Boro thread

[Ambivalent Dave]

I've always lived between 6 and 8 miles from the SOL. I'm not far off 40, in my time at school, college, work and holidays I've never met anyone that claims to be a boro fan. So why would I view it as a derby? Most folk from 'Tyne and wear'' have limited or no interaction with Boro fans.

It might be different in places towards the south of county Durham.

How many other games this season will have the fans escorted over the bridge by a squadron of polis?

The idea of it not being a derby is ludicrous tbh.

 

[chopsfc007]

Because it's not all about you and your lack of interaction with Boro fans.
I am abiut 20 tears older than you, and remember the proper battles we had on and off the field, both at Roker and Ayresome.
The battles off the field confirmed the "derby" status of this fixture, and most that can remember that would hopefully agree with me.

Anyone fighting off the field are grade A weapons tbh

 

[Locke's SAFC]

Middlesbrough is North Yorkshire but obviously Middlesbrough is tiny compared to the wider teesside Cleveland area. South tees Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland is North Yorkshire albeit doesn’t feel like it for places like gtown south bank Eston etc places like guisbrough Redcar town do have Yorkshire twang. North tees north east confusing place even as a boro fan

I always think of Middlesbrough as Yorkshire, and that's not because of any 'small town in Yorkshire' bollocks, but simply because the Old Watsonian country boundaries is how it should be: Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire.

It's a nice place 'round Middlesbrough as you'll well know, the surrounding areas and countryside, and as with any town or city the impression you get is a result of where you drive in from. Drive in from the South of Middlesbrough and it looks a completely different town to the one you see when you drive in from the North.

When you drive in from the North it feels like an unusually high amount of people have fallen on hard times, but you wouldn't get that impression when coming in from the South.

 

[Georgewhitt]

You need to get rid of that soft centre. Mowbray's teams always have it. Us, Blackburn and now you. Honestly his team's always look the part and win a lot of games but can be scored against, sometimes at will.

Don't interperet my conviviality with an assumption that I value your critique on Uncle Tony marra.
Still think you stole 3 points from us, and even with that soft centre you speak of, we would have kicked your arse on a level playing field.
We will finish above you this year, and that will be enough for us to delay our summer holidays next year, again, because Uncle Tony will get us there.

 

[Locke's SAFC]

It might be different in places towards the south of county Durham.

You'd have to go to the very, very South of County Durham.

The only place I'm aware of which has a smattering of Middlesbrough fans is Sedgefield.

There are places down here which are probably just closer to Middlesbrough than Sunderland, but everybody follows Sunderland except a few Hartlepool fans and Mags.

 

[gatopreto]

How many other games this season will have the fans escorted over the bridge by a squadron of polis?

The idea of it not being a derby is ludicrous tbh.

Because Boro view it as a derby and for that reason it's their big day. So the police need to respond to that.

Most of our fans don't know or interact with Boro fans.

We got humped 4-0 at home and no Boro fan has took the piss out of me, face to face. Bit of banter online, the likes of here.

 

[chopsfc007]

Don't interperet my conviviality with an assumption that I value your critique on Uncle Tony marra.
Still think you stole 3 points from us, and even with that soft centre you speak of, we would have kicked your arse on a level playing field.
We will finish above you this year, and that will be enough for us to delay our summer holidays next year, again, because Uncle Tony will get us there.

We weren't kicking there arse it was a level game

 

[gatopreto]

Because it's not all about you and your lack of interaction with Boro fans.
I am abiut 20 tears older than you, and remember the proper battles we had on and off the field, both at Roker and Ayresome.
The battles off the field confirmed the "derby" status of this fixture, and most that can remember that would hopefully agree with me.

So because there was some tear ups in the 80s it's a derby? Despite nil to limited interaction between the fans?

 

[boroboys]

Sort of get what you're saying , but the last bit?

Very south of the tees sound like North Yorkshire. The area is confusing because half of teesside sits in the north east and the other in North Yorkshire

 

[wev17]

Don't interperet my conviviality with an assumption that I value your critique on Uncle Tony marra.
Still think you stole 3 points from us, and even with that soft centre you speak of, we would have kicked your arse on a level playing field.
We will finish above you this year, and that will be enough for us to delay our summer holidays next year, again, because Uncle Tony will get us there.

We will see. Can't see Mogga getting you up.

And you wouldn't have kicked our arse mind, you beat us last year remember. Given your record against us, that's your lot against us for another 5 seasons at least.

 

[seahamstar]

I don't think that's right mate.
Most Boro fans see us as your derby.
What I don't get is why some of our fans don't see it as a derby.
It is, it's just not THE derby.
Most of it is said to wind up Boro, and it does rankle with your lot, so mission accomplished there.
To say your lot are split on it is being a bit disengenuous tbh marra.

I would agree that more of our fans than yours see it as a 'derby', which is pretty much what I said, and for the reasons I gave too .
Still wouldn't say that 'most' of us see you as a derby - there is definitely a split in that.

Also, on your other point - yes I'd agree about things being said just to wind folk up BY SOME., but I also believe that quite a few try to 'dismiss' us cos they think it makes them look cool with others and makes them 'fit in'

 

[Georgewhitt]

So because there was some tear ups in the 80s it's a derby? Despite nil to limited interaction between the fans?

70's and early 80's.
And not despite limited interaction between the fans no.
Because of history and geography, and experience.
Just because you didn't livd through it or experience it, doesn't mean it didn't happen, and Boro has always been "a" derby. Not "The " derby, but absolutely "a" derby.

 

[hank williams]

70's and early 80's.
And not despite limited interaction between the fans no.
Because of history and geography, and experience.
Just because you didn't livd through it or experience it, doesn't mean it didn't happen, and Boro has always been "a" derby. Not "The " derby, but absolutely "a" derby.

Try living amongst them & say it’s not a derby lads I know detest us

 

[Houghtoner]

If you’re SAFC or NUFC and you’re on the end of a heavy defeat off the other side it stings for a long time. Can’t say I’ve ever felt that way about a defeat against Middlesbrough. Or too ecstatic at a win against them either. Not trying to show off would say that’s how most SAFC fans view it.

 

[Georgewhitt]

Also, on your other point - yes I'd agree about things being said just to wind folk up BY MOST., but I also believe that quite a few try to 'dismiss' us cos they think it makes them look cool with others and makes them 'fit in'

Slight amendment to your text, but not ganna disagree with that mind.

 

[ERIMUS1876]

The more Sunderland supporters that think playing Boro is "just another game" and not a "derby",the better for me and my fellow Boro supporters.

In part I feel it explains Boro's amazing record against Sunderland. The recent 4-0 victory was the 6th time I have seen Boro win at Sunderland in my last eight visits there (also one draw and one defeat).

To put that into context, Sunderland have won at Middlesbrough four times in the last 70 years!

I'm currently co-writing a book and included it in are references to previous Tees / Wear derbies. The 1936/37 First Division encounter at Boro ended 5-5 ... described pre-match by The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail as "the outstanding attraction is at Ayresome Park, where Middlesbrough meet Sunderland in the big north-east “derby” and post-match by the Sunday Sun as "the greatest derby of all time".

It was a derby when first played on 26th November 1887 (FA Cup), it was a derby on 17th October 1936 (mentioned above), it was a derby on 7th October 2023 and it will always be a derby in the future.

Maybe Sunderland fans underplay it due to their atrocious record against Boro or maybe its mainly down to the internet generation!

Big crowds, ridiculous kick-off times, massive police presence and trouble at matches well past the 1980s aren't normally associated with "just another game".

Anyway, hopefully the narrative will continue to grow on Wearside ... all the better for Boro!

 

[Barndoor]

So because there was some tear ups in the 80s it's a derby? Despite nil to limited interaction between the fans?

I think what he is trying to say is ), back in the 70s and 80s it was never in question it was a Wear/Tees Derby and the amount of trouble between the fans was (at one point) very bad, worse than any other visiting team and you never got that with any other club (and that includes Newcastle) times have changed...if fans now on both sides have decided its not a derby to them...Well it's not a derby..this topic has been done to death over what seems forever.

 

[red mackem]

The more Sunderland supporters that think playing Boro is "just another game" and not a "derby",the better for me and my fellow Boro supporters.

In part I feel it explains Boro's amazing record against Sunderland. The recent 4-0 victory was the 6th time I have seen Boro win at Sunderland in my last eight visits there (also one draw and one defeat).

To put that into context, Sunderland have won at Middlesbrough four times in the last 70 years!

I'm currently co-writing a book and included it in are references to previous Tees / Wear derbies. The 1936/37 First Division encounter at Boro ended 5-5 ... described pre-match by The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail as "the outstanding attraction is at Ayresome Park, where Middlesbrough meet Sunderland in the big north-east “derby” and post-match by the Sunday Sun as "the greatest derby of all time".

It was a derby when first played on 26th November 1887 (FA Cup), it was a derby on 17th October 1936 (mentioned above), it was a derby on 7th October 2023 and it will always be a derby in the future.

Maybe Sunderland fans underplay it due to their atrocious record against Boro or maybe its mainly down to the internet generation!

Big crowds, ridiculous kick-off times, massive police presence and trouble at matches well past the 1980s aren't normally associated with "just another game".

Anyway, hopefully the narrative will continue to grow on Wearside ... all the better for Boro!

We don’t underplay it. Its just compared to playing the scum it means very little. More important than Sunderland Portsmouth yes, but not the big one.

I wouldn’t be using a Hartelpool paper to justify it being a derby, makes me think your a plastic smoggy and don’t know the area. But as I’m sure you know not nearly everyone in Middlesbrough is a Boro fan let alone outside of the toxic slums.

Hope that helps

 

[1879]

Feel just as pissed off getting beat off Stoke yesterday as I did the boro game the other week.

I’m 40 this year and have never thought of our games as a derby. Yes they have more of an edge but so does the likes of Leeds.

Beating them at the SoL last season was also the same as any other 3 points for me. Can’t really been seen as rivalry when meeting a Boro supporter is person is as rare as hens teeth.

 

[Georgewhitt]

The more Sunderland supporters that think playing Boro is "just another game" and not a "derby",the better for me and my fellow Boro supporters.

In part I feel it explains Boro's amazing record against Sunderland. The recent 4-0 victory was the 6th time I have seen Boro win at Sunderland in my last eight visits there (also one draw and one defeat).

To put that into context, Sunderland have won at Middlesbrough four times in the last 70 years!

I'm currently co-writing a book and included it in are references to previous Tees / Wear derbies. The 1936/37 First Division encounter at Boro ended 5-5 ... described pre-match by The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail as "the outstanding attraction is at Ayresome Park, where Middlesbrough meet Sunderland in the big north-east “derby” and post-match by the Sunday Sun as "the greatest derby of all time".

It was a derby when first played on 26th November 1887 (FA Cup), it was a derby on 17th October 1936 (mentioned above), it was a derby on 7th October 2023 and it will always be a derby in the future.

Maybe Sunderland fans underplay it due to their atrocious record against Boro or maybe its mainly down to the internet generation!

Big crowds, ridiculous kick-off times, massive police presence and trouble at matches well past the 1980s aren't normally associated with "just another game".

Anyway, hopefully the narrative will continue to grow on Wearside ... all the better for Boro!

Mate, I am a vocal supporter of it's status as a derby.
It is.

But equally, in my mind it shows it's secondary nature in the realms of derbies, when I had no idea of our historical record against you, and still actually don't really care.

On the day, it is a game that is a derby, and has more on it than others because of geography, but it's not The Mags. The one that really matters.

By overplaying it's status, you are purely serving to feed the "who gives a fuck" mentality marra.

I care about it on the day a bit more than other games, but do I care we have won 4 times in 70 years at your place? Not really mate.