Fly Me To The Moon column: How watching football has changed for Middlesbrough fans after remote Watford opener

FMTTM COLUMN: Robert Nichols looks back on Middlesbrough’s Championship opener at Watford from a fan’s perspective.
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The football season has started but is not quite as we formerly knew it. There was still the growing excitement in the build up, the speculation, the will he? won't he? New signings for old. Yet when the kick off came at 7.45 pm last Friday none of us were actually there to witness it.

It is a whole new ball game now of households sitting around the laptop and tuning into a stream. Last season I was one of a couple of thousand bathing in the August evening heat in a sold out away end at Kenilworth Road, Luton. We gave local lad Jonathan Woodgate a hero's reception for his first game in charge, whereas everything was so much more remote for Neil Warnock's first match just down the M1 at Watford. We were up here and Boro down there.

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After the match in Luton I joined home fans down the pub and we chatted about our respective teams against a backdrop of a mural featuring former Hatters director Eric Morecambe. The next day I continued the after match sparring whilst lapping the local park in a parkrun. It was all part of the social event, built around a football game. All these things we took for granted but for now they have gone. Just like selling fanzines outside the game.

Middlesbrough's Championship opener at Watford was played behind closed doors.Middlesbrough's Championship opener at Watford was played behind closed doors.
Middlesbrough's Championship opener at Watford was played behind closed doors.

I have been selling fanzines outside Boro's ground since before the Riverside was built but not any more. I now have to find more inventive ways to let people know that the fanzine is still in production and you can subscribe to keep us going.

We are celebrating 25 years down by the Riverside this campaign but the question on all fans lips is when will any of us be actually able to take our seats? As I type this there is a ballot taking place and unfortunately 500 unlucky fans will have to watch on those streams rather than be there in person. Whenever that may be.

The ballot is only for season card holders, for those that used to decide to buy a seat match by match it could be as much as an 18 month break all told before being able to pay on the door once more. That could seem like a lifetime to a small impressionable child. A real worry then for clubs that they could lose potential as well existing supporters.

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So, the season is starting under a cloud of COVID uncertainties. Finances for supporters and clubs alike are now much more fragile. That affects Neil Warnock's spending power in the transfer market. Without access to games fans are hoping Warnock can inspire them by first adding to the recruitment and then bring home goals and points. We need to quickly break the mould and win at home for the first time in the league this year. We may not be there to cheer them on in person but Boro fans don't want to endure this Riverside anniversary season hiding behind the settee.

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