Boy oh boy, these games are coming thick and fast - our heroic team have barely finished rubbing a bit of deep heat into those aching limbs after battling to our 4th win on the bounce, and here are again with the long trip up to North Yorkshire/Teeside to go and play an improving Middlesbrough side who will no doubt by buoyed by gaining wins on the spin themselves after a dreadful start to the season. Boro of course were beaten in the play-off semi final stage last season by the other CCFC and big things were expected of them this year, but it seems Michael Carrick's side have been taking a bit of time to adjust to the loss of several players, including key marksmen Chuba Akpom to Ajax for a fee of £10.5 million and Cameron Archer who promptly joined newly promoted Sheffield Utd once his loan at Boro ended. We've had a few good dingdongs with Boro over the years and until the last 2 seasons our record against them was starting to look pretty good, but 3 defeats in the last 4 just goes to reflect how our 2 sides started to go in differing directions. Last time out of course saw a home reverse as Boro marched on to that play-off berth. Having been at the game I did think the scoreline flattered our visitors that night somewhat even though they were deserved winners in the end, but that's now ancient history! This is the class of 2023 and Erol is stamping his mark on things, so can we go on and repeat last season's shock win up at the Riverside? I'm not sure I'd bet against us right now. Past Meetings As just mentioned, we have had some cracking games v Boro (I won't mention ALL the 1-0's!!), including last seasons topsy turvey affair that saw the Bluebirds race into a shock 3-0 half time lead, only to end up hanging on a little by full time. Some top finishes by the City though! https://www.skysports.com/watch/vid...ough-2-3-cardiff-city-championship-highlights Then in 2017 we had this slightly less dramatic win, courtesy of a late Ralls penalty (oh OK, I had to have at least one 1-0!!). Lastly, just because it was such a magic memory with magic goals, scored and created by a magician of a player (RIP Whitt's, we still luvs you more than you will know) , our 2008 FA Cup Quarter Final win https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/35635309 What Are The Odds On That? Talking of betting against us, it seems Vince is a little concerned about this one, making the home team odds on (seems a bit off to me). Maybe it's all part of his master plan and he's trying to lure Carrick's crew into a false sense of security?? Bulut's Bulletin With the games coming with such regularity, the Bluebirds squad is beginning to take a bit of a battering, with a number of injury concerns ahead of this game. Aaron Ramsey is of course out whilst the club wait on results of a scan on his knee, hoping and praying it won't need an operation after Bulut revealed he has ruptured a tendon. Another fresh injury worry or two emerged from City's win over Rotherham United on Saturday. Yakou Meite came off early in the first half with a hamstring injury, while Jamilu Collins had heavy strapping around his knee for most of the game after a first-half knock. Whether he is fit enough for the clash remains to be seen. Karlan Grant was also icing both of his calves after the game after a pretty chunky workload for him in recent weeks. Josh Bowler is expected to be back this week, whether that is for Middlesbrough away or Watford at home is as yet unknown. Callum O'Dowda is out for a couple more weeks yet. Better news comes in the shape of the inform Kion Etete who became top scorer for the side last weekend as he notched his 5th of the season and also more game time for Callum Robinson who continues to build his fitness. Rubin Colwill remained on the bench on the weekend squad so may make an appearance from the off on Tuesday night. For our hosts Lewis O’Brien is a major injury doubt after he was forced off during Saturday’s win at Watford with an ankle injury. O’Brien has been filling in at left-back in the last few weeks, and with Alex Bangura not expected to be available on Tuesday and Michael Carrick seemingly reluctant to play summer signing Lukas Engel, Rav van den Berg is likely to be stationed on the left of the back four with Tommy Smith playing at right-back. Darragh Lenihan missed out at the weekend because of an illness, but it is hoped he will be able to return to the starting side on Tuesday night whilst Marcus Forss returned from injury to make a 12-minute substitute appearance at Vicarage Road, and while he will be hoping for a return to the starting side, the Finn is likely to be on the bench again against Cardiff. Josh Coburn scored Boro’s winner at the weekend, and the Bedale-born forward is once again expected to get the nod ahead of Emmanuel Latte Lath. Well I Never Middlesbrough proudly claims Captain James Cook, one of history’s greatest explorers, as its native son. Cook’s voyages of discovery and his mapping of the Pacific greatly contributed to our understanding of the world, though for some strange reason he failed to mention anything about Swansea in his reports... suppose the town was even more insignificant back then than it is today though? ‘Mydilsburgh’ is the earliest recorded form of Middlesbrough’s name and dates to Anglo-Saxon times. ‘Burgh’ refers to an ancient settlement, or perhaps a fort of pre-Saxon origin which may have been situated on slightly elevated land close to the Tees. ‘Mydil’ was either the name of an Anglo-Saxon or a reference to Middlesbrough’s middle location, perhaps from it being a middle stopping point between the Christian centres of Whitby and Lindisfarne. Sorry, my head went a Tyne bit foggy there...... Sharing The Love Some great players that could have featured, including (once again) Captain Marvel Graham Kavanagh, Dutch Maestro Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and previously mentioned Ian Gibson (see the other CCFC match thread), so for now I've gone with these guys, some of which made more of a mark than others, but all of whom have given us some fond memories I'm sure. Fábio Pereira da Silva Returning to Man Utd after a loan spell at QPR in readiness for the 2013–14 season, Fábio made just three appearances for the club, his final appearance coming in the shock FA Cup third round home defeat to Swansea City in January 2014. Fábio was sent on as a 76th-minute substitute for the injured Rio Ferdinand, but three-and-a-half minutes later received a straight red card for a reckless lunge on José Cañas with the scores level at 1–1. The ten men of United subsequently conceded a 90th-minute goal and were knocked out of the FA Cup at the third round stage for only the second time in 28 years. Later that month, Manchester United manager David Moyes accepted a bid for Fábio from Cardiff City, and the transfer was completed on 29 January 2014 witrh Fabio going on to make his debut in Ole Gunnar Solskjær's first win, against Norwich City, after which he became a regular in the side that sadly suffered relegation from the Premier League at the end of the season. Fábio was a regular in the starting XI at the start of the following season, despite the sacking of Solskjær, who was replaced by Russell Slade. During the 2015–16 season, Fábio became a fan favourite in the Welsh capital following some impressive performances. He also scored his first goal in two years, a half-volley from 25 yards against our hosts Middlesbrough. Fábio missed the opening game of the following season, after which new Cardiff manager Paul Trollope announced he was in talks with Premier League Middlesbrough over a move for Fábio after Middlesbrough activated his release cause, with the move going through in August 2016. Having made just 3 appearances for Nantes Fabio signed for Brazilian side Gremio for the 2023-2024 season. Andy Campbell Born in Middlesbrough, Campbell started his career with his hometown team Middlesbrough, making his debut on 5 April 1996, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 win over Sheffield Wednesday. After loan spells with Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers, he scored against Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth-round, in a 2–0 win for Middlesbrough on 26 January 2002. After spending the rest of the season on loan at Cardiff City, the deal was made permanent for a reported £1 million. His Cardiff career got off to an explosive start, scoring 6 times in his first 4 appearances. Overall, he had two fairly productive years at the beginning of his spell at Ninian Park, including the memorable lob over goalkeeper Chris Day at the Millennium Stadium to give Cardiff a play-off victory over Queens Park Rangers to put them into the Football League Division One (Championship). However, he struggled in his remaining years and after loan spells with Doncaster Rovers and Oxford United he went on to join Scottish Premier League club Dunfermline Athletic, making his debut on 28 January 2006, in a 1–1 draw against Motherwell. Rudy Gestede Born in Essey-lès-Nancy, Gestede started at youth level at the age of 16, in 2004, where he played for Metz. Gestede joined the Bluebirds initially on a week-long trial during City's training camp in Seville, Spain in July 2011. He scored his first goal for Cardiff in the 25th minute of the club’s pre-season friendly against Charlton Athletic going on to be unveiled as a Cardiff City player three days later. He made his competitive debut for Cardiff on 7 August against West Ham United, coming on in the 68th minute in place of Robert Earnshaw, setting up Kenny Miller for the match's only goal. Gestede's first league goal came on 15 October against Ipswich Town, with the game also marking his first league start for Cardiff. The following game, however, on 21 October, he suffered an hamstring injury, which meant he was ruled out for several weeks. One of the highlights of his time with the club would be the League Cup Final against Premier League Liverpool at Wembley Stadium, sadly for Gestede however he missed one of the Bluebirds' spot-kicks which resulted in their defeat. No sooner had Gestede signed a contract extension he suffered a pre-season injury which kept him out of the first two months of the 2012–13 season making his return on 6 October coming on in the second half against Ipswich Town. Rudy’s first goal of that season came on 15 December in a 2–1 loss against Peterborough United. In what has been possibly finest performance in a Cardiff City shirt, Gestede scored two headers as City beat Nottingham Forest 3–0 at Cardiff City Stadium. He’d go on to collect a winners' medal as City won the Championship title and were promoted to the Premier League in April 2013. Following promotion Gestede was allowed to join Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of 2013 under an emergency loan arrangement after he found his playing time at Cardiff reduced, this move was made permanent at the end of the season. He’d later go on to a big money move to Aston Villa. Not bad for a player signed as a raw recruit and cover for our more established strikers. Tony Vidmar Joining the Bluebirds on a free transfer in 2003 from Middlesbrough, with manager Lennie Lawrence being quick to sign him after missing out the previous year following his release from Rangers, Vidmar quickly became a popular player at Cardiff and made 73 appearances for the club before leaving in 2005 to re-sign for Dutch side NAC Breda, the club he had left previously to join Rangers in 1997. 'When I signed for Cardiff City my mind was set on playing regular first team football to ensure I stayed in the Australian team and had a real chance of going to Germany. 'Cardiff City, without doubt, helped me achieve something which has been my biggest ambition for such a long time said Vidmar when going on to achieve an ambition by playing for Australia in the World Cup finals in 2006. Vidmar’s brother Aurelio was also a former footballer who became manager at Adelaide Utd. His daughter Mikayla Vidmar also went on to played in Women’s A-League for Canberra United FC. So, can Bulut's Bullet Bluebird Express train keep hammering along and claim another scalp? Will we see Kion keep rocking as sinks the Smoggies?? Or will we witness Goutas grab another in a second tight affair in the grim North following Macca's smash and grab??? All I know is the view is so much nicer from up here and I don't really want us to give it up just yet...... C'mon the City..... Blooooooooooooooooooooobirds!!!!!!
It's not just our team that's heroic Brizzle. I don't know how you manage to.get these threads together with games coming thick and fast. Then to do it without letting the quality fade is a real achievement. I'm sure I speak for all of us on here when I offer sincere appreciation of your outstanding efforts. Thank you. I think if we go to Boro with confidence and attack from the off, we can at least extend our unbeaten run. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
Cracking read brizzle as expected. Sharing the love reminded me of some 1970’s players - Alan Foggon, George Smith & Johny Vincent.
Dearth of comments on the thread so far, so just to say I got 3/1 on City for tonight - faint hearted I am not!....
Obviously this fixture brings back memories of Whitts and that glorious goal but just the mention of Boro makes me think of Greg Farrell and how he single handedly took them apart at Ninian. So I'm looking forward to Perry Ng scoring one and setting up four others.
Love your optimism Clingo. Only 5 for us then? From your correspondent in Kefalonia where it has been sunny and warm since Saturday. Unlike south Wales.
