Came downstairs and turned the TV on.  Had a look at the guide and saw the England match was on.  Football's not my thing other than (just) my Boro nowadays but I thought I check the score.  It was
1-0 to England then Moldovera or Montenegro or or somebody had about 6 shots at goal (really) in the space of about 3 minutes and then equalised.  Needless to say, in Spence family tradition the TV went off.

It's not that I dislike football as a sport per se,  it's just as I've said many times, I just don't think much of the hype/entertainment ratio of the supposed best domestic league in the world or our national team for that matter.

"Our" top teams are usually ok when knocking spots off the likes of Reading or QPR but as soon as they come up against anybody decent (any of the top teams in Germany, Spain or Italy) they just turn into Boro.  I'm allowed to say that as a Boro supporter as are any other Boro supporters amongst my readers.  Nobody else though.

As for Middlesbrough the bubble has certainly burst.  Am I upset?  Not really.  We are the Boro, no matter what division we're playing in.  We were punching above our weight, living above our means, we were over the moon and it all ended in tears (please add your own football cliches).

And now like Maxine Nightingale ................... (best Northern Soul song bar none) we're right back from where we  started from when I started supporting Boro in the late sixties and early seventies.  And the similarities are there.  Quite a few local players, seasons that started well before tailing off and the ever present malcontent supporters. 

Anyway, just listening to the driving hail outside has just reminded me that a real sport will be back in about a month's time. 

Brrrrrrr.