View From The Town End: Middlesbrough FC

Chris from Boro Youth was kind enough to answer this week's questions, you can follow him on Twitter @BoroYouths

How would you sum up Boro's season so far?

All in all very good, we have had a couple of blips allowing a late goal at Derby and losing at home to Bristol but we have won our last 7 games. We have been scoring goals and we are solid defensively. We have also put to bed some 'hoodoos' First win at the city ground since 1999 (2nd since 1973!) And Karanka's first victory over local rivals Leeds!

There was a little worry when Albert Adomah asked for a transfer before the window closed (like he has done at every club he has been at) but we managed to keep him and he returned to the fold in goal scoring fashion!

You came so close to promotion last season before falling at the final hurdle, does the club look in better shape to finish in the top two this time around?

Yes. Last season we only scored 68 league goals at a average of 1.47 per game, this season that's upped to 1.88 and that's after we lost top scorer Patrick Bamford back to parent club Chelsea! The addition of David Nugent and Stuani to go with Kike really means we look like scoring where as last season we had no plan b as such. We have yet to really be hit by any injuries and seem to have good depth in positions this season with our defense especially being very stingey! Only conceded 5 goals this season in the league (0.55 per game compared to 0.80 all last season) Add to all that our home grown hero Stewart Downing is back home!

Any fond memories of games between the two sides?

Beating you 3-0 at our place in Dec 2013 when Gorkss got a double yellow! All our scorers from that game will be playing on Saturday ;)

Any not so fond ones?

There is a few, since we came down you lot have had the upper hand but last season wasn't good, a draw and a 1-0 loss to your lot. Its made worse by the fact one of my nephews is a Boro fan the other a Reading fan (by birth) so we have a little family rivalry when it comes to this game. (he usually wears his Reading shirt under his coat at the riverside when we play each other)

I actually lived and worked in Reading from 1998-2000, living in Purley-on-Thames and working as a recruitment consultant who had Reading FC as a match day client!

Who should Reading fans be wary of on Saturday?

Everyone, we're flying don't you know! Adomah has come back into the side and scored goals recently, Nugent is leading the line well and Stuani has chipped in with goals. But its someone who has been quiet recently i would be concerned about...Grant Leadbitter. He usually makes us tick, he breaks things up and then distributes to the attacking players and he has been a little under par recently. If he clicks the team clicks.

Any Reading player that you're not looking forward to facing?

Nick Blackman your top scorer, the guys hit nearly as many goals this season in 12 games as he has in his previous 73! He is having a purple patch which I hope runs out by the weekend!

Score prediction?

We are the only Championship club not to conceded more than a single goal in a game this season, so now I've mentioned that stat it will as always be ended!

0-1 to Middlesbrough. Nugent with the goal!

Thanks again to Chris, who would also like to ask the following....

With the Issues right now regarding the Steel industry in our small area of Teesside and my town of Redcar 1700+ people have lost their jobs directly with SSI, and a further 1000 contractors. Please view the following facebook page and sign the petition

Our Steel has built many famous bridges in its time, from Sydney Harbour Bridge to Lambeth Bridge London, from Steel for the new Wembley stadium to the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle. Its as major employer here in the North East and the loss of jobs on this scale could cripple the local economy with a estimated 3,000 knock on job losses expected.