Keith Lamb - RIP

RIP.

Genuinely saddened to read this news. Absolutely integral in everything Boro did, establishing us as a top 10 PL team, winning our first trophy......the players.......UEFA Final.

I don't personally hold him responsible for the 3 points debacle, just a sh*tshow all around which the FA walked away with no consequence. Certainly the Whelan / Fax thing was a bit of p*ss taking, nothing to take seriously......

Another off to the Holgate in the sky (posh seats).

☹️☹️
 
Joined us from being accountant at a local cement company as I recall and had also worked in a similar capacity in the Northern League. I interviewed Keith Lamb on 3 occasions I believe and each time they were drama filled episodes. The first time at Ayresome Park he took me outside and showed me a rusting hole in the girders of the main stand. Then as we re-entered his office. He took a phone call. Asked me to switch off my tape recorder. It was like an episode of the Fast Show. "Contaminated Land" waffle waffle waffle "new stadium site" waffle waffle waffle..
How can you top that for a scoop? Several years later and I am having a fascinating discussion with Mr Lamb about the running of football as much as Boro. When the phone rings again. "Hello Bryan..." Could you turn the tape off, please? "At the airport, yes "the deal looks done.... south America....."
Robson was abroad signing Hamilton Ricard, reporting back and it seemed from the conversation that we had signed at least one other player.. Turned out to be Branca, Armstrong and Ricard.
Third time - and I almost knew the phone would ring again... anyway. I will save this story.
But yes Keith Lamb loved to be devil's advocate and he was a wily operator alright. He was prepared to be bad cop to Gibson's good cop. But he did a hell of a job transforming Boro and fuelling the Robson/Riverside revolution.
We didn't always see eye to eye but he was very kind after I gave a speech at MP Alan Keen's funeral. I had absolutely no idea I would be asked to follow a former PM and the then leader of the opposition in addressing the congregation. Keith was very good in chatting afterwards and introducing me to football guests.
Keith was cruelly denied retirement as he battled dementia for several years and so much credit to his family for the care and support they offered. He had a remarkable stint as Chief Exec at Middlesbrough and presided over some of the most momentous seasons in our entire history..
RIP
 
Always seemed to do his very best, in tough circumstances at the time, and always came across as a Boro fan.

Very sad news, he was a major part of the most amazing 20 years in the club's history. RIP Lamby.
 
RIP Keith Lamb. Huge part of the recovery from liquidation, and then played his part in the move to the Riverside and everything that flowed from that. Our most successful Chief Exec appointment ever.
 
Sad to hear the passing of a great servant to MFC. He was an integral part of our transition and the announcement of the players and ambition that our club now had. The classic conferences of the Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd signings in a 24 hour period. After the first - "Thanks for coming, See you all again tomorrow!"
Rest in Peace Keith.
 
We all know these things but they’re worth reiterating in my opinion.

Juninho, Ravanelli, Emerson, Ziege, Ince, Boksic, Southgate, Viduka, Barmby, Gascoigne, Merson, Ehiogu, Pallister, Schwarzer, Zenden, Hasselbaink, Robson, Karembeu, Mendieta, Yakubu, Boateng… I’m certain there will be names missing but that is some list of players. How many trophies, European appearances, international caps must that lot have between them? And yet they all signed for the Boro.

This is on top of a first-ever major trophy, a first-ever FA Cup final, three promotions to the Premier League, two further League Cup finals and a semi-final, two years of European football culminating in a UEFA Cup final appearance - including what is probably the greatest night of football that will ever be played at the Riverside Stadium, that 4-3 win against Steaua Bucharest - a move to a spanking new stadium and a state-of-the-art training ground that brought the club firmly into the modern day only a decade or so after the seniors had been training on school fields full of dogsh*t. There was also the brand new academy set-up that cemented the club’s place as one of the most productive and respected youth systems in the country and produced an FA Youth Cup-winning team packed with players who would make thousands of appearances for both the Boro and right across the pyramid and beyond.

Whenever we’re struggling now and things feel bad or you wonder if we’ll ever get promoted again or even get close to a trophy or Europe, I do often think of everything we were fortunate enough to see and feel and enjoy in the 20 years from 1986. Jesus Christ some of those names, those players, those cup runs and European nights and all the rest of it, it was an incredible time to support this football club.

Keith Lamb was absolutely integral to all of the above. What a legacy he leaves and what a mark he leaves on the Boro.

RIP Keith Lamb.
 
viv_andersons_nana said:
We all know these things but they’re worth reiterating in my opinion.

Juninho, Ravanelli, Emerson, Ziege, Ince, Boksic, Southgate, Viduka, Barmby, Gascoigne, Merson, Ehiogu, Pallister, Schwarzer, Zenden, Hasselbaink, Robson, Karembeu, Mendieta, Yakubu, Boateng… I’m certain there will be names missing but that is some list of players. How many trophies, European appearances, international caps must that lot have between them? And yet they all signed for the Boro.

This is on top of a first-ever major trophy, a first-ever FA Cup final, three promotions to the Premier League, two further League Cup finals and a semi-final, two years of European football culminating in a UEFA Cup final appearance - including what is probably the greatest night of football that will ever be played at the Riverside Stadium, that 4-3 win against Steaua Bucharest - a move to a spanking new stadium and a state-of-the-art training ground that brought the club firmly into the modern day only a decade or so after the seniors had been training on school fields full of dogsh*t. There was also the brand new academy set-up that cemented the club’s place as one of the most productive and respected youth systems in the country and produced an FA Youth Cup-winning team packed with players who would make thousands of appearances for both the Boro and right across the pyramid and beyond.

Whenever we’re struggling now and things feel bad or you wonder if we’ll ever get promoted again or even get close to a trophy or Europe, I do often think of everything we were fortunate enough to see and feel and enjoy in the 20 years from 1986. Jesus Christ some of those names, those players, those cup runs and European nights and all the rest of it, it was an incredible time to support this football club.

Keith Lamb was absolutely integral to all of the above. What a legacy he leaves and what a mark he leaves on the Boro.

RIP Keith Lamb.
Click to expand...
Viv, well done. Those are well reasoned and structured words, to someone very deserving of respect and gratitude from every Boro fan who lived through the Robson years.

#UTB
 
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