Time for a quick review of all the pertinent happenings:

The club was fortunate to have limited exposure to those invariable international-duty injuries. Sean St Ledger was most prominent, putting in two full shifts for the Republic of Ireland…the crest of which was his horizontally headed goal late on v Italy, momentarily taking the Irish top of their group and on to South Africa. Momentarily mind, for the on loan centre-back was at the center of the defensive lapse which allowed the Italians to strike late and earn the draw that cemented the invitation to defend their crown. Ireland clinched a in the controversially seeded playoff berth. We always knew we’d have at least a couple of internationally seasoned centre-backs, but surely David Wheater was expected to be the other one. Elsewhere, Rhys Williams travelled thousands of miles for fuck all…not even a kick in the Socceroos friendly v the Netherlands and Asian Cup qualifier v Oman. A full psych panel is ordered upon his return to Teesside…

The Talking Boro panel reemerges to pick over the carrion of the first quarter season down Championship way…the setting and presentation improves, but overall the production values remain woeful…

Gaz was under the hot lights of the Hurworth canteen whilst Eric Paylor played Bad Cop Worse Cop…

The Adam Johnson situation needs sorting…quick

So that’s where Gary O’Neil naffs off to when Pompey or some other emotionally stimulating opponent is on the docket…

There’s so much more we’re sure, but the yearning was too much…we shut down for spells, our minds happily wandered. The focus has returned though…it never really went anywhere…the Watford/Derby home double awaits…