Fan Stories: Middlesbrough Malcontents
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Some telling comments on a Boro message board thread, titled “Are We Stagnating?” on FMTTM.
Benboro kicks the thread off:
This season has been really poor. 15th position in the league, we will do well to reach 40 points and will just stay up as there are many equally poor sides ( many of whom have not spent the money we have )
So once again we re group and go into a new season full of hope and expectations. The season ticket renewal arrives on the door mat promising top players, attacking football and relative success.
Then after another season of ups and mainly downs I will most likely be sat here typing exactly the same stuff in a years time.
Then Parmogus:
i have had 31 years of that mate and thats why i have given it all up i just cannot be arsed with it all .Years ago i used to stand on the holgate with about 22 mates week in and week out the same as when the riverside opened as well there are now 5 left and only 1 is defo renewing next year
Then Diasboro_Dan:
Someone has got to be mid-table and mid-table is the worst place to be nowadays. There’s nothing to compete for but no opportunity to experiment for next season because safety is so much more important now. For example, Adam Johnson can’t be given games but he can’t be loaned out, so they can’t make the most of him. Also, it’s the worst position financially. It costs millions to park the side in mid-table, whereas demoted Watford actually made a profit from last season after selling just one player and still having a team. They are more financially secure than Boro.
I think this could have come from fans of any of about 8 or 9 clubs in the Prem, whose highest aspiration is UEFA Cup qualification or a good run in one of the cups.
It’s that last comment that really resonated with me: “Mid-table is the worst place to be”. It costs millions to maintain that position, but the fans are deserting because it’s so boring.
Ouch.
Being an Arsenal fan, I probably don’t have the proper perception of monotonous mediocrity.
But, on the bright side. Southgate seems to be becoming a better manager week in week out. Boro have the resources to go out and make a signing like Alves. And, you just outplayed Man United.
I wouldn’t be so fatalistic about the league. I think as the revenues begin to increase, it will increase parity, where clubs like Boro can afford to keep talented players and bring in a 10mGBP player to add a bit of class to a promising youth system.
Everton is a few players away from competing for a CL place. Man City could next year if they get a striker and stay healthy. Tottenham will be snooping around. All is not lost.