The Twe12th Man Website

My first view of the Boro playing was in September (?) 1959 as a nine year old lad, and gained by climbing over the back wall of the General via the old pig pens. The game was into the second half when along with some other 'daft lads' I dropped what seemed to be forever into the inside of the ground and bolted into the stand.

I was immediately 'gripped', not by the 'Bobbie' I'd seen a few minutes before but by the electricity of the crowd. The game was against Leyton Orient (as they were known then) and the Boro won 2-1. I was transformed; from that point forward there could be no other team for me. I was sure God made blood red because that was the colour that the Boro played in.

Great players were on the pitch that day, Clough, Peacock, Kay, Day and Holiday to name a few.

I have followed the fortunes of the Boro ever since and seen the highs and lows, felt the elation and the depression; but at this moment in time I am more worried about the future for the club than at any other point. It is obviously a time of tight purse strings and I cannot see Gibbo (God bless 'im) being able to keep forking out to keep the club afloat. The spectre of relegation is real, perhaps more real than for many years and this time there may be no quick 'bounce back'.

There are excellent young players at the Boro who no doubt will mature into top class footballers, but should we be relegated what chance is there of keeping hold of the best of them. We will probably have to sell the best to balance the books. The other side of the relegation coin will also show us who among the squad is committed to the club and who has a greater commitment to themselves; watch the door to see who runs.

I wonder where the responsibility lies for the current predicament the club is in and who should shoulder the responsibility, if anyone?

The best we can hope for this season is for the Boro to perform the greatest escape act since Harry Houdini was around.

I do hope that my feelings are way off the mark and we don't end up like Leeds or Leicester, plunging down into the depths of oblivion and desperately fighting to swim to the surface for a breath of fresh air.

I suppose all we can do is 'keep the faith' hope that our passion and desire to succeed is matched by that of the team, along with a large slice of skill.

Micky M (an Erimus Exile)