28 years ago today - Exciting time, the start of a new era

[erimus74]

26th August 1995, Boro played their 1st ever game at the Riverside Stadium, our brand new sparkling stadium, the ideas & blueprints were printed in the Evening Gazette on the 23rd December 1993 & here we are, just under 2 years later, with a gleeming new football stadium, our new home, after playing at Ayresome Park for 92 seasons, we have moved to the bank of the river Tees
 
A very warm sunny day seen thousands of Teessiders excitingly flocking to the Riverside in probably the biggest event in Middlesbrough for many, many years, promoted from the 1st divison & life in the top flight has never looked this good, or as exciting as it did that day

Boro were fielding an exciting young England player in record signing Nick Barmby, registered No655, making his home debut, after scoring on his away debut in the previous weeks seasons opener at Arsenal

Chelsea were our visitors for this showcaes fixture, with Rudd Gulllit in their ranks, thankfully, it was one of our own who went on to make history that afternoon, step forward Craig Hignett, going in to the record books as the 1st ever goalscorer at the Riverside

Boro ran out 2-0 winners with Jan Åge Fjørtoft getting the 2nd

It was a race against time to get the ground finished & the game to go ahead, the day of the game was a dry one with no alchaol license granted for the opening fixture, but the day went smoothly, the sun came out, the Boro played well & won, Bryan Robson started the season home fixtures with a victory, a perfect afternoon without a doubt

I took my camcorerer to the game & videoed the lot, right from the standing storage tanks back in december 1993 right up to the Chelsea game
 
The Boro team that historic day

Alan Miller - RIP
Neil Cox
Chris Morris
Nigel Pearson
Steve Vickers
Derek Whyte
Robbie Mustoe
Jamie Pollock
Nick Barmby
Craig Hignett
Jan Åge Fjørtoft
Attendance - 28,826

Below is a list from the day we were saved in 1986 up to the UEFA cup final, including the crazy time we failed to turn up at Balckburn that cost us dear, crazy listing all that, not to forget, we were 11 days short of 20 years from going in to voluntary liquidation to the UEFA cup final, never dull been a Boro fan

21st May 86 - Liquidated & gates locked
23rd Aug 86 - Saved & played at Hartlepool v Port Vale
May 87 - Promoted from the 3rd divison in 2nd place
May 88 - Fail to win automatic from the 2nd divison on goals scored
May 88 - Win play offs to the 1st divison (now PL) v Chelsea
May 89 - Relegated from Div 1
March 90 - ZDS Cup final (first ever Wembley appearance)
May 90 - Survive releagtion by the skin of our teeth by beating Newcastle on the final day of the season
Oct 90 - John Hendrie, IMO, scores one of the greatest goals ever seen at AP
May 91 - Beaten in THE 2nd divison play off semi by Neil Warnocks Notts County
May 92 - Auto promotion to the 1st ever season in the PL secured at Molineux under Lenny
May 93 - Relegated from PL
Jul 93 - Move to Riverside announced
Aug 94 - Bryan Robson becomes manager
Aug 94 - We pay £1m for Neil Cox
Apr 95 - Last ever game at Ayresome Park v Luton Town
May 95 - Promotion is secured - 1st divison Champions without kicking a ball after Bolton draw at Stoke.
4th August 1995 - Boro smash transfer record to sign Nick Barmby for £5.25m from Spurs
August 26 1995 - Opening of the RS with a 2-0 against Chelsea
14th October (my birthday) 1995 - Boro sign Juninho for £4.75m
Sold out season tickets along with waiting list
4th November 1995 - Mass hysteria, the Brazilian footballer of the year making his Boro debut at a packed RS against Leeds
Finish 1995-96 in a respectable 12th position.
14th May 1996 - Boro sign Samba superstar Emerson & for the 1st month or so, probably the best player I have seen in a Boro shirt.
4th July 1996 - From scoring in the Champions League final winner to signing for Boro... The White Feather arrives
August 1996 - Ravenelli scoring a hat trick on his debut against Liverpool, 1st hat trick at the Riverside
1996-97 Juninho, Ravanelli, Emerson, Barmby, Hignett the media & the world loved the Boro
1996-97 FAC matches, League Cup matches we were blessed, in Bryan Robson wonderland.
Not turning up at Blackburn
1st ever appearance in a major Wembley final.
1996-97 2 Cup final appearances & relegation, 3 points deducted, relegation, not losing one game after scoring 1st, quite remarkable for a relegated team, while only winning one game from a losing position.
Summer of 97 - court cases
1998 another cup final after beating Liverpool over 2 legs in the semi final
Promtion back to the PL
February 2004 - Carling cup winners
2004 - Playing in a european competition for the 1st time
10th May 2006, 11 days shorts of 20 years from liquidation to the UEFA cup final, never a dull moment following the Boro

After that we seemed to have reverted back to the normal Boro we grew up to know & love

[AtomicDog]

Mooners dream young Erimus


Keep up dear Boy

[Johnny Thunder]

I remember that day. It was some sesh after the game.




 

[In With the Lurpak]

Also in 1995

An elephant was carted around the pitch before the Wimbledon V Forrest game .. dunno why 

[Johnny Thunder]

 

[Ural Quntz (Moderator)]

Remember vividly 3 generations of our family getting up the stairs to see the new era begin and being totally awestruck

The noise before the kick off and during the game was incredible.

[AtomicDog]

Also in 1995

An elephant was carted around the pitch before the Wimbledon V Forrest game .. dunno why 

How much did we bid for Him? . . . He looks quite pacey