David Wheater: Please Come and Watch Me Play for Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough have had trouble putting bums on seats at the Riverside this season. Maybe because they play the sort of football that makes your eyes bleed or maybe because they’ve been busy downgrading their squad in recent years (Mark Viduka and Yakubu out, Mido and Jeremie Aliadiere in. What were they thinking?) Whatever the reasons, the club needs its fans to show up. Hence this viral video from young ‘Boro defender David Wheater, more or less begging fans to start showing up.

The video was sent out to registered ‘Boro fans past and present in the hopes of selling some half-season tickets, good for the remainder of ‘Boro’s Premier League home games (£216 each, if you’re interested.) It’s sort of a nice idea, if maybe a little patronizing to fans. And promising defender though he is, I have a hard time believing that a bit of extra vocal support will be enough to ensure Wheater wins a 50/50 with Steven Gerrard or stops Cristiano Ronaldo in his tracks. And what’s with the “run my guts out for 70 minutes” line? Does he lose interest in the last twenty minutes or something?

There’s only one real way to start filling the Riverside with ‘Boro fans again and that’s to give them a winning team. The recent 2-1 win over Arsenal is a good start, so maybe a few more of those and the club won’t have to go out begging for fans.

via Who Ate All the Pies?

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Category: English Premier League, World Football