Cardiff City play their last match where there is something in it for one of the participants tomorrow evening when they visit a Middlesbrough team that has picked the worst time to go on a run of five without a win in which they’ve lost their last three at home without scoring (four if you include their FA Cup defeat by Chelsea).
Nothing but a win will do for Boro and you’d think they’ll probably manage it against a City side that is dropping down the table again after four defeats in five.
Here’s seven Middlesbrough related questions which I’ll post the answers to on here on Thursday.
60s. What is the link between a Middlesbrough player from this decade who made over two hundred appearances for the club, actor Alan Armstrong (of New Tricks fame) and Ronnie Barker?
70s. One of only two appearances this defender, and very occasional striker, made for Middlesbrough came during this decade in a losing cause at Ninian Park. Upon his release by Boro, he dropped down a division but was soon playing a part in steering his new club into unchartered waters for this first time – they’ve not been back since and a return seems a very long way away at present. Nevertheless, he was part of a team which made a good start to life at the new level and City were one of the sides they beat with him in the team as they briefly held a top six place. By then though, he’d picked up an injury which kept him out for most of the season and, unable to regain his place as his side were relegated the following year, he moved on to a society of friends not too far from Middlesbrough. His form was good enough at this club to attract the interest of a coastal team further south who played in the same colours and, after winning a title, he faced City three more times in the early eighties without experiencing victory. His final club played at a ground which was suggestive of something somewhat different from the reality which saw a scrapyard in one corner and a railway station close by, but who is he?
80s. This midfielder, who I’d guess had an equine related nickname, played for both City and Middlesbrough and was left disabled after a traffic accident in 2002, can you name him?
90s. Capped internationally by two teams, he won his first cap representing a side that no longer exists, this full back, with a sweet sounding name, scored his only goal at that level against Croatia. His scoring rate while at Middlesbrough was impressive, but defensive contributions questionable in a side that was struggling during his, pretty brief, spell on Teesside – he also played some club football in Austria, hut otherwise he stayed close to home after leaving Boro right at the end of this decade. Who am I describing?
00s. Relax, a vibe that everyone could benefit from in this world! (4,6)
10s. Marks and Sparks leading the attack maybe!
20s. Currently turning out for the Blue Lightnings – his only international goal came against Zimbabwe in Cairo. His record in matches against City is dreadful. He’s scored twice against us, but lost on each of his first eight encounters with City, before things improved somewhat with a couple of draws, who is he?
Answers
60s. Alan Armstrong played Spraggon, an inmate in the seventies comedy series Porridge in which Ronnie Barker’s Norman Stanley Fletcher character was the lead. Frank Spraggon was a long serving Middlesbrough defender between 1963 and 1976.
70s. John Stone was in the Middlesbrough team beaten by a Brian Clark goal to nil at Ninian Park on New Year’s Day 1972, but it was at York City where he established himself until injury slowed his progress. Stone did well at Darlington though when he moved there and was part of Grimsby’s rise into the second tier in 1980 when he faced City three more times. Stone’s final transfer took him to Millmoor, the old home of Rotherham United.
80s. Gary Gill (GeeGee).
90s. Vladimir Kinda won a single cap for Representation of Czechs (Czechoslovakia) and thirty eight for Slovakia. He scored five times in thirty seven league games for Middlesbrough between 1997 and 1999.
00s.Abel Xavier.
10s. (Marvin) Em n es.
20S, Britt Assombalonga.
