THE66POW: Middlesbrough 1 v Birmingham City 0

Saturday 11th August 2018
SkyBet EFL Championship
at the Riverside Stadium
Middlesbrough (1) 1
Britt Assombalonga 12
Birmingham City (0) 0
Attendance 23,748
THE66POW POINT & HOPE PHOTOS:
Part 1 - Click HERE Part 2 - Click HERE

Middlesbrough:
Randolph, Fry, Flint, Friend, Shotton, Wing (Tavernier 78), Clayton, Howson, Downing, Braithwaite (McNair 88), Assombalonga (Fletcher 81)
Unused subs - Dimi, Leadbitter, Johnson, Chapman.
Birmingham City:
Trueman, Pedersen, Colin, Gardner, Adams (Bogle 70), Jukiewicz, Dean, Ndoye, Maghoma (Mahoney 76), Jota (Solomon-Otabor 76) Morrison.
Unused subs Camp, Roberts, Kieftenbeld, Harding.

In 1899, the year that Middlesbrough FC joined the Football League, their first ever home game (at Linthorpe Road), was against Small Heath FC (previously known as Small Heath Alliance), who of course changed their name to Birmingham FC in 1905 and have been called Birmingham City since 1943. Fast forward seven years, to Boxing Day 1906.. and when Birmingham played their inaugural game at their current home St. Andrew's, Middlesbrough were the visitors.

'Boro' were founded in 1876 and though it is a popular misconception amongst the pages several scantly researched football histories, this club was never called Middlesbrough Ironopolis, that was a completely different team altogether, who came into being thirteen years after the original 'Ironsiders' after several members of the original club broke away to create the new entity... and though Ironopolis joined the Football League's second division, but only played at that level for one season, before they folded due to bankruptcy in 1894, just five years after their formation.

In 1892, seeing amalgamation as a possible route to joining the Football League, both clubs made a joint application as: Middlesbrough and Ironopolis Football and Athletic Club, but when their combined bid failed they went their separate ways again
Upon gaining election to the Football League, whilst still playing at Albert Park, the Linthorpe Road West cricket ground, it was decided that a new and improved ground would be required; hence Ayresome Park was built on a site named Paradise Field, a stones-throw away from Paradise Ground where Ironopolis played.

I'm sure that anyone who ever had the 'pleasure' of visiting Ayresome Park in the guise of an away fan, would be able to vouch for my own recollection of it being anything other than a trip to paradise.
Middlesbrough played there for ninety two years before relocating to the Riverside Stadium in 1995.
On the opening day of the 1986-87 season 'Boro' played their opening game of the season at Hartlepool United's Victoria Park, when the bailiffs had locked the club out of Ayresome Park and crippling debts threatened to force the club into liquidation.

As 'Boro' soared to the top of the Championship this afternoon, those dark days of 1986 must've seemed an absolute age away, even though the very gates that chained shut at Ayresome Park, stand on the foyer of the 'new ground' as a reminder of many a bygone era.
Incidentally, I was taken aback by the number of people who still talk about moving to the 'new ground', even though Middlesbrough have now been playing here for twenty three years. Which means they must've been here before most of the vociferous fans attached to the 'Red Faction' in the South Stand, wouldn't even have been a twinkle in their mum and dad's eyes, when 'Boro' relocated to what was then called: the Cellnet Stadium.

You can see the Riverside Stadium from the railway station and it can be reach along a long wide expanse of a walkway, the Winward Way. If you arrive on platform 1, go down the stairs and exit via the far end of the subway and turn right, or if you arrive on platform two, go down the exit stairs and turn right which will take you in the same direction, turn right out of the station, walk fifty yards and cross the road at the traffic lights, which'll take you onto Bridge Street/Winward Way, then head for the football ground that you'll see directly ahead of you, passing Middlesbrough college of knowledge and the Hit the Bar and Byron Arms public houses, which will all be on your left hand side.

Nature lovers take note: the River Tees must be healthier than it looks these days, because upon strolling past a small harbour just before the stadium, I spotted some seals frolicking in the water. Everyone else take note: if you walk round the harbour on your way to the ground, go round it in an anti-clockwise direction, you won't be able to access the bridge if you go the other way for the foreseeable future and it is currently a fenced off building site.

On the approach to the main reception at the ground, the old Ayresome Park gates are flanked by statues of 'Boro' legends George Hardwick and Wilf Mannion.
There is also a bronze statue of the former Middlesbrough striker Brian Clough at the entrance to Albert Park, on Linthorpe Road, depicting 'old big head' carrying his football boots over his shoulder, just like he used to when he walked through the park en route to the almost adjacent Ayresome Park (now swallowed up by a new-build housing estate) from his nearby home.

In 2008 a fatigue fracture was discovered in the 'Cloughie' statue's right leg, ironically mirroring the ligament injury that ended the outspoken and colourful characters playing career. As a consequence, the sculpture needed to be fenced-of to avoid any further damage, before it was removed for four months in March 2009, so that repairs and restoration work could be carried out.

The 'Clough Monument' is a proper hike from the station and in completely the opposite direction to the current home of Middlesbrough FC, but if you arrive in plenty of time and feel particularly energetic, have a wander down that way. And take a trip down memory lane, through the labyrinth of streets that 'back in the day' you'd be lucky to circumnavigate to the 'old ground' and back, without getting thumped, kicked or chased around a maze of unfamiliar streets. At least when/if you reached Ayresome Park, they used to erect a big tarpaulin shield to protect visiting supporters from being subjected to a constant stream of stones, lumps of concrete, coins, glass bottles, darts, nuts and bolts and possibly even the occasional Pukka Pie... and the one my mate purchased for £3 today, was only fit for chucking too.

I recall Pete Murray, the former BBC Radio disc jockey, referring to the ground as 'Awesome Park' when he visited in the late 1970's, but the night I encountered some rough and tumble with the locals on the way back to the relative safety of a coach seat after a midweek game, I thought 'Irksome Park' was more apt. But at least our transport was well ventilated on the way home and actually quite comfortable once I'd picked all the shards of a broken window off of my seat. A group of locals stood nearby watching on and laughing at our predicament as we ran the gauntlet to get to the bus... they were wearing police uniforms and never lifted a finger to help us.

The contrast between those days of yore and today's pleasant stroll towards the ground (and back again), with supporters of both teams walking side by side and expressing pleasantries was massive, in fact it was ginormous. Even the former 'Frontline' lads (a handy mob if ever there was one), sitting outside the two pubs on the walk back to the station, didn't look like they could be arsed with that sort of caper anymore.

But I didn't feel inclined to agitate them for old times sake, just to be on the safe side. Truth be told, the locals that I encountered were a friendly and knowledgeable lot, understandably (given the history of the club and industry in the region) steeped in pragmatic realism, but cautious optimism that, under Tony Pulis, their team is doing things and also heading the right way.
They (the home team) certainly looked the part today, whereas the delays caused to Birmingham's rebuilding because of the recent transfer embargo has, in a round -about way, forced Blues into having a second, mini pre-season, whereby the players are all getting used to each other and working out each other's strengths, preferences and weaknesses.

On the subject of football statues, my sidekick for the day reckons that Birmingham City have commissioned a very lifelike effigy of Cheikh N'Doye and that it carries such a remarkable resemblance to their Senegalese international, that they put a yellow number 17 shirt on it today and placed it on the Riverside stadium pitch... and nobody noticed! But I think that he was merely being: sarcastic, ironic and ever so slightly cheeky and disparaging. If Blues manager Garry Monk sees N'Doye's worth to his team, then who is anyone else to argue with his estimation of the guys strengths.

Monk was, of course, Middlesbrough's manager for six months, having previously spent nine months in charge at Leeds United and twenty at Swansea City, where he had played for the Swans in all four divisions when he was a player there... and by way of a 'tribute', the young ultras behind the South Stand goal dedicated a song to their former gaffer, that consisted of just three words being sung over and over again in unison, the last two being his name and the first one beginning with the letter F.
'Boro' also beat Birmingham in what was Monk's first game in charge at Andrew's last season too.

The last time that the second city's finest travelled up to this northernmost North Yorkshire outpost, Britt Assombalonga, who was signed by Monk, scored twice in a 2-0 win for the home side, while today he got the only goal of the game, in the twelfth minute, via a deflection off of Maxime Colin's shin, that diverted the ball beyond Connal Trueman's reach, after Jonny Howson (another Monk signing) had set up the chance for the Middlesbrough number nine.

Blues have only ever won once in nineteen visits to the Riverside and there is no getting away from the fact that they were second best this afternoon... and not even close to even making a slight ripple in that unenviable record. In fact the final margin of defeat could have been worse, with the 'Boro' manager claiming afterwards that his team could've had six goals, while Monk himself conceded that his former club might've added another one too.

Me? I reckon 3-0 would've been about fair on the balance of things, but I often get splinters in my bum from sitting on the fence too much.
Che Adams almost capitalised on a slip by George Friend, but was denied by a great save from Darren Randolph, the Republic of Ireland (and former Blues) keeper.

Stewart Downing played for England at U16, U18, U19, U21 and B levels, before gaining 35 international caps for the first team. He showed his international class with a crafty free kick around the half hour mark, after N'Doye had tripped Martin Braithwaite, who has an English sounding name but is a Danish international, who was also signed for 'Boro' by that Mr Monk bloke, but I digress; with players from both teams jostling and holding each other for an advantageous position, awaiting the arrival of Downing's free kick, his dipping effort crashed against the foot of the right hand post with Trueman

getting down at full stretch to his left, but missing the ball by inches with his fingertips... it was a massive let of for Blues. As was Assombalonga hitting the woodwork just before half time, when Braithwaite had played him in on goal with a measured pass.
Three minutes after the restart, Lukas Jutkiewicz (himself a former 'Boro' player) was thwarted by Randolph who turned his downward header around the upright from Kristian Pedersen's diagonal knock into the hosts area... before N'Doye also went close with a glancing header.

Ryan Shotton was a thorn in Blues side all afternoon, getting up to weigh in with the hosts attack on the right, while also bombarding Trueman's area with a string of long throws, that were just a dangerous as any cross, free kick, or corner... the bounce of one of his throws deceived Trueman and a combination of the visitors young keeper and Harlee Dean were forced to turn the ball against their own bar before they cleared it... take note y'all, if a throw in ends up directly in the goal without another player having touched it first, then the goal would be ruled out and a free kick awarded... just saying!

Jonny Howson was involved in two goalmouth incidents that almost extended the 'Smoggies' lead: the first when he saw Michael Morrison clear the ball off of his goal line with a diving header, and the second when he turned Lewis Wing's delivery across the face of the goal only for Assombalonga to miss an absolute sitter by the right hand post.
Please understand, I am not attempting to be derogatory by referring to Middlesbrough as 'Smoggies', it is a name that derives from the constant smog that hung over 'Ironopolis' in it's industrial heyday... and one that a good few of their supporters call themselves.

A former work colleague of mine, who hails from nearby Redcar and supports 'Boro' as a consequence, once told us to call him by the nickname 'Smog Monster' (I kid you not) and the large banner that the home fans in the section beside me unfurled prior to the game, was an adaptation of a film poster bearing the legend 'Reservoir Smogs'.
Although the stats I checked out on my phone on the way home, had both teams almost level percentage wise, as regards possession, to my mind (and I was hoping that Blues could force at least a draw), you can say anything with statistics, because there was no getting away from the fact that 'Boro' were the better side and had dominated for most of the afternoon, in the three main areas of the pitch that mattered, namely: defence, midfield and attack.

But while the home side only had a solitary goal lead to show for their efforts, the game was still there for the taking... and Randolph had to be alert when when Craig Gardner tried his luck with a long range grass cutter of a shot that the 'Boro' keeper did well to field.
With the clock ticking down, Monk shuffled his pack, with three substitutions, giving Omar Bogle and Connor Mahoney, two transfer deadline week signings, their club debuts, as well as introducing young Viv Solomon-Otabor, who came on to such good effect against Norwich last Saturday. Meanwhile Pulis sent on Marcus Tavernier and Ash Fletcher on in place of Wing and Assombalonga respectively, before withdrawing Braithwaite and sending on Paddy McNair for a late cameo appearance.

But an impetuous challenge by Gardner on Howson, was a red card offence in the eyes of the match referee Andrew Madley and Blues (Yellows today, but forever Blues to their travelling support) were reduced to ten men. with seven minutes to go. Birmingham's manager said in the aftermath of the game, that he thought it wasn't a sending off offence, but a genuine attempt to win the ball... but the referee, who was behind Gardner when he moved in towards Howson thought otherwise and his opinion is the one that counts on the day, even if there is to be an appeal from the West Midlands club.

From my vantage point, I picked up several more splinters in my posterior, because I thought, that intentional or otherwise, Gardner's actions, near the halfway line, were worthy of a yellow card.
Having just regrouped, the visitors had just lost a pivotal component and became dis jointed again.
Bogle, Mahoney and Solomon-Otabor were full of running, but didn't really have enough time to have an impact on the game at this late stage and 'Boro' saw it out and held onto their deserved three point haul.
FT: Middlesbrough 1 v Birmingham City 0

Back on Platform two, then one, then two again (repeat to fade), I was sure that the Middlesbrough station announcer was a football fan hating joker, who was deliberately giving out misleading information and getting immense pleasure from watching people tearing backwards and forwards through the subway between the platforms. Train delays, a cancellation and a warning from the local police that an already overcrowded train was heading our way that they wouldn't be allowed to let any more passengers on due to health and safety concerns, led to me taking a decision that wherever the next train south was heading, that I would be getting on it and plotting out a way to get home from wherever that rolled up.

Subsequently a whole load of us with tickets that were only valid for the next train to Darlington, hopped onto a York bound train. Having convinced the guard, during his ticket inspection just after Yarm, that we had been told by the constabulary to board his train and had no choice but to do so, nor the means to pay for an extra fare, he took pity on our plight and the rest of the journey went smoothly. The 'Boro' fans on the same train from Yarm and Northallerton were good company, as were the small group Garforth Town supporters who joined the train at Northallerton, where they had seen their side win 4-0 in an FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round game, courtesy of a Albert Ibrahimi hat trick and a last minute goal by Niah Payne... so now you know.

Wot? No train!

Both of today's featured teams have League Cup games on Tuesday night, with Middlesbrough entertaining Notts County at the Riverside Stadium (7.45PM) and Birmingham travelling to the Madejski Stadium to play Reading, before Blues resume their Championship campaign with a home game v Swansea City on Friday night, while Middlesbrough face an eight hour round trip to Ashton Gate, where they'll take on Bristol City on Saturday.