Grant Leadbitter will be kicking himself about being suspended for Boro’s next two games.
He’s full throttle, all-in and very committed, and unfortunately he has picked up a ban at an inopportune time.
The Boro team is stronger with him in it, so he will be annoyed with himself about the manner of his booking at Watford that led to the ban.
I was fortunate enough not to get any suspensions or red cards in my whole career.
Whether that says I didn’t put any tackles in, I don’t know!
But I’d like to think that my temperament was a big help with that.
I generally kept a lid on things pretty well.
There’s only one time I can remember losing my rag and that was when we won 5-0 in the FA Cup at Swansea.
The BBC cameras had turned up to see us lose but we thrashed them, and David Hodgson scored twice.
They had a foreign midfielder who went down complaining to the referee that I’d fouled him, and I remember watching it back on Match of the Day.
I went to go for him but managed to rein myself in, but we’re all different.
Grant’s full-on character makes him the effective player that he is, but Boro have two capable deputies who can step in for him in his absence.
It depends what Aitor Karanka wants to go for.
If he wants to be a bit more offensive against Rotherham and Wolves, you would think he would go for Adam Forshaw.
But if he wants to be a bit more defensive and stabilised he will most likely go for Dean Whitehead.
Dean knows what it’s all about at this time of the season after being promoted twice with Sunderland.
He answered a right-back crisis a few weeks ago and did a steady job.
That’s what you get from him.
He isn’t a player who gets you out of your seat, but he is a steady pair of hands.
He is a bit like Ronseal - he does what it says on the tin.
He is fit and athletic and I know he looks after himself, so he will be ready to come in and fill the void if he gets Karanka’s call.
And don’t forget there could be some encouraging team news at the back.
Dani Ayala has been instrumental for Boro in central defence this season, a tower of strength.
He can have the odd rash and impetuous moment, but his height and pace and improved reading of the game and distribution make him a real asset.
There’s a chance Ryan Fredericks could be involved as well, so Boro should have a strong line-up regardless in Grant’s absence.
Aitor’s men won’t find it easy against the Millers
Boro will certainly need to be up for it against Rotherham.
The Millers could still do with a few points themselves to safeguard their Championship status.
And teams managed by Steve Evans are always revved right up.
I crossed paths with him a few times when I was Hodgy’s assistant at Darlington.
He gets right into the game from his technical area and wears his heart on his sleeve, which is what people want so see.
Rotherham also have a midfielder in Richie Smallwood who will be eager to impress against his former club.
Richie did well for us as a management team when I was at the Boro.
He is a good, honest, hard-working player who has gone elsewhere because he wanted to get regular football.
That must have been a difficult decision for him to leave, because he is a Boro lad through-and-through.
He is doing well at Rotherham and the move has paid off for him.
But I have to say from personal experience it isn’t easy going back to play against your hometown club.
My first time back at Ayresome Park with Nottingham Forest was a bit of a non-event, from a personal point of view, if I’m perfectly honest.
It’s tough, because you’re playing on your real team’s pitch for the opposition.
You’re professionalism takes over and of course you get stuck in.
That particular game finished 1-1 when Forest were up at the top and Boro were down at the bottom, and as a visiting side we should have won it.
But it is difficult as a homecoming player, as I say.
As a player you’re always professional, but you can’t change the DNA underneath of where you come from, no matter what colour shirt you are wearing.
In that respect, I can understand why some players don’t celebrate if they score against their hometown club, or against a team that is very close to their heart.
But the main thing is that Boro win tomorrow, regardless of the performance and scoreline.
It was an eventful game down there as Boro won 3-0 and Rotherham had a man sent off just before half-time.
Scintillating football doesn’t matter though.
There is no point playing outstanding stuff and hitting the bar a couple of times if you don’t win the game.
The main thing is getting the ball over the line and the three points in the bag.
Under-fire Adam can have the last laugh on critics
Adam Reach is the latest Boro player to come in for a bit of criticism from the fans, but I think it will do him good in the long-run.
I think sometimes you can make a bit of a rod for your own back with your performances.
If you come in and do well, like Adam did, you set a benchmark.
I’m not condoning it, but supporters can get frustrated if you fall below your own high standards and they sometimes express it loud and clear.
But I think Adam will have the last laugh.
Sometimes if you are getting stick, you could take the easy option - as a winger turn the ball back to the full-back instead of hitting the line.
But hopefully it won’t come to that and I’m happy to say that stick from the stands isn’t generally as bad as it was in my playing days.
Back then home players could get booed when the team was read out - and that was in the warm-up before the match had even kicked off.
Alan Kernaghan used to get stick from the Boro fans. But he turned it into a positive and became team captain under Lennie Lawrence.
Criticism can be healthy sometimes, as long as it doesn’t go over the top, and have a motivating effect on a player.
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