Boro are looking to get back to winning ways after the disappointment of the trip to Wolves as Watford visit the Riverside. Aitor Karanka's side suffered their first defeat in eight league games at Molineux on Tuesday.
But the Boro boss will be looking for a reaction from his players when the high-flying Hornets buzz into town. Skipper Grant Leadbitter misses out this afternoon after collecting his fifth booking of the season in midweek.
Boro are looking to get back to winning ways after the disappointment of the trip to Wolves as Watford visit the Riverside. Aitor Karanka's side suffered their first defeat in eight league games at Molineux on Tuesday.
But the Boro boss will be looking for a reaction from his players when the high-flying Hornets buzz into town. Skipper Grant Leadbitter misses out this afternoon after collecting his fifth booking of the season in midweek.
Clairville Stadium holds many fond memories for generations of Teessiders.
As it closes its doors for the last time tonight, one GB athlete in particular, is sad to see it go.
Olympic long-jumper Chris Tomlinson grew up in Middlesbrough and began competing for Middlesbrough AC (formerly Mandale Harriers and Middlesbrough and Cleveland AC) at the age of 10.
Talking about the sports stadium he said: “It has been a massive influence on my life.
"Basically if it was not for Clairville, I would not be an athlete now.
“It means something to me emotionally.”
Tomlinson has many memories - good and bad - of Clairville but one is particularly special to him. The 33-year-old-said: “There are literally hundreds of memories for me from the stadium but perhaps the one that sticks with me the most is my first run.
“It was called the Cyril Elliott memorial meeting and I ran the 100 metres and won.
“I got a trophy and ran it in 13.5 seconds and I had only just turned 11.”
Other memories Tomlinson holds are of tough training sessions come rain, wind or sun.
Although the former Nunthorpe Secondary School and Prior Pursglove College student is sorry to see Clairville close, he is excited at the prospect of the new Middlesbrough Sports Village.
He said: “The council have kept their word and have built us something which looks amazing.
“Clairville will always be a special place to me but we are getting something potentially better.”
Clairville Stadium holds many fond memories for generations of Teessiders.
As it closes its doors for the last time tonight, one GB athlete in particular, is sad to see it go.
Olympic long-jumper Chris Tomlinson grew up in Middlesbrough and began competing for Middlesbrough AC (formerly Mandale Harriers and Middlesbrough and Cleveland AC) at the age of 10.
Talking about the sports stadium he said: “It has been a massive influence on my life.
"Basically if it was not for Clairville, I would not be an athlete now.
“It means something to me emotionally.”
Tomlinson has many memories - good and bad - of Clairville but one is particularly special to him. The 33-year-old-said: “There are literally hundreds of memories for me from the stadium but perhaps the one that sticks with me the most is my first run.
“It was called the Cyril Elliott memorial meeting and I ran the 100 metres and won.
“I got a trophy and ran it in 13.5 seconds and I had only just turned 11.”
Other memories Tomlinson holds are of tough training sessions come rain, wind or sun.
Although the former Nunthorpe Secondary School and Prior Pursglove College student is sorry to see Clairville close, he is excited at the prospect of the new Middlesbrough Sports Village.
He said: “The council have kept their word and have built us something which looks amazing.
“Clairville will always be a special place to me but we are getting something potentially better.”
Firefighters on Teesside will stage a four-day strike as part of a long-running dispute over pensions.
Members of the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) will take part in the national walkout from 6pm on October 31 ending Tuesday November 4 - the evening before Bonfire night.
The strike is over a national dispute surrounding pension arrangements between the Fire Brigade Union and the government.
The union has accused ministers of refusing to bring any new offer to the table despite two months of talks.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “Firefighters will not stand by and see our members’ pension rights destroyed by a government which does not give a damn about the safety or wellbeing of firefighters in the long term.”
Cleveland Fire Brigade said it has “contingency arrangements” in place to provide emergency cover.
Ian Hayton, chief fire officer for Cleveland Fire Brigade is asking members of the public to take extra care, during the bonfire period.”
The main contractor has been appointed to deliver work on Middlesbrough’s “flagship” regeneration area.
Work got under way last month to build a Sainsbury’s supermarket as well as a host of other shops on the Gateway Middlehaven Retail Park project, which is expected to open in summer 2015.
Barr Construction has been appointed as the main contractor by developer Terrace Hill for the new 16-acre retail and leisure destination which lies between the A66 and the Riverside Stadium - part of a £35m retail and leisure scheme.
Once completed, the development will feature a Sainsburys supermarket, a nine pump petrol filling station, a drive-through KFC, a Costa coffee drive- through and a Marston’s family pub.
Alec McCalley, project manager at Barr Construction, said: “We have a long track record of working on retail developments across the country and we look forward to being at the heart of a project which is so important to the Northeast.
“We are also tremendously pleased to be continuing our partnership with Terrace Hill and delivering a facility which the client and local people can be proud of.”
The scheme is expected to create up to 340 new full and part-time jobs alongside temporary construction jobs, as well as safeguarding 230 jobs from the existing store.
As reported, the 100-hectare Middlehaven site has attracted more than £150m in investment to date, and more is expected.
A new swingbridge has recently been proposed from Shepherdson Way - in front of the Riverside Stadium - to the foot of Temenos.
Middlesbrough’s current Sainsbury’s store on Wilson Street will close and turned into a £20m retail and commercial development with an 80-bed hotel and car park.
This is expected to open in spring 2016.
Contractors Barr Construction built the Sainsbury’s store at Salters Lane, in Sedgefield, for Terrace Hill last year.
Prior to work to create the new retail park, Barr say they will undertake a programme of remediation work and as part of the project, will create new roads and car parking facilities. The completed development will also feature enhanced cycle and footpaths and a new bus station.
Duncan McEwan, head of retail at Terrace Hill, said: “It’s great to have Barr with us on this project. Their experience in working on retail projects such as this is second to none.
“Having worked with Barr previously, their involvement will stand the team in good stead to deliver a fantastic retail park for the people of Middlesbrough.”
Helping Boro reach the Premier League is Dimi Konstantopoulos’s ambition.
And, if Aitor Karanka’s men escape the Championship this season, the Greek goalie hopes to be part of the squad that competes in the top tier next season.
Konstantopoulos is contracted to Boro until the end of the season, by which time he’ll be 36.
There’s no reason why he can’t play for another two or three years providing he maintains his current levels of fitness, but the former Hartlepool keeper isn't looking that far into the future.
“My ambition is to help the team achieve our goal this season and I think if I can do that the rest will come with it,” he said.
“My ambition after every game is to be 100% focused for the next game because I’ve learned in football you can’t have long-term plans because things change from one week to the next.
“If I do that, just try to keep focused on the next game ahead, take one game at a time and then at the end you hopefully get what you want.”
Konstantopoulos has enjoyed a long career but has yet to play in the Premier League and admits it would be a huge thrill to represent Boro in the English top tier.
“I’ve played against Premier League teams but not in the Premier League,” he said.
“I’ve always said the Premier League is like the NBA of football in the world. It’s the league everyone wants to play in and it’s the highest standard in the world.
“I’m no exception, I want to play in the Premier League and if I can help this club to achieve that I will be delighted.”
The immediate priority, however, is to bounce back from Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Wolves.
Boro host second-placed Watford at the Riverside this afternoon aiming to embark on another unbeaten run after taking 21 points from 24 after winning five and drawing two of the seven league games prior to the trip to Molineux.
Konstantopoulos says it’s crucial to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.
“In a season you are going to lose some games, that’s for sure, I wish we could go unbeaten for the rest of the season but you are going to lose games and it’s a matter of how you react,” he said.
“It’s a matter of when you don’t perform well, getting something out of the game but I think we are mentally strong enough this season to cope with that.
“Tuesday’s result wasn’t good although it was one of those games where if we had equalised it would have been a whole different game.
“It just didn’t go for us. I know we didn’t perform as well as we could and I think the lads are ready to put it right and that’s the goal, we have to get back to winning, playing well.”
