Boro vs Coventry City 2-4 (Whittaker, Thomas (og) )

[RiseAgainst 5,505 4.4k]

Middlesbrough vs Coventry City

Riverside Stadium, 7.45pm, Tuesday 25th November in the year of our Lord 2025

 

Scene: Int (Day). A Rockliffe Meeting Room

[Steve Gibson, Kieran Scott and Adi Viveash are sat across a boardroom table. Gibson is leafing through a Cockney to English dictionary, Scott is stroking a white cat and Viveash is picking his nose.]

GIBSON: Right, three down and two to go.

VIVEASH: I have to be honest, guys, I didn’t like Gerrard very much.

GIBSON: What didn’t you like?

VIVEASH: When I asked how he’d respond if I challenged him on tactics, he said he’d send his in-laws round to drop breezeblocks on my kneecaps. 

GIBSON: Yes, that did seem a bit heavy handed. Where the hell is my phone?

SCOTT: Shall we call the next geezer in for his rabbit and pork?

GIBSON: Rabbit and…oh, talk. Got you. [He presses a large red button marked Summon Manager and the door opens to reveal Raphaël Wicky, loaded down with two encyclopaedias, a flip chart, a pointer and an overhead projector]

WICKY: Greetings one and all. My name is Raphaël and I was going to show you a presentation but my laptop has gone missing. Anyway, I have memorised it. I joined Young Boys three years ago when my predecessor David Wagner departed the Wankdorf Stadium in fewer than optimal circumstances. Immediately, I decided that Hegelian dialectics would be central to my philosophy of instilling a rigid… [the shot fades out and fades back in much later] …while this panoramic system had the merit of securing the competence of symbolic manifestations… [the shot fades out again and fades back to reveal Gibson’s head resting on the desk with a glazed look, while Viveash snores quietly] …horses for courses, as you might say. And that, in essence, is why I think I am the ideal candidate over other people to be installed in Middlesbrough. Any questions?

GIBSON [to himself]: Many. [Out loud] Thank you, Raphaël. That was…very detailed. ChatGPT, please summarise what he’s just said over the last three hours.

CHATGPT: Hi Steve. Sure. Here are the highlights of the last three hours. Young Boys…Wankdorf…rigid…horses…over other people…in Middlesbrough. Would you like me to search the web for images relating to this?

GIBSON: Absolutely not.

CHATGPT: Sure! Here are some fake images I just made up showing young…

EVERYONE: STOP!

WICKY: Was there anything else I can add to this hopefully detailed analysis?

GIBSON: No, I think you’ve covered everything, and lots more besides. Thank you, Raphaël. [Wicky walks out] 

SCOTT: What the galloping f*** was all that about?

VIVEASH [looking at his notes]: I think he said an iterative movement centred on absolute boundaries in nature was the key to getting early crosses into the box. But honestly, for the last part, I was just thinking about what I’m having for tea.

SCOTT: So does he get the Uncle Bob?

GIBSON: The…[he flicks through the dictionary] Ah. Unless the final candidate is really impressive, he’ll have to do. Let’s hope he can fit his half-time team talks into 15 minutes or we’re really screwed. Who’ve we got left?

VIVEASH [squinting at a piece of paper]: I can hardly read this terrible handwriting, but it looks like Dr Nathan Floodgate? [Gibson presses the red button and the door swings open to reveal a man with a huge beard, dark glasses and a laptop showing the first slide of a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation]

GIBSON [wearily]: Jonathan, we’ve been through this. Not this time. We’ll call you, remember? [Woodgate shambles out muttering something about new graduated transitions] 

VIVEASH: Well, I think that settles it. [Under the desk, Gibson’s phone lights up with the Crazy Frog ringtone at full volume] 

GIBSON: Good afternoon, S Gibson Esq speaking. [pause] Oh, hi. [pause] The whole of south Wales stank of old tyres? [pause] Can you get crosses into the box? [pause] Great. One last question – have you ever eaten a parmo? [pause] Yeah, I’d have cheese on toast as well. Never mind, you’re in. I’ll get Kieran to fax over a contract. Bye! [He throws the phone onto the desk and puts his hands behind his head]

VIVEASH: Who was that?

GIBSON [smugly] Our new manager.

SCOTT: Wait, what?

GIBSON: Kim…Hellberg, I think his name is.

VIVEASH: Wait, who?

GIBSON: I’ve had my eye on him since FM22. He’s over this week doing a tour of Championship clubs and I told him to hit me up if he was free. So he’s our manager now.

SCOTT: But what about the Hegelian philosophy and all the iterative moments?

GIBSON: Ah, knackers to that. Flat back four, one up top, crosses from wide, running the shop. Lovely jubbly and all that Cockney nonsense. We have our man.

SCOTT: Oh well, that was easy. Anyone fancy some tiddly in the nuclear sub to celebrate? 

[Gibson looks to the heavens and the scene fades out]

 

Match details:

I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this MDT, since defeat is almost inevitable and it means my MDT authoring streak will stop at one. But since our players appeared to forget what to do with the round leather thing and the big net thing on Saturday, here we are.

There are so many unknowns about this game, not least whether our new manager will be in the dugout, watching on from the directors box (as has been rumoured) or even in the country. We have players not making the squad for strange reasons, players who were rested on Saturday who might be able to play (or might not), players who are injured for unspecified periods of time and players who simply aren't performing. At all. 

 

Form guide:

Helmed by the improbable saviour of Frank Lampard, Coventry are a lean, mean winning machine, evidenced by their fightback from two goals down to take all three points against WBA on Saturday. With 30 games left to play, they're halfway to a points tally which should guarantee playoffs as a minimum, though I doubt they're thinking so modestly. Moreover, they've scored more goals than the teams in second and third place combined. Perhaps, like Brentford before them, they've finally found the formula to escape this cursed division. Or perhaps they're just on a confidence-fuelled roll that will inevitably end sooner or later when the rub of the green goes against them and referees start treating them the way Boro have been treated all season?

Our form…well, let's not go there, eh? We seem to keep scraping results which keep us near the top of the table, but often after lousy attacking performances. Up front, we have about as much bite as a muzzled dog that left its dentures in its kennel and is currently tackling an entire bar of toffee. It really is woeful, and like our last three managers, I have no obvious suggestions about how to improve our moribund forward line. Other than, you know, endlessly practicing putting the round leather thing into the big net thing.

 

Questions for the audience:

1. Who makes your starting XI?

2. How many goals will Coventry win by?

3. Which of our attacking players should be sold or loaned out in the upcoming transfer window?

4. What's the worst interview you ever had?

 

[Humpty 6,459 11.5k]

If we have our first choice back four out, i'd fancy us but i don't think we do. Matt Targett will be a big loss.

Made some assumptions on fitness..

Brynn

Brittain Fry Jones Ayling

Browne Hackney Morris

Hansen Conway McGree

[edinboro 1,832 2.6k]

Brilliant OP. We need more of that content.

This is a really intriguing game. Coventry are poor at the back and concede easily to crosses into the box. So you would think Strelec on the end of crosses from Britain, McGree, Silvera or anyone would be dead simple. Make it happen Adi.

I think the line up will end up as below. Fry will be wheeled out to play however much of the game he can manage. Targett I think needs to sort his foot and calf out.

                 Brynn

         Ayling Fry Jones

Brittain                       Silvera

   Hackney Morris McGree

              Conway Strelec

McCormick on the bench to cover Fry. Bangura to cover Sammy.

Sene on the bench for late energy surge. Browne to come on to shore things up. 

 

 

[edinboro 1,832 2.6k]

Also, ticket sales look quite low at the moment. I hope folk decide to go. It should be a really good game and atmosphere.

[BoroDownSouth 705 4.5k]

Questions for the audience:

1. Who makes your starting XI?

 

Brynn

Brittain Fry Jones Targett

Browne Morris Hackney

Hansen McGree

Conway

 

Sene and Strelec in squad. Would like to see

 

Hansen Strelec McGree

Sene/Conway 

as a front 4 though.

 

2. How many goals will Coventry win by?

1-4 to Cov I think, annoyingly. They seem to be a team who once they get 1 or 2, will just go wild.

 

3. Which of our attacking players should be sold or loaned out in the upcoming transfer window?

None tbf, new manager coming in so may get a tune out of them so annoyingly some get a clean slate. I think likes of Burg, Whittaker have the thinnest ice of all just due to time at club and lack of return so far - albeit Whittaker leading stats this season (probably by virtue of us being extremely poor so not difficult to lead those G/A stats?).

 

4. What's the worst interview you ever had?

Had an interview for an internal job which I was lead to believe was "mine", interview with my new bosses boss and from the get go she was anti me getting the job. Never experienced anything like it. Turned out they had *** the process and decided to go external instead and had hired someone a week before my interview and instead of being grown up and explaining it, they stiffed me in the interview with confontrational questioning and *** like that! Was very fun.

[Marz 349 1.8k]

I don't think Hackney, Morris AND Browne seems to work for us offensively. All 3 are big players for us and I can understand why we try and get them all on the pitch, but I think we'd be a much bigger threat at home with another attack minded player in there instead. I'd go:

---------------Brynn---------------

Brittain - Jones - Fry - Targett/McCormick

---------Morris - Hackney----------

Whittaker --McGree--Hansen

-----------------Sene--------------------

[Downsouth 9,015 40.4k]

Well if there was ever a time to reverse recent results against Coventry then this is it!

Totally fed up with how easily it seems that Coventry dispatch us over the last few seasons and we never seem to give them a good fight.

Let's be steadfast in defence and hope for a break away goal otherwise I see Coventry putting their usual 3 goals scored against us.

Bracing myself for our first home defeat of the season

[Downsouth 9,015 40.4k]

other games of interest playing tomorrow

Swansea V Derby

Stoke V Charlton

Watford V PNE

Southampton V Leicester

Millwall V Sheff Wed

Playing Wednesday WBA V Birmingham 

[Erimus74 6,066 6k]

Played for both clubs

Alex McCulloch - Played 3 games for the Boro in 1907/08 season, scoring the one goal. After a few clubs he signed for Coventry in 1912

Kenneth McPherson - Between 1953-/56 making 33 appearances, scoring 15 goals. Signed for Coventry from the Boro

Peter Taylor - Signed from Coventry he became our 27th different first team goalkeeper played 146 games between 1955-61

Arthur Lightening - South African bit of a colourful character during his short time at Ayresome Park after he signed for the Boro from Coventry for £12,500 in August 1962 when he became our 30th different first team GK, making 18 appearances . In April 1963 he was given permission to attend his brothers funeral back in South Africa & never came back 

Ian Gibson - My dad referred to him as the then little Juninho, played 118 games, scoring 47 goals for the Boro from 1962/66, signing for Coventry in 66 for a club record fee for Coventry of £57k, he helped the Sky Blues win the Second Division title in his first season, including helping Coventry qualify for Europe after they finished sixth in the top-flight in 1970

John O’Rourke - Boro - 72 games, 42 goals  between 1966/68. Played for Coventry between  1969-71 54 games, 17 goals

Eric McManus - Started out at Coventry who he left in 1968 & eventually signed for Bradford City in 1982, who loaned him to us in 86 for injured Stephen Pears, becoming only our 5th loaned player (3 of them were GK) & our 44th different first team GK playing two games

John Hendrie - Started out at Coventry who he left in 1981. Signed for the Boro in 1990 playing 235 games, scoring 56 goals

Craig Hignett - Between 1993/1998 Higgy made 195 appearances for Boro scoring 48 goals, had an 8-game loan spell at Coventry back in 2002

Alan Miller - Signed for the Boro from Arsenal in 1994/1997 playing 64 games. Played for Coventry in the year 2000

George Boateng -  1998-99 - 46 games, 5 goals for Coventry. 223 appearances for Boro between 2002/08 scoring 9 goals Boro 

Dean Gordon - Between 1998/ 2001 he played 71 games for Boro, 5 goals. Played for Coventry in 2002/04

Keith O’Neil - Made 42 appearances at the Boro between 1999/2001 with scoring a single goal, signed for Coventry from the Boro

John Eustace - Our 32nd loaned player  when loaned from Coventry, wearing the No27 shirt he came on for the final 2 minutes away to Liverpool & was booked within 30 seconds of coming off the bench - 10th loanee at the Riverside - (8th Feb 2003). 

Noel Whelan - Signed from the Sky Blues for £2.2million going on to make 61 appearances across three seasons with the Boro, scoring 5 goals. (2000-2008) He also scored an own goal against the Sky Blues on his 26th birthday

Yakubu - Between 2005/2007 he made 103 games for Boro, scoring 35 goals. Finished his career at Coventry in 2017  

Marlon King - Became our 38th loaned player when loaned from Wigan - 16th at the Riverside making 13 appearances, scoring 2 goals. Played for Coventry in 2010

Alex Nimely - (2011) Shocking for us, 9 games, zero goals, signs on loan for Coventry & on his debut, scores his only 1st team goal in 17 appearances, City won 1-0

Lukas Jutkiewicz - Our 53rd loaned player when loaned from Coventry & after one appearance signed permanently - 31st at the Riverside (2012-14)

Bryn Morris - 3 sub appearances between 2013/ 2017 in 2015 we loaned him to Coventry when he played 6 games

Dimitrios Konstantopoulos - Played for Coventry in 2007. Becoming our 70th used first team GK & between 2014/19 making 113 appearances for the Boro  

Jack Stephens - Our  75th loaned player  when loaned from Southampton - 53rd at the Riverside, making 5 appearances. In 2016 he was loaned to Coventry City

Cyrus Christie - Started out at Coventry leaving them in 2010 & after numerous clubs he signed for the Boro in 2017,  the same day as Johnny Howson 7th July, making 26 appearances, scoring the one goal yet within months he was off to Fulham 31st January 2018

Ryan Giles - Had a loan spell at Coventry in 2020 & in 2022 & 2025 he had two loan spells at the Boro. 2022 he became our 107th loaned player - when he was loaned from  Wolves - 74th at the Riverside making 45 appearances, scoring one goal & 2024 & he became our 118th loaned signing when loaned from Hull City - 85th at the Riverside, making 12 appearances, zero goals

 

Managed both teams

Gordon Stracham (2009-2010)

Tony Mowbray (2010-14) 

[RiseAgainst 5,505 4.4k]

6 minutes ago, Erimus74 said:

Played for both clubs

Alex McCulloch - Played 3 games for the Boro in 1907/08 season, scoring the one goal. After a few clubs he signed for Coventry in 1912

Kenneth McPherson - Between 1953-/56 making 33 appearances, scoring 15 goals. Signed for Coventry from the Boro

Peter Taylor - Signed from Coventry he became our 27th different first team goalkeeper played 146 games between 1955-61

Arthur Lightening - South African bit of a colourful character during his short time at Ayresome Park after he signed for the Boro from Coventry for £12,500 in August 1962 when he became our 30th different first team GK, making 18 appearances . In April 1963 he was given permission to attend his brothers funeral back in South Africa & never came back 

Ian Gibson - My dad referred to him as the then little Juninho, played 118 games, scoring 47 goals for the Boro from 1962/66, signing for Coventry in 66 for a club record fee for Coventry of £57k, he helped the Sky Blues win the Second Division title in his first season, including helping Coventry qualify for Europe after they finished sixth in the top-flight in 1970

John O’Rourke - Boro - 72 games, 42 goals  between 1966/68. Played for Coventry between  1969-71 54 games, 17 goals

Eric McManus - Started out at Coventry who he left in 1968 & eventually signed for Bradford City in 1982, who loaned him to us in 86 for injured Stephen Pears, becoming only our 5th loaned player (3 of them were GK) & our 44th different first team GK playing two games

John Hendrie - Started out at Coventry who he left in 1981. Signed for the Boro in 1990 playing 235 games, scoring 56 goals

Craig Hignett - Between 1993/1998 Higgy made 195 appearances for Boro scoring 48 goals, had an 8-game loan spell at Coventry back in 2002

Alan Miller - Signed for the Boro from Arsenal in 1994/1997 playing 64 games. Played for Coventry in the year 2000

George Boateng -  1998-99 - 46 games, 5 goals for Coventry. 223 appearances for Boro between 2002/08 scoring 9 goals Boro 

Dean Gordon - Between 1998/ 2001 he played 71 games for Boro, 5 goals. Played for Coventry in 2002/04

Keith O’Neil - Made 42 appearances at the Boro between 1999/2001 with scoring a single goal, signed for Coventry from the Boro

John Eustace - Our 32nd loaned player  when loaned from Coventry, wearing the No27 shirt he came on for the final 2 minutes away to Liverpool & was booked within 30 seconds of coming off the bench - 10th loanee at the Riverside - (8th Feb 2003). 

Noel Whelan - Signed from the Sky Blues for £2.2million going on to make 61 appearances across three seasons with the Boro, scoring 5 goals. (2000-2008) He also scored an own goal against the Sky Blues on his 26th birthday

Yakubu - Between 2005/2007 he made 103 games for Boro, scoring 35 goals. Finished his career at Coventry in 2017  

Marlon King - Became our 38th loaned player when loaned from Wigan - 16th at the Riverside making 13 appearances, scoring 2 goals. Played for Coventry in 2010

Alex Nimely - (2011) Shocking for us, 9 games, zero goals, signs on loan for Coventry & on his debut, scores his only 1st team goal in 17 appearances, City won 1-0

Lukas Jutkiewicz - Our 53rd loaned player when loaned from Coventry & after one appearance signed permanently - 31st at the Riverside (2012-14)

Bryn Morris - 3 sub appearances between 2013/ 2017 in 2015 we loaned him to Coventry when he played 6 games

Dimitrios Konstantopoulos - Played for Coventry in 2007. Becoming our 70th used first team GK & between 2014/19 making 113 appearances for the Boro  

Jack Stephens - Our  75th loaned player  when loaned from Southampton - 53rd at the Riverside, making 5 appearances. In 2016 he was loaned to Coventry City

Cyrus Christie - Started out at Coventry leaving them in 2010 & after numerous clubs he signed for the Boro in 2017,  the same day as Johnny Howson 7th July, making 26 appearances, scoring the one goal yet within months he was off to Fulham 31st January 2018

Ryan Giles - Had a loan spell at Coventry in 2020 & in 2022 & 2025 he had two loan spells at the Boro. 2022 he became our 107th loaned player - when he was loaned from  Wolves - 74th at the Riverside making 45 appearances, scoring one goal & 2024 & he became our 118th loaned signing when loaned from Hull City - 85th at the Riverside, making 12 appearances, zero goals

 

Managed both teams

Gordon Stracham (2009-2010)

Tony Mowbray (2010-14) 

Was that THE Peter Taylor, of Clough fame? I didn't realise he played for us.

[Erimus74 6,066 6k]

5 minutes ago, RiseAgainst said:

Was that THE Peter Taylor, of Clough fame? I didn't realise he played for us.

The one & only 👍

[Nobby Barnes 1,388 2.2k]

SCARVES V COV PLEASE 

Guys as a social influencer I have been asked to re post this message...

"Red Faction and Twe12thman are urging all fans in every stand to bring a scarf with them to the game, to help show what Teesside spirit looks like. When the full stadium holds aloft a scarf there isn’t many better sights, the showing of unity and togetherness that we pride ourselves on".

[Pork Slops 929 1.4k]

39 minutes ago, Nobby Barnes said:

SCARVES V COV PLEASE 

Guys as a social influencer I have been asked to re post this message...

"Red Faction and Twe12thman are urging all fans in every stand to bring a scarf with them to the game, to help show what Teesside spirit looks like. When the full stadium holds aloft a scarf there isn’t many better sights, the showing of unity and togetherness that we pride ourselves on".

I'd shared this a couple of days ago, Nobby, but then I am in charge of Marketing at my gaff so it makes sense that I'm an even better social influencer.

[Nobby Barnes 1,388 2.2k]

15 minutes ago, Pork Slops said:

I'd shared this a couple of days ago, Nobby, but then I am in charge of Marketing at my gaff so it makes sense that I'm an even better social influencer.

Thank you, from one marketing professional to another 👍

[Erimus74 6,066 6k]

1 hour ago, Erimus74 said:

Played for both clubs

Alex McCulloch - Played 3 games for the Boro in 1907/08 season, scoring the one goal. After a few clubs he signed for Coventry in 1912

Kenneth McPherson - Between 1953-/56 making 33 appearances, scoring 15 goals. Signed for Coventry from the Boro

Peter Taylor - Signed from Coventry he became our 27th different first team goalkeeper played 146 games between 1955-61

Arthur Lightening - South African bit of a colourful character during his short time at Ayresome Park after he signed for the Boro from Coventry for £12,500 in August 1962 when he became our 30th different first team GK, making 18 appearances . In April 1963 he was given permission to attend his brothers funeral back in South Africa & never came back 

Ian Gibson - My dad referred to him as the then little Juninho, played 118 games, scoring 47 goals for the Boro from 1962/66, signing for Coventry in 66 for a club record fee for Coventry of £57k, he helped the Sky Blues win the Second Division title in his first season, including helping Coventry qualify for Europe after they finished sixth in the top-flight in 1970

John O’Rourke - Boro - 72 games, 42 goals  between 1966/68. Played for Coventry between  1969-71 54 games, 17 goals

Eric McManus - Started out at Coventry who he left in 1968 & eventually signed for Bradford City in 1982, who loaned him to us in 86 for injured Stephen Pears, becoming only our 5th loaned player (3 of them were GK) & our 44th different first team GK playing two games

John Hendrie - Started out at Coventry who he left in 1981. Signed for the Boro in 1990 playing 235 games, scoring 56 goals

Craig Hignett - Between 1993/1998 Higgy made 195 appearances for Boro scoring 48 goals, had an 8-game loan spell at Coventry back in 2002

Alan Miller - Signed for the Boro from Arsenal in 1994/1997 playing 64 games. Played for Coventry in the year 2000

George Boateng -  1998-99 - 46 games, 5 goals for Coventry. 223 appearances for Boro between 2002/08 scoring 9 goals Boro 

Dean Gordon - Between 1998/ 2001 he played 71 games for Boro, 5 goals. Played for Coventry in 2002/04

Keith O’Neil - Made 42 appearances at the Boro between 1999/2001 with scoring a single goal, signed for Coventry from the Boro

John Eustace - Our 32nd loaned player  when loaned from Coventry, wearing the No27 shirt he came on for the final 2 minutes away to Liverpool & was booked within 30 seconds of coming off the bench - 10th loanee at the Riverside - (8th Feb 2003). 

Noel Whelan - Signed from the Sky Blues for £2.2million going on to make 61 appearances across three seasons with the Boro, scoring 5 goals. (2000-2008) He also scored an own goal against the Sky Blues on his 26th birthday

Yakubu - Between 2005/2007 he made 103 games for Boro, scoring 35 goals. Finished his career at Coventry in 2017  

Marlon King - Became our 38th loaned player when loaned from Wigan - 16th at the Riverside making 13 appearances, scoring 2 goals. Played for Coventry in 2010

Alex Nimely - (2011) Shocking for us, 9 games, zero goals, signs on loan for Coventry & on his debut, scores his only 1st team goal in 17 appearances, City won 1-0

Lukas Jutkiewicz - Our 53rd loaned player when loaned from Coventry & after one appearance signed permanently - 31st at the Riverside (2012-14)

Bryn Morris - 3 sub appearances between 2013/ 2017 in 2015 we loaned him to Coventry when he played 6 games

Dimitrios Konstantopoulos - Played for Coventry in 2007. Becoming our 70th used first team GK & between 2014/19 making 113 appearances for the Boro  

Jack Stephens - Our  75th loaned player  when loaned from Southampton - 53rd at the Riverside, making 5 appearances. In 2016 he was loaned to Coventry City

Cyrus Christie - Started out at Coventry leaving them in 2010 & after numerous clubs he signed for the Boro in 2017,  the same day as Johnny Howson 7th July, making 26 appearances, scoring the one goal yet within months he was off to Fulham 31st January 2018

Ryan Giles - Had a loan spell at Coventry in 2020 & in 2022 & 2025 he had two loan spells at the Boro. 2022 he became our 107th loaned player - when he was loaned from  Wolves - 74th at the Riverside making 45 appearances, scoring one goal & 2024 & he became our 118th loaned signing when loaned from Hull City - 85th at the Riverside, making 12 appearances, zero goals

 

Managed both teams

Gordon Stracham (2009-2010)

Tony Mowbray (2010-14) 

Almost forgot our own Adi Viveash who was Robins No2 at Coventry City