I thought I had better write this column this week, when Boro are travelling to Wales to play Cardiff, rather than ahead of the impending north east derby at the Riverside.
The title alone is likely to provoke knee jerk reactions, and possibly a sense of loss - we are from Middlesbrough, we HAVE to hate the Geordies, it's as much a part of our identity as the Transporter Bridge or Brian Clough or parmos!
The only solace in going down last season was that Newcastle kept us company on the short drop and sudden stop into the Championship.
I tend to think if you have to use statistics it's because you can't argue eloquently, either in person or in print (sorry to all you stat lovers out there) but this isn't a statistic, it's just basic maths - Newcastle have 69 points, Boro have 47. They aren't our rivals anymore, because we are in entirely different races.
And yet you can still hear Boro fans cheer or moan when the Newcastle result is announced at the match, without thinking how it affects us.
Wanting Newcastle to lose, against anyone except Boro of course, is counter productive to our rapidly dwindling promotion hopes.
It might make us feel better - 'ah well, at least the Geordies lost too' or more accurately 'at least the Geordies only drew' being a fairly common utterance on the way out of the Riverside, but it doesn't help.
They are too far ahead of us to make any difference to our season, apart from by stalling the runs of the other clubs competiting for the last place in the play-offs.
Not that they are helping us much in this manner of course, drawing against Barnsley, Leicester, West Brom and Swansea and losing against Blackpool.
However, they did do the double over both Coventry City and our opponents this weekend, Cardiff City, thus keeping Coventry level with the Boro and Cardiff tantalisingly in reach, despite the two games they have in hand.
Barring a miracle, a meltdown, or a serious injury to Andy Carroll, Newcastle will go up at the end of the season.
Being Geordies, they may go up second, or even via the play-offs if their luck doesn't back up their inconsistent performances.
Geordie friends (yes I do have a couple) have expressed their belief that Newcastle are actually very unconvincing, especially on the road, but they do not care, and neither would we if we were sitting pretty by winning ugly at the top of the table.
And if you still can't let go of north east rivalries, or at least suspend hostilities, even for the good of our beloved Boro, try watching a Sunderland match, that will definitely put a smile on your face.
Basically they are us (and Newcastle) last season - can't score, can't defend, midfield is nonexistant - mostly because our very own Lee Cattermole is either injured or suspended - and showing every sign of whimpering into the dangerzone. Yes they are 14th at present, but they have lost double the games they've won and they only have four more points than second from bottom Burnley - it's those pesky stats again!
It's a very familar story for the only north east team who escaped the drop in the 2008-9 campaign.
If there is a north east derby in the Championship next season, it's far more likely to be between us and Sunderland than us and Newcastle, and if Newcastle win every game from now until the end of the season (again, apart from against Boro) I won't give a damn as long as Boro are in the play-offs, neither should you.
First published on www.ComeOnBoro.com on 2/3/2010
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