Do We Fear The Trip To The Riverside?

Wearing colours is not a good idea if you want to go for a pint ... but your accent (if you're a Geordie) is usually a give-away ... as I have found out MANY times over the last 30 years. They 'cock-a-lug' quite often, showing their hearing works ... even though they maybe covered in boils.

So if you hide your colours ... and speak posh ... here is where you can drink:- Doctor Browns, a ten minute walk away from the ground at the bottom of Corporation Road, in the city centre. This pub serves real ale, has SKY TV and it was OK last season. On the corner opposite the pub, is also a sandwich bar, which was doing a brisk trade in amongst other things, trays of roast potatoes and gravy. To find this pub; If you were standing outside the stadium with the main entrance behind you, head over to your left and turn right down the road, going under a bridge. A little way down this road on your left, there is an underpass. Go down through the underpass and as you emerge on the other side turn right and go down the road and through another underpass. You will emerge in a small retail park (there is a McDonalds over on your right), which you walk through unto you come to a main road. Turn right along this road and you will see the Doctor Browns pub over on your left. Otherwise, there is a bar at the back of the away stand within the ground (Tetleys £2.40 per pint, Carlsberg £2.60 per pint).

Personally I prefer Isaac Wilsons (I think it's called). It's in the town centre, is very inexpensive but does get a lot of nutters looking for Mags. I've never had any serious trouble ... but watch yourself.

BY CAR

It is quite easy to find. Just follow the A66 (signposted Teesside from the A1) into Middlesbrough. Carry on up the A66, through the centre of Middlesbrough and you will pick up signs for the Riverside Stadium. Although there is no parking available directly at the stadium itself, there are a number of private parks (mostly on waste land) nearby.

Jerry Hill adds; 'I would suggest that away fans should follow the route marked "away coaches" from the A66, as this passes many private car parks along the river, all priced at £4'. Keep in mind though that if you do park at one of these car parks, then it may take 45 minutes or so after the game, before you can exit them. Otherwise, as the stadium is about one mile from the town centre you could also consider parking in a long stay car park in the town centre (about a 15-20 minute walk away from the ground).

TRAIN STATION

The ground is walkable from Middlesbrough train station which is on Albert Road. Although there is a direct train service from the North West, fans travelling from other parts of the country, will most likely find themselves changing at Darlington, for Middlesbrough.

If you come out of the main entrance, turn left onto Zetland Road. Then left again into Albert Road and proceed under the railway bridge. Turn immediately right into Bridge Street East, going past the Bridge pub (not recommended for away fans) and then take the next right into Wynward Way. The stadium is down this road. If you come out of the rear station entrance, turn right onto Bridge Street East. Go Straight past the Bridge pub and then take the next right into Wynward Way for the ground.

Mark Viduka came within minutes of handing Newcastle a precious derby victory on his return to Middlesbrough.

The Australian claimed his first goal in a black and white shirt and his 150th in British football 13 minutes from time as the Magpies twice took the lead at the Riverside Stadium.

However, former team-mate and Sunderland old boy Julio Arca ensured the spoils were shared when he levelled three minutes later in an eventful game.

A fiercely-contested encounter - there were eight bookings - was not always of the highest quality, but that could not be said of the finishing on display with Charles N'Zogbia opening the scoring with a stunning 22nd-minute effort.

Mido cancelled out the lead within six minutes, expertly rounding Steve Harper after being played in by Fabio Rochemback, and although Sam Allardyce may have left Teesside bemoaning his side's failure to keep Boro out, the result was just about right on the day.

Newcastle started brightly and finished well, while the home side dominated in between to leave both sets of supporters in a crowd of 28,875 relatively satisfied.

Southgate took something of a gamble when he named former Magpie Jonathan Woodgate in his starting line-up only days after his return to training from knee surgery.

The logic of the decision was well-founded as Boro's leading scorer last season, Viduka, made his return to the Riverside, and Woodgate and central defensive partner David Wheater coped well with the Australian before the break.

Newcastle started confidently, although Allardyce's 4-3-3 formation is still not firmly embedded and clear-cut chances were few and far between despite their early dominance.

Obafemi Martins blasted harmlessly wide after being played in by Viduka on 16 minutes and it took a vital block from George Boateng to deny Alan Smith a free shot at goal seconds later.

However, the visitors went ahead with 22 minutes gone when full-back N'Zogbia produced a moment of rare brilliance.

The Frenchman was picked out on the left by Peter Ramage, on after just six minutes for the injured Stephen Carr, and cut inside Boateng before unleashing a superb curling shot which was simply too good for keeper Mark Schwarzer.

But Boro responded swiftly and were back on terms within six minutes when Mido ran on to Rochemback's beautifully-weighted pass over the top, held off Steven Taylor and then rounded Harper to shoot into an empty net.

The goal gave the Teessiders fresh impetus as the Magpies wilted momentarily, Harper scrambling across his goal as Rochemback's deflected shot sailed just wide and then pulling off a fine one-handed save to deny Arca.

Stewart Downing was finding space down the left as Boro began to dominate in midfield with Arca and Rochemback making life intensely difficult for Nicky Butt and Geremi.

However, James Milner was convinced he should have been awarded a 44th-minute penalty after Wheater appeared to wrestle him to the ground, the midfielder's disappointment being compounded by referee Mike Dean's decision to penalise him on the advice of his assistant.

Martins found himself in the wars as the second half got under way, debutant Luke Young and Woodgate both clattering him with the latter picking up a yellow card for his pains.

Butt followed him into the referee's notebook for a rash challenge on Downing in a scrappy opening to the half, although it was Boro who settled the quicker.

Harper had to block with his legs on 53 minutes after Mido and Jeremie Aliadiere had played Rochemback in, and David Rozehnal hacked away Downing's cross seconds later with the Teessiders establishing a momentum.

Newcastle's woes increased on 59 minutes when Ramage was carried off on a stretcher to be replaced by Claudio Cacapa, Taylor taking over at right-back.

However, it was they who almost regained the lead on 61 minutes when Viduka just failed to get a touch to N'Zogbia's inviting cross under pressure from Wheater.

Milner failed to test Schwarzer with a 64th-minute drive as the visitors rallied, and Allardyce made his move with 19 minutes remaining when he replaced Martins with Michael Owen.

The change took place as Aliadiere received treatment after colliding with Taylor's elbow, and he was eventually carried off and replaced by Tuncay Sanli.

But Viduka's big moment finally arrived on 77 minutes when he accepted N'Zogbia's pass, deftly turned Woodgate and after teeing the ball up, smashed a shot past the helpless Schwarzer.

However, Boro were not done and it was all square once again within three minutes when Arca latched on to a clearance and drilled a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

Owen might have won it in a frantic finish, but his flick from N'Zogbia's free-kick fell into Schwarzer's arms.