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Let’s Make it Another Night to Remember
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
The majority of memorable matches at the Riverside have come in cup matches and in more particular night cup matches. Even before the incredible adventure across Europe in recent seasons, night cup matches make up a big part of the short but “thrill a minute” Riverside history.
Without even thinking flashbacks come back to you of the two runs to the League cup final, fantastic victories against the Geordies and Liverpool twice. Memories of rare Whyte and Vickers goals and Higgy beating the hapless David James, and probably the most amazing start to a match against Liverpool a year later, with Marco Branca setting up one and scoring one before hanging on for the next 85 mins! These were nights of great Boro performances on the pitch but also in the terraces, the Riverside roof lifted by pride, passion and unbelievable noise.
Other examples the superb performance against Arsenal on our way to lifting the League Cup, nearly exactly 4 years to the day. Is it really that long? It still seems to be like yesterday but a lot more excitement has been packed into those 4 years. Sending Charlton’s “Operation Riverside” back to South London with their tails firming between their legs, “you’ve come for free, now f**k off home!” we chanted on a night where the class showed through on the pitch and the crowd were in full voice.
Then to Europe, the incredibly emotional first tentative steps against Banik, the roar that greeted the Boro to European competition was something truly to behold and an even greater one to Jimmy scoring Boro’s first European goal. But that was only the start, many more great nights and great Riverside atmospheres were to follow, the Romans of Lazio sent packing by a Zenden brace and the roar of Teesside shouting “a small town in Europe” but knowing their club had shown they belong on this higher stage.
Before the two greatest Riverside nights, the matches which followed scripts even Hollywood could not produce. The two most amazing comebacks back to back to take Middlesbrough Football Club all the way to the UEFA Cup final. Performances epitomised by never say die attitude on the pitch, as well as no little amount of skill, and off the pitch backed by incessant noise from supporters who truly believed in the team representing them.
Tonight could be another one to add to these great memories, a fantastic opportunity for another FA Cup quarter final and with the draw opening up a possible new Wembley appearance and maybe more! An opportunity which we have to grasp with both hands. We have seen the team grow over the past months into a unit built on solid foundations, a superb work ethic and full of trust in the way Southgate wants them to play. A team that has earned our full backing which we must give them tonight.
Let’s create another memorable Riverside atmosphere and back the boys on to victory with 90 minutes of Boro Noise. Come on Boro, We Shall Overcome!