I am feeling with nerves...

Edit: NOOOO....

There's no hope now - unless a miracle happens between now and the end of the season.

I'm not posting again until the game is finished. When I posted before the Mags got a goal and now they've done it again.

Sad to say, I think that's about Boro's lot...

Uh huh

Well it's over.

Looks like bye bye premier league unless we can miraculously beat both Villa and West Ham.

Bad luck Babybird and Flossie

Looks like you'll be joining us in the Championship...

Car Expert

You'll probably be in the premier league instead of us... for you and for us.

I hope so, although I don't fancy us beating Burnley at home...

Car Expert

all round sorry Flossie and Babybird2

Yesterday I had loads of people telling me that it was 'only' a football match and why did it really matter. Today, I've got all the Newcastle fans being really smug.

I haven't come across any Newcastle fans yet. Which is probably good for their own safety

Lucky you. I seem to be surrounded by them...

For some reason my office mate had heard me discussing the match and relegation issues yesterday afternoon, and had thought I was a Newcastle fan (despite the fact that I've had several conversations with him about Boro). He congratulated me on yesterday's win when I walked into the office and wondered why I glared at him. I thought he was trying to wind me up in a very insensitive manner - and then realised that he was being serious in asking me why I looked like that. He did apologise...

Some people

I only have a smug Liverpool supporter who was told do go away when I saw him earlier, before he could say anything

Reading lost

Another season in the Championship for us...

Car Expert

You'll probably have us to keep you company. (not sure what smilie to add for that...)

It was the home form that did for you...

Good luck for next season...

So CE, who would you like to see succeed Steve Coppell at the Madejski?...

Has Coppell walked, or was he pushed, or was it a combination of the two - I can't quite work it out?

I think he walked : it seems he felt that he'd taken Reading as far as he could...

It was always inevitable that he was going to walk out if Reading didn't win promotion this season...Hmm... who's available? Curbishley? Pardew?

There's Glenn Roeder... not sure about him though...

Car Expert

You can have Phil Parkinson. We don't want him

This is a serious question and not meant to be sarcastic or anything, but could someone please explain to me why it is not "only a football match". What makes it mean more?

It was a very important football match - which pretty much determined whether our club would play in the top flight of English football next season (probably not, as it stands!). And it was a north-east derby, they're heated events

Supporting a club week in week out for years and seeing them near the bottom of the table about to be relegated is pretty sad. It means more than "just a football match" even if I can't quite put it into words

Nope, still don't get it I'm afraid...

Nervous over tomorrows match...not sure why...I know we only need a win or for Hull and/or Newcastle to lose to be safe (I think that's right...?)
But it's another 6-pointer, and our current form has me a little bit worried

I am very worried.

It would be a miracle escape for us to survive now...

I fear that tomorrow may be the day.

It's still not hopeless Flossie : I'll have my fingers crossed for you and BB2...

Thanks.

I'm worried about us going down, because I'm not sure that we would be able to get back up again...

Portsmouth don't play until Monday, so they could be safe by then. In my opinion, they're practically safe already... I can't see where Hull are going to get another 4 points from...

Car Expert

I have my fingers crossed for you too



Sorry, Monday's what I meant lol, careless typing going on there!
I know, I don't think there's much chance of us going down at all or anything anymore, but, still not nice to watch us play badly like I have been, especially when I've seen how well we have played in the past...

*thinking of the Boro supporters on the forum today*

*and the Portsmouth one on the forum*

Thanks Barry.

It's our last home match for season. I think BB2 is going to the match as it looks likely to be our last home game in the premiership.

*Thinks you can beat Villa then West Ham, you can, you can, you can - and hopes that this thinking will somehow transmit itself to the team who seem to have lost interest...*

Fingers crossed it isn't.

I'll watch 'Final Score' in my hotel room in Sudbury. I hope to see a positive result for you both.

There's no doubt Middlesbrough are capable of getting 6 points from the last two games. Villa are not on form at the moment and they've also proven they can match West Ham in the FA Cup. But the question is whether the players will be up for it...

If West Ham are to have nothing to play for on the final day (i.e. the Europa League), Everton have to beat West Ham and Fulham have to avoid defeat at Newcastle today, meaning Fulham will be out of reach. That might make it a little easier for Boro, unless they don't better Newcastle's result of course...

Car Expert

Thank you hehehe I have my virtual Boro kit on again today!! And hoping for a Newcastle and Hull loss!!



You can do it Boro, you can do itttt

Thanks Chev.

Man U are officially champions apparently...

FT Middlesbrough 1-1 Aston Villa
FT Newcastle 0-1 Fulham
FT Bolton 1-1 Hull

Those results means Middlesbrough need to win at West Ham to have any chance of staying up, with Hull having to lose to Man Utd and overcome a 4-goal swing in goal difference. Newcastle move into the bottom three. Portsmouth are now mathematically safe.

Car Expert

We would need a 5-goal swing and would also need Newcastle to lose. Hull have scored more goals than us so equaling them on points and goal difference wouldn't be enough...



I'm sad, and there's no-one around who understands....

Edit: And west brom are still a danger as well. They seem to have suddenly found some form...

So bitter-sweet for me pleased because Pompey are safe, and sad because my forum football friends are sad

Sorry, Chev. Here's to Pompey.

It's a very tall order for Boro now, but there is still the slimest of chances. This is what would be needed now for Boro to survive:
1) A minimum 2-0 win against West Ham (or 3-1, 4-2 etc)
Combined with
2) A minimum 3-0 win for Man U against Hull (or 4-0 if Boro only won by one goal)
3) A Newcastle loss
4) West Brom to get no more than 1 point from their two remianing games.

I will try to carry on dreaming - but it would be the miracle survival to beat all previous ones...

It could still happen though my fingers remain for you

- anything can happen. The big question is what kind of team Man Utd will put out against Hull now they've won the title and what sort of impact that will have. Darren Fletcher has surely got to be involved as he's suspended from the Champions League final. The likes of Foster, Welbeck and Macheda could be in the starting 11 as well. On the plus side for Boro, West Ham have nothing to play for now they can't get into Europe, apart from trying not to finish 10th again . Also, Villa will still be trying to claim 5th spot and must win to have any chance of doing so, so it won't be easy for Newcastle.

West Brom have meanwhile been relegated... that puts them out of the relegation picture, although Boro could still finish bottom of the league...

Car Expert

Been there, seen it, have the T-shirt this season Flossie

There's still hope for Boro. A small piece of hope, but hope nonetheless. Hold onto it 'til the end of the season.

Looks like my team (Derby County) are going all out for promotion next season they have so far signed 3 players from non-league football (although Burton Albion will of course be in Division 2 in August). Hope Clough junior has found some gems at the lower levels of the game!

Sunderland are still in relegation trouble after a 3-1 defeat to Portsmouth.

It looks like it'll be a thrilling end to the season (unless you support one of the teams down there of course!)

Car Expert

I think I'd describe it as an extremely nerve-racking end to the season.

Sunderland can only go down if they lose (which is likely against Chelsea) and both Hull and Newcastle win.

Well done to Portsmouth tonight, Chev.

Thank yooooou I'm very happy with tonight...who'd have thought, Utaka does know how to score after all!!

Fingers still crossed for you Flossie and BB2

It's the Sunday that will decide the relegation issues in the Premiership...

Good luck BB2/Flossie...