This day 1988 the 1st of the epic FAC battles v Everton

Erimus74

Well-known member
30th January the mighty Boro's reward for eventually knocking non league Sutton out of the 3rd round of the FAC after a replay & extra time was an away draw at reigning 1st division champions Everton
Bruce Rioch had transformed the relegated team into a finely tuned team who played attractive football & worked their socks off for each other, a team who having gained promotion to the 2nd division wern't there to make up the numbers but to challenge for promotion & play the Everton of this world on a level playing field
Bruce & the Boro players would go to Goodison without any fear, which was the case, Everton came out of the blocks & Boro contained em, Boro got in to the game surprising Everton
Eventually Everton got a breakthrough with Graham Sharp putting the toffees ahead at the Boro end, which was wall to wall red
Boro went in at HT trailing 1-0
2nd half started & both teams had chances, Boro fans raised the roof when Stuart Ripley whipped in a cross & Paul Kerr connected beautifully, goooooooaaaaaaaaaaallllllll, the Boro are back
Stephen Pears pulled off a brilliant last minute save to keep the score at 1-1 & replay back at Ayresome Park
Bruce has certainly brought the good times back to the Boro
A brilliant period being a Boro fan, as good as any time in my life following the Boro

Bruce's team

Stephen Pears
Dean Glover
Colin Cooper
Tony Mowbray
Gary Parkinson - former Everton apprentice
Gary Pallister
Bernie Slaven
Stuart Ripley
Gary Hamilton
Paul Kerr
Brian Laws
Sub - Alan Kernaghan
 

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My grandad queued up all day to get me a ticket to the replay. I remember hundreds locked out of the ground.
 
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