Turning points in Boro's history

[Guest Changing Times]

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.

 

Ironopolis were not just another amateur team, they were a professional club and we remained as amateurs so his point is still potentially valid. How different might the history of this club be if that club had been able to grow and develop? Would we have turned professional at all and if so would the area have been able to support two professional clubs?

 

In terms of other points, the day we survived liquidation is far and away the most notable for obvious reasons and the others you mentioned all have had consequences for us.

 

One before that period might be the defeat to Wolves in the Cup quarter final in 1981. It probably lead to Craig Johnston being sold and John Neal resigning because of that, as well as David Armstrong, Mark Proctor also being sold a few months later. It's possible they'd have been sold anyway given who the chairman was at the time but a run to the final and dare I say a cup win might have lead to at least a one or two of them staying. I think you can draw a line directly between what happened in the Spring of 1981 and us almost going out of business either way.

[ham_chop 36]

Not turning up at Blackburn was arguably the stupidest thing we've ever done. That and switching off for heskeys late goal in 1997 cup final. If we'd have won the cup, played Blackburn, imagine what it would have been like....

 

I agree about the UEFA cup run too, I don't think I'll ever get better than that in my life, I still almost tear up when I watch that DVD.

 

Merson signing was pretty crucial, he pretty much single handed lay got us back to the prem, alongside Marco branca!

---

Schwarzer's save at Man City

 

Great moment.

 

Don't forget Jimmy's free kick in that game either ;)

[Air Resistance 26]

Hiring mogga, no doubt we would be in league 1 now under strachen

[Guest Dekker]

Hiring mogga, no doubt we would be in league 1 now under strachen

 

That's a fair point - much for the eventual demise of Mogga's reign, he stopped the rot and restructured the payroll and platform of the playing squad. We should congratulate him on that - hope to see Mogga back at the Riverside one day and get the same reception as McClaren.

[Guest CallumRoddy17]

There is the obvious ones, like liquidation and the Carling Cup win etc.

 

Then McClaren, Schwarzer save vs City, Terry Venables saving us.

[Somerset Boro 98]

i think signing Juninho was a real turning point it really put our club on the international footballing map

[borojod 7]

i think signing Juninho was a real turning point it really put our club on the international footballing map

 

Yes, that put an unfashionable club on the back page of most of the national papers.

[FoggansFlyingPig 24]

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.

 

Ironopolis were not just another amateur team, they were a professional club and we remained as amateurs so his point is still potentially valid. How different might the history of this club be if that club had been able to grow and develop? Would we have turned professional at all and if so would the area have been able to support two professional clubs?

 

In terms of other points, the day we survived liquidation is far and away the most notable for obvious reasons and the others you mentioned all have had consequences for us.

 

One before that period might be the defeat to Wolves in the Cup quarter final in 1981. It probably lead to Craig Johnston being sold and John Neal resigning because of that, as well as David Armstrong, Mark Proctor also being sold a few months later. It's possible they'd have been sold anyway given who the chairman was at the time but a run to the final and dare I say a cup win might have lead to at least a one or two of them staying. I think you can draw a line directly between what happened in the Spring of 1981 and us almost going out of business either way.

 

Absolutely spot on Changing Times. Infact more to the point I think pretty much everyone who was at Wolves that night could feel the team which John Neal had created after Big Jack ebbing away as we failed to get an equaliser that night. The quality of that team compared to the utter dross we signed to replace them that summer was as stark a contrast as any i can remember. And from that point decline simply seemed inevitable and the eventual liquidation was a surprise to no one.

John Neals team had been within touching distance of being a really top team and for all the brief dazzling spell under Rioch we never got anywhere near that level of stability and ambition until the move to The Riverside.

[London_born_Boro_bred 29]

Karankas appointment.

[BillyWoofs_shinpad 1,884]

When Robbo bought Nicky Barmby, it was massive news. Our first huge signing, that move, put us on the back pages of every national newspaper.