25 Years at the Riverside

Your first visit? QPR 1997
Favourite game? Steaua. Don't think I'll ever experience a Boro game like it again in my lifetime.
Worst game? 1-2 defeat at home to Accrington Stanley in the cup. It was reality check of just how low we'd sunk and I knew the end was nigh for Mowbray at that stage.
The game you wish you could experience again? Steaua
Personal memories from a game not overly memorable. Perhaps your kids first game? Off the field memory, I always remember two blokes fighting right in front of me in the North stand. I would have only been 10 or 11. We were at home to Arsenal, it was half-time and think it was the 00-01 season. Remember the stewards took ages to respond and the older fella got a bit of a battering. Not the nicest memory to have but it's always stayed with me. On the field memory, beating Liverpool 1-0 at the start of the 99/00 season. It was my first game as a ST holder and they battered us 1st half, but Brian Deane scored with a header 2nd half to win us the game.
What improvements would you make to the ground or surrounding area? Paint the seats. Have pictures up like the one of Maccarones' diving header vs Steaua in the NW corner going all around the outside of the stadium.
 
Improvements: We should have had the rail stop at Cargo Fleet. That walk back to town is the worst thing about going to games in the winter. Plus I could drink decent beer(Magnet) in Pig and Whistle in Redcar before the game and not have the put up with the crap beer in towns pubs.
 
Your first visit? Chelsea 95/96
Favourite game? Basel or Steaua - truly incredible atmospheres and a real sense of pride. I was at uni and came back for the games. I had a strut around campus after both of them. Liverpool in the cup and Brighton are worthy of mention too.
Worst game? Too many in recent years.
The game you wish you could experience again? Steaua
Personal memories from a game not overly memorable. Perhaps your kids first game? I have strong early memories of Man United and Liverpool fans being thrown out from the home end and feeling really angry that they had got in and had taken a Boro seat. Andrew Davies' slip against Leeds for Viduka to score the winner, Craig Liddle's suicide pass across the back for Asprilla to score. I remember things that anger me!
What improvements would you make to the ground or surrounding area?Develop the area as promised to Gibson over 25 years ago. Increase food and drink options outside the ground - different food stalls on rented spots etc to make it more like a market feel so people would get there earlier or stay after. Make it more eco-friendly - solar panels, wind turbines, waterless urinals etc. Decorate the concourses to make them feel less industrial.
 
Memories from an unmemorable game.

Robbos first season in them prem. We lose 2 nil or something to Everton in march, having lost 8 in a row and not won since Christmas. After the final whistle the whole of the North stand started singing "you are my Boro" rather than booing the team off. That's the sort of spirit you need from the crowd when you're scrapping.
 
Your first visit? Chelsea 1995 (did visit regularly during the build)
Favourite game? Steau game was my 21st birthday, couldn’t speak afterwards although the 4-1 spanking of United was also a great game.
Worst game? Defeat to Southampton, utterly freezing cold, awful weather and a terrible game with Maddison getting sent off for handball (I thought it was a brilliant clearance) won by a penalty.
The game you wish you could experience again? Think Brighton at home- my Dad has been going for donkeys and booked a holiday abroad at the start of season thinking it wouldn’t be a meaningful game...oops!
What improvements would you make to the ground or surrounding area? Add more restaurants, pubs, outdoor seating developing the docks area. (We’ve always said that the halt would’ve been a great idea at the navigation for years and wouldn’t have cost a fortune).
 
Your first visit? was the Chelsea curtain raiser. I remember the whole area was still pretty much a building site and it was a long walk from the town centre compared to the Ayresome days. Was amazing walking up to the ground and taking in all the new shapes, and just how big it felt. My memory from going in was the concourse was that the lighting was bit a dim and gloomy, but walking up the stairs and seeing the pitch. WOW. I remember during the first few games there the smoke from the burger kitchens used to hang in the air above the ground in the second half, probably because the ventilation systems hadn't been installed fully. Also the sheer volume of burger vans and stalls leading up to the ground made each game feel like the fair had come to town.

Favourite game? Lots. Newcastle 3-1 win in cup, Sheff Weds 4-2 match after the 3points deduction and the whole team and fanbase standing together, Liverpool semi final, Oxford 4-1 to go up, Manchester United 4-1, Lazio win in Europe- it was just so comfortable it felt like this was going to be the norm for us for a few more years.

Worst game? Plenty of dreadful games, usually in Jan or Feb in the doldrums of the season, when it can be a hassle to get to the ground, as hassle to be in the ground, a hassle to watch two out of form teams, and then a hassle to get home. Never nice getting beat by Leeds or Newcastle at home.

The game you wish you could experience again? Brighton game. I would have taken the opportunity to go on the pitch given the chance again.

Personal memories from a game not overly memorable - the paper bags floating around the pitch during a dreadful 0-0 with Wimbledon. A minutes silence for a member of the royal family being broken by shouts of ‘Viva La Republic’. Sitting next to an Arsenal fan and his son during the 6-0 drubbing and he was impressed that the Boro fans took it on the chin and kept singing.

What improvements would you make to the ground or surrounding area? The bar has always been low, but got to say I've been impressed by the development around the ground the last few years. Finally. Maybe some more permanent shelters or meeting points on the lead up to the ground so you can shelter from the exposure now and then.
 
Your first visit? Chelsea 1995
Favourite game? Basel or Steaua - really hard to pick between the two. Still get goosebumps watching them after all these years
Worst game? Cardiff is the obvious one but seeing as so many have already said it I'll go with the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland in '97. Just a few days after we had lost the Cup Final and we were so poor against a dreadful Sunderland team. Not sure we really recovered from that defeat
The game you wish you could experience again? Brighton
Personal memories from a game not overly memorable. Perhaps your kids first game? 1-0 win over Hull in 2016. Was young lads first night game on his 6th birthday. All the emotion and tension in the ground from the issues with Karanka was released in that moment that Nugent's header hit the back of the net. Jumped round with my little lad like crazy. One of those moments that you live for as a football fan
What improvements would you make to the ground or surrounding area? More food and drink options outside of the ground beforehand
 
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