The first reunion with Neil Warnock at the back end of last season was one of the easiest matches we had in 2020, but Middlesbrough’s visit to south Wales in October was a much tighter affair and although Warnock’s Boro have been inconsistent lately, I’d expect a tough test on Saturday as we seek a seventh straight win. Here’s seven questions on Middlesbrough.
60s. A defender who started off with his home town club, he endured a tough childhood living on a street which produced four other professional footballers of a similar age to him. his form after breaking into the first team at this club which would have a name change during his second spell with them attracted the interest of Manchester United at one time, but when he, reluctantly, moved on, after seven years, he signed for the red of Middlesbrough. Boro were regular opponents of ours at the time, but it took him a while to face us after signed – when he did, things generally went well for him, with only one, heavy, defeat against City to his name, His time at Middlesbrough included a detention by police who were suspicious of what they thought was a resemblance to Great Train Robber Ronald Biggs! Maybe this incident planted the seed for a move a lot closer to home after three years on Tees side, he stayed in red at his third club and was made club captain upon signing, but he returned home before what was arguably the greatest moment in his third club’s history. There was a promotion to be celebrated when he got home, but his manager’s decision to introduce afternoon training sessions led to him deciding to retire in 1971 at the age of thirty four because the extra training was interfering with his business interests. Can you name the player being described?
70s. Very much the support band to the main act, this man’s Middlesbrough career was winding down when he played for them in a win over us at Ayresome Park that saw four members of our 1971 Youth Cup side, which reached the final of that competition, in its ranks. A lack of first team opportunities following Boro’s promotion to the First Division saw him return to the second tier on loan and, despite only playing nine games for these birds with a connection to this blog, he ended up as their top scorer for that season. Permanent moves to a home of confectioners and then a place where they execute animals followed before his retirement at thirty two, but who is he and who were the four youngsters in the City side mentioned above?
80s. This midfielder declined offers of a contract with the two biggest clubs in the area where he was born for one at a city which is generally perceived to be its rival. The decision looked to be a good one as he broke into their first team at eighteen as he was seen as an eventual replacement for one of an iconic midfield trio that had helped them win the league title the previous season. Although he developed into someone who was a first team regular for much of the next seven years, injuries held him back and he was eventually sold to stripey under achievers on the other side of the country. He played a part in getting this team back to the top flight, but, in the process began a process which saw him become surplus to requirements and he was released to play for less fashionable striped strugglers close by. Even though his career was on a downward slope, he was still too good for such a level and, after just six games, he was restored to the second tier at one of the Football League’s outposts and, after a season, he left for his final club, Middlesbrough – he came up against City twice in his one season with Boro with both matches resulting in narrow home wins between sides much closer to the bottom of the table than the top – can you identify this player from the above?
90s. Angels prone to want inclusion of an Indian opener. (5,7)
00s. Bovine manoeuvre in Scotland? (4,8)
10s. Take note of big nose? (3,6)
20s. Which current Middlesbrough player can be turned into a “glittering chipolata” with a bit of the North?
Answers:
60s. Swansea born Mel Nurse lived on Alice Street when he was growing up – this was also where John and Mel Charles, and fellow Welsh internationals Jackie Roberts and Ernie Jones lived for some of their childhoods. Nurse’s only defeat by City in a Middlesbrough shirt came in a 6-1 loss at a Ninian Park in January 1965. Nurse signed for Swindon after leaving Boro, before a return to Swansea Town just before the club’s name changed to its present title.
70s. Eric McMordie was the boy who travelled to Manchester from Belfast with a young George Best and promptly headed back home with him when they were intimidated by their new surroundings, but, whereas Best was persuaded back, McMordie never returned and stayed in Belfast until 1964 when he moved to Middlesbrough. McMordie made around three hundred appearances for Boro in eleven years with them with one of the latter ones being in a 3-0 win over us at Ayresome Park in November 1973 (our team that day included Phil Dwyer, John Impey, Jimmy McInch and Derek Showers who were all in the successful 70/71 City youth team). McMordie was loaned to Sheffield Wednesday in 74/75, scoring six times in his nine appearances for them before spells with York City (home of Rowntrees) and Hartlepool (the monkey hangers) brought an end to his career.
80s. Salford born Gary Buckley chose to link up with Everton as a teenager despite interest from both Manchester United and City and he was to play around one hundred and fifty times for the Merseysiders before being sold to Sunderland in 1978. Buckley had five years on Wearside before signing for Hartlepool for a short period before finishing with a season each at Carlisle and Middlesbrough – he was in the Boro team which beat us 3-2 at Ayresome Park and then lost 2-1 at Ninian Park during 84/85.
90s. Nigel Pearson.
00s. Ross Turnbull.
10s. Ben Gibson.
20s. The “glittering chipolata” was a not very flattering nickname given to Marc Bolan as he put on weight towards the end of his life – current Boro player Marc Bola can be turned into Marc Bolan with “a bit of the North”.