Middlesbrough v Nottingham Forest: Boro looking to emulate Villa’s late play-off bid

Neil Taylor knows what it is like to give the Championship promotion contenders a headstart and still scramble into the Premier League, and thinks Middlesbrough can do what Aston Villa did in 2019. More to the point, he believes others will believe it too.
By Stuart Rayner
Published 24th Dec 2021, 06:00 BST

When Dean Smith took over as Villa manager on November 15, 2018, they were 11th, the promotion expected of them looking way off. They finished the season as play-off winners and are now established in the top flight.

When Chris Wilder took over at Middlesbrough on November 7 they were 14th. They go into their Boxing Day game at home to Nottingham Forest ninth, two points outside the play-offs.

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“It can,” says former Villa defender Taylor when asked if this season could have a similarly happy ending.

Boro's Neil Taylor takes on Bournemouth's Gavin Kilkenny. Picture: Tony JohnsonBoro's Neil Taylor takes on Bournemouth's Gavin Kilkenny. Picture: Tony Johnson
Boro's Neil Taylor takes on Bournemouth's Gavin Kilkenny. Picture: Tony Johnson

“Going into the play-offs on a successful run was great for us in terms of our motivation as opposed to teams who have been in first and second and end up fifth or sixth and maybe not in great form. At Swansea (his previous club to Villa) we finished third and went into the play-offs in good form.

“Every single football club is sat in their meetings thinking the same thing, ‘We can get there,’ or ‘The play-offs are only six points away’ or eight or 10. There’s a lot of games to play. Promotion is obviously the aim at this football club whether it’s this season or the next and for sure it’s in a good position to be able to push on.”

Seeing Wilder at Boro – and Steve Cooper at Forest, for that matter – getting a big club moving will have others getting nervous.

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“I hope they look at us and see us as a team on the move,” says Taylor. “After playing Stoke I’ve got quite a few friends who play there and they said you could see the team’s changed and Chris’s stamp is already on it, we’re a tough side to play against.

“Teams change managers all the time and they get a rebound effect. We’ve got to make sure that’s not happening here and it carries on. We’ve got to be lucky with injuries but hopefully other teams know this is a big football club and if it gets moving...

“The Championship is so long I wouldn’t want to try and guess the top six now, I don’t think anyone could.”

Last six games: Middlesbrough WDWWLD; Nottingham Forest WWWDDD

Referee: D Webb (County Durham)

Last time: Middlesbrough 1 Nottingham Forest 0, October 31, 2020, Championship

Related topics:PromotionMiddlesbroughAston VillaNottingham ForestPremier League

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