Match Day Thread Watford v Middlesbrough

DEDICATED TO GRAHAM TAYLOR
FOR THE MEMORIES HE CREATED





WATFORD v MIDDLESBROUGH


Vicarage Road Saturday 14th January 3p.m.
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The visitors:
Middlesbrough were formed in 1876 and have played at the Riverside Stadium since 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889. They played at the Linthorpe Road ground from 1882 to 1903 and at Ayresome Park for 92 years, from 1903 to 1995.
They were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992 and became one of the first clubs to be relegated from it following the 1992/93 season.
Their highest ever league finish was third in the1913–14 season and they have only spent two seasons outside of the Football League's top two divisions.
They won the League Cup in 2004, the club's first and only major trophy. Middlesbrough secured promotion to the Premier League in 2016 after finishing in second place.

Manager Aitor Karanka
Save for a brief spell in the United States, he played solely in Spain for Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid, appearing in 275 La Liga games over the course of 13 seasons and winning a total of seven major titles with the latter.

In June 2010 he was appointed assistant manager at former side Real Madrid by José Mourinho. Three years later he left the club following the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, who brought his own coaching staff.

In November 2013 he became manager of Middlesbrough, replacing Tony Mowbray. On 25 April 2015, in the club's penultimate game of the season, Karanka sent his goalkeeper forward for an added-time corner kick, with the score 3–3 away to Fulham: with the goalkeeper out of position Fulham scored a winner which sent Watford into the Premier League. Middlesbrough's did qualify for the play-off final but lost to Norwich City.
He finally led the team to the top division after a seven-year absence, as runners-up in May 2016.

Recent Results:

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Thank you very much Leo. I hope that our team will do their best in honour of the great man.

 

Me too. I thought you needed a rest from Match Threads - my absence seems to have dumped on you rather. This was a bit rushed but hopefully will do.

 

Nice and fitting touch Leo, very good luck to the Golden Boys, do him proud!

 

A whole different ballgame on Saturday, now.

 

Crunch game, heartwrenching intro.

Can´t lose this one. We´ll really be looking down the table otherwise.

 

For GT: COYH!

 

Looking back at pictures of the GT years, so many successful seasons had the yellow shirts and red shorts. I wonder if they could find some red shorts for Saturday?

 

I can't help wondering how the players will respond, if at all, to news of GT. Troy may have met him but I doubt if many others at the club have. Hopefully the display of grief will show the players something of the soul of Watford and fire them up.

 

Yes I am sure the atmosphere will be so powerful................

 

It's ridiculous at my age but I have been very tearful yesterday and today and not sure I can cope tomorrow - seriously!
I hope for a fitting tribute on the pitch and in the stands.

 

You have to feel, just a little bit, for Middlesbrough. They have the role of gate crashing, and attempting to ruin, a wake.

 

I do wonder if some players have much idea why they stand around the centre circle so often these days.

 

Walter did say he was going to make sure the players knew what GT meant to the club/fans (translated of course!)

They are all humans who would lost somebody close to them in football and life though.

 

There might be thousands of people needing to wear dark glasses tomorrow

 

Wonder if Walter will set them up as the Guardian thinks...

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Er no

 

¡¡Might be the closest they have been all season mind!!

 

I kn

I know of at least one who is not coming because of just that.

 

Not 'dissing' you, I promise, NZ, but, irrespective of the result, a great game of football between two professional teams is what GT would want, I think. Middlesbrough isn't a northern club that will fill their stand with plastic fans from within the M25, these ladies and gents will have made a very long journey (and be looking forward to a very long return journey), in far from ideal travelling conditions, to see their historical side do battle against ours. I'm pleased it's someone like Middlesbrough. As long as our lads turn up, show the fans by their effort that they respect what GT means to us, the wake will be memorable for the right reasons.