BLAST FROM THE PAST - MIDDLESBROUGH v ARSENAL

By The Boro Fans
September 9 2005

We didn't always play Arsenal in the early part of the season. Just most of the time. The games against The Gunners have often been full of heartache for Boro fans but there are some special memories from the midsts of time. Here, Boro fans recall their favourites.

Simon Foster, Skipton

Optimism everywhere - Boro are back in the big time. The messiah has come and he's brought a friend - The Lord Gibson and Robbo.

You could knock me down with a feather as we've also managed to sign a current England international - Nick Barmby. Maybe this time we can actually make a mark in the top league. Maybe we won't go straight back down.

What we really need is a good start - a nice easy game ...can't wait for the fixture list to come out and........... oh bugger - its Arsenal - we're going to get tonked.

Fast forward to a sunny August day, Boro come out in their new away strip - black and blue halves - they look good, but will it all be washed away with an ugly performance?

No - I can't believe this - we're at Highbury and Boro are the better team.

Surely Arsenal will soon exert themselves, but - joy of all joys - we've scored - Nicky Barmby - I'm in dreamland!- Come on Boro.

Second half, we're still hanging in there as Arsenal start to exert pressure - surely they must score two or three... But as the match goes on we are still hanging in there - sometimes by the skin of our teeth, until finally, with around ten minutes left Arsenal manage to scrape an equaliser by some unheard of substitute. Ian Wright was his name, I think.

Now the natural Boro pessimist in me goes into over drive - surely they'll follow it up with another - all our good work will be swept away, until, gloriously, its the final whistle and we've achieved a hard fought draw - every man in those black and blue shirts a hero - maybe this year it will be different.....

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Brian Kilvinski, Brighton

The first Boro game I ever went to was against Arsenal at Ayresome Park, 18th May 1980, the last game of the season. If memory serves me correctly they had just lost the Cup Winner's Cup Final to Valencia on penalties and had to win to qualify for Europe.

But all those games had taken their toll and we trounced them. I remember David Hodgson having a great game and scoring one, David Armstrong got two and I think Billy Ashcroft was on the bench unfortunately.

Foolishly i thought every boro game was going to be like that!

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Mark Dennis, New York

Our FA Cup run of 1976-77 had the whole town thinking that this was the year we were going to do it. It didn't start off too brightly though with a 0-0 draw against Wimbledon, then of The Southern League. We needed a David Armstrong penalty to see them off at Ayresome three days kater. Was John Hickton not in the team that day?

Another Spike penalty sealed a 4-0 win against Hereford in the 4th round and the excitement reached overdrive when we were drawn against Arsenal at home in the fifth round.

There was ana unusual debate that raged for weeks afterwards. David Mills scored three of our four as we shot down The Gunners in fine style. Thre debate was all abuot Millsy's 'hat-trick. Was it or wasn't it? The pundits said it wasn't because the three goals were not consecutive. Trust the establishment to try and dampen down an excellent Boro win.

Liverpool put us out in the quarter finals four weeks later but David Mills will always have a hat-trick against Arsenal to dine out on, despite what Jimmy Hill says.

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Harry Haverton, Middlesbrough

Back in the days of caseys and ration books, I went to Ayresome Park to see the Boro take on Woolwich Arsenal as everyone used to call them in those days. I see they've brought back the kit that they used then for this season. Must be trying to save money.

George Hardwick and Wilf Mannion had left by this time and we on the downward slide that would lead us into the second division for twenty years. A young lad called Sam Lawrie made his debut at just 16 years old and they had Leslie Compton in their side who basicaly just walked all over us. Ayresome Park was full to the rafters and the aniticipation was amazing as the teams ran out. We really thought we had a chance of beating the mighty Arsenal.

We lost 3-0 and they won the FA Cup that year, our only consolation being that they beat Newcastle in the final. Lucky that the days of getting beat 3-0 at home by London teams have come to an end. Hang on a minute......

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