A happy new year for the Tigers could be on the cards this Wednesday evening as we take on The Smoggies for the 2nd time in just 4 short weeks. The last meeting between the 2 sides at the end of November 2024 didn't end well at the Riverside as we fell 3 - 1 to a rampant Boro's side who back then where fighting tooth and nail to remain in the play off zone they were not going to relinquish lightly.

It was also a time when we were managerless and Andy Dawson took his first game in charge looking to turn our fortunes from losses and draws to a single win and the first for 3 months but the only joy we could take was a move that saw Kamara whip in a ball on 70 minutes to Burstow who had only been on the pitch for one minute and seventeen seconds, and thumped it into the Boro net at the far post to bring us back to 3 - 1 as a consolation goal.

Since then we have appointed the Spaniard Ruben Sellers as team manager from under the noses of the Reading FC board who made an immediate impact of putting the brakes on a 6 game losing streak to salvage a 1-1 draw with Watford at home, then improving just 3 days later with our first home win in 15 games as we ground out a victory after coming back from 1-1 to an 80th minute winning and decisive goal from Burstow to ensure a much needed 2- 1 result against The Swans confirming 3 points were deposited into our league account.

Back to a lackluster away game with Preston North End on Boxing Day which saw us on the wrong end of a smash and grab 1-0, had opposite fortunes handed to us when we bounced back on the 29th Dec and our last game of 2024 away at Ewood Park with Selles making 4 changes to the starting 11 had us biting our nails over an otherwise end to end sparkless game for 60 minutes who upped the anti once again with a triple substitution bringing on a dropped Coyle, Longman and Alzate to give their all for the remaining 30 minutes plus 7 minutes added time and dually bore fruit when Longman received a lovely unselfish ball from Slater, took it on the bounce and dispatched it, side footed over a diving Pears in the Blue & White's goal at his near post making it, not only the winning goal and a very welcome 3 points but also shone a footlight onto Pandur's clean sheet as an added bonus. So 0 - 1 to City it was.

As for Middlesborough and since our last meeting they, like us have had mixed fortunes both home and away as well as in the points department both collecting 7 points and their most recent, a well fought battle of the play off zone game with promotion rivals Burnley which ended 0 - 0 at The Riverside and both sides remain in the top six.

The Boro' pairing to watch out for is number 9: Latte Lath and number 20: Azaz who both have 9 goals and 9 assists respectively and Azaz bagging 8 goals in his own right so best bib and tucker demanded from our defence on New Year's Day and I would suggest a man marker for Azaz all game.

Fingers crossed for another 3 points from Ruben's Boys and then we have a Transfer Window to stick our noses to with the hope that Uncle Acun has squirreled away to buy a few nice shiny players in order to spur our gallop up the Championship under el sénior Selles leadership.

PLEASE NOTE. Hull City and our supporters will remember those who have sadly passed away in 2024 ahead of our fixture against Middlesbrough on New Year’s Day.