met with cries of “Three points” and deafening whistles from the Boro faithful.

Falling behind after 42 seconds to a Roberto Di Matteo goal, the sense of injustice was compounded on the stroke of half-time when a Festa header was ruled out for offside. Eddie Newton scored late in the second half and the FA Cup dream was over.

The season had proven to be a roller-coaster ride for Boro fans that brought some of the best football in the club’s history and two Wembley cup finals alongside relegation as a result of a three point deduction. It seems fitting that two stars of that side – Juninho and Schwarzer – would eventually lift the League Cup in 2004.

DR TOSH WARWICK

Tosh Warwick is currently Research Associate (History Research Centre Impact) at Manchester Metropolitan University. He was previously Heritage Development Officer and Education, Learning and Events Officer at Middlesbrough Council. He stablished Heritage Unlocked in 2018 and has expertise in urban history and heritage, and experience in business and museum consultancy, education outreach, archival research, regeneration and project management. He has served as an expert contributor for BBC Television (Match Of The Day 2, Great British Railway Journeys, Inside Out), BBC Leeds, BBC Sheffield, BBC Tees, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, The Northern Echo, Teesside Gazette and Vice.

Visit www.heritageunlocked.com

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Everyone loses when you step on the track

Middlesbrough want our fans, families and friends to stay safe, so we are supporting the You Vs Train campaign. We are sharing the message that young people need to stay off the tracks.

8 young people have died in the last two years after trespassing on the railway. PLEASE don’t be next.

Visit youvstrain.co.uk for more information and help us keep our fans safe.

On This Day

5

YEARS AGO

BY KEN DALY

10

2015

Carlos de Pena makes his league debut as a run of six successive wins comes to an end at Reading (below). We lost 2-0 to goals in the first and last minute – but stay in second place.

YEARS AGO

2010

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2005

25

YEARS AGO

YEARS AGO

A rare post-UEFA Sunday success after Boro return from a goalless draw at Xanthi with a 3-2 win at Aston Villa.

Yakubu scores twice, and George Boateng (right) gets the other against his old club.

Chris Riggott makes a comeback after six months out, and Abel Xavier (right) plays the last game of his first spell.

2000

1995

Steve Vickers’ (left) goal in the League Cup at Rotherham United gives Boro a 3-1 aggregate win on our last visit to Millmoor – and a seventh win in a row.

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YEARS AGO

Boro drop to 18th after losing a 2-0 lead to draw at home to Portsmouth. Barry Robson (above) scores a penalty then gives one away at the very end, and is sent off when the officials miss Aaron Mokoena punching him, only seeing his reaction. Gordon Strachan is equally furious with the player and the officials.

Alen Boksic (above left) scores twice and Gianluca Festa (left) once in a 3-1 win at Southampton, making Boro the highest away scorers in the Premier League. Gary Walsh’s last game ends with seven minutes to go through injury as Mark Crossley comes off the bench for his league debut.

SPONSOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF

RIVERSIDE REVIEW

Engage with a captive audience of Boro fans: - Your brand logo on the front cover - TWO full page adverts inside with website links - Recognition on club website and social media - Signed framed programme cover £600 + VAT per game

CALL 01642 757 683

So Many Memories

MARC BOULD

“Sooooo many memories of the 1996/97 season...

“Beating Everton early in the season at Goodison Park and genuinely thinking we could win the league!

“Watching Emerson in those first six games and thinking he is the best player I have ever seen – opponents just bounced off him.

“Rav’s debut hat-trick!

“Juninho’s performances from March onwards, especially at Leicester in the league and that header versus Chelsea.

“That period in extra-time when we were leading the CocaCola Cup final was incredible – we thought we had done it. How did Juninho not make it 2-0 from inside the six-yard box? The most deflated I have EVER felt at a football match (to this day) was when Heskey bundled in that equaliser. Never forget how I felt, that muffled roar from Leicester fans. Devastated. Then to cap it all, I am sure at the end we heard Coventry had beaten Liverpool

at Anfield and that had further compounded our league position!

“Finally, the FA Cup final – such a shame to go to with that cloud of the three points deduction and relegation the previous Sunday over our heads. The atmosphere outside was very strange, everyone was so fired-up about the FA, which carried on through the player line-up ‘three points, three points’.

“I could probably reel off another 50! Goosebumps writing this even now.”

IAN SMITH

Ian remembers the Coca-Cola Cup final: “I often go back to that Leicester City League Cup final... The moment Rav scored – I don’t think I ever got higher on Boro than that. When that ball hit the

JOE WEATHERALL

Joe kindly sent us this photo and explains: “My grandad (Kelvin Weatherall from Normanby) and his sign outside Wembley made the Gazette! Myself and my dad were there also. Grandad was a lifelong Boro fan of 80 years who sadly passed away two years ago. Three generations of Boro fans.”

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Boro fans recall their time at the stadium.

This issue: the 1996/97 season... back of the net at Wembley, for those few seconds I was euphoric in the truest sense of the word. I almost passed out from the sheer joy. I often find myself watching the highlights, but then stopping them after Rav’s goal. Even to this day, there’s still some denial there.

There’s also a yearning for yesteryear, the nostalgia that courses through my veins when I see that game back, it still has an effect on me to this day. It’s a truly momentous occasion in my life.”

DANIEL STURDY

“I was mascot for Middlesbrough at the Coca-Cola Cup final at Wembley! I was only six and I remember my parents being contacted by Diane O’Connell to say I had been picked out of the Roary Club to be mascot and the was excitement was out of this world. My memories on that day were playing football with Craig Hignett and doing a back-heel to him. He asked me who was my favourite player and my reply was, of course, Juninho. It was such a special experience standing in the tunnel before kick-off with Pearson, Ravanelli, Emerson, Juninho etc. Walking out to the fireworks with my hometown club will always be a special moment for me.”

SCOTT EASBY

“My dad took me to my first ever game against Coventry in September and we won 4-0.

I remember thinking we were going to win the league. Fast forward to May sitting behind the

JIM WOODCOCK

goal 42 seconds in at Wembley 1-0 down and already relegated thinking, ‘What a crazy season!’”

SIMON BOLTON

“One memory that stands out involves something which took place before the season started.

A bloke in the pub where I was watching Euro 96 had told me we were in for Fabrizio Ravanelli from Juventus. I dismissed it as a wind-up at the time. But sure enough, after a bit of on/off negotiation, the deal was done and the White Feather was Borobound.

“The day of his public unveiling came and fans started gathering in front of the main entrance at the Riverside (still without old Ayresome gates and statues in those days) to welcome him.

Some from the Supporters Club were there pretty much from dawn right at the front. I was lucky enough to be in the press conference as our new star was introduced to the media. Then he headed down to greet the fans

“The emotional rollercoaster of that season culminated in the FA Cup final... but I was at a wedding – the only time I have ever been to a wedding on cup final day. We sat down at the reception just before 3pm in our local rugby club, radio in pocket and earphone up my jacket sleeve with my hand to my ear to cover it. After 42 seconds I had my head in my hands. My wife says to me, ‘What’s the matter?’ My response: ‘It’s Boro, they are 1-0 down.” She says: ‘Don’t be silly, they haven’t kicked off yet!’

Bearing in mind that this is in a rugby club, and it’s 1997, there are no big screens – but about 10 minutes in, the small TV in the corner that only comes on for the Five Nations games as they were then got turned on. Just before half-time Gianluca Festa heads home and I jump up – he’s a yard onside yet it’s given as offside – everyone turns and looks at me as I slump back in my chair. At the end of the game a mate on my table says to me: ‘You’ve had a great season, mind...’. My response: ‘Yeah, two cup finals, lost them both and got relegated!’ ‘Fair point’ was his reply. For the record, my wife is a Swindon fan, and my mate a Grimsby fan!”

outside and I just managed to get outside before him in time to wave my arms in the air to wind the crowd up, which by this time was so big it wouldn’t have disgraced many a home game at Ayresome. He appeared before his new fans, waved and – sure enough – up came the shirt over his head. What a roar! Mind you, it was an even bigger roar when he did the same having bagged a hat-trick against Liverpool a few weeks later. It was just the start of something we’ll never forget.”

PAUL PHILLIPS

“I was working away and had been for some years in Luton.

I had a season ticket and had done for a couple of years. My dad being helpful thought to sell it about four months in, to save me some money. Believe me, I was less than impressed when I found out. So being away and without a season ticket the boys in red get to Wembley. Boro luck, eh?!

“Wembley on my doorstep and thousands of fans wanting to go, I thought, ‘Hey, all clubs get allocated tickets.’ So I contact Luton Town FC speak to a few people there and I’m allowed to go on their tickets for a small donation. So me and my pal also from Boro and working in Luton are sorted!

“The day arrives and off we go – only to find we are smack bang in the middle of the blue Chelsea area! Mouths shut and zipped up jackets we think, remembering the Play-Off final we think we may be not very welcome.

“Well, 42 seconds into the game we were busted when Di Mattio smashed that goal in.

In fairness the Chelsea lads where great and we had a right ole laugh. Yes, Festa was onside but the rest is history...”

IAN GRIMSEY

A regular contributor to the Tees sport radio shows along with his son Alfie under the name of the ‘Clacton Boro Massive’, Ian sent a photo of himself that was shown in the programme back in ’96 when he was a sergeant in the REME, serving with 26 Regt RA in Bosnia.

“We had managed to get a TV signal sorted for the Chelsea cup final and I managed to get back into camp just in time for Roberto Di Matteo to break my heart.

I’ll never forget that day but still love my Boro!”

CHRIS ELLIS

“I grew up in Middlesbrough but emigrated to USA in 1972 and always follow Boro and UK football. Whenever I returned to visit England I would make it during the footy season and take in a couple of matches. My Dad had been a season ticket holder for about 20 years and introduced me to Ayresome Park in First Division days in mid-’50s.

“My American wife has tried to understand this affection for all things Boro but I don’t think she quite gets it! Although she did bring our first-born to a match when he was six months old. I got him interested in ‘soccer’ very early and he accompanied me to one of the first games at the Riverside where we saw Boro beat Liverpool.

“When Boro made it to Wembley for the first final versus Leicester City I managed to get tickets for myself and two sons (then aged 12 and 10) and they had a long weekend in the south and we enjoyed the excitement of old Wembley and seeing Boro score first. Disappointment followed, of course... Unfortunately, we were unable to stay in the UK for the replay but we enjoyed a wonderful weekend 4,000 miles from Kansas City and the boys had fun explaining to their teachers and school mates where they had been!”

NORMAN DOUGLAS

“This is not a happy memory, but it’s something I’ll never forget.

I was behind the Boro goal at the FA Cup final as the game kicked off, eagerly anticipating what I thought what would be a good match. Chelsea gained possession in their own half and the ball was passed to Di Matteo in the middle of the pitch near the halfway line. As the Boro midfield and defence backed off, Di Matteo had a clear run through the middle and from about 25 yards out he let fly.

The ball seemed to be coming straight at me over the bar, but unfortunately it dipped at the last second and hit the back of the net. It effectively decided the match...”

In the news... l A UK army barracks bombing in Lisburn (Northern Ireland) injures many people, including a soldier who later dies from his injuries.

In the charts...

l The Queen opens Durham’s new Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street, the first purpose-built county cricket ground in the UK for over 100 years.

Boyzone “Words” Dunblane - “Knockin On Heavens Door” Spice Girls - “2 Become 1” Blur- “Beetlebum” The Chemical Brothers “Block Rockin Beats”

l In Roslin, Scotland, scientists announce that an adult sheep named Dolly had been successfully cloned. l Channel 5 begins broadcasting. l The Labour Party returns to power for the first time in 18 years.

Next issue is 1997/98 – email us your memories to programme@mfc.co.uk

EVERYONE KNOWS THEIR CLUB COLOURS... DON’T THEY? NORMAL VISION

Approximately one in 12 men inherit colour blindness. It’s carried on the X-chromosome, so only one in 200 women inherit the condition.

It can be a real issue in football, whether you’re watching, playing, managing or officiating. Imagine not being able to tell the difference between kit colours, and how that would affect your enjoyment of watching the game – either live or on TV. There are three types of colour blindness – and myriad colour combinations which cause problems. The common perception that colour-blind people only confuse reds and greens is a myth.

COLOUR-BLIND SIMULATION (PROTANOPIA)

The FA has been working closely with UEFA and specialist organisation Colour Blind Awareness to highlight the issue.

The intention is to positively influence decision-makers at every level of the game and improve the experience of colour-blind people – whatever their involvement in football.

This work has seen the production of a comprehensive guidance booklet.

You can read and download it at TheFA.com/colourblindness And please visit the Colour Blind Awareness website: colourblindawareness.org for ways you can help maximise awareness.

Together, let’s make sure football’s future is FOR ALL.

ON TEESSIDE TODAY

BARNSLEY

This will be the 62nd meeting between the clubs. We have won 31, Barnsley 18 and 12 have ended in draws...

LAST TIME WE MET

GEORGE GETS OFF THE MARK

 ...was only a few weeks ago when Patrick Schmidt and Jordan Williams scored in a 2-0 Carabao Cup win for Barnsley.

 George Camsell scored the first of his 345 Middlesbrough goals at Oakwell in March 1926 in only his third game. Barnsley tried to buy him afterwards. Boro were actually going to let him go, but the Tykes couldn’t afford the fee – just £200, a third of what Boro had paid Durham City for him.

HELLO TO YOU

DID YOU KNOW?  Luke Williams became our youngest player in 105 years when he came on as substitute in the 2-1 defeat at Oakwell in December 2009. Nathan Wood has since eclipsed Luke for the accolade.

LOAN STAR  Ashley Fletcher spent four months on loan at Oakwell in 2016, including two Wembley wins, and scoring in the League One Play-Off final 3-1 against Millwall.

 Brian Clough made his Boro debut against Barnsley, heralded by the Daily Mirror as “a second Camsell” after 15 goals in a month for the reserves. He scored the first of his 222 goals in 204 games in the next home game against Leicester, 65 years ago this weekend.

FROZEN OUT  What should have been the last meeting at Ayresome Park, in January 1995, was the last of the four games abandoned there. It lasted until half-time but the pitch proved too icy. Boro were winning 2-1, but the rearranged game two months later finished 1-1, with Jaime Moreno scoring his only goal at home.

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PRESENTING THE MIDDLESBROUGH FC BUSINESS PARTNERS

SEDGFIELD RACECOURSE

TOMAHAWK STEAKHOUSE

TAYLOR WIMPEY PARTNER NAME

DYNAMIC CCTV PARTNER NAME

BRADDAN PLANT HIRE

SILVERTHORN GROUP

INFINITY PAY

TYNE TEES CRUSHING & SCREENING

BUSINESS CLUB

BUSINESS CLUB

BUSINESS CLUB

BUSINESS CLUB

ALPHA PARTNERPLAN NAME

FINCHALE GROUP PARTNER NAME

BUSINESS CLUB MANTANK PARTNER NAME

BUSINESS CLUB SURGE MARKETING PARTNER NAME SOLUTIONS

ARC STOCKTON ARTS CENTRE

TWI LTD

LIONWELD KENNEDY FLOORING LTD

OCEAN LIGHTING

TODAY’S OPPONENTS...

BARNSLEY WHO ARE YA?

Jordan Williams

Founded in 1887, Barnsley have been at their Oakwell home since the following year. The club were FA Cup runners up in 1910 and winners in 1912. In 2017, a consortium including baseball legend Billy Beane – of Moneyball fame – took the helm.

Mads Andersen

THE HISTORY BIT Barnsley have spent more time in the second tier of the English game than any other club in history. In 1997, and after 99 years of trying, Barnsley finished second in the second tier and finally won promotion to the Premier League, spending a single season at the top table. Relegated by a 3-1 defeat to Boro in 2014, the Tykes were double winners at Wembley in 2016, Ashley Fletcher scoring in both the Football League Trophy and League One Play-Off victories.

Cauley Woodrow

AT THE HELM

ONE TO WATCH

The Austrian Gerhard Struber has become a popular figure with Tykes fans since his appointment in November 2019. At that point, second-tier survival seemed unlikely, but a vast improvement in form under Struber and two stoppagetime victories at the end of last season – also aided by Wigan’s point deduction – saw Barnsley stay in the division. Struber was this week linked with New York Red Bulls.

Alex Mowatt A talented schemer in midfield, Mowatt was recruited by the Reds from Yorkshire rivals Leeds United in 2017. He didn’t get off to the ideal start – sent off on his debut against Wolves – but soon became a key figure in the middle of the park at Oakwell and was arguably the standout performer in their promotion push in 2018/19. Developing as a leader and now captain of the club, Mowatt won Player and Player’s Player of the Year awards in 2019/20 and was rewarded with a contract extension.

HOW’S IT GOING?

Gerhard Struber

The Tykes picked up their first point of the season against Coventry City with a 0-0 draw at Oakwell. Their other two Championship outings have ended in defeats to Luton Town and Reading. Barnsley did beat Forest and ourselves in the Carabao Cup, but their run came to an end with a 6-0 hiding at Chelsea. facebook.com/MFCofficial

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IT’S A FACT Barnsley were founded in 1887 by Reverend Tiverton Preedy. An English clergyman who was noted for his work with the poor, Preedy was particularly interested in the use of sport within ministry, founding a church football team in the town which became the modern Barnsley FC.

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33

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME SPONSOR

MFC FOUNDATION

This week has been National Inclusion Week and the programmes MFC Foundation offer have once again been seen to great effect across the region.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be blind? How would you cope?

That was the question asked of a group of coaches who will work with blind and visually impaired participants. The masks you see in the photos put the coaches in the position of someone with such an impairment, to give them a good idea of life in the world of someone who doesn’t have the gift of sight.

Only by doing this can they begin to think of starting to help, to teach, to inspire and to help build confidence.

ATURE

SPECIAL FE

The session was delivered by Adam Bendall from the FA’s Para Football Team and was delivered to coaches from the Foundation as part of their continuous professional development and as part of a new project called B1.

While that was being delivered, the Foundation’s Team Talk participants in East Cleveland were continuing a project which is helping with their mental and physical well-being.

Next Saturday is World Mental Health Day, a day that highlights what everyone can do, explains what is meant by mental health and what is already being done.

Team Talk is a programme that brings together people who have maybe lost their way in life, been dealt a cruel hand, lost confidence and in some cases turned their back on society.

Everyone has their own reason for being there, each one has a story that can chart a path back to when it started to go wrong. That’s in most cases, some don’t know where is started to fall apart, just that is has, or is on the verge of doing so.

For many on the programme it is almost cathartic to speak and for others it is just the company of others and a realisation that you are not alone.

Among the latest ventures, which include knitting for a local care home, the group have become involved with is at an allotment with the aim to transform neglected land into something that can be used in the community.

The group recently picked apples and pears from the existing trees and delivered them to the local school, Handale Primary.

If you are interested in any of the Foundation’s programmes you have read about, contact them by emailing enquries@mfcfoundation.co.uk, by calling 01642 767674, or via social media: Instagram @mfc.foundation Facebook @mfcfoundation Twitter @MFCFoundation

MFC FOUNDATION

CALLING ALL THOSE AGED 16 AND 17... RISE TO THE AUTUMN NCS CHALLENGE!

What will you be doing this autumn? Maybe you haven’t thought that far ahead? Time to do so now, though, as we’re not that far off October half-term...

One option for you is to enrol on an NCS course, just like many did during the summer. Those who did so then said they enjoyed themselves, learned a lot and made a real difference to a community.

Among them were the group whose thoughts and deeds brought smiles and the odd grateful tear to the eye of residents in a Northallerton care home. They sent letters and news clippings to those living at Beechwood Care Home, personalising each letter.

They also put together hampers containing biscuits, chocolate and other goodies for the home’s staff, to show their appreciation for their hard work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Manager of the home, Ashley Bailey-Munt went on record to say: “Everyone said it made them feel warm inside and it was so nice to be thought about. The residents are eagerly working on their replies and we can already see a few pen pal friendships forming.

40

Manager of Beechwood Care Home Ashley Bailey-Munt with MFC Foundation’s Grace Robinson, left, and Kelly Daley.

“We’d also like to thank the kindhearted young people for creating care packages of chocolates, biscuits and other goodies for the staff. The cards were lovely as well and meant so much to everyone working at Beechwood Care Home.”

Kelly Daley, NCS coordinator at MFC Foundation, added: “It’s fantastic to think that during a global pandemic the youth of today are able to step to

the forefront to share life experiences with the older generation.

“I am exceptionally proud of both the young people and the MFC Foundation team with what they have achieved in such a short period of time.”

Now it’s your chance. Enrol this autumn and you will be focusing on team-building and communication skills through taking part in outdoor activities, followed by skills-based

KICKS MAKES A WELCOME RETURN

workshops to develop you socially and professionally.

You will end by planning and delivering a social action project to deal with a local issue that you feel passionate about and put the project into action in your community.

Interested? Then email either kelly.daley@mfcfoundation.co.uk or grace.robinson@mfcfoundation. co.uk

SUPPORTED BYBY SUPPORTED

The return to PL Kicks sessions has been widely welcomed as it begins to operate again following a long Covid-19 enforced lay-off.

Sessions at the Acklam Green and Herlingshaw Centres returned to action a couple of weeks ago and this coming week two new centres will come on board.

“Numbers have been booming,” enthuses the Foundation’s Kicks coordinator and coach mentor Liam Watson. “We did what we could for our participants in the early stages of lockdown where no one was allowed to go anywhere or do anything, really. We had online competitions on games consoles and skills competitions on social media.

“But to get back up and running again has been brilliant. This is what everyone wants, to be back playing again. There have been changes to the way we do things, of course – everything is Covid-19 regulation compliant. But that’s not stopping the fun and you can see the difference the sessions are making already.”

On Mondays and Fridays, between 5pm and 6pm, the Southlands Centre will play host to mixed football sessions for youngsters aged 8-13. Then from 6pm to 7pm

it’s the turn of those aged 14-18.

On a Wednesday the action moves to the Newport Settlement Community Hub where mixed football sessions will run between 5pm and 6pm for 8-13s, and 6pm to 7pm for 14s-18s.

Acklam Green run sessions from 5pm to 6pm for 8-13 year-olds and from 6pm to 7pm for those in the 14-18 bracket on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On a Monday there are mixed, girlsonly and disability sessions, while Wednesdays and Fridays bring mixed football sessions.

Like Acklam Green, sessions at the Herlingshaw have proved popular over the last couple of weeks and from this week will move indoors.

On a Monday it’s mixed football sessions for the two age groups that should by now be familiar. The 8-13s running from 5pm-6pm, the 14-18s from 6pm to 7pm.

The same age groups and times are applicable to the girls and disability football sessions which run on a Wednesday, while Friday’s timetable is the same as that on a Monday.

Email liam.watson@ mfcfoundation.co.uk for more details on any of the sessions.

YAASWINGING SWINGING SUCCESS SUCCESS

.

up,

on

ing nd

Guy Stoker and friends took third, Shutter Media clinched second, while a team from Arc Wealth

Guy Stoker and friends took third, capped off a wonderful golfing s Shutter Media clinched second, display by taking first prize. ldwhile a team from Arc Wealth spills capped off a wonderful golfing Meanwhile, Ben Benoliel from Team it display by taking first prize.bottle of INVESTicity won a signed n

s

MFC champagne after hitting the longest drive the day.from Team Meanwhile, Benof Benoliel

INVESTicity won a signed bottle of e Prior to tee-off, after mulligan cards were s MFC champagne hitting the sold to helpofboost donations, while houselongest drive the day. in the evening an envelope draw the took place, with prizes including an ut to Prior to tee-off, mulligan cards were Xbox One, and iPad, and a four-ball e

sold to help boost donations, while in the evening an envelope draw took place, with prizes including an Xbox One, and iPad, and a four-ball

package for a game at Rockliffe Hall.

“I’m absolutely delighted with how package for a game at Rockliffe Hall. successful the day was,” said Diane O’Connell, MFC Foundation’s Events “I’m absolutely delighted with how & Fundraising Coordinator.

successful the day was,” said Diane

O’Connell, MFCofFoundation’s “The generosity our guests to Events & Fundraising take the time outCoordinator. of their busy schedules to help make our event the best it can be was wonderful.

“The generosity of our guests to take the time out of their busy

“Many of our travelled schedules toguests help make ouracross event the country to attend the event, and the best it can be was wonderful. we once again would like to extend our gratitude for their kindness.”

“Many of our guests travelled across the country to attend the event, and we once again would like to extend our gratitude for their kindness.”

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41

MFC FOUNDATION

FIT BORO PROGRAMME OFF TO A FLYER

Following a well-trod path that ultimately leads to success, MFC Foundation are running more FIT BORO sessions this autumn.

For a few years now the FIT BORO programme, formally known as FFIT (Fit Fans In Training), has helped Boro fans physically and mentally and the early signs from these latest sessions are encouraging.

Three new groups started in September with a total of 60 participants (30 male and 30 female). Sessions, which combine exercise with classroom sessions, are held at the Riverside’s Willie Maddren Centre and Whale Hill in Eston.

Throughout the course, in addition to expert advice from coaches from the Foundation, a number of professionals from different fields will come in to speak with the groups, including ex-Boro start Neil Maddison and the head chef of the club Howard Archer.

Each participant will also receive a unique FIT BORO T-shirt to motivate them to achieve their goals.

Classes are up to capacity for this programme, but if you’re interested there will be another (free) course following on in the New Year. Email paul.south@mfcfoundation. co.uk for more details.

SUPPORTED BYBY SUPPORTED

40

A SWINGING SUCCESS

BENEFITTING FROM ‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’ INITIATIVE A trip to the past will allow MFC Foundation to help Teesside residents of the present day.

Where it was Dr Emmett Brown who went back in time in the Back To The Future films, today it is Dr Tosh Warwick who has transported Boro fans to a period in time where the team didn’t play in red.

A research associate (History Research Centre Impact) in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Manchester Metropolitan University, Tosh – a historian and big Boro fan with a programme column of his own this season, see page 27 – came up with the idea to help the Foundation while researching Boro’s archives.

It led to a venture that has seen the club and the Foundation team up with retro shirt suppliers World Retro to reproduce Boro’s shirt from the 1884-90 period.

Costing £35, including delivery, a sizeable percentage of each shirt sold will be donated to the Foundation. Shirts are available in both long and short sleeves and in sizes ranging from Babygrow to Adult 7XL. A name and /or number can be added free of charge.

The shirts are available online only via this link...

BORO WORLD RETRO SHIRTS

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41

REPORT IT.

KICK IT OUT OF FOOTBALL.

ACADEMY FIXTURES PREMIER LEAGUE 2 – DIVISION 2 UNDER-23s SEASON 2020/21 Fri 11 Sep

Newcastle United

PREMIER LEAGUE NORTH UNDER-18s SEASON 2020/21

A D 2-2 Liddle, Jones

Sat 12 Sep Leeds United

A

Mon 21 Sep Stoke City

H W 2-0 Walker, O’Neill

Sat 19 Sep Derby County

H

L 2-3

Mon 5 Oct

A

1pm Thorp Arch TG

Sat 26 Sep Sunderland

H

W 4-0

Mon 19 Oct Sunderland

A

1pm Academy of Light

Sat 3 Oct

A

11am

Fri 23 Oct

Burnley

H

2pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 17 Oct Manchester City

Fri 30 Oct

Norwich City

A

1pm Lotus TG

Sat 24 Oct Blackburn Rovers

A

Sun 8 Nov

West Bromwich A

H

1pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 31 Oct Everton

H 12.30pm

Sun 22 Nov Wolverhampton W

A

3pm Kidderminster Harriers FC

Sat 21 Nov Burnley

A

12pm

Fri 27 Nov

Reading

H

2pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 28 Nov Wolves

A

1pm

Fri 11 Dec

Fulham

A

1pm Imber Court Sports Club

Sat 12 Dec Liverpool

H 1pm

Fri 18 Dec

Aston Villa

Leeds United

Newcastle United

W 3-0

H 1pm 12pm

A

2pm Bodymoor Heath TG

Sun 20 Dec Stoke City

A

Sun 10 Jan Crystal Palace

H

1pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 9 Jan

H 12.30pm

Fri 15 Jan

Newcastle United

Manchester United

1pm

H

2pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 16 Jan Leeds United

H 11am

Mon 25 Jan Stoke City

A

3pm Clayton Wood TG

Sat 23 Jan Derby County

A

1pm

Sun 7 Feb

Leeds United

H

1pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 30 Jan Sunderland

A

11am

Fri 12 Feb

Sunderland

H 11am

H

2pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 13 Feb Newcastle United

Mon 22 Feb Burnley

A

2pm Lancs FA

Sat 20 Feb Manchester City

A

Fri 26 Feb

Norwich City

H

2pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 27 Feb Blackburn Rovers

H 12pm

Fri 12 Mar

West Bromwich A

A

2pm

2pm The Hawthorns

Sat 13 Mar Everton

A 12.30pm

Mon 22 Mar Wolverhampton W H

2pm Riverside Stadium

Sat 10 Apr Burnley

H 12pm

Fri 9 Apr

Reading

A

1pm Bearwood Park TG

Sat 17 Apr Wolves

H 1pm

Fri 16 Apr

Fulham

H

2pm Bishop Auckland FC

Sat 24 Apr Liverpool

A 12.30pm

Mon 26 Apr Aston Villa

H

2pm Riverside Stadium

Sat 1 May Stoke City

H 1pm

Mon 3 May Crystal Palace

A

1pm CPFC Academy

Sat 8 May Manchester United

A

12pm

Sat 15 May PL2 Division 2 Play-Off Semi-Final Sat 22 May PL2 Division 2 Play-Off Final

All fixture dates and kick-off times subject to change.

GET TO KNOW Josh Coburn Josh scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s 4-0 win against Sunderland Age: 17

Position: Striker

Where are you from? Richmond

Which junior teams did you play for? Richmond Town, Bedale Town Which team do you support? Boro What age did you join Boro? U16

How did you join the club? I was scouted.

What’s the best thing about being in the Academy? Playing football every day.

Who are your best mates at Boro? All of the group.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career so far? Grandad.

Who is your footballing hero? Ronaldo

What do you like to do in your spare time? Xbox.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Getting offered a scholarship.

What are your hopes for the future? To have a long career in the game.

For up-to-date Academy news see mfc.co.uk |

38

PLAYER SPONSORS 2020/21 1 MARCUS BETTINELLI

2 ANFERNEE DIJKSTEEL

YOUR LOGO HERE! Business description in this space and website hyperlink

VECTIS COLLECTABLES

The world’s leading toy specialists

3 MARVIN JOHNSON

RIGHT PRICE CARPETS

A friendly, family-run business supplying and fitting flooring across Teesside for over 30 years

5 SAM MORSY

4 GRANT HALL ZONEME AUDIO

Moving sound into next generation immersive technologies, so audiences can enjoy a ‘future now’ never-beforeheard experience

6 DAEL FRY

RUBBERDUCK BATHROOMS

Family-owned independent retailer offering leading bathroom brands at trade prices for over 15 years

7 MARCUS TAVERNIER

CIS LTD

Suspended ceiling and dry lining company supplying local hands-on service on a national level

9 BRITT ASSOMBALONGA TEESSIDE CONTRACTORS ACCOMMODATION

Offering short and long term accommodation for contractors working across the Teesside area

11 ASHLEY FLETCHER IHI LTD

Heating and insulation installer providing loft and underfloor insulation, as well as gas boilers and electric storage heating

FLEET RIVER MUSIC

Music management company for artists and producers

8 LEWIS WING YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

10 CHUBA AKPOM ZIZUS DAY CARE AND LEARNING CENTRE

Enhancing children’s educational acumen using a combination of reactive learning, technology and fun

12 MARCUS BROWNE YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

Player Sponsorship packages are £750+VAT. Please call 01642 757683 NOW! 15 NATHAN WOOD YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

17 PADDY McNAIR

16 JONNY HOWSON REDCAR EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Leading day care provider for adults with learning disabilities in Redcar & Cleveland, providing a home pick up/drop off service as well as daily trips out

22 GEORGE SAVILLE

MANDALE HOMES Helping customers realise their dreams and building awardwinning homes across the region and beyond for over 35 years

24 SAM FOLARIN YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

29 DJED SPENCE MIND REDCAR AND CLEVELAND

Vital mental health wellbeing and support for young people and adults

32 DEJAN STOJANOVIC YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

36 STEPHEN WALKER YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

27 MARC BOLA YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

31 SOL BRYNN YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

33 HAYDEN COULSON YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

42 AYNSLEY PEARS YOUR LOGO HERE!

Business description in this space and website hyperlink

RESULTS 2020/21 Date

Fri

Opponents

Att

4 Sep Shrewsbury Town (CC1) H

F-A

4-3 Stojanovic Dijksteel Hall

Fry

Fri 11 Sep Watford

A

behind-closed-doors

0-1 Bettinelli Dijksteel Hall

McNair Spence

Tue 15 Sep Barnsley (CC2)

H

behind-closed-doors

0-2 Bettinelli Dijksteel

Sat 19 Sep AFC Bournemouth

H

1,000

Sat 26 Sep Queens Park Rangers

A

behind-closed-doors

Sat 3 Oct Barnsley

H

behind-closed-doors

A

Tue 27 Oct Coventry City

H

Sat 31 Oct Nottingham Forest

H

Tue

3 Nov Blackburn Rovers

A

Sat 7 Nov Brentford

A

Sat 21 Nov Norwich City

H

Wed 25 Nov Derby County

H

Sat 28 Nov Huddersfield Town

A

Wed 2 Dec Swansea City

H

Sat

A

5 Dec Stoke City

Wed 9 Dec Preston North End

A

Sat 12 Dec Millwall

H

Wed 16 Dec Luton Town

H

Sat 19 Dec Birmingham City

A

Sat 26 Dec Rotherham United

H

Tue 29 Dec Sheffield Wednesday

A

Sat

2 Jan Wycombe Wanderers

Sat 16 Jan Birmingham City

A H

Wed 20 Jan Nottingham Forest

A

Sat 23 Jan Blackburn Rovers

H

Sat 30 Jan Norwich City

A

Sat 6 Feb Brentford H Sat 13 Feb Derby County

A

Tue 16 Feb Huddersfield Town

H

Sat 20 Feb Reading

A

Tue 23 Feb Bristol City

H

Sat 27 Feb Cardiff City

H

Tue

2 Mar Coventry City

A

Sat

6 Mar Swansea City

A

EMIRATES FA CUP DATES

Sat 13 Mar Stoke City

H

Third Round

Sat 9 Jan

Tue 16 Mar Preston North End

H

Fourth Round

Sat 23 Jan

Sat 20 Mar Millwall

A

Fifth Round

Wed 10 Feb

Fri

A

Quarter-Finals

Sat 20 March

Semi-Finals

Sat 17 April

Final

Sat 15 May

2 Apr AFC Bournemouth

Mon 5 Apr Watford H Sat 10 Apr Barnsley

A

Sat 17 Apr Queens Park Rangers

H

Wed 21 Apr Rotherham United

A

Sat 24 Apr Sheffield Wednesday

H

Sat

1 May Luton Town

A

Sat

8 May Wycombe Wanderers

H

42

facebook.com/MFCofficial

McNair Spence Howson

1-1 Bettinelli Dijksteel n Hall McNair Spence Howson

A

Sat 24 Oct Cardiff City

Howson

FRY Wood n Coulson Wing

1-1 Bettinelli Dijksteel Hall

Sat 17 Oct Reading H Tue 20 Oct Bristol City (7pm)

Spence Howson

Dates are subject to change.

See mfc.co.uk for kick-off times.

|

twitter.com/Boro

|

www.mfc.co.uk

n = Yellow card n = Red Card KEY: 1st sub 2nd sub 3rd sub Boldx = Goalscorer plus number of goals scored P = penalty CAPITALS = Captain

SUBS

Wing

Tavernier1

Johnson1

Fletcher2

ASSOMBALONGA

Browne Wood Pears Folarin Bola Stubbs Walker

Saville Tavernier Johnson Fletcher ASSOMBALONGA

Wing Pears Fry Browne Wood Bola Coulson

Tavernier Morsy n Bola

McNair Howson Folarin Brynn Johnson Spence Assombalonga

Browne Fletcher

Saville n

Tavernier Johnson Fletcher

ASSOMBALONGA

Browne1 Fry Morsy Pears Bola Wing Coulson

Saville Tavernier Johnson Akpom

ASSOMBALONGA

Browne Fry Pears Bola Wing Browne Coulson

1

Chuba Akpom marked his Boro debut with the opening goal at Queens Park Rangers.

facebook.com/MFCofficial

|

twitter.com/Boro

|

www.mfc.co.uk

43

Manager Neil Warnock

Head Coach Gerhard Struber

Marcus BETTINELLI 1

1

Jack WALTON GK

Anfernee DIJKSTEEL 2

2

Jordan WILLIAMS

Marvin JOHNSON 3

3

Ben WILLIAMS

Grant HALL 4

4

Callum STYLES

Sam MORSY 5

5

Bambo DIABY

Dael FRY 6

6

Mads ANDERSEN

Marcus TAVERNIER 7

9

Cauley WOODROW

Lewis WING 8

10

Mike-Steven BÄHRE

Britt ASSOMBALONGA 9

11

Conor CHAPLIN

Chuba AKPOM 10

14

Kilian LUDEWIG

Ashley FLETCHER 11

16

Luke THOMAS

Marcus BROWNE 12

17

Marcel RITZMAIER

Nathan WOOD 15

18

Isaac CHRISTIE-DAVIES

Jonny HOWSON 16

19

Patrick SCHMIDT

Paddy McNAIR 17

21

Romal PALMER

George SAVILLE 22

22

Clarke ODUOR

Sam FOLARIN 24

23

Elliot SIMOES

Marc BOLA 27

24

Aapo HALME

Djed SPENCE 29

25

George MILLER

Sol BRYNN GK 31

26

Michael SOLLBAUER

Dejan STOJANOVIC GK 32

27

Alex MOWATT

Hayden COULSON 33

28

Dominik FRIESER

Stephen WALKER 36

29

Victor ADEBOYEJO

Ben LIDDLE 37

30

Michal HELIK

Aynsley PEARS GK 42

33

Matty WOLFE

40

Brad COLLINS GK

TODAY’S OFFICIALS Referee: Oliver Langford

PROGRAMME SPONSOR

Assistants: Mark Dwyer and James Wilson Fourth Official: Geoff Eltringham

RIVERSIDE REVIEW Programme editor Paul Dews. Contributors Matt Barber, Gordon Cox, Ken Daly and Shaun Wilson. Photography by Varley Picture Agency, Tom Banks and MFC. Design and production Trevor Hartley and Neil Jeffries at Ignition Sports Media.