Contined from part 1…

November

Frustration continues to mount during the six-pointer with struggling Spurs. The team are jeered off at half time after Darren Bent embarrasses Riggott to give the visitors the lead. Luke Young saves a point with an emphatic drive but its not enough to mollify sections of the Riverside targeting Stewart Downing for abuse during a anxious second half.

The annual goalless draw at Bolton a week marks the return of Emanuel Pogatetz to first team action. The referee has stern words with Pogi over a late challenge 30 seconds after he comes off the bench. Still, some hopes are raised as Boro go two league games without defeat for the first time since 1 September, also the last time 3 points were earned. Any nascent optimism is destroyed, however, after another Riverside humiliation at the hands of Aston Villa.

Having fallen behind just before the break, Boro folded horribly afterwards, conceding two dreadful goals. First, Lee Cattermole’s attempts to clear a corner merely invite Olof Mellberg to double Villa’s lead. Shortly afterwards, Jonathan Woodgate’s feeble effort at impeding Agbonlahor’s chase onto a goal kick helps Villa on their way to a third. Boro still teeter outside the bottom three, and even Gareth Southgate can’t understand why. “Somehow - which is beyond me - we have managed to stay out of the bottom three. We are very, very lucky”.

December

That luck doesn’t last much longer as Boro finally sink into the drop zone after drawing at Reading. There is some hope after Tuncay finally breaks his goalscoring duck by heading a late equaliser but few believed Boro would be able to end the long wait for a league win against unbeaten leaders Arsenal. An early Downing penalty puts Boro in front. Leading a game for the first time since Sunderland in September, the team is transformed. Boateng and Rochemback boss midfield, Wheater scythes through Gunners two at a time and Tuncay and Aliadiere carve the backline apart. After missing one sitter, the Turk makes amends with a crucial second. Arsenal have no answer.

Tuncay’s hot streak continues with a stunning volley to earn all 3 points at Derby. Thoughts of a barely conceivable third successive win arose when David Wheater put Boro in front against West Ham. However, Dean Ashton equalises in the final moments of the first half and then Scott Parker weaves through a static defence to steal a sickening last minute winner. The festive mood becomes funereal after an awful 3-0 defeat at Birmingham on Boxing Day commenced by Stewart Downing shanking farcically past Schwarzer.

In a suitably appropriate end to a contrary 2007, Boro then go to high flying Porstmouth, with Lee Dong Gook up front and Mohammed Shawky making his league debut, and earn a comfortable 1-0 win.

January

In a suitably contrary start to 2008, Boro are comfortable for an hour against Everton before chucking a point away in the final twenty minutes. “When we keep having disappointments like this, its hard,” says Gareth Southgate.

The team regroups to negotiate a tricky FA Cup tie at Bristol City, coming from behind to win 2-1. Ben Hutchinson makes his full debut as a lone striker (not fancying the task much, he makes for Celtic soon afterwards). If Downing’s equaliser owed much to suspect goalkeeping, David Wheater’s winner was worthy of cup progress, elegantly finishing a sweeping move.

Having seemed set for a transfer after an almighty hissy fit, George Boateng is back in favour and scrambles his first goal of the season against Liverpool. Downing then spanks a post but Boro leave Fernando Torres unmarked 25 yards out he scores. More points are tossed away at Blackburn after Wheater heads Boro in front. Wheater hits the woodwork and Tuncay contrives to miss an open goal two yards out. Matt Derbyshire’s equaliser is inevitable.

Jonathan Woodgate is alleged to have refused to sit on the bench at Ewood Park and is not considered for the FA Cup tie at Mansfield. Rumours that he’s heading for Newcastle spark an angry response in the away end at Field Mill. On the pitch, the Gook scores then heads several yards wide of an empty goal. Mido waddles back into contention after the break before Boateng’s cross-cum-shot spares any further embarrassment.

Woodgate eventually ends up at Tottenham while Teesside is in a state of BabelFish frenzy as a Keith Lamb shaped man attempts to defy time,fax machines and the Dutch legal system to complete the signing of Brazilian striker Afonso Alves. Alves is in the crowd as Jeremie Aliadiere finally scores at the Riverside to earn a crucial victory over Wigan.

Meanwhile, Stewart Downing’s Mr 10% states the winger’s on his way: “We will not enter into further negotiations”.

February

Afonso Alves is welcomed to Teesside by ‘carnival girls’, school children and unemployed men repeatedly calling him “gadge” or “Alfonso”. No wonder he took his time settling down. On the pitch, King Kev’s Geordie revolution appears to be going a bit Allardyce after Robert Huth’s header plops satisfyingly over the line to earn a late draw. A lick of paint on the post and the linesman’s flag prevent Downing and Aliadiere from making it even better. Aliadiere has a little more fortune a week later, scoring the only goal in an unconvincing win over Fulham.

Boro’’s FA Cup hopes are intact after a tough afternoon at Sheffield United for players and fans alike. “We’re a working man’s club and you saw glimpses of that today,” claims new Blades boss Kevin Blackwell, serving a pint of mild and some pork scratchings to a flat-capped OAP.

Boro show they’ve learned their lessons from the 1-1 Riverside draw after Tuncay opens the scoring at Anfield. Julio Arca carves open the Boro backline to allow Torres to equalise before the defence leave him unmarked 25 yards out. He scores. A narked Mark Schwarzer gets in on the act by sprinting manically from his net to assist Torres to a hat trick.

The Cup replay against Sheffield United is little improvement on the first game. After nearly two hours of abuse, the ball squirts over the United line after Mido shoots via a defender’s leg, the post and a helping hand from Paddy Kenny. Undeterred by two insipid displays against Championship opposition, Boro fans start looking past Cardiff to a Wembley semi-final.

Stewart Downing’s Mr 10% is conspicuous by his silence as his client signs a new five-year deal. Further proof, if proof be need be, that the comments made to Sky Sports News by odious organ bags outside St James’ Park may not always be reliable. David Wheater joins in committing his future to the club.