The Twe12th Man Website

Man City programme notes
October 29th, 2008
Then and Now..

How times have changed! Just 5 months ago we were beating Manchester City 8-1 and believed we had finally found our 20 goals-a-season striker in Afonso Alves.

Since, City have new owners, capable of money-no-object purchasing power, spending over £50m to date bringing in players such as Brazilians, Jo and Robinho, evoking memories of the impact made by our Samba star signings, Juninho and Emerson. City have yet to see the expected results for their investment but that will only be a matter of time, surely?

English football is ever more attracting foreign patronage; however, will the bubble burst and could we see a major Premier League club go to the wall ultimately? West Ham, our next visitors, are heavily linked with the financially challenged Icelandic Banks, and already suggest they may have to sell to survive.

The PL seems a playground for billionaires and oligarchs; the worry for us fans is the heart and soul could be torn out of our clubs should this credit crunch bring these ‘investors’ crashing down. They, like Shylock, will inevitably demand their “pound of flesh” as reimbursement if/when the ‘product’ loses attractiveness (eg: the NUFC & Ashley scenario!) Hypothetically, could the reverse be a more level playing field in the PL with the smaller clubs able to complete financially with the ‘Big Four’? Will we ever see the day when smaller clubs can realistically hope to win the PL title?


We as Boro fans can be proud of our club, owned and run by a local businessman who believes the club belongs to the Community. We’re not immune to debt, but we still manage to bring off the occasional costly transfer deal. To survive we must cut our cloth accordingly, endeavour to invest in the conveyor belt of young, up and coming prospects from our Academy, balance this with experienced players, but be less reliant on the high-priced, higher-salaried older stars - as in the not too distant past.


All fans expect that their team can compete at the very top level and surely that is what the club is striving towards. At difficult times like these, the old maxim ‘strength from adversity’ becomes relevant. The players, certainly our younger ones, need our committed support. Get behind the team tonight, give them your vocal support, urge them on, give them the confidence to grow as players. C’MON BORO!

Support your team ’till the whistle
October 28th, 2008

The last home game was embarrassing and one that players and fans alike will be eager to forget. This week’s Man City match is the first of four home games within a month and it is crucial that the fans and players can spur each other on to ensure we aren’t at the wrong end of the table as we approach December.


Understandably, there has been a lot of reaction to the 0-5 drubbing in front of the TV cameras. Many of the comments that I read on internet messageboards were as critical of us – the fans – as they were of the players and management. It isn’t easy to support your team when they are performing so badly but the best fans stick with their team win, lose or draw.It seems obvious, but the relationship between players and fans and vice versa should work both ways. We should give our all to inspire the team and not just expect to be inspired to show our support.From a personal point of view I enjoy the match for one of two reasons; either the Boro have won or it has been a fantastic atmosphere and the fans have sang their hearts out for the team. Obviously when we win the atmosphere is more or less guaranteed. It can, and it should, work the other way though.

The recent away win at Wigan gives the perfect example. The football wasn’t that enthralling but the travelling support were vocal for the full 90 minutes. As Didier Digard said: “The support of the away fans was incredible it really lifted us and kept us going to the end of the match…” I accept there isn’t a great deal to sing about while your team isn’t competing on the pitch. It does however reflect better on us as fans if we can demonstrate the commitment in the stands that we expect from the players on the pitch.

The Riverside was bouncing at the start of the season against Spurs. A smaller crowd even generated a good atmosphere for a less important game against Yeovil. We have got four huge home games coming up, starting with Man City this week. Let’s stay behind the team throughout. I find it’s more enjoyable, whatever the result!

OUR CLUB, OUR TEAM, OUR TEESSIDE

The previous home game against WBA saw the unveiling of the "Boro Legends" banner at the back of the East Stand; unfortunately for us, it was the featured Legend patrolling the visitors' dugout that ended the game smiling..! Both Tony Mowbray and Gareth Southgate are well worthy of their place on the banner and would have formed a mean central defensive partnership. With the plan to add further Legends to the banner in the future, hopefully a player in red and white will begin their own legendary status today as we entertain Chelsea. I'm sure you'll agree the banner is a colourful addition to the stadium. As always, the Twe12th Man welcomes any feedback and/or feasible suggestions from Boro fans on projects we could undertake to enhance the 'matchday experience'.
Contact details can be found at the end of this article.

Our recent history with "the Blues" has been inextricably linked - from the play-off victory in the "Battle of Stamford Bridge", the despair of three Wembley Cup Final defeats, the historic first Riverside game and triumph, to the recent victories including the Juninho 'Goal of the Season' match in 1997 and the incredible 3-0 mauling of Mourinho's finest in 2006. The clubs that met in 1988 are unrecognisable from the ones that meet today; Chelsea, now a 'Top Four' club bankrolled by Roman's millions - and twice Premier League winners - and ourselves, inaugural PL members now consolidated as an established top flight club of 10 years standing, with the League Cup victory and European adventures behind us. But unlike Chelsea and many other clubs, we still have a local heartbeat, a Teesside heartbeat, as the banner proudly proclaims "Our Club, Our Team, Our Teesside".

Let us fill the Riverside with the noise and passion our local pride warrants; let us show the boys from the King's Road what Teesside steel is all about. With 'Teesside Spirit' on the pitch and in the stands, once again the Infant Hercules can rise against the odds and upset the big boys.
Come on Boro. ERIMUS


The Twe12th Man meets at 7:30 pm, on the 2nd Thursday monthly in the Ironopolis Club, Bright Street; all Boro fans welcome.
Email address: contactus@twe12thman.co.uk