Bournemouth game will be toughest of the season, warns Lee Tomlin

Lee Tomlin believes Boro face their toughest game of the season so far this afternoon.

Bournemouth visit the Riverside for a top versus second showdown.

The Cherries claimed pole position on Tuesday by virtue of a 2-0 victory at Sheffield Wednesday. Boro’s 4-0 destruction of Norwich on the same night earned them second place, but they trail Bournemouth on goal difference.

Tomlin believes the hosts have what it takes to win but knows they’ll have to be at their best against Eddie Howe’s team.

“I played against them last season, and for me, with the way they played football, they were the probably the best team in the league,” he said.

“I think this is going to be the toughest game we’ve had so far. I’m not saying that the rest of the teams aren’t good enough, and obviously every game is tough, but as long as we’re at it, we’ve got a great chance.

“I think people probably don’t think of them as one of the top teams because of the names they’ve got.

“They’ve got players from lower leagues or whatever, but they’re all really good footballers and they’ve been together for a year or two now and that’s enabled them to gel a lot more.

“They play really good football but we do too.”

Tomlin doesn’t think the outcome will have a significant impact on the battle for promotion, adding: “For me, it’s still early doors.

“I just think it’s a massive game. Everyone’s probably going to say that it’s a massive six-pointer and this and that, but after this there’s still 28 games to go.

“There’s still an awfully long time to go. If we stick to what we’re doing, we’ve got a good chance.”

Whatever the outcome of today’s game, Tomlin believes Aitor Karanka has done a superb job since his appointment as head coach 12 months ago.

“He’s meticulous in everything he does, and that’s why he’s worked at Real Madrid and under Jose Mourinho – he’s that good,” said Tomlin.

“He’s worked at Real Madrid and played for them too, and he’s such a good manager. If you’ve been dropped or rested, he’s always prepared to tell you why.

“You can be the man-of-the- match one game, but then you can be out of the side for the next one because he doesn’t think that game is quite right for you. He’s just unbelievable.”

Today’s top of the table encounter is expected to attract the biggest Riverside attendance of the season so far and that’s something Tomlin relishes.

In fact, he’s been blown away by the intensity of the Boro support.

“I don’t think people realise how much it helps us with a loud following,” he said.

“At the away game at Rotherham it was unbelievable, and I remember the first game I came to watch with the club was away at Doncaster and I was gobsmacked to see what they were like - I just couldn’t wait to get going.

“They just have to carry on doing what they’re doing, and it’s the same with us.

“We’re a team, not just us as players, it’s the fans and staff as well. We’re a team and we just have to stick by one another no matter what.”

South Tees Volunteering Excellence Awards recognise our local heroes

Volunteers who have made a difference to the lives of others have been honoured at an awards ceremony.

The South Tees Volunteering Excellence Awards saw 150 people from across Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland, recognised for outstanding contributions to their communities.

Youth workers and young people scooped five of the awards on the evening at the Riverside Stadium which was opened by Dinah Lane, chief executive of Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency.

Speaking about the people who help to make communities better places, she said: “We are living in difficult times and this area is facing more than its fair share of challenges.

“But these awards are testimony to the people and communities that help to make this a part of the country which we can be justifiably proud.”

The Community Champions Award went to Cleveland Juniors, a free football academy for children, run by over 50 volunteers.

They have raised more than £400,000 for a new changing facility, as well as running 22 teams - including seven girls’ teams and two disabled people’s teams.

The club also supports eight young people to complete their level one coaching course - which offers an invaluable experience to youngsters.

Chairperson Michelle Rush said: “This award is recognition of the hard work of all the managers, children, parents and supporters involved in the club.”

Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agencies organised the ceremony

The agency provide services to support local voluntary and community organisations in meeting the needs of local people. Each runs a Volunteer Centre that works to promote and develop volunteering, matching people that want to volunteer with appropriate opportunities in the community, and advising on good practice in volunteer recruitment and management.

Full list of the winners:

Winner Award Presenter/Sponsor

Lee Fawcett Adult Volunteer David Knowles The Co-operative Funeralcare

Titans Wheelchair Basketball

Sophie McCormick Young Volunteer GMT Ltd

Coast Country

Saltburn in Bloom Environmental Volunteer (none)

Cleveland Juniors Community Champion Mike Layfield Community Cost Solutions

Glynis Rodgerson Health and Well-Being Champion David Brunskill South Tees CCG

Leonard Cheshire Disability

KYM Art Productions Volunteer Team Sherry Iqbal Middlesbrough College

(Know Your Money Project)

The Unicorn Centre Volunteer Involving Organisation Jeremy Ince Charity Bank

Abbie and Caitlin Innovation Award Peter Taylor UK Steel Enterprise

from the Barnardo’s

Secos Project

Lynn Ford Trustee of the Year Liz Hamilton SV Bye Chartered Accountants

Colin Swain, Thorntree Hub Lifetime Achievement Brian Trodden Erimus Housing Ltd Grahame French

Patricia Robson Tees Valley Housing Ltd (Both part of thirteen group

R&C Mind (Redcar and Cleveland award) (Middlesbrough award)

Footprints in the Community George Punshon Memorial Award (none)

Wet and windy weather delays opening of new Middlesbrough Sports Village

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Wet and windy weather has delayed the opening of the new Middlesbrough Sports Village.

The 400m athletics track is one of the key features of the £18m facility and had been due to open last week.

But persistent damp and windy conditions have prevented the contractor from completing the final technical stages of applying the specialised running surface.

It is hoped the work will be completed shortly, when the track will open for public use with temporary changing facilities, ahead of the opening of the Sports Village Hub in the spring.

Key elements of the new Sports Village include an athletics field and stadium featuring track and spectator seating, a full-size artificial pitch along with grass football pitches, four five-a-side artificial pitches and a fitness gym and sports hall offering multi-functional sports and performance spaces.

Work on a new 250m outdoor Velodrome is also due to start next year.

In the meantime the council is working with local athletics clubs to ensure they have alternative training facilities nearby until the track is ready for use.

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said: “This will be a fantastic facility for the people of Middlesbrough and the region as a whole, and we are determined that all work on it will be carried out to the highest possible standard.

“It is therefore critical that the final work on the track is undertaken in the right conditions to ensure it is fit for purpose and has the longest possible life.

“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank members of the public for their patience.

“This will be a first class facility of regional importance, and we look forward to opening it to the public at the earliest opportunity.”

Teesside pensioner lies for two hours in cold and rain for ambulance after fall

An 89-year-old great-grandmother was left lying in the rain for two hours waiting for an ambulance after a fall.

Evelyn Davey was left on the cold, wet pavement after she slipped and fell outside the front door of a social club on Prescot Road, Acklam.

Ambulance chiefs blamed the service facing “high” demand at the time for the slow response.

After her fall, passers-by and club members tried to keep Mrs Davey as warm and dry as possible, placing blankets and umbrellas over her as she lay in agony.

At one point, helpers attempted to move her but her screams soon halted them, fearing they would cause further harm.

Ray Porter, Mrs Davey’s son-in-law, was angry and disappointed with what his mother-in-law was made to endure.

He drove from Northallerton to the No 1 Amalgamated Club in the time it took the emergency services to reach her.

The 61-year-old said: “My wife, Lynn, rang me at 12.50pm and I drove from Northallerton to Tollesby, in Acklam, to pick her up.

“We went straight to the hospital but when we arrived at 1.45pm, they knew nothing about it and did not know where Evelyn was.

“We just assumed that she would have been taken there by that time.

“After a while we got sick of waiting so I rang the club and they told me that she was still outside so we drove there and saw two ambulances outside.”

“We can’t believe it and will definitely be putting in a letter of complaint.”

Club secretary, Barbara Leyshon, 50, was one of the helpers who tried to comfort Mrs Davey during her ordeal.

She said: “She was freezing and her hands were very cold. As time went on she was getting colder and colder and we were getting more worried.

“She was saying that her legs were starting to get numb and she was getting very tired.

“I can’t believe how long she had to stay like that.”

Another helper, Gary West, from Ormesby said: “It is ridiculous. I know they have to prioritise but at her age it is shocking that they could not get to her quicker.”

He said council worker, Mark Quigley and a young girl, stayed with her for the whole time.

He added: “They really are life-savers.”

Mrs Davey’s ordeal was captured on CCTV which her family has agreed to be released.

It is the second time the slow response times of the North East Ambulance Service have been reported.

Earlier this week, a 15-year-old boy had to wait more than two hours for an ambulance to arrive after breaking his leg.

Talking about the incident involving Mrs Davey, a spokeswoman for North East Ambulance Service said: “We were called a 12.38pm to reports of a woman who had suffered as fall, sustaining a non-life threatening injury to her shoulder.

“At the time we were handling a high volume of emergencies.

“A crew became available to attend at 2.40pm and the patient was taken to James Cook University Hospital.”

Mrs Davey was last night recovering in hospital. It is understood she suffered a broken arm and is undergoing other tests.

Police to hand out leaflets in New Marske to try and find missing man Paul Kerrison

Leaflets to help find a missing Eston dad will be handed out this weekend close to his last known whereabouts.

Officers searching for 30-year-old Paul Anthony Kerrison have made a number of appeals since he was reported missing in the Birkdale Road area of New Marske on Saturday October 25.

Police now believe that Paul may have attempted to seek refuge in a garden or outbuilding within the New Marske area.

Acting Detective Inspector Peter Carr, said: “Officers will be in the New Marske area this weekend distributing leaflets in a bid to glean any information that we can on the whereabouts of Paul Kerrison.

“We would like to ask the local residents to check their gardens and outbuildings for any signs of unusual activity and we would appeal to anyone who may have seen him or anyone who may know of his whereabouts to contact us on 101.”

The family of former St Peter’s School pupil Paul, dad to four-year-old Kieren, told The Gazette they are desperate for him to be found.

Paul's mum Susan Watson, dad Barry Kerrison, brother Danny (left), sister Georgina Carr & brother Dale (right)

His sister Georgina Carr, 22, said: “He’s just vanished on his own - it’s traumatising. He’s epileptic, he could have had a fit and banged his head.

“He’s a very happy go lucky person but we don’t think he was mentally all there at the time of his disappearance. Mental health issues are something that run in the family and the week before he went missing, Paul had it in his head that the police were following him.

“We’re a tight family and he knows he’s loved. If he thinks he’s gone past the point where he can’t come back, he’s wrong.

“We want, as a family, to appeal to anyone who might have been in the area and who might have seen Paul, to come forward and help us find him. We need to know that he’s safe.”

Paul, of Jubilee Road, Eston, is described as around 6ft 3” tall, of slim build with short, with brown hair and was last seen wearing a black tracksuit top and bottoms and Nike Air Max trainers.

He requires daily epilepsy medication which he may not have with him.

Staff left shaken after armed robbery at Middlesbrough off licence

Staff at a Middlesbrough off licence have spoke of their shock following an armed robbery on Monday evening.

A man claiming to have a gun stole cash from the Longlands Stores Premier Express shop on Longlands Road.

The incident took place at around 9.35pm when a man entered the store and threatened a member of staff leaving them terrified.

Ann Wilson, 46, was the only member of staff at work at the time.

Having only worked there a couple of months, the mother-of-two said: “I was standing outside having a cigarette when a man came and dropped his bike outside.

“I went back inside and went behind the counter.

“He said give me the money otherwise I will shoot you.

“I was in shock at the thought of what he was going to do. I just gave him the money.

“He went outside but then he came back in. He told me not to get my phone and then he went.”

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “A member of shop staff, a woman, was left scared and shaken after the incident.

“The man then made off with an unknown amount of cash.”

The suspect has been described as a white man, wearing a woolly hat and a blue jacket.

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  Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or have information that could help the police, are asked to call the non-emergency number 101.

  
  

Mark Proctor: 'Boro came close to selling Marvin Emnes for a much bigger fee'

Adam Reach deserves his new long-term contract after some great form this season.

He went away on loan to Shrewsbury and Bradford to mature but now he looks to be fulfilling his potential, and that has been rewarded.

I saw the reports that a number of Premier League clubs were interested in him so this four-and-a-half year contract ties him down, and it’s great for Boro as he’s an exciting youngster.

Having big clubs looking at your players isn’t always a bad thing. It’s healthy for a football club as it shows you are doing something right.

At this stage of the season there’s a lot of speculation and agents creating a bit of hype, and although I’m not saying the stories were fabricated, fans have to know there’s always a big of gamesmanship going on which works both ways.

I remember when I was at Boro with Tony Mowbray and Marvin Emnes was linked with Swansea forever and a day.

He eventually ended up there, but we were close to selling him for a much bigger fee than he went for.

It didn’t happen in the end, but there was a lot of interest in him and at the time it was difficult as we were trying to offload some of our top earners but also remaining competitive on the pitch.

Of course you want to win games while at the same time balance the books, and more often that not some of the higher earners are ones that are instrumental in helping you to win matches.