Ayresome Park this day 12th September 1903

[erimus74]

The official opening of

James Clifton Robinson president & managing director of Imperial Tramways & also a shareholder of the club performed the official opening ceremony of Ayresome Park

Sunderland were the visitor for the 1st home league game of the season

After losing the opening league fixture 7 days previously away to Sheff Weds 4-1, hopefully we will bounce back in our new home

Although not 100% complete, the first paying customers were admitted to Ayresome Park for a friendly game against Glasgow Celtic on Tuesday 1st September, which attracted a crowd of around 7,000 spectators, with Boro new boy Willie White scoring the only goal of the game

Boro took the game to Sunderland & were the dominat team in the 1st half & with both teams looking like going in at HT goalless Boro's captain, Joe Cassidy become the 1st player to officially score a league goal on our sacred football gound

Half time Boro 1 Sunderland 0

Sunderland levelled early in the 2nd half, but within 30 seconds of Sunderlands goal, Alex Brown, restored Boro's lead, 2-1 to the mighty reds, Sunderland eventually ran out winners by 3-2, if VAR was around back then all Sunderlands goals would have been disallowed
 
John Robson, Boro's 1st manager at Ayresome Park, picked the following team

Tim 'Tiny'Williamson - 602 appearances, 2 goals, both home penalties, against Bristol City & Liverpool & to this day, our only keeper to score in a competative game, he actually missed a third penalty but due to realising he then had to  race back to his position in goal decided to call it a day on future spot kicks
John Hogg - 100 appearences, no goals
Joseph Blacket - 80 appearences, 4 galas
David W Smith - 114 appearences, 12 goals
Abraham jones - 149 appearences, 9 goals
Andrew Davidson - 201 appearences, 8 goals
Edward Gettings - 47 appearences, 5 goals
Willie White - 7 appearences, 0 goals
Alex Brown - 49 appearences, 20 goals
Joe cassidy - 135 appearences, 33 goals
Robert Atherton - 66 appearences, 14 goals

Attendance - 30,000

[teamboro]

Brilliant read Erimus

[Ural Quntz (Moderator)]

I still have that china mug they gave STH's when we left somewhere

[erimus74]

Brilliant read Erimus

Cheers teamboro 👍

[erimus74]

25th January 1975

FAC 4th round

Boro 3 Sunderland 1

My favourite AP cuptie

[erimus74]

Got my wife to stitch one of my old erimus cloth badges on to my red match worn tracky top, problem now though, we're coming out of the summer period/warm weather when I could have shown it off at games