Boro field all-English squad

[Panda]

Middlesbrough had an all-English squad for the final league game of the season against Fulham.

11 English players started the game, with 5 on the bench and when Josh Walker replaced Malcolm Christie during the second half, it meant Middlesbrough had 11 players on the pitch who were products of the youth academy.

Team:
Ross Turnbull
Andrew Davies
Matthew Bates
David Wheater
Andrew Taylor
James Morrison
Jason Kennedy
Lee Cattermole
Malcolm Christie
Danny Graham
Adam Johnson

Subs:
David Knight
Colin Cooper
Tony McMahon
Josh Walker
Tom Craddock

[Matt Aloud]

held up pretty well too

[greendemon]

only because you have to rest the players who are any good

[Panda]

This is the best bunch of youngsters to emerge at a club since the Man U team of the mid-90s. They're the future of this club and there's about half a dozen future England internationals in our squad right now.

The average age of the starting XI today was 20. Give them a couple of years and I'd back them to beat the Skunks, no problem.

[greendemon]

skunks, lol, not heard that one before we'll see ;D

and you do seem to have a good young side... held their own quite well earlier in the season iirc, when you had a lot of injuries. i'd be very interested in seeing what happens when they become regulars...

[Admin]

Good luck, always great to see youth being used and british youth is even better for this country and our national side.

[Razzle Dazzle]

lets see how many get sold in the summer

[frag]

Good work, nice dream of the chairman too! A great way for McClaren to bow out of his (league) career at Boro

[Panda]

dazthehammer said:

lets see how many get sold in the summer

The youngsters will all be there next season. Steve Gibson has put a lot into creating an academy that can produce homegrown players like Downing and he's not going to appoint a manager who won't put his faith in that system. There'll be a few out on loan next season, getting first team experience (until they're recalled during our annual injury crisis) but we're not just going to offload them.

[Razzle Dazzle]

what if a big club wants to spend silly money?

and im sure the next manager wont rate them all, im sure some will be sold, in order to bring in players the new manager wants

[Panda]

dazthehammer said:

what if a big club wants to spend silly money?

and im sure the next manager wont rate them all, im sure some will be sold, in order to bring in players the new manager wants

No club would pay silly money for these players yet. The only one who may go would be Downing if he has a good World Cup and Adam Johnson could potentially be better than him, anyway.

The players aren't worth enough yet to fund new signings when sold. Getting rid of the older highly-paid players such as Hasselbaink, Parlour and Mendieta (cutting down the wage bill, rather than bringing in transfer fees) will fund new signings, rather than offloading some teenagers for £100,000 each.

[Matt Aloud]

the future's bright, the future's Boro

*must get some Boro stuff down town tomorrow*

[frag]

Is there a new kit for next season?

[Panda]

fragolata said:

Is there a new kit for next season?

I should think so. We've had new home and away kits every season since 1994.

[Razzle Dazzle]

misterhamster said:

fragolata said:

Is there a new kit for next season?

I should think so. We've had new home and away kits every season since 1994.

its the best way to scam money out the fans

[Panda]

dazthehammer said:

misterhamster said:

I should think so. We've had new home and away kits every season since 1994.

its the best way to scam money out the fans

If the fans know what to expect and the kits aren't released just after Christmas, like Man U used to do, then it's not really a scam is it?

Also, because Boro use the cheap Italian manufacturer Errea, rather than a megacorp like Nike or Adidas, they are able to sell the shirts directly through the club, rather than in high street sports shops and Errea take a much smaller cut than the big-name manufacturers, so more of fans' money stays in the club, rather than going to outside sources.

[Razzle Dazzle]

and releasing them every year instead of every two makes twice as much money for the club

hence my point

[Maximo Mark]

Every team has a new kit every season... Usually it's home one year, away the next, home the next etc....

[Panda]

dazthehammer said:

and releasing them every year instead of every two makes twice as much money for the club

hence my point

And my point is if the fans know the deal, are happy to buy the shirts and know the money's going to the club and not Nike or Adidas, it's not a scam.

[Razzle Dazzle]

well boro release both every year?

or do they not

thought thats what you meant