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FULHAM AWAY 25-8-04
Written by Steve Goldby, Photo by Andy Craig
Suddenly it appears fashionable to be a Boro fan. On the way home, a number of people stopped us to enquire about the result of tonight's game and every single one of them was full of compliments about our team and full of confidence that we are going to have a great season.
And if those same people had actually attended this match then that confidence would have increased because the whole team proved tonight that our pre-season big talk is not without foundation. Watch Mark Viduka at the very next opportunity because he looks 100% Boro to me. A stark reminder of John Hickton even and in fact, the whole Boro team looked incredibly 1974 during this, the best Boro performance that I have personally witnessed for many years. It was six and a half years ago when I last saw a Boro win and so this victory was even sweeter for myself.
It's a shame that Jimmy didn't score tonight though. Three in three games would have been brilliant and he certainly looked as though he was going to score several times. But The Duke looked as though he was definitely going to score and if stories of a £5000 bet between the two over who finishes top scorer are correct, then my money is on Viduka, just. It will be interesting. And exciting.
It was getting difficult to concentrate towards the end of the first half because they had started to cook the half time burgers and the tantalising aroma drifted through the away stand. It was a relief when the hunger pangs were tamed. Fulham make the best football burgers that I have had at a Premier League ground and it is a shame for their fans that the team is not up to the same standard. But to be fair, Fulham were not that bad; they were simply outclassed by a confident, organised and thoroughly efficient Boro team who look the business in every department. This win was a foregone conclusion from the 7th minute onwards. And the next game can't come fast enough...
FOOTNOTE: It did come around, just three days later, at home to Crystal Palace. Jimmy got his third in four and Boro came from behind again to win 2-1...
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