Game 14: Middlesbrough 0, Cardiff City 2

6th Round Proper
Sunday March 9th 2008

Kick Off 2:00pm

Attendance: 32,896
Weather: Cold, windy and sunny spells

Distance travelled: 522 miles


As I sit down to write this on Monday morning many parts of the country continue to be battered by storms. And for two days a maelstrom of sorts tore its way through the FA Cup leaving the form book in tatters. On a special weekend that will live long in the memories of football fans up and down the country and around the world, only one top division side is left standing in the competition. Up at the Riverside on a cold and blustery Sunday, Cardiff City produced a polished display to blow Middlesbrough out of the cup.

For me, and my fellow travellers - Mackem, PB and POSH mate (aka Fenlander) - it was a fantastic, tiring and somewhat surreal day. It started huddled against the elements at little after seven o'clock in the morning outside Chertsey Town Football Club. We were to be accompanied on this leg of the FA Cup journey by an ESPN-Star film crew and the day started with a quick interview where it all began back in August. The filming was to continue later in the day (before and after the game) and this added some gloss and sparkle to what was a marvellous occasion.

It was a long journey North but well worth it. We had no problems whatsoever in finding the ground and arrived nice and early. The Riverside sits alone in quite an open spread of a semi-industrial landscape. It dominates the horizon. It is an impressive sight and is by far the biggest ground we have visited on this run. The view from inside the ground, looking back out towards Middlesbrough and its famous transporter bridge straddling the River Tees, is also quite impressive. Parking was easy and getting away after the game (which included us being filmed as we walked off into the sunset) was a doddle.

The game was a sell out with an official attendance of 32,896; Middlesbrough have been striving for some time to fill the Riverside. There was a real buzz of excitement in and around the ground. Only one game from Wembley, over two hundred and fifty miles away but within touching distance. Cardiff City had brought with them a considerable following (just under 4,000) and their vocal chords were getting a good run-in well before kick-off. The home support had also been whipped into a frenzy by the stadium announcer. As the teams ran out to "Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag" an impressive 6,000 card display in the North Stand (home end) spelt out the words "Sporting Glory". The atmosphere was positively crackling and even as a neutral one couldn’t help but feel a real part of what was about to unfold.

And the crackling evolved into a shock. Another cup shock.

Middlesbrough simply failed to live up to expectations. In a game where it was difficult to identify the team from the Premier League, Cardiff put in a totally composed and professional performance that left the home team chasing shadows.

As in the Fifth Round game, Cardiff City found themselves nurturing a two goal lead long before half-time. Both teams started brightly and the atmosphere had obviously filtered through to the players. But it was Cardiff who pounced early. A ball was lofted into the Middlesbrough box which appeared to be brought under control by the arm of Stephen McPhail. With the Middlesbrough players appealing and the referee waving play on, Peter Whittingham ignored the protestations; with some extremely neat footwork and a sea of red shirts on top of him, Whittingham somehow dug the ball out from under his feet to send a glorious curling shot beyond Schwarzer and in off the post. A wonderful goal which stunned the home crowd; the away fans in the South Stand exploded with joy which prompted a rather comical "Keystone Cops" entrance from a number of sprinting policemen across and in front of the Cardiff support to prevent any pitch encroachment. Nine minutes gone and already theatre of high calibre.

If the home crowd were stunned, then so were the home team players. The goal visibly affected the Middlesbrough side. Their game plan seemed to involve hoofing one long ball after another up field. The intended recipients, Alves or Tuncay, are both gifted players but surely would have benefited with balls played to feet. I had been especially looking forward to seeing Tuncay as he had impressed me this season, but today the game bypassed him. Even the long twenty or thirty yard balls out to Downing on the left were ineffective and Middlesbrough had no outlet on the right as Luke Young frequently balked at stepping over the halfway line.

By contrast, Cardiff were assured and confident in their approach play. They showed better movement both on and off the ball and brought to the match more ideas and invention. The slicker movement heralded a second goal after twenty three minutes. Hasselbaink, who was roundly applauded by all areas of the ground before kick-off, won a free-kick thirty yards out after a clumsy challenge by the gloved Rochemback. From the dead ball, Whittingham curled in a pin point cross to the far post which was met beyond the last defender by a diving Roger Johnson to send a header back across goal and into the corner. Cardiff in control and the South Stand once again rocking.

Middlesbrough simply had no response. More long balls, more wasted possession and barely capable of stringing more than a couple of passes together. They had only one long range effort from Alves in the first half which was easily parried by Enckelman in the Cardiff goal. Any glimpses of danger from the home team were quickly and ably dealt with by Glenn Loovens and his defensive partners who coped with everything punted towards them. Loovens, for me, was the man of the match.

Middlesbrough had an opportunity at half-time to change their system. But all they did was bring off Alves for Mido and persist in playing the same long ball game that had failed them in the first forty five minutes. The home support were becoming increasingly frustrated and let their feelings be known. Cardiff City were now in complete ascendancy and there was no sign that Middlesbrough were going to break the Welsh team's stranglehold. The second half, although a little scrappy, was still good to watch. Middlesbrough were utterly disappointing and failed to give Enckelman a single test. Cardiff were content to sit a little deeper, pack the midfield and see out the game. The home fans started to drift out of the stadium with seventy minutes on the clock. For a game that promised so much for the Smoggies, one could sense that they felt totally let down.

Overall, Cardiff City were the only team that looked like winning this tie. The Cardiff fans made the most of the victory and celebrated in style, a cacophony of noise and a swarm of dancing bodies, Welsh flags, giant daffodils and even one bare-chested hardy soul wearing only a pink tutu. I'm sure that their long trip back home would have been one to savour.

Gareth Southgate, in his programme notes, had talked about the need to pass the ball and keep the ball on the floor. I think he forgot to tell his players. There was a huge "Spirit of Steaua" flag waved in one corner of the game in reference to Middlesbrough's famous UEFA Cup victory over the Romanian team. But this flag was rolled up and packed away long before the final whistle. Middlesbrough can now concentrate on the league whilst Cardiff City are off to Wembley, along with Portsmouth, Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion.

It is one hundred years since an FA Cup semi-final line up has included only one top flight team. This season has witnessed an extraordinary and quite remarkable FA Cup competition. We all left Teesside for a long Sunday evening car journey down the M1 sensing that we really had been, and continue to be, involved in something special. Something very, very special. For an FA Cup that people will talk about for years, I and my friends who have joined me already have our own little place in it.

And on a stormy March day, with Wembley in sight, the thought of it simply blows me away.

A date with Middlesbrough FC

Middlesbrough it is then.

In the end it was a large chunk of luck that decided the replay tie on Wednesday between Middlesbrough and Sheffield United. Over the two games the team from the North East deserved to go through. I have nothing at all against Sheffield United, but this was the result I was hoping for. I have been to Sheffield United a few times but I have never watched a game at Middlesbrough. One regret is that I never got to see a game at Ayresome Park and I'm looking forward to my first visit to the Riverside. If anything accentuates how far I have come on this trip, it is the comparison of the ground I started at - Chertsey Town - with the stadium I will (hopefully) be sat in come 2pm on Sunday 9th March. Worlds apart.

Tickets for the game against Cardiff City go on General Sale on Monday morning. Once again, prices have been slashed to £15. That will please her indoors.

So another new club to introduce. I'm quite surprised that the competition has been reduced to the last eight before a Premier League club makes an appearance on this run. It had to happen eventually. By way of an introduction, some notable dates in the history of Middlesbrough FC. In no particular order...

29 February 2004 - a total coincidence (I'm not that organised) is that today Middlesbrough celebrate the first anniversary of their leap year Carling Cup win. Exactly four years ago Middlesbrough beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 in front of over 72,000 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Goals from Job and Zenden (the second after only seven minutes) were enough to give Middlesbrough their only major trophy. The club were also runners-up in this competition in 1997 and 1998.

18th May 1899. The date Middlesbrough were elected to the Football League (into Division Two). The club were founded in 1876 by the local cricket club so that the players could stay fit during the winter. As amateurs they had won the Northern League (three times) and the Amateur Cup (twice) between 1889 and 1898. Also in that period, a breakaway team called Middlesbrough Ironopolis had also formed. They wanted professionalism and joined the Football League in 1893. This proved financially damaging and Ironopolis folded at the end of that season.

25 February 1905. Alf Common's first game for Middlesbrough. The club had broken all transfer records by signing Alf Common for £1000 from Sunderland in early February. In his first game away at Sheffield United, Common scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot to record Middlesbrough's first away win for two years. That season, Middlesbrough survived relegation. Common went on to score 58 goals in 168 appearances before a move to Woolwich Arsenal in September 1910.

10 May 2006. Middlesbrough reach the final of the UEFA Cup in Eindhoven. Their 4-0 defeat at the hands of Spanish side Sevilla was a huge disappointment after a cup run that had provided two of the most exciting games in European football. Middlesbrough, whose first ever European game had been in 2004, were trailing 2-0 from the quarter final first leg tie against Basel. In the home return leg they conceded halfway through the first half and looked to be heading for the exit. In a breathtaking game, Middlesbrough responded with four goals to take them through to the semi final. Massimo Maccarone scored the winner in the last minute. In the semi it was a case of déjà vu. The opponents this time were Steaua Bucharest who arrived for the second leg at the Riverside 1-0 up. Two early goals from the visitors meant that, once again, Middlesbrough needed four goals to progress. It was Maccarone who sealed the remarkable win on the 88th minute. Pulsating stuff.

26 August 1995. Middlesbrough play their first game at the new Riverside Stadium against Chelsea. In front a crowd of 28,286 the hosts win 2-0 with goals from Craig Hignett and Jan Åge Fjørtoft. The ground has a capacity of over 35,000 and cost £16 million to build; the construction took only 32 weeks to complete. Middlesbrough had been playing at Ayresome Park for ninety two years. Ayresome Park was demolished in 1997 and the gates of the old ground now stand outside the new. A housing estate now stands on the old site.

18 March 2004. The Middlesbrough FC chairman and local lad Steve Gibson was granted Freedom of the Town for "the eminent services rendered to the economic and social well being of the community." In 1986 Gibson, then on the Middlesbrough board, rescued the club from going into liquidation. As a result of this investment and vision the club went on to win that first trophy in 128 years, the Carling Cup, plus make that UEFA Cup Final appearance. Gibson gave the manager's job to Bryan Robson in May 1994 and many saw Gibson as the instrumentalist in the "Riverside Revolution" which also saw them make three cup final appearances between 1997 and 1998. The Middlesbrough supporters have nicknamed him the "King of Teeside". Basically, he's a local hero.

18 August 2001. The date that the current Middlesbrough manager, Gareth Southgate, made his debut playing for the club. Southgate is one of ten players that the club's supporters voted into the Middlesbrough "Hall of Fame". The other nine are George Camsell, George Hardwick, Wilf Mannion, Brian Clough, John Hickton, Willie Maddren, Tony Mowbray, Bernie Slaven, and Juninho Paulista. Southgate was Steve McClaren's first signing for the club - remember him?

17 May 1997. Middlesbrough reach the FA Cup final for the only time in their history. They lost to Chelsea 2-0 after Di Matteo put the Blues 1-0 up after only 43 seconds, the quickest ever FA Cup final goal. Middlesbrough had been relegated from the Premier League a matter of days earlier, along with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest. They would have stayed in the Premier League had it not been for a three point deduction imposed after they postponed a league game with Blackburn Rovers less than twenty four hours before kick-off, due to illness and injury. So they were perhaps not in the best frame of mind for that final. Chelsea sealed victory when Newton netted with seven minutes from the end.

Maybe Middlebrough now have one eye on another FA Cup final appearance; a repeat of the 1997 final is still possible. But they have to overcome Cardiff City first. It is off up the M1 to see the Smoggies take on the Bluebirds for my fourteenth game.

If I get tickets, let's call it a date.

An evening at the Emirates

My old man used to say, "if that's your Nan at the door, tell her I'm out".

There are some things in life you cannot avoid, and one of them is the lure of the big games. A diversion from the FA Cup saw me down at the Emirates to take in the Champions League fixture between Arsenal and FC Steaua Bucureşti on Wednesday evening.

One of the joys of this FA Cup journey has been experiencing football at all levels and all standards, and turning up at games in the lower echelons has been most rewarding. But always one to go to any sort of game, I could not spurn the opportunity to go to a big game; a big club, big stars, big crowd, big occasion. Most of my football as a youth was watching games in the top flight of English football, and I have never lost that thrill or the excitement of being part of a big match atmosphere. Old Trafford, Anfield, Elland Road, Maine Road, Goodison Park. Those were the theatres of my formative years.

The adrenalin rush experienced from the power and noise of a huge crowd is one of life's greatest feelings. Now and then I need a fix.

I had been looking forward to this trip for quite some time. It isn't easy getting tickets for a match at Arsenal's new ground. It nearly always sells out. There is a seriously long waiting list for season tickets, and if you are not a season ticket holder you need to be a club member before you can buy entrance. A friend holds club membership and he very kindly purchased a ticket for me courtesy of his wife's membership card. From now on you can call me Diana.

I knew this game was going to be all about contrasts in comparison to my FA Cup games this season, and it certainly goes without saying that this would be a totally different experience. Alwyns Lane, Bourne Park, Krooner Park. Now for the Emirates Stadium. But the most striking contrast hit me within a few minutes of stepping out of Arsenal tube station.

It was the old and the new.

Turn left out of the tube and you are in amongst the terraced streets close to the old Highbury stadium. The facade of the old stadium remains, visible down a side street, in all its glory. Flats are being built where the turf used to be. But all down here, along Gillespie Road, it was a hive of activity. The street was flanked with small stalls and wooden huts, almost like an old evening market. The goods on sale included Arsenal memorabilia (shirts, scarves, badges), old programmes, refreshments (hot dogs, burgers, etc.) and even a sweet stall. Further down the street and the corner chippy was doing a roaring trade; an delicious bag of chips for a quid (plenty of salt). The lights from all the stalls illuminated the street and the house gardens, and the place was all steam and smells. And this match day scene has been repeated for decades. This was the old.

And then back down Gillespie Road and around the corner and there was the new. Wallop, it knocked your senses for six. The contrast could not have been more striking. The Emirates is a huge, spaceship like structure, all silver and neon and shiny. Immense, it dominates it's surroundings. It is an impressive sight.

The stadium has been designed well, and it is evident that this is a ground built as much for the comfort of the fans as anything else. Huge, open concourses; plenty of facilities (toilets, food and drink points). No queues. Great views with no obstructions from any part of the ground. And the seats. I loved the seats. Majestically large, acres of leg room and all with soft padding - certainly a football first for me. And every single seat in the stadium is the same - we were not located in a particularly ostentatious part of the ground which provided extra comfy specially padded seats. This was the norm.

But you pay for the privilege. If you want to watch Arsenal at home, be prepared to shell out anything upward of £45. Over £60 for the bigger games.

(I was quite taken by the seats at the Emirates. The following day, I found myself telling a few friends about the quality seating and I was marvelling at how comfortable it all was. I didn't realise that my wife was stood behind me whilst I was in full flow. I ended by saying that "it was more comfortable than watching a game in our front room", at which point my wife made her presence known. Oops. My wife is now wondering if we ought to buy a new sofa. I can tell her now: it won't be delivered before Christmas).

The match itself however was a tad lame. Played out on an impressively velvety turf, Arsenal cruised their way to half-time, scoring two goals and deserving more. They fielded a youthful team - no Fabregas, Gallas, Hleb or Adebayor. But a well received return for Van Persie and a start for Theo Walcott. Arsenal had already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League. They were playing for top spot in the group (and, arguably, a more favourable draw) but that outcome relied on Sevilla failing to win at Sparta Prague.

In the second half, Arsenal took their foot off the gas. They squandered midfield superiority to a Steaua team that seemed to want it more. The Romanian side pulled one back and looked increasingly likely to grab a draw. Arsenal however hung on to win 2-1. Sevilla got the result they needed and so Arsenal finished in the runners-up spot.

I must admit that I was disappointed with the atmosphere inside the Emirates Stadium. It did not live up to expectations. Partly, I guess, to do with the opposition and the sense of inevitability surrounding the game. The 59,786 crowd were rather subdued. However, when Chelsea and Manchester United visit, I'm sure the atmosphere would crank up.

I couldn't help thinking of the bigger stadiums I used to go to with their packed terraces. The thrill of being part of a huge, standing crowd swaying and singing on mass, the rush as a goal went in. It was exhilarating. Those days are now firmly in the past. The old has been replaced by the new, and the experience that is watching football continues to change. It saddens me a little.

But boy, I did like those seats.