* The Unofficial "Official" Wrexham v Middlesbrough [05/26] Match-Day Thread *

r00fie1

Well-known member
Its that time again>>>>>

EFL Championship. Saturday 2nd May 2026. Wrexham v Middlesbrough. The Racecourse Ground LL11 2AH. KO: 12:30 hrs.



It's a brilliant game and a good way for us to finish the Championship, in a tough game, that hopefully can get us to the Premier League, or otherwise gives us a good game to go into the play-offs with.”
[Kim Hellberg]
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Welcome to Teesside!

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On a wet November night in 2025, Kim Hellberg officially took hold of his new charges, only to watch them concede after two minutes. 25,400, mostly Boro fans, saw their team huff and puff, but eventually, after 75 minutes, Matt Targett headed the equaliser surrounded by a calamity of bodies in the box. Nine minutes later, Morgan Whittaker sealed the final result, to the delight of Boro`s soggy head coach. Welcome to Teesside Kim!


Kim Hellberg`s thoughts after we went 1-0 down after two minutes against Derby – his first game in charge:

I was thinking about if I should call my wife not to to move over and stay because I'm coming back!”


Its been pretty clear from day one, that Kim Hellberg didn’t arrive on Teesside terra-firma, just to steady Boro and bobble along in The Championship. He hasnt “promised the earth”, but also the sun, the moon and the stars! He has a vision, which is as much about proving his own capabilities to himself, by taking on the biggest challenge of his coaching career: to get us back into The Premier League. The “big boys” elite club. At first it sounded familiar, but this Nordic Warrior obviously had teeth and showed he meant what he said!

November 2025. In the beginning was the wind and the rain....

Lets go back to the start of the season, where a man in lambswool sweaters, and bryl-creamed hair, gave us the best start for years! That four league game winning start woke us all up. At first, a 1-0 at home to Swansea was a “nice” way to start the season, especially because Dael Fry scored with a long overdue header! But 3-0 away to Millwall, 2-1 away to Norwich and 1-0 to great promotion-pretenders Sheffield United was astonishing. From then on, Boro were second in the table and only dropped down to third on four occasions, until recently. Only a draw at Preston, including a goal from Alan ******* Browne, nestled between the Blades game and an unexpected win at home to West Brom. Always a stone in our football boot, it took a pearler from David Strelec and one from Kaly Sene to beat the Baggies.

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David Strelec scored his first Boro goal against West Brom at The Riverside. It was Friday night under the lights, and Mr Edwards was still in situ at the time. The win sent Boro four points clear at the top of the table. Hackney back-healed the ball to Kaly Sene in the second half, to give the red n whites all three points.

Two points from nine then saw us move to third in the table, but not for long. Victory over Ipswich, with that superb penalty save from Sol Brynn, an unsurprising win over The Owls and a draw over Wrexham at The Riverside, saw us “adopt the position”.


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Hellberg`s assessment of this season:

I'm very proud of the way we handle it, by still being ourselves, still being an offensive team, and Still being offensive minded. I'm proud that we are in this position. We, of course, wish to have even more points ahead that.

But in this position we're in now, I think we're in in a great position to go and achieve something, which means that everything is open and I like that.


[Hellberg in Thursday`s press conference]

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Boro 1 Wrexham 1.

Some of the weaknesses in our squad were beginning to appear, with the early momentum disappearing into the ether. We had drawn away to Southampton, and had our first loss of the season, away at Pompey. Some of those “weaknesses” included a frustrating habit of making it “difficult” for ourselves to overcome stubborn sides. This was to become a phenomenon we have witnessed through-out the season, and probably points to patchy quality in our squad? Hayden Hackney scored a superb header against the Welshmen to take a point.

There was tension building amongst the fans as it felt like “the wheels were falling off”. A great 3-0 pasting of Watford at their place, was followed by that wet November night down at Leicester, which felt like playing through porridge. Only an injury time equaliser by “Bill” Ayling gave us reason to cheer. Mr Edwards had packed his bags and gone next morning.



Adi Viveash:

Edwards left Adi Viveash to steady the ship. We got to know this kind-hearted, and knowledgeable coach, who had really been the brains behind the operation. Plunged into the spotlight, he managed two victories [Birmingham and Derby], one draw [Oxford] and one defeat [Coventry]. If only Tommy Conway had got that goal against the Sky Blues………who knows?

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The lads have gelled over the season. Milanda has proven his worth, even though he landed just after Christmas. Whittaker grew in confidence. Ayling has been a star and Matt Target has litterally run through brick walls to play for Hellberg.

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, must have wondered what the hell he had come into, watching us cave in to Derby County after two minutes! Morgan Whittaker contributed with his third goal in that six-game run. He was on fire, making it 2-1, after Matt Target opened the scoring.

We know what happened next. We hammered in nine goals in three games, including that “unbelievable” 4-1 over Hull. The only time I recall Alex Gilbert scoring a decent goal all season. Christmas brought us no presents, again revealing a soft under-belly, where we scraped a point against Blackburn, to make it one point from twelve.


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Hellberg – taking a good goal-scoring week into Saturday:

You have three goals from Morgan in one week. You have three goals from Tommy in one week, and you have two goals from David, and some assist among them. So, it's a good time to go into to the last stage of the season”.
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Then it was “HELLBALL”. 4-2-2-2 :

Bombing Southampton 4-0, Burgzorg scored the winner [honest!!] in our next game against West Brom, we overcame our curse at Stoke [2-1], smacked Paul Heckingbotham`s Preston [4-0] – he didn’t look happy, took three points off Norwich, and really pzzd off Chris Wilder at Bramley Lane [2-1]!

The cracks in our forward line, injuries, and being forced into using “scratch” sides, meant we only managed 18 points out of a possible 42 in the next fourteen games. But, right up until that avoidable late defeat at home to Portsmouth, it was only the first time we had dropped out of the top three all season! Against our wildest dreams, we were heartbroken about not being second!!! Just repeat that. We were heartbroken about losing our second place!!! But we know its not all over till the “fat lady sings”!



An Assessment of the key Players, over the season:
There will always be disagreements amongst fans about who is the best player in the squad, who should stay or go, who is “crap” and “I don’t know what we bought him for?” So here is my unashamedly, completely subjective, biased, assessment of the lads this season. Apologies to any players who havent been mentioned. Thats probably because it wasnt worth it…...Here goes:



Riley McGree:

Still only 27, has suffered incredibly from injury this season, playing 24 league games. He didn’t score his first goal until December, away at Hull. Since then he`s notched 5 league goals and 3 assists. His impact on games is incredible. He has that “something” which has the potential to provide that extra spark, that extra bit of creativity and life into the team. An example was at Leicester City`s King Power Stadium, back in November. Although he was only a late sub, with under 30 minutes to go, he woke up the team, with forward moves, pulling Leicester`s dogged defence all over the pitch and set up chances for our forwards. It was really noticeable and he was just what we needed. Its not known what plans Hellberg has for Riley, but on his day he has been invaluable.

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That 3-0 away win at Millwall early on in the season, was a statement of intent. At a ground where our record had been "patchy", to say the least, we blew them away! Boro started the second half like an express train, with a goal from Hayden Hackney [49 mins], then Alfie Jones with three minutes of normal time to go. To top it off, Delano [I always wore gloves] Burgzorg made it three after 90+7 minutes! It was still only August!


Luke "Bill" Ayling:

Every team has a “golden oldie” and Luke “Bill” Ayling will be 35 come this August. This season has been his best in a Boro shirt. His experience and game management has shone through. In times where we have struggled he has taken control, taken off the pressure and given the team leadership and direction. Its no surprise he has frequently worn the Captain`s Arm-Band this season. He`s the first to admit that his legs arent as “fast” as they once were, but just like Jonny Howson and others before, age and experience needs to be combined with youthful enthusiasm. Personally, I find the way he can wind up opponents with the occasional “word” in their ear is quite funny.


Sol Brynn:

The first full season in The Championship is a rapid “learning curve”, but especially for a goal-keeper. “Goalies” are always under the spotlight. They cant “hide” away in games. Its been often said that a goal-keeper is only as good as the defence in front of him. That has certainly been true this season. He has not been without his mistakes, but thirteen clean sheets in 45 consecutive games and the joint top least number of goals conceded in The championship [45], speaks volumes for our 25-year-old keeper. The other team only to concede 45 goals is Coventry City [!], with the nearest being Ipswich on 47!
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Sol Brynn has proven his worth over and over again. Some fans are always keen to point out mistakes, but negate the "bigger picture"; when Sol has kept us in games and given us the points. His save against Ipswich at home was spectacular, although the diving experts robbed us at their place. As far as I recall in recent history [46+ years], he is the first Boro goal-keeper to be accredited with an "assist". That followed a pin-point kick out to Morgan Whittaker on the right, who converted, in our 3-1 rout of QPR, in early December!



Morgan Whittaker:

There`s more meat on a butchers pencil than this lad, and he suffered a lot of criticism before he got off the goal mark. For a reported fee of £5M + add-ons, he had a weight of expectation on his shoulders. But it wasnt really until the departure of his former “oppo” from Plymouth, that he started to come into his own.

It took nine games into the season before that “sweet left foot” began to work wonders, against Ipswich in October. Fourteen league goals [including 2 against both Southampton and Watford], and seven-assists later, he is our top scorer. His absence was really noticeable between late March and April. He creates chances. He pulls defences wide and looks dangerous. You always need a left footer or someone who can make it count using left or right, in a team. He deserves a lot of credit for pulling through and also going public with how criticism and his lack of goal-scoring, early on, had affected him. That free-kick against Watford was “text-book”. Absolute pin-point. An inch higher and it would have hit the bar. An inch more to the left and it would have come off the post. We`re going to need him fit for the rest of the season.


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Top scorer with 14 goals. Seven assists for the season [so far]. Played 39 games and been out injured or on the bench on just six occasions. He makes a real difference with the options he gives us up front. He may not be a physical bustling type of traditional centre-forward, but he`s proven the best in this squad. His left foot gives him that advantage. That sensational free-kick against Watford is worth watching over and over again. Any coaching manual would give that a 10/10. A "confidence" player is the term used these days, but he needs a run, service from the lads around him and he`l finish off the chances.


Brittain and Jones:

Callum and Alfie are the two best buy`s at this level, which the club have signed in ages. Before his injury, Jones had an almost telepathic relationship with the rest of the team. He isnt just “solid”, but creative and has great vision. Callum runs himself into the ground, and it would be interesting to know just how many crosses he has put into the box this season. With a sharper attacking line-up next season, he can see a few more “assists” added to his tally. So far its six for this season.


Fry and Malanda:

Seeing Dael Fry at the recent “Promotion Story” event, reminded us that he was here ten years ago, when we were last in The Premier League. Despite a long spell of injuries, he has been reliable every game he has played. You can guarantee he will head the ball away, keep the back line tight and pop up with the occasional goal [3 this year, so far]. We wait to see if he is offered a new contract next season.


Adilson Malanda has appeared in every game bar one, since the start of January. He`s much better in his natural position at Centre-back than when he was tasked to play a more defensive-midfield role more recently. Fresh into the Championship, he is a commanding figure, and will only get better. Already the transfer rumour vultures are circulating, so he must be doing something right.



Aidan Morris:

From the midfielder who behave more like a defender, he has changed his style from the side-to-side-backwards-sideways, to an attacking, forward-moving player. He has come into his own, especially in the second half of the season, and especially with Hayden Hackney being out injured. He`s looking fearless and not afraid to have a go at team-mates and referees! Its almost certain his partner, Hackney will be on his way, so it will be interesting to see how he takes on his new mantle, and potentially with a new player alongside him. Hellberg described Morris and Hackney as “the best midfield partnership in The Championship”. He`s not wrong.

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Tommy Conway has divided oppinions over the season. Does "working hard" and "running around" equal a no. 9? Only in his last two seasons at Middlesbrough has he ever reached double figures in the goals-scored column of his young career. Twelve goals in 45 appearances is a reasonable return, but it could be argued that 20 goals for a Centre-forward at this level isnt an unreasonable expectation. His technique has definitely improved this season and hopefully that will continue. There has been a tendency for our players to try and "walk" the ball into the net this season. Conway needs to fine-tune his game, and at 23 time is on his side.



Strelec and Conway:

Chalk and cheese! Both have had a difficult time this season. Both have had long spells without scoring goals and have experienced changes in formation and roles, over the season. Conway is like marmite: love him or hate him. He has a lot to learn, especially taking on defenders and circumnavigating goal-keepers! Hellberg has insisted in playing him, but 12 goals and 5 assists are testament to his persistence. If you look back to the time of Brit Assombalonga, we paid a reported £15M`s for him to do not much better, back in 2017! Incidentally, he now plays for Barnet!!

David Strelec has scored more spectacular goals for his country than for Middlesbrough. He is another player fans were given reason to believe, was going to be racking the goals up this season. Seven goals and one assist in 31 games is probably disappointing, but he has been playing out wide on the left, on the right and down the middle. Sometimes alongside Conway as a two or behind him. Our forward line has been poor in terms of returns this season overall, but we may see changes next season. David is learning a whole new game in “the best league in Europe”, so there will hopefully be more to come!

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Going in 4-0 at half-time at Hull was absolutely amazing! We knew we had it in us, but wow! Was that a game and a half! The result moved us five points clear of third-placed Millwall, but Coventry were seven points ahead at the top. Alex Gilbert`s goal is a contender for goal-of-the-season. Kim Hellberg commented after the game: "The players performance today was absolutely brilliant"! Dead right!


Alex Gilbert. Sammy Silvera. Alex Bangura. Leo Castledine. Finlay Munroe. Kaly Sene. Sontje Hansen. Jeremy Sarmiento:

Its going to be “decision time” for some of these players. Sammy has scored twice when playing on his natural right-hand side, but has had limited opportunities this season. “Gilly”, this season, has had more outings under Hellberg than any other Manager, but we wait to see if there is a role for him. Bangura had been out so long, it was hard to remember when he last played. Nevertheless, he has a lot to give, but we will find out if that is in Hellberg`s “system”. Young Finlay Munroe and Leo Castledine definitely have a future at The Riverside. Munroe has only had a few outings and will come out of his shell, thats for sure. Castledine has already scored and looks like he`s going to become a major player in our team. For Sene and Hansen, for me they havent taken the opportunities when presentnd. Sarmiento looks like a stop – gap, but what do I know?


Alan ******* Browne and Matt Targett:

Both of these players have been great this season. Both loanees, but neither can be accused of “coasting”. Alan ******* Browne has brought with him well over a decade of Championship experience, and we have to thank the Deckchairs for loaning him to us. He`s here, there and everywhere. Its was a sweet move scoring against Heckingbotham`s Preston, his old club. Targett is obviously Premier class. The one thing which stands out, is that he didn’t want to go back to the Barcodes, just to keep their bench warm. He wanted to keep playing for us, and for half-a-dozen games [at least], has played through injury, where others would have given up.

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Hayden Hackney heads in our goal in the 1-1 draw against Wrexham. We were starting to struggle to find the net and beat defensive sides. Even with a change in coaches its been a common theme. Does that say something about the mentality and / or quality of the players?


Hayden Hackney:

If you consider, every Championship club has roughly 25 players in their squad, that`s 625 players. To come top of that pile and be awarded CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYER OF THE SEASON, is absolutely brilliant. He has been the lynch-pin in the team this season. Thirty-eight appearance, five league goals and eight assists.

But stats arent everything. At 23 he`s worn the Captain`s Arm-Band on numerous occasions for his home-town club. He`s played at International Level and been followed by Premier League clubs and others abroad. The story goes, he`s been offered mega-bucks to leave Boro for pastures new, but wanted to be part of the team which sees Boro promoted. He told Ipswich where to go [good lad], but is likely to be on his way. Compared to last season under Carrick he has come on in leaps and bounds. He has learned to take the ball forward, take on defences and provide the ball to attackers, down the middle and out wide. On occasion its a pleasure watching his genius as he literally torches through opponents midfields and past defenders. He`s the best thing to come out of Redcar since the Lemon-top! We love him to bits. What more can we say?

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WREXHAM.

Into the last game>>>> Kim Hellberg:

[Notes from his press conference].

I always thought it's going to be coming down to the last game, and after that tough run, we we finished in a good way. It's always tough for for every team. I think there's has been bad runs for every team that they look back at, and think like I could have get three points there, or three points there.”



On Watford, "energy", "emotions" and going into the last game:

We scored a lot of goals. We were, in the second half brilliant.I think we struggled in the first half a little bit but got those goals that we hadn't got in other games. That second half was a brilliant way to finish it. And then at the end of the game, in all the emotions, all the togetherness in terms of fans, and it was a very special moment. So I think there's a lot of power and energy in the group and in Middlesborough in general. In the supporters, in everyone going into this last game.”


Hellberg stated he was appreciative of the fact he and his team have had a week to prepare for the game, bearing in mind there were previously three games in eight days. For him, he took stock and gave the players a short period to draw breath, before taking up the cudgel once more. He expressed his own excitement at the prospect, not only of taking the campaign to the last day, but checking through whats happening elsewhere throughout the game! Fans are clearly not only the only ones with their tech on the terraces, looking at the day pan-out.



Scream at the radio”!:

[The Wrexham game]. “Enjoy it and support like [with] the position we're in. I think you can always look at it in different ways. But you also need to try to enjoy it, because that's what you you support a club for. That's why you play football. You try to be in those positions where you can achieve something.”

It's a brilliant time to be a manager in these type of games. So, just to enjoy it, bring everything. I love where is a lot of emotions around. It should be why we we love this sport. It should be a lot of emotions. So, do everything you can with those emotions to try to bring the best in Middlesbrough out.”

Support it in the way you can support it……. if that's cheering on on the game or screaming before the radio! Whatever it is, you do your best and we will do the same!”


Hellberg loves working on “emotions” and “energy”, but on the more serious side, he is continually focused on improving his coaching methods, his staff, his squad and the support staff. He is aware that the level of “success” he desires, hasnt always been achieved.

He commented, that in some circumstances, when teams don’t succeed, or get the desired results, they sometimes become defensive-minded and adapt training to focus on tactics such as relying on set-plays. Hellberg insists that his teams will always be aggressive and attack-minded. Always looking to be on the offensive, no matter what.



Onwards and Upwards:

For the last time of the normal season, we face a crucial game, which will decide whether we get promoted in second place in the Championship. We also face the possibility of finishing in a play-off place, as do Wrexham. But, for them it means winning the game. Its going to be tough and a “nightmare” for us fans. No algorithyms, "Eggs-Gees", computer predictions or other mathematical formuli can predict the outcome. We have to grip on to whatever we can, hold onto our lucky Boro scarves and go through all the “good luck” rituals, hoping it works out right. Whatever the outcome, we are still in the race to go up, after ten years too long away from The Premiership.

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This has to be the most wonderful "family" picture of any football club. It sums up the togetherness of the fans, the coaching team and the players. Fourty years ago, Boro faced going out of existence and had Albert Park to train on. We`ve had loads of heartache, but stacks of "highs" since then. One common denominator runs through that period like a name through a stick of Redcar Rock - Steve Gibson. This season we`ve achieved nowt yet, but without him and his love, and financial committment to our football club we might not exist. What a brilliant picture. Adi Viveash is still hiding in the background, and the kids enjoyed the day as much as the players and staff. Brilliant!



Kim Hellberg on us fans:

The fans….”They've been brilliant. I love the thing that happened after the Watford game. How everyone celebrated together. We went out after the game, and with so many supporters waiting to get autographs and taking pictures ……..and being positive. it's a great club.”


* "Why did it have to get to the final day Dad?"

"You`ll find out soon enough little fella. This is the Boro you know........."*

;@))



COME ON BORO!

@r00fie1
 
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Excellent summary @r00fie1 got me in the mood for tomorrow….looking forward to it, it’s been a good season whatever happens. I think at least our third best since relegation in 2009.
 
I looked at the numbers for the interesting games tomorrow and to be honest none of the games look like gimmes on the stats.

Ipswich and boro have the best chances of winning, but really I wouldn't be surprised, looking at the data to see a few odd results tomorrow.
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So here we go. The final push. One last 90 minutes. Glory or despair. Now or never. No looking back. No second chances. Except for the play-offs, which are a second chance.

Our Waterloo. How will you feel if we win the war? Edwards left and along came Kim. Sweden's greatest export since ABBA. Or was it IKEA? Or Volvo maybe.

Take a chance on me, he said, and knowing me, knowing you, I'll lead you to the Premier League and money money money, because that's the name of the game. Aha.

So this is it. One last push for glory. COME ON BORO!! And thank you for the music.
 
R00FIE1 fancy not knowing how many crosses Brittain has put into the box the season. Sloppy research or couldn't you be arsed? :) Super writeup. I can't see beyond a draw for this game.
 
A happy Saturday to all the lads an lasses travelling abroad to Wales today.
Here` my cup of "Dorset decaff Tea" raised to Kim Hellberg and his mighty Nordic Warriors.
To do the most unlikely, but always possible.
Finish in second as Ipswich and Millwall cry in their Tolly Cobold and London Pride!


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COME ON BORO!!!!
 
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Completely relaxed about the game.

Sadly, in my humble opinion, we've blown the automatics and it's now a case of seeing who we get in the playoffs.

Strange game. Wrexham obviously have to come at us, secure the win to guarantee 6th spot. That will suit us. Goals in other games will change things mid game.

Late drama.......

Apart from a mental finish and finishing 2nd, finishing 3rd and getting Derby in the playoff semis best scenario?

Looking forward to it.
 
R00FIE1 fancy not knowing how many crosses Brittain has put into the box the season. Sloppy research or couldn't you be arsed? :) Super writeup. I can't see beyond a draw for this game.
Morning Gordy.
Can we do it?!
Slim chance.
But "this is the Boro we know...."
 
Brilliant Roofie. So sad that this is the last one for the season and indeed for the Championship!
Hope they keep you on for the Premier League (but I have heard they are signing Harry Pearson if we go up)
 
Brilliant Roofie. So sad that this is the last one for the season and indeed for the Championship!
Hope they keep you on for the Premier League (but I have heard they are signing Harry Pearson if we go up)
Love "The Far Corner".
Might have to write up for the "play-offs" yet!
UTMB!


ps: and Wembley!
 
Plenty of us on here who are old enough to remember the last days in 1988 in 1992, and who know that the easiest of last day home fixtures can be blown, and the most ridiculous last 15 minutes scenarios are also possible. It ain’t over till it’s over.
 
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