2008/09 SEASON - WRITERS' PREDICTIONS - PART TWO
Compiled by James Bassett

For Part One of our predictions for the forthcoming season, click here.

Alastair Brownlee (Voice of the Boro)

Where will Boro finish?
I think that Boro will have a good season and finish seventh. Hopefully we will also have a good cup run and round off the season with an appearance at Wembley on May 30!

Who will go down?
It would seem that the newly promoted sides will all struggle to stay in the Premier League, so I think that Stoke and Hull will return back to the Championship but the other dreaded relegation slot will be taken by Wigan.

Who will win the title?
Manchester United, irrespective of whether Ronaldo stays or goes, look good value to retain their title.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?
Afonso Alves.

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?
I think that Josh Walker will build on his loan spell at Aberdeen to push for a first team chance as the season progresses.

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Jonathan Way (Finding His Way To A New Column)

Where will Boro finish?
Twelfth.

Who will go down?
Hull, Stoke, Fulham

Who will win the title?
Manchester United.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?
Afonso Alves.

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?
David Wheater.

Other thoughts
This will be the most exciting season under Gareth because it looks like we've finally got the team that Gareth set out to create; exciting and full of pace! I think George will come back to haunt us this season!

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Steve Goldby (Big Cheese, Hairy Bloke)

Where will Boro finish?
Somewhere between seventh and fourteenth. We won't sail as close to the bottom as we did last season but we won't dig up any trees either. I love Gareth's comments about getting into the Champions League. After the last two seasons, I'd settle for the Inter-Toto.

Who will go down?
Stoke and Hull already have their places booked and I fancy Sunderland to go with them, second season syndrome and all that...

Who will win the title?
I fancy Manchester United to make it a third straight title. Scolari to implode at Chelsea.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?
Afonso Alves I reckon. Possibly with the magical twenty…

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?
David Wheater, obviously. He was a rare bright spot in a dour season last time round and I fancy him to carry on where he left off.

Other thoughts
This is Gareth's make or break season. The long honeymoon is definitely over now as there are only two players left from Steve McClaren's days now and it's time to get back to where we were when SMc was in charge. We've been patient enough since the UEFA Cup Final and the club has not yet built on that achievement. This is the season to put that right.

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John Powls (Powl-ing A Furrow Away From Home)

Where will Boro finish?
With the addition of an experienced Premiership quality goalkeeper and a creative right-sided midfielder before the season starts, eighth. As the squad stands currently, thirteenth. The Premiership is going to be a tough league this season and many have invested more than Boro have in strengthening their squads - including some of the newly promoted.

Who will go down?
Stoke, Bolton, Hull (Sorry Boat!) with The Mackems as first reserve.

Who will win the title?
ManUre.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?
Alves.

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?
Seb Hines. He was my prediction last year but it didn't happen for him. I think he has real talent, though, and that will out eventually. The compensation for all of us was that Wheats broke through last season when none of us expected it.

Other thoughts
This is a make or break season for Gate and the club. He knows it and is doing lots of the right things (including sorting out the training/fitness coaches and the first team coaches) to get us stable in mid-table and pushing for top half.

However, this makes the major risk he is taking on one of two inexperienced goalkeepers all the more difficult to understand.

I still think our central midfield is too samey and the addition of Harper would do nothing to help our creativity there. We need to add one more to the mix but it needs to be an athlete/artist rather than another artist/artisan.

I like a lot of what Neil Bausor is doing as Chief Operating Officer - more power to him.

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Peter Foster (Fostering A Respect For The Boro)

Where will Boro finish?
Tenth. A slight improvement on last season due to more firepower and dependant on signing two more quality central midfield players.

Who will go down?
Stoke, Hull and I'm going for Blackburn Rovers - selling good players and buying lesser quality.

Who will win the title?
Chelsea.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?
Afonso Alves.

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?
Grounds as he will probably play more often than the others.

Other thoughts
A make or break season ahead for GS. This is very much his team now. The club has backed him with cash and he will know better than anyone that he needs to deliver. I expect the usual highs and lows and a slightly better finish than last season. I can't see Mido lasting beyond January and will be amazed if he plays more than fifteen games. On the upside I see a big season from Alves and Tuncay and if we can avoid too many injuries we should do well.

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Christopher Bannister (Faster Than Roger)

Where will Boro finish?
I’ll go for an optimistic eighth. We’re in no fit state to compete financially with Villa, City, Spurs and Everton and the top four are a cut above most in the League.

However I think that if Alves and Tuncay start scoring early and the new pair, Digard especially, settle in quickly we’ve got a fighting chance of a respectable position.

Who will go down?
Hull, Stoke and Wigan. Not enough class and play shite football. It’s about time.

Who will win the title?
Manchester United, with or without Ronaldo. They’re still easily the best team in the land.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?
Afonso Alves, obviously. He’s got it in him to breach the twenties if the team can make him enough chances.

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?
I’d like it to be someone in a position where we’re weak. Adam Johnson is a great prospect but he’s unlikely to displace Stewie any time soon, so a midfield playmaker like Josh Walker will hopefully deliver where Cattermole and others have failed.

Other thoughts
We need a classy central midfielder, or at least a goal-scoring one. How long has Michael Bradley been on holiday?

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Stuart Young (Forever Young)

Where will Boro finish?
If Boro get a good start to the season then I can see them getting into a top eight position. If not then I'll settle for them getting tenth spot.

Who will go down?
Stoke City, Sunderland and Hull City - Stoke and Hull have very weak squads and Sunderland will not have the firepower to score goals next season.

Who will win the title?
Manchester United will dominate the season once again, with or without Ronaldo.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?
Afonso Alves. He showed us what he is capable of towards the end of last season. Double figures before Christmas will do!

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?
Jonathan Franks. I could pick a number of academy lads that are ready to step up but after watching him in pre-season I think he has what it takes to be a regular very soon.

Other thoughts
With the heartache of last years F.A. Cup defeat to Cardiff, I predict the Boro players will be even more motivated to do well in next year’s competition. I predict Southgate and his players to lift the trophy at Wembley next year.

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Karl Watson (Owner Of A Big Mouth)

Where will Boro Finish?

Twelfth.

Who will go down?

Hull, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion. I don’t feel any of the newly promoted sides have added any star quality to their sides. I don’t see where any of their goals will come from in this League and all are likely to concede goals. The likes of Sunderland, Fulham and Bolton have all added a little bit more quality to their sides and I think those three will have enough to stay up this term.

Who will win the Title?

Manchester United. I just don’t see anyone catching them. With Ronaldo likely to stay and Berbatov likely to join the likes of Rooney, Tevez, and Anderson, I don’t think Chelsea will have enough bottle away from home.

Who will be Boro’s top scorer?

Afonso Alves. I just don’t see anyone else taking more chances than him. He’s an out and out centre forward and he has it all. It seems like he’s already quickly adapted to the Premiership and I feel he can score us around 15-20 League goals next season.

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?

Graeme Owens. I feel that the likes of Seb Hines, Ross Turnbull and Jonathan Grounds are now first team players and if any of the following were to play regularly we wouldn’t now see them as academy players, but players who have progressed from our academy.

I see Graeme Owens as our next young prodigy. I feel we are crying out for a natural Stewart Downing on the right and I feel this kid just needs a chance to prove his worth. Despite his inexperience, I would like to see him get ten minutes here and there for a few months before he might be given his chance. I also think Rhys Williams will be in contention.

Other Comments

I don’t think we can bridge the gap to the top ten at present. To finish in the top ten we are going to have to really improve our home record and start winning the type of games we should. However on the basis of last season I just think we will be in for another Jekyll and Hyde season.

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Jeff Winter (Former Premier League referee and the original moustachioed annoyance)

If you read my article for the Evening Gazette, you will know I am very unsure as to what the season has in store for the Boro.

My head and heart both say different things but as a ref, I have to make a decision. So here goes.

Where will Boro finish?

Looking at last season's table, I can see Newcastle, Blackburn and West Ham not achieving such high finishes so I am going for tenth.

Who will go down?

Stoke, Hull and Bolton, although Sunderland (Spurs Reserves) and Newcastle (money no object, but we don't spend any) could also struggle.

Who will win the title?

With the uncertainty surrounding Ronaldo, I can see Chelsea nicking it on the Scolari effect. But watch out for Liverpool - with Torres and Keane they could pose a bigger threat this season.

Who will be Boro's top scorer?

Well if it is not Alves, we will be in trouble. The 40/1 currently available with William Hill means that if you back each way, you can get excellent value. This season though, as well as a sackful from him, we need to have goals spread across the team.

Which academy player will have the biggest impact?

It has got be Wheater again but hopefully others will break through. At the moment the new signings look to be blocking the way for some like Josh Walker. They may have to go out on loan to gain experience.

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