Middlesbrough v Doncaster Rovers: Boro boys are back as Rovers aim to pile on misery

IF circumstances had been different this summer, Ross Turnbull could have been lining up for former club Middlesbrough and not against them at the Riverside tonight.
Ross TurnbullRoss Turnbull
Ross Turnbull

The 28-year-old is the first to admit that Boro will forever hold a place in his heart, but he will be doing his level best to ensure a climactic footballing week on Teesside ends as it started – with supporters in sombre mood after a poor result against South Yorkshire opposition.

Ahead of joining Doncaster Rovers, Turnbull spent part of pre-season at local club Boro, happy to help him ‘tick over’ in training following his release from Chelsea.

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But the man who allowed him to train at the club, Tony Mowbray, will not be present in the home dug-out tonight following his sacking on Monday after paying the price for Boro’s poor seasonal start and calamitous return of just five victories in 33 Championship games in 2013.

Three players in the visiting ranks will be hoping to enlarge that barren sequence in Bishop Auckland-born Turnbull and boyhood Boro fans James Coppinger and Rob Jones, born in the Middlesbrough strongholds of Stockton and Guisborough, respectively.

The fixture has special significance for the trio, who live in the Teesside area and share a car to travel down the A1 to training. It is fair to say many of their friends and family will have split loyalties this evening.

Turnbull enjoyed a 10-year association with the Teessiders where he was largely understudy to Mark Schwarzer.

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He was also an unused substitute for Chelsea during their 
FA Cup victory at the Riverside on February 27 and he said: “The game is one I am looking forward to. I won’t lie, I had a little look when the game at Middlesbrough would be when I joined Doncaster.

“Me, Rob and Copps have all talked about it, being from the area, but we’d all like to get three points.

“My mum’s side of the family are all Middlesbrough fans and my cousin’s son is one of the players in one of the junior teams who will be joining hands with the players when we run out onto the pitch. I’ve heard he is running out with the Middlesbrough players, so maybe I will grab his hand and see if he can run out with me.

“It will be strange playing for the away team because I spent 10 great years there. It’s the first result I look at when I come off the pitch on Saturday. Hopefully, it will be an enjoyable night with a good result.

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“I was at Middlesbrough in pre-season, more to do with the fact that is was my home-town club. It was a case of training with them, although if they had offered me something, I am sure I’d have been interested.

“I played 45 minutes in a friendly at Rotherham and the manager just wanted to have a look at me. As I was without a club, it was just good to get a game in as you can struggle for game time.

“But Doncaster came in and it’s gone from there and I am really pleased with the decision to join.”

Despite the well-documented travails of Boro, who have won just one home game this season and who will be led by caretaker-manager Mark Venus in what is expected to be a half-full Riverside stadium tonight, Turnbull does not subscribe to the theory that it is possibly a good time to play them.

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He added: “Despite what has happened there, it will be a tough game as they are a good team. But, hopefully, we will go there, put in a good performance and get three points.

“I have spoken to a few of the lads there and they have played pretty well, but just haven’t picked up the points and had a lot of draws. You don’t really climb the table with draws.

“But it’s still early and you always get one team who makes a run towards the end of the season. It could turn around quickly.”

Rovers go into the game on the back of a 4-1 loss at Reading, which had followed an impressive win over Leicester City.

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Fluctuating fortunes are the nature of the Championship, according to Turnbull, who feels Rovers have made a fair fist of life back in the second tier against more wealthy rivals.

Turnbull, who signed a one-year deal at the start of the season, added: “We can be fairly pleased with how things have gone – with a bit of luck, we could be higher in the league.

“The Charlton game set us back when it should have been three points. Things like that can make a big difference in this league, but you get ups and downs. When you have a setback, you just lay it to rest and go onto the next game.

“I came in quite late with not playing a full game in pre-season. With the games coming so quick, I have been pleased.

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“I am looking to improve as the season goes on and I am enjoying working with Paul Gerrard and think the improvement is there to see from when I came in at the start when I was rusty.”

Last six games: Middlesbrough LWDLDD; Doncaster LWLWDL.

Last time: Middlesbrough 0 Doncaster 0; April 17, 2012; Championship.

Referee: M Naylor (South Yorks).