Help BBC Cover The World Cup
BBC TEES wants to tap into Boro's network of fans around the globe to help with their coverage of this summer's World Cup finals.
The station is looking for a contact in every participating country to speak to in the run up to games.
They'll be asked to talk about the atmosphere where they live and how locals feel about their team's chances.
If you live in one of the countries taking part in South Africa and you'd like to take part,
Robert.Law@bbc.co.uk.
KEEPING in touch with fellow Boro fans means everything to Chris Shane, from Connecticut, USA.
Chris met up with Middlesbrough Official Supporters Club chair and Boro Fans United coordinator Sue Gardener ahead of the Crystal Palace game during a visit to Teesside.
He's taking in as many games as he can during his stay and will also attend MOSC's Player of the Year event at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday April 21.
"Chris commented that I didn't know how much it meant to fans in the USA and Canada to have other fans to chat with about all things Boro as there aren't that many fans over there and those who are scattered around both countries," said Sue.
Our photo shows Sheila Richardson, Chris and Sue in the Ironopolis Club before the game.
CALLING Boro fans in South Africa!
A fan in the Johannesburg area looking for other Boro fans to get together to watch games.
For more details, please contact Boro Fans United coordinator Sue Gardener suem.g58@googlemail.com.
Any fans in other parts of the world who want to get together, we're here to help!
Just email Sue or editor@riverside.mfc.co.uk and we'll do what we can to put you in touch with fellow supporters.
A BORO-LOVING librarian in a children's book sparked an Argentine love affair that has lasted 30 years and is still burning brightly.
The story began three decades ago when Gustavo Gavasso, from Quilmes, Buenos Aires, was studying English at high school.
His textbook featured a thin, unlucky librarian called Arthur, who was bullied by his boss but had a burning passion for football.
"He used to wait anxiously every weekend to go to the stadium to watch Boro, with his radio and old red scarf," recalls Gustavo.
"I told that funny story to my kids many years ago and since that moment everybody at home is a Boro supporter and they wait anxiously every Saturday to receive the match results by Internet or ESPN."
Now Gustavo, daughter Melina and son Alejo, gather round the TV or computer screen every week to follow games.
Being a fellow countryman, Julio Arca is naturally something of a favourite in the Gavasso household and Gustavo has a special message for the midfielder in his own language.
"Fuerza Julio, lo mejor para vos en esta temporada 2010 defendiendo los colores de nuestro querido Boro!"
Any other Boro fans in his area can contact Gustavo at gustavo.gavassa@speedy.com.ar
.The Gavasso family are pictured viewing their favourite website, mfc.co.uk.
FORMER Boro star Peter Brine was a big hit when he visited the club's Supporters Club in Brisbane to relive a golden age in the club's history.
Peter, now 56, emigrated to Townsville, Queensland, where he now runs the restaurant A Touch Of Salt, named in reference to his dressing room nickname, Salty.
Born in London but the son of a Boro exile, he joined the club as a teenager in 1970. An attacking player, he made 76 starts and 26 sub appearances for the club, scoring eight goals, before a knee injury prematurely ended his career in his mid-20s.
He visited Brisbane along with his wife, Chris, who is originally from Brambles Farm.
"We all had a great time chatting and laughing about the good old days," said organiser Trevor Harrington - known to many locals as Teesside Trev.
"Peter kept us all entertained with his stories about Big Jack Charlton and all his team-mates from the golden era of the 70s.
Peter added: "They're a really nice bunch of guys and we had a great night."
He is pictured centre of this group, wearing a light blue, collared shirt.
DESPITE having the oldest squad in the tournament, Brisbane Boro Supporters Club reached the semi-finals of the Brisbane Supporters Clubs Six-a-side Tournament.
All but two of the players were over 40 and the team had never played together before the competition, which was sponsored by TNT magazine and city's The Pig and Whistle British Pub.
On a pleasant spring day the Boro team got off to a flyer in the group stages with an emphatic 3-0 win over bitter rivals Chelsea, Phil Gaskin opening the scoring and Gary Hornigold and Aaron Cameron grabbing a goal apiece.
Two goalless draws followed, against a very young and fit Arsenal team and group favourites Red Bull, before another great team performance earned a 2-0 win over Celtic B, Phil Gaskin and Gary Hornigold scoring the goals.
Boro only needed a draw in their last game against a physical Everton team to reach the semi-finals and again the game was scoreless.
The semi-final draw saw Boro drawn against one of the favourites, Manchester United.
However, Boro gave everything and only what goalkeeper Trevor Harrington describes as a "Schwarzeresque moment - just like the Carling Cup final" after a feeble shot somehow squeezed under his body gave United a narrow win.
Celtic A beat Arsenal on penalties in the other semi but United won the final 2-0, so at least Boro can say they lost to the winners.
"Considering our age and the fact that we hadn't played together before we were very solid as a team both in defence and going forward," said Trevor.
"We were roared on by 20-plus Boro fans and the team showed great spirit and threw everything at United in the semi, only for their keeper and the post to deny us a penalty shootout.
"But the main result was that every player and every supporter from every team had a great time."
Boro's fans were voted the best supporters in the tournament.
Our picture shows, back row: Chris Young, Gary Watson, Aaron Cameron, Morrie, Big Phil Gaskin, Simon Ridgeway, Richard Young, Mike Gillen. Front row: Gary Horingold, James Gartry, Trevor Harrington, Nick Curtis. Mascots: Poppy Harrington and Jay Curtis.
FINNISH fan Virpi Kytoaho and her son Joona visited Teesside yet again to take in their first ever Championship game at the Riverside against Watford.
Although it was a disappointing result it didn't dampen their spirits and their only regret was they couldn't stay for the Derby game.
Before the game the pair met friends from Middlesbrough Official Supporters Club in the Ironopolis Social Club where member and regulars gave them a very warm welcome.
Also visiting Teesside, and pictured here alongside Joona and Virpi, was Terry Carter, from Canada.
Our Finnish Boro fans are hoping to return come the spring as their winter is setting in very quickly at home at the moment.
Check out their website http://www.borofinland.net/ for a full report on their past Teesside visits.
MEMBERS of a Boro Supporters Club in Canada have finally come face-to-face - here in Middlesbrough!
Ben Church and Ian Burns are both members of Middlesbrough Official Supporters' Club's hugely-successful Boro Fans United scheme, which brings together fans wherever they are in the world.
Canada-born Ben and Middlesbrough-born Ian Burns finally came face-to-face with each other and other MOSC members before the Doncaster Rovers game.
Ian pointed out that it would take a four-hour flight or 12-hour car journey from his home in Alberta to meet up with Ben, who lives in Toronto.
So instead, after travelling thousands of miles, they met in the Boro.
Ian is taking in as many games as possible during a visit back home 22 years after he emigrated to Canada.
He is in the area visiting family and friends his brother, Gary, who lives in Newcastle.
Our picture show Dave Elstob, MOSC chair and BFU coordinator Sue Gardener, Gary Burns and Scarborough Boro Supporters Club founder Craig Close, with Ben Church, Brogan and Bethany James and Ian Burns in the front row.
CALLING Boro fans in the Republic of Ireland!
Boro Fans United organiser and Middlesbrough Official Supporters Club chair Sue Gardener is putting together a list of fans who want to get together in the Emerald Isle.
There's already a thriving group north of the border, Northern Ireland Middlesbrough Supporters Club.
If you're interested, contact Sue on suem.g58@googlemail.com.
When Sue's husband, Terry, asked her what she wanted for a wedding anniversary, her answer was instant - if a little unusual!
Sue explained: "I said I'd like a brick and after the usual questions of which type of brick - house brick, Lego brick etc - I said a Boro Brick."
They took advantage of the special offer by ordering along with their Season Card application and she decided on the inscription "Boro Fans United - Cheers Sue G".
"It puts our BFU in the public eye and I thought was a good way to thank all our Boro fans abroad for their help in this scheme," Sue added.
The BFU scheme continues to go from strength to strength with around 30 new supporters club branches formed over recent years.
For more information contact
suem.g58@googlemail.com.To find out more about the Boro Brick Road, click here.
THEY can't all be there for every game, but Boro exiles and fans around the world are making their presence felt on matchdays by bringing some colour to the Riverside.
Teessiders have populated distant corners of the globe since the days of Marton-born explorer Captain Cook and many still travel for work and leisure, while an increasing number of football fans with no connection to the area are adopting Boro as their team.
But the fortunes of the team are never far from their thoughts.
Now, as part of the Twe12th Man's ongoing drive to get the fans at the Riverside working together, supporters clubs from far and wide are leaving a permanent stamp on the stadium in the form of their own banners.
The idea came from Boro fans based in Newcastle, the group behind the imaginatively-titled Smog on the Tyne banner.
They contacted Sue Gardener, chair of Middlesbrough Official Supporters Club and coordinator of the Boro Fans United scheme in conjunction with mfc.co.uk, which has helped establish 27 worldwide Boro fan branches.
She in turn got in touch with Mick Dunne, of the School of Art and Design at Our Lady of St Bede's School in Stockton, to help with designing and making some of the banners.
Along with the main MOSC banner, which bears the legend Angels All Over The World, flags from Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and Newcastle have already been put up and Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan and Nigeria should follow soon.
A special MOSC banner was put up as a centrepiece for the individual flags and banners from around the world.
Sue says the scheme has come to fruition thanks to the club, MOSC, the Twe12th Man group and the school all working together.
"A lot of hard work by individuals and groups has gone into establishing these new branches of our supporters club," she explained.
"The flags and banners around the stadium are a way of acknowledging this work, as well as making it known that Boro have fans on every continent and not just around the Teesside region.
"As one branch member said to me, 'Even though we aren't big in numbers and can't attend live games at the Riverside, we give huge and excellent support to the Boro from around the world'."
Branches in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Nigeria, Northern Ireland and New York are among groups run by locals rather than Teesside exiles.
MOSC chair Sue Gardener has been helping Boro fans throughout the world get together to form branches of the supporters club.
If you are interested in forming a branch where you live, contact Sue at suem.g58@googlemail.com.
See our Supporters Club page for contact details of all the branches formed so far.
