Having been faced by some really savage thugs,
I wonder just how many, were way up high on drugs?
And to those now in hospital, because of this vendetta,
I’m sure a Boro victory would make you feel much better.

The situation of the tie and its sheer fragility,
Wasn’t helped at all by some Roma fans’ hostility,
Exploding firecrackers made one almost choke,
And spiralling ever-upwards was the multi-coloured smoke.

The game’s now under way and it’s surely guaranteed,
That Boro will be faced by a non-stop stampede,
But the lads have shown already that they’re most resilient,
When Jimmy scored a goal with a header, simply brilliant.

Mancini, the Brazilian Ace, should have been shown instant red,
He dangerously elbowed Mendieta to the right side of the head,
But it all came to nought and then, to no surprise,
Just before half-time the same man came to equalise.

Things got even worse when a penalty was awarded,
And who stepped up? Mancini! And how he was applauded,
Then with backs to the wall and under heavy, non-stop fire,
Boro, to a man, displayed the utmost desire.

Schwarzer, in my view, was THE hero on the night,
Boro’s last line of resistance was an absolute delight,
We’d knocked out the favourites for the UEFA Cup,
And surely, now, for Boro, the only way is up.

It was a struggle to the end and was all uphill,
And Roma, to be honest, really put us through the mill,
In the second half, in particular, we took an awful hammering,
Now I bet for the next round that the fans will be clamouring.

No doubt the players finished feeling really bruised and battered,
But they’d won the tie and nothing else then mattered,
For it’s now the quarter-finals for this so-called ‘little team,’
And one step further forward for Mr. Gibson’s dream.

Finally, I hope, that those who, in the very recent past,
Chose to fly their Boro flags only at half-mast,
Will now get behind Steve McClaren and raise again the flag,
And when things don’t go well, don’t be so quick to lose your rag.

(16-03-2006)