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WARNOCK WEEKLY - THE BLACK WIDOW OF BLACK SUNDAY - 19-3-08
Tom Warnock
Ten days have passed since one of the darkest days in our town’s recent footballing history - the day that has since become known as ‘Black Sunday’.
It was a Cup run that could have had the potential to inspire generations. It could also have brought many long-term benefits to the football club (a la Carling Cup success and subsequent UEFA Cup campaigns).
Those ten days have been a struggle and have brought spiteful remarks and bitter thoughts towards our beloved club.
Some of these have threatened the stability of the fanbase. Even those previously unaffected by the exodus of season-ticket holders have been considering whether their loyalties are worth the trouble any more.
However it seems Gareth Southgate may have just pulled off the biggest escape of his career to date.
Every pundit, journalist and even some Boro fans were eagerly anticipating an implosion and a downward spiral of a Boro side who bore the brunt of some of the most aggressive booing and chanting ever seen in the Riverside era.
But Gareth stood resolute.
He defended his players when many a boss would have hung them out to dry. He empathised with his supporters and pleaded for faith. He vowed to keep fighting and not to let it affect his approach.
And make no mistake about it, the results and performances against Villa and Arsenal may have saved this club from breaking point.
Imagine the implications had we suffered two defeats, even two demolitions. This is something that could so easily have occurred on the back of such a demoralising Cup exit.
But it did not happen and Gareth looks to have steered the ship clear of the rocks.
Some have said that the Villa and Arsenal performances make the Cup exit harder to swallow and more baffling to comprehend.
Many would also have traded a Cup win for two league defeats, despite our tenuous league standing before those valuable points were obtained.
After the Cardiff defeat, many fans severed all emotional ties with the club.
They also detached themselves from the Villa game completely. Some were even unaware of its existence and when they realised, they pretended not to care. They didn’t want to care because the players didn’t care on "Black Sunday". It's a perfect justification you might argue.
The situation was similar to that when you fall out with the missus or a best mate, when you look down at the floor, pretending not to care, pretending not to be thinking about things.
However the reality is you do care.
I am sure that for many of these fans, Downing’s goal got to them. They may have just shrugged and looked away but under their breath they muttered "get in" and clenched a fist on the sly.
That moment was a grim realisation that you just can’t escape.
Even though nothing can make up for ‘Black Sunday’, seeing a Boro lad burying the ball in the net and wheeling away grinning from ear to ear just hits home, no matter what result had preceded that one.
We’ve all been through rough times as Boro fans. I could list them but there are not enough police in Cleveland to stop us all from jumping off the Transporter.
The one fact is that we’re still here and we’re still Boro. And from all this, the club will see that the fans' loyalties run deeper than they may have imagined.
They just need to make sure it’s not too late to repay us for it.
Until next week
Up the Boro
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