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Is Boro a derby?

I don’t consider it a derby at all.
When we are playing the mags I feel ill for weeks before we play them. I barely even give our games against Boro a thought.
It’s nowt at all like the mags game.
 
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it is simple really, to you lot it may or may not be a derby, depends on point of view. To us it is, hence the attendance for the game is up at the top end in most seasons.
As for the reason we had 24k or there abouts for our last couple of game small away crowds don't help, but overall everyone realises the season is over, we are just meandering to seasons close. There won't be anymore big gates this season, with the possible exception of Leeds, also seen as a bit of a derby for us. We are not the same in this respect both the Mags and yourselves will bitch and gripe about things, but on Saturday will still turn up. We on the other hand will skip the bitching and griping faze and vote wit our feet and not bother, can not say its right just different mindsets. I suppose its what makes us Yorkshire and you North East.
 
Please can we ask this next time we play them again?

Honestly, I never ever get sick of seeing it.
 
oriss said:
it is simple really, to you lot it may or may not be a derby, depends on point of view. To us it is, hence the attendance for the game is up at the top end in most seasons.
As for the reason we had 24k or there abouts for our last couple of game small away crowds don't help, but overall everyone realises the season is over, we are just meandering to seasons close. There won't be anymore big gates this season, with the possible exception of Leeds, also seen as a bit of a derby for us. We are not the same in this respect both the Mags and yourselves will bitch and gripe about things, but on Saturday will still turn up. We on the other hand will skip the bitching and griping faze and vote wit our feet and not bother, can not say its right just different mindsets. I suppose it’s what makes us Yorkshire and you North East.
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It’s crazy how many people round this way claim to support the Boro but simply choose to not go to the riverside unless there’s a big game going on. I live in Stockton, all my mates are Boro fans and 2 of them go to the riverside regular. Endless posts of ‘UTB’ on social media with a pint watching the game in the pub or at home. It’s not an affordability thing either I just find it strange. Whereas every Sunderland fan I know from Teesside goes to the game, I don’t know any SAFC fans round here that don’t .
 
oriss said:
it is simple really, to you lot it may or may not be a derby, depends on point of view. To us it is, hence the attendance for the game is up at the top end in most seasons.
As for the reason we had 24k or there abouts for our last couple of game small away crowds don't help, but overall everyone realises the season is over, we are just meandering to seasons close. There won't be anymore big gates this season, with the possible exception of Leeds, also seen as a bit of a derby for us. We are not the same in this respect both the Mags and yourselves will bitch and gripe about things, but on Saturday will still turn up. We on the other hand will skip the bitching and griping faze and vote wit our feet and not bother, can not say its right just different mindsets. I suppose its what makes us Yorkshire and you North East.
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I think you hit the nail on the head: to some it is more than just another match and to others it's not. Back in the '80s and '90s there were definitely people who were more bothered about this match than most others. Personally, it was just another match for me, and I grew up half way between Sunderland and Middlesbrough. That's not to belittle Middlesbrough, good club, good history. A lot of the old fellas 'round here were Sunderland fans but they used to go and watch all three teams, talking '50s/'60s. The culture then was going to watch good players and Middlesbrough had their fair share.

As for Yorkshire, I'd rather see the Watsonian county boundaries than contrived boundaries such as Cleveland and Tyne and Wear. To me, Middlesbrough is Yorkshire just as Hartlepool is Durham. 'Not sure what the problem with that would be given North Yorkshire is an outstanding place including places just outside of Middlesbrough.
 
we three kings said:
See their crowd was down to 24000 today
Similar to their Hull game
Boos all over the place -Slaven saying booing this and booing that -Carrick getting a pasting
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They’ll click soon
Never understood the hype he gets as a manager
Seems their fans are starstruck by him because of who he is
Warnock and pulis were peddled for doing no worse
 
Disco_Pants93 said:
It’s crazy how many people round this way claim to support the Boro but simply choose to not go to the riverside unless there’s a big game going on. I live in Stockton, all my mates are Boro fans and 2 of them go to the riverside regular. Endless posts of ‘UTB’ on social media with a pint watching the game in the pub or at home. It’s not an affordability thing either I just find it strange. Whereas every Sunderland fan I know from Teesside goes to the game, I don’t know any SAFC fans round here that don’t .
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Have noticed this myself living down here although a large proportion go to the smog games the majority of them don't they watch and bitch on in the pub. However all sunderland fans I know down here and there's a few of us all season card holders .
 
wev17 said:
Sunderland first club in history not to have armchair fans apparently 🤣
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Not what I was saying is it? I’m saying I’ve grown up in Stockton, all my mates are Boro fans, most people I know are from round here. It staggers me how many people don’t go to the games compared to the amount that do. Every team obviously has arm chair fans but there’s a reason there was nearly 20k more at the SOL yesterday than at the riverside. The Boro need to be doing more to get people in the ground imo.
 
Disco_Pants93 said:
Not what I was saying is it? I’m saying I’ve grown up in Stockton, all my mates are Boro fans, most people I know are from round here. It staggers me how many people don’t go to the games compared to the amount that do. Every team obviously has arm chair fans but there’s a reason there was nearly 20k more at the SOL yesterday than at the riverside. The Boro need to be doing more to get people in the ground imo.
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In our entire history Boro average 19k, Sunderland 26k. There are tens of thousands of 'fans' for each club that don't go. Are you saying Boro have more fans in general than Sunderland? I don't think so. I would say a lot more people call themselves Sunderland fans than people do Boro fans (?)

I would imagine the difference between the 2 set of clubs armchair fans will be proportional to each clubs attenance. In certainly isn't particular to Middlesbrough. That's just bollocks to be honest.
 
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Disco_Pants93 said:
Back down to 24k yesterday as expected. Wasn’t just because they were playing us though that it was full the home game before
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I don't think any Boro fans were saying it wasn't were they?

It's Sunderland fans who have this weird obsession with saying it's just another game, yet when we played at the SOL it was your 2nd highest gate of the season, despite it being an early kick-off on Sky.
Disco_Pants93 said:
Not what I was saying is it? I’m saying I’ve grown up in Stockton, all my mates are Boro fans, most people I know are from round here. It staggers me how many people don’t go to the games compared to the amount that do. Every team obviously has arm chair fans but there’s a reason there was nearly 20k more at the SOL yesterday than at the riverside. The Boro need to be doing more to get people in the ground imo.
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Just regarding this, ticket pricing is obviously is a factor. Your season tickets are a lot cheaper than ours, particularly your junior pricing.

I'm not suggesting we would average similar crowds if we had the same pricing, but it's definitely a factor.

I honestly think we do okay though. A 27k average in the Championship is hardly poor.
 
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The Boro season ticket renewals have gone down like a lead balloon haven’t they :lol: We moan at our owners being out of touch but those prices are insane. 1 pay day for the fans to find the money and commit as well… can’t get a season ticket under £500 for an adult anywhere in the ground and nothing for less than £574 if you’re a new early bird buyer.
Social media is not a good read if you’re the Boro hierarchy
 
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