' MATCH THREAD: MIDDLESBROUGH v CARDIFF ' MATCH THREAD

MIDDLESBROUGH v CARDIFF CITY
Championship
Tuesday, 23 February, 19:45
Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough

Marshall; Fabio, Connolly, Manga, Malone; Lawrence, O'Keefe, Ralls, Whittingham; Immers, Pilkington

Subs: Moore, Peltier, Dikgacoi, Gunnarsson, Zohore, Ameobi, Saadi

YOU CAN PAY ON THE NIGHT

Approx 180 Cardiff fans are travelling


Tuesday 23rd Feb 2016

' UPDATED '


Team News

Middlesbrough

Ben Gibson will miss this one after being sent off for two bookable offences in Boro’s last outing, against Leeds United. George Friend who scored the crucial own goal against Cardiff earlier in the season will miss out with a broken shoulder-blade while Daniel Ayala should return following an ankle injury.

Defender Damia Abella and experienced midfielder Alex Baptiste are both nearing returns following serious injuries earlier in the season but neither are expected to return as soon as this fixture. Record signing Jordan Rhodes is set to start in the front-line.



Cardiff City

The Bluebirds will be without vice-captain Sean Morrison who remains out until the weekend or possibly the following fixture, he returned to contact training with the development side late last week.

Idriss Saadi has returned to the squad following a long lay-off with a hamstring tear and will be available for selection, the former Clermont-Foot striker was an unused substitute last time out.

Craig Noone is expected to miss this one after a fracture on his ribs more than a fortnight ago, the winger is expected to return on the weekend at the earliest.

Sammy Ameobi could play against the club where he spent the 2012/13 season on loan and returns from his one-match suspension. Fabio limped off in the Bluebirds’ last outing and could miss this one.




" UPDATED DAILY "



' TEAM NEWS BORO V CCFC '

Defender Ben Gibson and midfielder Adam Clayton are both missing through suspension for Middlesbrough.

However, Daniel Ayala and George Friend are both back from injury and could make themselves available despite a lack of match fitness.

Cardiff striker Sammy Ameobi returns from suspension but could face competition from the free-scoring Peter Whittingham and Lex Immers.

At the back, Sean Morrison is looking for a recall after a knee injury.


Sammy Ameobi is back after suspension, will Slade put him straight back in?

City fans can pay on the day

Around 150 City fans are expected to make the long trip up.


Latest News


Possible Lineups

Cardiff City

1 Marshall
2 Peltier
5 Ecuele Manga
16 Connolly
28 Malone
37 Lawrence
22 O'Keefe
8 Ralls
7 Whittingham
13 Pilkington
27 Immers


Boro

1 Konstantopoulos
24 Nsue
22 Fry
6 Gibson
5 de Laet
8 Clayton
7 Leadbitter
18 Stuani
21 Ramírez
19 Downing
9 Rhodes


The Opposition



Middlesbrough Football Club also known as Boro, is an English football club based in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, that competes in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995,[6] their third ground since turning professional in 1889. Their longest-serving home was Ayresome Park, where they played for 92 years, from 1903 to 1995.

They were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992. The club's main rivals are Sunderland and Newcastle United. There is also a rivalry with Yorkshire club Leeds United.

The club's highest league finish to date was third in the 1913–14 season and they have only spent two seasons outside of the Football League's top two divisions. The club came close to folding in 1986 after experiencing severe financial difficulties before the club was saved by a consortium led by then board member and later chairman Steve Gibson. Middlesbrough were controversially deducted three points for failing to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn Rovers during the 1996–97 Premier League season and were subsequently relegated. They were promoted the following season and spent eleven consecutive seasons in the top division before relegation. Middlesbrough won the League Cup in 2004, the club's first and only major trophy. They reached the 2006 UEFA Cup Final in May 2006 but were beaten by Spanish side Sevilla. On 24 May 2009, Middlesbrough were relegated to the Championship, ending their 11-year stay in the Premier League.

The club's traditional kit is red with white detailing. The various crests throughout the club's history, the most recent of which was adopted in May 2007, incorporate a lion rampant.


2015/16 Latest Results

Cardiff

SAT 20 FEB 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Cardiff 4 - 1 Brighton
SAT 13 FEB 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Charlton 0 - 0 Cardiff
SAT 6 FEB 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Cardiff 0 - 0 MK Dons
SAT 30 JAN 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Huddersfield 2 - 3 Cardiff


Boro

MON 15 FEB 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Leeds 0 - 0 Middlesbrough
TUE 9 FEB 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP MK Dons 1 - 1 Middlesbrough
SAT 6 FEB 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Blackburn
SAT 23 JAN 2016 - CHAMPIONSHIP Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Nottm Forest


Recent meetings

2015/2016 Tue 20 Oct Cardiff City 1 - 0 Middlesbrough Championship
2014/2015 Tue 20 Jan Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Cardiff City Championship
2014/2015 Tue 16 Sep Cardiff City 0 - 1 Middlesbrough Championship
2012/2013 Sat 02 Mar Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Cardiff City Championship
2012/2013 Sat 17 Nov Cardiff City 1 - 0 Middlesbrough Championship


Previous Highlights




Match Odds

Cardiff 9/2
Draw 3/1
Boro 7/10


Riverside Stadium



Key facts

Club: Middlesbrough FC
Opening: 1995
Capacity: 34,988 seats

History and description

The Riverside Stadium was the first modern English stadium to be constructed after the Taylor Report. It replaced the old Ayresome Park, which, being hemmed in by terraced housing, lacked the possibilities for expansion.

The Riverside Stadium officially opened on the 26th of August 1995 with a match between Middlesbrough and Chelsea (2-0).

In 1998, the stadium got expanded with an additional 5,000 seats. Middlesbrough already has planning permission for a further extension of 7,000 seats, but will wait until demand justifies such increase.

In 2005, the club erected the old Ayresome Park gates in front of the Riverside Stadium as a reference to the club’s past.


Tickets

Tues. 23rd February 2016. KO: 7:45pm

Available to current Season Ticket Holders and Gold / Junior Bluebird Members only.

General Ticket Prices
Adults: £32.00
Senior Citizens 65+: £24.00
Under 18: £17.00

Ambulant Disabled Allocation
Adults: £32.00
Senior Citizens 65+ & Under 21: £24.00
Under 18: £17.00
Carer: free of charge

Wheelchair Disabled Allocation
Adults: £30.00
Senior Citizens 65+ & Under 21: £20.00
Under 18: £17.00
Carer: free of charge

Tickets on sale:
9am on Thursday, 14th January 2016
0845 345 1400
http://www.eticketing.co.uk/cardiffcity


Guess the Score / Attendance

Post your predicted score/attendance below

1-2 City.

I will probably regret this.
Boro 1 and we get 2.

Boro 1 City 1

Two nil City annis should we win there annis it would be massive

Boro 2-2 Cardiff.

2.1 City!

1-2

Bluebirds

Boro 2-1 City

Confidence up 0-1 (Lawrence)

Boro 0 City 2 Whitts and Immers

Sammy Ameobi is back after suspension, will Slade put him straight back in?

Sammy Ameobi is back after suspension, will Slade put him straight back in?

No way! !! Ostrich with football boots on.

Sadly I believe we will lose 2-0. HOPE IM WRONG

3-0 Boro

1-3 city come on you bluebirds

2-0 Middlesbrough. Refs fault.

0-0 but would take it all day

A draw would be fine. Is Fabio defo injured? Ameobi will be on the bench for sure. Noone must be close to fitness.

The Football League have now announced the Match Day officials that will take charge of the game against Middlesbrough this Tuesday.

Cardiff City travel to Middlesbrough on Tuesday February 23 for the game at the Riverside Stadium and the match carries a 7.45pm kick off.

Referee: Trevor Kettle
Linesmen: Nicholas Hopton and Anthony Backhouse
Fourth Official: Geoff Eltringham

Match Day referee Kettle (Rutland) is yet to officiate a Cardiff game this season.

He has however already taken in 21 other matches so far in 2015-16 and in those games, across all competitions and football divisions, he has handed out a total of 79 yellow cards and seven red cards.

He was most card happy in the match between Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 26 with a total of six yellows being shown plus two reds. He also showed seven yellow cards in the Wimbledon v Morecambe game in October and backed that up in November with five yellows and two red in the match between Barnet and Mansfield.

Let`s hope it`s not another repeat and more of our players edge closer to automatic bans.

Think we will lose by a goal. 1 0 or 2 1.


Hope the air of negativity doesnt come back here if we lose though

Boro 3-1

2-0 BORO

1-0 Boro

0-1 city

Boro 1-2 Cardiff City

The Football League have now announced the Match Day officials that will take charge of the game against Middlesbrough this Tuesday.

Cardiff City travel to Middlesbrough on Tuesday February 23 for the game at the Riverside Stadium and the match carries a 7.45pm kick off.

Referee: Trevor Kettle
Linesmen: Nicholas Hopton and Anthony Backhouse
Fourth Official: Geoff Eltringham

Match Day referee Kettle (Rutland) is yet to officiate a Cardiff game this season.

He has however already taken in 21 other matches so far in 2015-16 and in those games, across all competitions and football divisions, he has handed out a total of 79 yellow cards and seven red
He was most card happy in the match between Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 26 with a total of six yellows being shown plus two reds. He also showed seven yellow cards in the Wimbledon v Morecambe game in October and backed that up in November with five yellows and two red in the match between Barnet and Mansfield.

Let`s hope it`s not another repeat and more of our players edge closer to automatic bans.

Kettle never been my cup of tea saying that 2-1 bluebirds

Boro 1 - 2 City

The Football League have now announced the Match Day officials that will take charge of the game against Middlesbrough this Tuesday.

Cardiff City travel to Middlesbrough on Tuesday February 23 for the game at the Riverside Stadium and the match carries a 7.45pm kick off.

Referee: Trevor Kettle
Linesmen: Nicholas Hopton and Anthony Backhouse
Fourth Official: Geoff Eltringham

Match Day referee Kettle (Rutland) is yet to officiate a Cardiff game this season.

He has however already taken in 21 other matches so far in 2015-16 and in those games, across all competitions and football divisions, he has handed out a total of 79 yellow cards and seven red
He was most card happy in the match between Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 26 with a total of six yellows being shown plus two reds. He also showed seven yellow cards in the Wimbledon v Morecambe game in October and backed that up in November with five yellows and two red in the match between Barnet and Mansfield.

Let`s hope it`s not another repeat and more of our players edge closer to automatic bans.

Kettle never been my cup of tea saying that 2-1 bluebirds

Let's hope he doesn't switch off

' TEAM NEWS BORO V CCFC '

Defender Ben Gibson and midfielder Adam Clayton are both missing through suspension for Middlesbrough.

However, Daniel Ayala and George Friend are both back from injury and could make themselves available despite a lack of match fitness.

Cardiff striker Sammy Ameobi returns from suspension but could face competition from the free-scoring Peter Whittingham and Lex Immers.

At the back, Sean Morrison is looking for a recall after a knee injury.