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ALASTAIR BROWNLEE - LIVE ONLINE AT BORONATION PART ONE - 30-10-07
Alastair Brownlee appeared live on BoroNation.com on Monday evening, 29th October 2007 and here's the first part of the questions and answers.
CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO OF ALASTAIR'S QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
ORDER YOUR COPY OF ALI'S NEW BOOK 'VOICE OF THE BORO' RIGHT HERE
Boy_Wonder_MFC
How did we get to the UEFA Cup final?
Beating Basel was something special but the semi-final was amazing. How did we do it?
ALI_BROWNLEE
Pure parmo power.
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jam69
Ali - do you think the Boro charging £18 for my six-year old kid is a fair price for football? And please don't say they need to compete because this is one of the most expensive kids tickets in the Premier League.
ALI_BROWNLEE
I agree that going to football is an expensive business and we are in danger of losing the supporters of the future. I am not saying that we should go back to when I first went to Ayresome Park and was lifted over the turnstile but I think we need to work hard at providing ways of getting youngsters regularly supporting the Boro at the Riverside.
I thought the experiment of a couple of seasons back when prices were reduced for the quarter-final with Charlton was a great way of getting a full house. I am sure that the players would rather play in front of 35,000 than 27,000.
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Woman_with_a_willie
How would you rate your own footballing ability? Do you play five-a-side or anything of the like?
staticrulz
Now, I've had the privilege (if you can call it that, no offence Ali!) of playing five-a-side with Al and he's no Tony Mowbray - more like a Dean Glover. If you get past him once you won't do it again as he will chop you down! And I've been on the receiving end of one of his last ditch lunges and it bloody hurts!
ALI_BROWNLEE
My football ability came from Whinney Banks school playing field and for FC Acklam who played at Saltersgill. Anybody who's had the privilege of playing on those two grounds will know the first rule is kick anything that moves and ask questions later. I would suggest my style was a poor man's Stuart Boam.
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Mahatma_Gandhi
You answer much quicker than Winter. Which leaves me with two theories, either Jeff answers really slowly or Steve types really slowly. If it's the latter, then you must be typing for yourself?
Which leads me nicely to my main question. Whats your username on here? Go on admit it.
The_lawmaker
Steve has a new typist...6'1" tall, long blonde hair, blue eyes and is very fit.
He is called Andy.
ALI_BROWNLEE
It must be that I type as quickly as I speak.
Concerning a username, as anyone who listens to Simply Red Sunday will know, the guys from ComeOnBoro are still trying to tell me how to plug in a computer so username is still some way off.
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radiogaga
Who does the best Parmos in town? Takeaway and sit in.
Thank you.
ALI_BROWNLEE
Sit in I would have to say the wife otherwise I am in trouble when I get home. Also Joe Rigatonis who cooked the biggest parmo in the world for us after the UEFA Cup semi-final. They've also kindly sponsored my book.
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BoroFur
Ali, what have you heard about Riggott telling Gate to "F off" when he learnt he'd been dropped for Wheater?
I'm sure you'll agree that no player is bigger than the club.
ALI_BROWNLEE
I haven't heard anything about this and knowing Chris as I do I would find it very surprising.
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boro8686
Thanks Ali. I remember you from Junior Reds. In fact you and Gordon Cox got me and my mate in free against Blackpool in the cup in 1987. Bernie scored a hat trick and you took us to meet Bruce Rioch and everything, just 'cos we had raised some cash for Boro when they were getting liquidated. I was only ten. It was the best day of my life.
Cheers for that Ali.
ALI_BROWNLEE
Thanks. Running the Junior Reds with Coxy gave us some terrific times and I'm pleased that you remember the game in '87 because Bernie is still talking about it now. Evidently somebody pinched the match ball and he's still trying to find it.
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Boy_Wonder_MFC
Happiest and saddest moment as a Boro fan?
Saddest for me was getting relegated at Leeds in 1997.
And my happiest would be winning the Carling Cup and being in Eindhoven.
ALI_BROWNLEE
I would agree that Leeds in 1997 was the saddest moment as both a commentator and a fan and the injustice of the three point deduction still hurts.
The happiest would be the Carling Cup Final and the match at Fulham in 2006 when we fielded eleven members of the Academy in a Premier League game.
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Boy_Wonder_MFC
Your views on Woodgate? He doesn't seem to be his normal self so far this season. Is this a worry?
ALI_BROWNLEE
Woody has had some injury problems this season and has also lost his regular partner in Pogatetz with whom he had a terrific understanding last season. I think that it would help Woody if we picked David Wheater as his regular partner and let them build an understanding.
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Camsell_345
As a fan of football have you ever been to a game in Spain or Italy (non Boro) or visited stadia? If not, which ground would you most like to visit?
ALI_BROWNLEE
I visited grounds in Italy when they hosted the European Championships in 1980. We went on a Beeline bus organised by the Supporters' Club and when we came back it felt as if we'd been to the Moon so after that I decided only to go to games if Boro were playing.
I would most like to commentate on Boro beating Barcelona in the Nou Camp.
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XboroX
Is Gibson losing touch with the fans?
Lost perhaps as the disilusionment amongst the general populace of Boro fans is incredible.
For me personally, I fully support the man. What he has done for our club is nothing short of amazing. However I am not everyone and I can't help but feel that if not for a sense of loyalty many feel for Steve Gibson, the sack the board types would have been shouting out louder than ever before.
ALI_BROWNLEE
No I don't think he's losing touch with the fans. As he did with Robson and McClaren he is backing his manager and has provided Gareth with money to spend in the summer. I think Steve prefers to stay in the background and this shouldn't be taken for him losing touch with the supporters. After all he is a fan himself.
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Camsell_345
Will we ever see Herold Goulon in the first eleven? A lot of hype followed his move but since then he seems to have vanished. What do you think of him and when do you think we will start see him playing for the first team?
ALI_BROWNLEE
I've seen him play a few times for the Reserve Team this season but think at the moment he would have a lot of work to do to force his way into the First Team.
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Camsell_345
Hi Ali. Just like to say I have grew up listening to your commentaries (across various stations) and it's great that there is someone out there that feels the same passion for the club as we do.
Ok now the question...
If you could name one player that we did sign that you wish we hadn't and then name one player that you thought we should have signed but we didn't, who would they be?
ALI_BROWNLEE
Nothing to do with football ability because he was a terrific footballer but because of the manner of his departure I would have to say that I wish we hadn't signed Christian Ziege.
A player that I wish we'd signed when he was available from Wolves was Robbie Keane who would have done a terrific job.
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Coluka
Is it true that the team is playing deliberately badly in order to make you sweat for our future in a last ditch bid to help you lose weight?
ALI_BROWNLEE
Definitely not. When I get nervous I actually eat more so I hope that we can start winning some games so I can fit back into my Juninho replica shirt.
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borobabe2007
Hi Ali
Alan Hansen said over the weekend that the Premiership is in great shape. What do you think? I think it's very boring and I sense a lot of fans at the Riverside feel the same - no atmosphere, no quality on the pitch and a club that has lost touch with true fans.
ALI_BROWNLEE
The last weekend's games did provide some great excitement and that no doubt coloured Alan Hansen's judgement. I think the Premier League is possibly not as entertaining as a few seasons ago as clubs in the lower reaches are just desperate to survive because of the financial implications of being relegated.
No doubt many Boro fans will always remember the team of '96-'97 which provided some fantastic entertainment but we should also think back that the same team was relegated. I would like to see open attacking football but think at the moment we just need to get some points.
I think that the club does need to try and understand the reasons why fans are not going along to watch any more and would hope that through taking notice of websites such as this they can reconnect with the supporters.
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YoungAlf
What would your Riverside XI be.......?
Mine would be:
Schwarzer
Mills
Ziege
Southgate
Festa
Downing
Hignett
Emerson
Ince
Juninho
Ravanelli
Subs:
Crossley
Woodgate
Merson
Queudrue
Viduka
ALI_BROWNLEE
Schwarzer
Fleming
Queudrue
Southgate
Woodgate
Merson
Emerson
Hignett
Downing
Juninho
Ravenelli
Subs:
Crossley
Ince
Boksic
Festa
Zenden
Manager: Me as I would be the only one daft enough to try and persuade Boksic to sit on the bench.
20_Briggsy
Fleming............!!
Mahatma_Gandhi
I've met Boksic in his bar in Split. He is actually really nice and speaks highly of Middlesbrough and believes he could have stayed for longer.
Grrreds
Curtis Fleming was a great servant for the club who would dive through a brick wall for the club, his teammates and the fans (each and every one of us).
Yes, Fleming.
CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO OF ALASTAIR'S QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
ORDER YOUR COPY OF ALI'S NEW BOOK 'VOICE OF THE BORO' RIGHT HERE
RETURN TO ALASTAIR BROWNLEE INDEX PAGE HERE
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