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Turning points in Boro's history


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What do you feel are turning points in Boro's history?

 

There are many - but one I feel that would alter everything if it didn't happen - the collapse of Middlesbrough Ironopolis.

 

Just imagine if that had not occurred - Teesside with two teams in competition with each other for players and for fans.

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There are many - but one I feel that would alter everything if it didn't happen - the collapse of Middlesbrough Ironopolis.

 

Just imagine if that had not occurred - Teesside with two teams in competition with each other for players and for fans.

 

Like Darlington, Hartlepool or even Stockton F.C.?

 

Ironopolis were just another amateur team.

 

In terms of turning points the obvious one's in recent memory are:

 

Liquidation and Bruce Rioch,

Steve Gibson taking over,

Hiring Bryan Robson (was pivotal),

Moving to the Riverside,

The three point deduction and

Hiring Gareth Southgate.

 

I don't think any other events since 86', have changed the face of the club with such vigour.

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The one missed opportunity I rue is that in January 2009 prior to us being relegated Gibson kept faith in Southgate when we were looking destined for relegation. Especially with Allardyce available, who then went on to take over at Blackburn and keep them up with a worse squad than ours.

 

Yes he plays awful football(if I can call it that) but at that moment in time with us looking destined for relegation I would have been delighted if we appointed him as Southgate didn't have a clue and it would have stopped the decline before it spiraled out of control.

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He simply shouldn't have been appointed in the first place.

 

He was incompetent and had a suprisingly poor work ethic as a manager.

 

In 2006, the squad needed managing. We had a wage bill that was far too big for our finances and it needed cutting. We have a lovely little side 06-07 and even the 07-08 side was more than capable of surviving relegation, but we needed an experienced manager to oversee the next squad transition (one such thing Ferguson was brilliant at)

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Surely the Carling cup final. Put us into Europe for the first time, out first major trophy and 2 years later and we were in the final.

 

And the appointment of Mclaren, the trophy, the European nights, the signings of players like Mendieta, Southgate, Hasselbaink and Juninho. None of that would have come if it wasn't for him. While the hardship of reducing the financial damage and the following demise probably wouldn't have happened, so his appointment is a big turning point.

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The 1989-90 season - The goals Bernie scored that season kept us up. If we had gone down that season I truly think it would have been a long way back, there would have been no Robson, no Premier league years etc...

 

For me that what a huge watershed moment. Beating the geordies on the last day to stay up and deny them promotion was even better!!

 

UTB

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I see that spell as a by-product of what went before it...i.e. moving to the Riverside, hiring Robson etc. It was going to happen at some point as it should've happened in '97. It did raise our profile in Europe so i'm inclined to agree.

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1. Jack Charlton not spending in the 70's;

2. Bernies's and Bairds goals v Newcastle at the end of the 89-90 season 5th May, winning 4:1 (thank god Mirandinia went off injured);

3. Uwe Fuchs signing and goals at the end of the 94-95 season;

4. Not turning up at Blackburn;

5. The appointment of Gareth Southgate - destroyed a legend and gave the job to a rookie;

6. Selling Mark Schwarzer (see what's happening at Fulham);

7. Moving to the Riverside;

8. Carling Cup Final;

9. Ravanelli - really put our name on the map;

10. 1986, liquidation, the beginning of the hope and the greater involvement of Gibbo;

11. Emerson going missing and kicking off.

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Bad - Appointing Southgate. Demolished a mid table banker Premiership Club over two seasons. No experience or respect with the squad.

 

Good - 2004 - 2006 were great times to be a Boro fan. The Carling Cup Final - Beating the likes of ***nal and Spurs and Everton on penalties was great. And then the two seasons in Europe.

 

I really do think with the right manager at the helm we would be up there where Everton and Spurs were 4 seasons ago. They were in a similar position to us (mid table) and they had better decisions than us.

 

IN saying that however, it could have been worse, we could have done a Charlton or Portsmouth!

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