While I was staying in Blackpool last week there was a few other people staying there from Peterlee, So we decided to have a night on the town on Thursday, this was the night of one Boro’s biggest games in their history, the UEFA cup quarter final second leg against Basel at the Riverside stadium in Middlesbrough.
The night started for a couple of work colleagues and myself in the Hotel bar. The bar staff were kind enough to put the Football on the Plasma Televisions so we could watch, Basel would the first match 2-0 mean Boro had to score three goals without let Basel scoring another to win. This I felt was a very difficult task I one we would probably not be able to complete.
We started will and on 14 minutes, and should have had a penalty, however nine minutes later the task was made much more difficult as Eduardo’s tapped-in a goal for Basle which left us needing four goals to win.
Before the second half ended we headed into Blackpool town and more specifically to the Australian style bar Walkabout, in which we meet we our other colleagues for this night out. When I arrived at the pub I found that Mark Viduka had pulled one back before half-time with a powerful run and shot. So my eyes were glues to the huge projection screen for the second half
Basle’s defence again succumbed on 57 minutes when Yakubu slid the ball through for Viduka to sidestep Zuberuehler and shoot home from a difficult angle. Then Our hopes were lifted again when Majstorovic, who had been Basle’s dominant force in defence, was sent off. At this point all the play was one way with Boro constantly attacking Basle’s goal. A stunning shot from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink made it 3-3.
As this point someone tried to introduce some important colleagues to me, but unfortunately I could take my eyes of that large screen.
And as the minutes ticked down, Fabio Rochemback’s had a shot which was only parried by Zuberuehler and Maccarone squeezed home the rebound to send the myself and many other disbelieving Boro fans at the Riverside into ecstacy.
I am scream and shouted, and at the final whistle I had to smoked a cigarette to help me calm down, I could not believe what just saw (I still cannot to a degree) and after a short period during which many people shock my hand I went outside and phoned the wife.
Sometime after we left the Walkabout and for another pub, final ending up in a decent Nightclub and a good night was had by almost everybody including the large party of the Women dress as school girls (one of whom drew on my face) and myself as I manage to stay reasonably sober.
Went to the match last Saturday despite the fact I’ve actually give up all of Boro staying up after the humiliation of the Bolton away match. However I know there is a little piece of me that ignores this logic and will not give it up until it is mathematically impossible, so off I went to watch Middlesbrough v Fulham in the Premier League. This was a must win game for the Boro, and disappointingly we didn’t win. We managed a come a way with just one point after drawing the match 0-0. This was because of lack of a cutting edge as the extremely well worn football cliché goes, and to be honest we were lucky not concede a late goal as Fulham piled on the pressure in the last five minutes. All in all, like the rest of the Middlesbrough’s season, it was very disappointing.
Middlesbrough F.C. have recently unveiled their new away kit for the 08/09 season, and in rare bit of good news regarding Boro kits, we have returned to the Black and Blue Striped kit. Which was first seen in the Jack Charlton’s Seventies era, and is a particular favourite of mine.