When, how and why we become Boro Fans? Autobiography time.

[redblood]

Copied and pasted from another recent thread:

My nearest club is Crystal Palace, with Charlton and Millwall also in contention, and as a kid I loved playing and watching football, but I reached the age of 10 without having chosen a team to support. My dad nurtured my love of the game, but he was a huge non-league fan so he didn't push me towards any of the teams in the 92. I'm sure if he'd been a Palace or Charlton supporter then I would've done the same and that would've been it.

Anyway, I was 10 years old and I randomly decided that Nick Barmby was my all-time hero, and he played for Spurs, so I thought I'd support them. But only a few weeks later, he moved to Boro and I announced that I was now going to support them instead. I had no idea that Boro was one of the furthest possible clubs from where I lived, let alone the misery and heartbreak they'd bring to my life. My dad laughed and told me it would never last. But it did. Even when Barmby moved on. I stuck faithfully with the Boro and it's now been 26 years of dedicated support and love. I adore the Boro with all my heart and I can only hope to be accepted (much like Yusuf and some others) as an adopted Teessider even though I have absolutely no connection to the area.

My visits to the Riverside are severely limited by time, money and working hours, but I go to a lot of away games and I enjoyed being a holder of a Boro Pride card when they existed. It's been a few years since I was last at the Riverside, but I'd arranged a trip last April which sadly never took place for obvious reasons. I'll be back there as soon as I can. UTB

I'm surprised that you haven't received a record amount of " likes " for your story futureboy.
I think it's brilliant.

I adopted a rugby league team here in Oz, the Sydney City roosters on account of the friends that I had made here were all
into league and not football. They took me along to many games to watch their team the Rabbitohs.
After I got interested, and, only because I needed a sporting fix to ease the pain of not being able to see my beloved Boro anymore, I
started to go and watch the Roosters as I lived in the Eastern suburbs and they were the local team and as such, should be the team that I follow.

I've been a fan for the Roosters for over fifty years now but I can't get the adopted passion for them that you show for the Boro.

Yes, It slightly eases the pain of a Boro loss when the Roosters get a win but if the Boro have had a win, then the Roosters result
means absolutely nothing to me.

I take my hat off to you sir and proud to have you amongst the Boro faithful.

 

[alanmoodysdog]

Lived in Wingate, right on the Durham/Teesside border. Most of Wingate are either Sunderland or Newcastle , a generation thing like voting labour ( until recently). Wore patch pockets with a Wolves badge so I was moving towards Dougan and Curran as my team....My Dad worked ICI in the Offices at Billingham,on the payrol computer, huge things.... went a few times when young and remember the single person moving lifts and my dad saying dont look up when the younger girls went past us upwards... it was the days of mini skirts in the late 60s... dads family not footie fans at all but one day he took me to Boro to see them play Bolton , it was Charlie Hurleys new club after he left Sunderland a hero... Big John robbed him just inside the Bolton half and motored towards the Bolton goal.... Bang Get in... the noise and I was hooked, sat in the terrace seats where the players came out, the grass, the smells and Bernard Gent, went often after that must have been 1969-70 season... I was 12... got season tickets until 1977, dark days under Murdoch... when my dad suddenly stopped going but I had a car then and kept going.... never stopped until the last 5 years when I moved to Thailand to retire.... Watched every game this season on the Boro Stream, means getting up 2 am for the midweek games, Guess it will never change, its in your blood, Son a Boro fan and he lives near Hudds/Barnsley way. Miss Ayresome Park for the feeling it gave me going every other week, the memories of Stan Andersons team Whigham, Alex Smith, Jones George Smith, Willie Maddren, Frank Spraggon, Derrick Downing, Eric McMordie, Big John, Hugh McIlmoyle, Joe Laidlaw, and the Jack Charlton years with Souness ( best ever Boro player) , Robbos dream team, Euro games, and the indifferent years all in the mix, roller coaster, but what a ride it has been from 1970 when I first went.... part of my life, keeps your feet on the ground

 

[SNEEKERS]

Born in Boro had little choice.
Big brother took me and payed for me through the 70s.
In the 80Ss Boro was like a sick dog you couldn't abandon.
90s they gave me identity when I moved to London," I am Boro me"
2000s had a young family gave us something to get behind and follow as a family, proud my lads had Boro shirts not Man U at the school footy
2010s .....Realised it is part of who I am.

 

[futureboy]

I'm surprised that you haven't received a record amount of " likes " for your story futureboy.
I think it's brilliant.

I take my hat off to you sir and proud to have you amongst the Boro faithful.

Thanks for your kind words - they're much appreciated!

To be fair, I copied this story from an earlier post where it did get several "likes", so it was reasonably popular at the time. I'm very glad that people are willing to accept me into the Boro fold despite my total lack of connection to the area. My love for the club is heartfelt and I certainly had a tear in my eye watching George Friend's video the other day, with the imagery of "Steel River" and the glory of Teesside.

 

[craggsy]

It's all my dad's fault. First season was the promotion in 66/67. Left Stockton years ago but my boys have now inherited the bug. I live daily with the guilt of what I have inflicted on them.

 

[Trug]

Probably through osmosis from my dad and grandad, first game was in 76, Tony McAndrew hat trick v Sheff Utd. From there it grow, around 79 starting going on my own with a gang of mates in the boys end.

We emigrated to South Africa in 81 after dad took redundancy from BS, followed them on a very crackly radio and my nana sending out the gazette every week.

Moved back in 84, and continued going, also doing away games with my girlfriend (now wife) .

Joined up, moved around the UK, and was able to get to more away games, but less home games.

Got a season ticket with my brothers in law, we divvied up the games so we all could use and see the home games. Think this was 98?

Move to NZ in 07, able to follow them on the net now, and through this, which is great. Mam still sent me the back pages of the gazette up until 2 years ago, started when I first joined up in 89.

So long suffering.

I worked at BS then at RBF and sometimes scrounged a lift from a lad who lived in Thornaby. I lived at Hemlington at the time. He took redundancy and emigrated to South Africa in 1981. He was an Instrument Artificer. His Initials are B.S.. Am I thinking of the right person?

 

[HarryVegas]

Born in Parkside, grew up in Ormesby, went to school on Cargo Fleet Lane. No choice.

 

[NZBoro1]

I worked at BS then at RBF and sometimes scrounged a lift from a lad who lived in Thornaby. I lived at Hemlington at the time. He took redundancy and emigrated to South Africa in 1981. He was an Instrument Artificer. His Initials are B.S.. Am I thinking of the right person?

Ah sorry no, dads initials were CS, he started off at ICI as a apprentice fitter and Turner, worked up to Planning Engineer. He lived in Thornaby mind, when he was younger, but moved to Stockton (Arlington Street?) when I came along in 68.