Every year the Boro squad is divided into two groups to spread a little Christmas year by visiting James Cook and North Tees hospitals to distribute presents and meet the children.
Deputy editor of ComeOnBoro.com, Elle Brunton was once again present on the visit to North Tees hospital, and detained on loan striker Dave Kitson for an exclusive interview after the event.
The first to arrive was French striker Jeremie Aliadiere who started a mini exodus to the hospital coffee shop, to warm up in the freezing temperatures, until the presents and the remainder of the players had arrived.
Dave Kitson, Leroy Lita, Brad Jones, Gary O'Neil, Chris Riggott, Emanuel Pogatetz, Jonathan Franks, Adam Johnson, Marcus Bent and Jason Steele arrived, with Marvin Emnes bringing up the rear in a mini bus filled with giant festive goody bags.
We were all told to roll up our sleeves and remove any watches in order to disinfect our hands each time we visited a room or were in direct contact with a patient.
You could have made a fortune on ebay had the players handed over their watches!
Although none of the players parked in the ambulance bay this year (at least they have learned something!) MFC's Dave Allan did need a little help with where it was safe to leave his vehicle.
As well as the goodies generously donated by Nestle, the players were handing out merchandise from the MFC baby range, Boro scarves and MFC footballs all of which they were more than happy to sign for the patients and their families.
The usual banter could be heard, with the Cardiff match programme prompting Brad Jones to comment "Not a best seller!"
One of the nurses remarked that it was good to see Pogatetz without his mask and Marcus Bent was refered to as 'Darren' by pretty much the whole team.
Dave Kitson wandering into the room of an impressively red-headed toddler and exclaiming "Hey, it's mini me!" also caused much amusement amongst his team mates and the staff.
The players visited the children's wards, signing autographs for patients, families and staff alike and handing out individually wrapped presents from Nestle and MFC.
Afterwards, the left-over presents were left at the hospital to be distributed at a later date.
As the 'Harrogate massive' - Riggott and O'Neil, apparently, and the rest of the players were departing, I asked Dave Kitson if he would mind staying behind for a quick interview.
EB: There have been rumours that Newcastle will be your last game?
DK: No, it [the loan] finishes on the 28th so I think I've got three game left.
EB: You're obviously very much part of the team here, you seem to have settled in very quickly.
DK: That's probably down to Macca, Tony McMahon, I'm an easy target for someone like him and as soon as he saw me he jumped on me. It gave me an in, I think.
"But they are a good bunch of lads anyway.
"It doesn't bother me, I think sometimes it helps lighten the mood.
"If it raises morale to have someone to take the mick out of, that fine!
EB: Even so, it it a slight inconvenience dropping down a division for a loan spell?
DK: I wouldn't say it was an inconvenience, more of an opportunity. When I came here the Premier League transfer window was shut but the Championship clubs could still loan players.
"Middlesbrough expressed a lot of interest, I wasn't playing anyway and it didn't look like I was going to so it was an easy decision really, and I think its gone really well.
EB: And it gave you the opportunity to rekindle your partnership with Leroy Lita...
DK: Yes, I've played with Leroy for years, I know what he's going to do.
EB: But you were partnered with Marcus Bent against Cardiff, a different experience for you...
DK: Yes, I think we did pretty well against Cardiff, we both could have got goals, maybe we were a bit unlucky...
""But it is good for the manager to have three or four permutations.
"The problem is managers have to experiement and sometimes the fans might not want them too.
"You have got to give everyone a chance as well and a new manager coming in needs to see everyone.
"It is difficult for a new manager because you have got to get points as well, but I'm sure Strachan will get it right."
EB: It is the Newcastle derby up next, a massive game for Boro supporters...
DK: Is it really massive? I thought it was Newcastle and Sunderland and Boro and Sunderland that were the biggest derbies?
EB: Newcastle fans always say it is Sunderland for them, but for us it's definitely Newcastle that is the biggest derby.
DK: Ok, I didn't know that.
"We'll I've never played in a derby anywhere I've played...
FMTTM's Rob Nichols: We've sold a lot of tickets so they will be a big away following and a really great atmosphere.
DK: Well you just deal with the atmosphere when you play, but to me it is just another game.
"Although I'm sure it will be a good experience for me, if I play, if I'm selected, it is just a game of football, but with a bigger build up. But I'm sure it will be massive for the fans if we win.
EB: You will have done events like this before...
DK: Oh yes, every club does them. Tony Pulis at Stoke is very big on them. Whenever we get a fine, all season the money goes to the Donna Louise Trust. [a children's hospice in Stoke] The money all gets collected and at the end of every season we hand them a big cheque.
"These kids here are very ill, but they are still smiling and you can still hold them.
"At the Donna Louise, the kids are terminally ill and all wired up...
"I'm the kind of person who usually has to make light of things to get through it, but it is important.
"It is definitely a good thing but it has got nothing to do with making footballers more humble. It is to do with making the kids' day, that is what we are here for and that is all that matters.
"The press make a massive deal of it and we are here for ten minutes, it is not a big deal.
"When you go, they are back where they were, that's really difficult. But the families are here and you can give them a lift.
"If I was a manager I would do this more than once a year to be honest."
Kitson has a reputation as something of an outcast within the game of football, he is too articulate, too well spoken and too fond of 'normality' and has often been ridiculed in the media because of it.
But he was most definitely part of the team on Friday. His (very) red hair being the target for a lot of good natured teasing, Kitson was giving as good as he got and has obviously enjoyed his time at the club.
It is unlikely that Kitson will extend his stay at Boro, but his rekindled partnership with Leroy Lita has improved Boro's strike rate and hopefully the pair will bag a few more goals before his loan expires.
On a more personal note it was nice to meet such a genuine, intelligent and compassionate man. Good luck to him, wherever his career might take him.
First published on www.ComeOnBoro.com on 20/12/2009
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