I think part of it is that our transfer policy means we're always likely to end up with a team that's a bit of a square peg and we have to find a way of jamming it in a round hole. If anyone else would be better at ramming it in the hole than Pardew, I dunno.
Got to take the Christmas decorations down, creosote the fence, get the car MOT'd, get a quote for the loft conversion, go to that fella's wedding... Phew.
The fans don't choose how much effort goes into the competition though, and think the TV money and exposure for his shit tracksuits would probably be more tempting to Ashley than a Europa pot.
If there was a pot of champions league gold at the end Boro would have probably been knocked out by somone's full strength team several rounds before the final.
Invented by our lot in the car to Villa away a few seasons back about Williamson, caught on in the pubs before that game
The Strawberry Corner seem to have adopted "This club is my club" as their anthem, goes on for ages every home match but never spreads to any other part of the ground. Don't think I've heard it at an away match either.