Derbies just the ticket for Catts

Aug 25 2007 by Paul Gilder, The Journal

WHEN Lee Cattermole insisted this week that he understands what North-East derbies mean to supporters, the teenager was quick to ensure that his comments were qualified.

It was at St James’s Park two seasons ago that the Middlesbrough midfielder made his maiden appearance in the Premier League, the little-known youngster making an impressive debut in a frenetic encounter that finished 2-2.

Yet it was his experiences at the Riverside Stadium 18 months earlier that underlined what battling for local bragging rights is all about – even though he got nowhere near the pitch.

Having been unable to get his hands on a ticket using the conventional methods, Cattermole begged his agent to procure him one for a game in which Boro hosted Newcastle on the 2004-05 Premiership season’s opening afternoon. His request was granted, although the ticket’s origin did not become clear until a life-long Middlesbrough supporter turned up to take his seat.

“My agent got the tickets from Titus Bramble,” explained the Stockton-born 19-year-old, who found himself sitting among the visiting supporters as an eventful game unfolded. “I was with my dad, but we were sat with all the Geordies. We were on the edge of our seats whenever we were on the attack. It was horrible. I’ll not be doing that again.”

Like the game in which he made his top-flight debut, the match ended 2-2 and with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scoring a dramatic late equaliser after Alan Shearer had appeared to have struck the winner, Cattermole struggled to keep his emotions in check.

“I remember turning to my dad and saying to him ‘If there’s a game I want to play in, this is it’,” recalled a player who helped Steve McClaren’s men beat Newcastle 10 months ago. Then as now, the thought of lining up against the Magpies one is one that thrills.

“It’s a big game,” said Cattermole, who scored the goal at Craven Cottage seven days ago that gave Gareth Southgate’s team their first win in the Premier League this season. “People were even talking about it before the Fulham game – telling us that we had better beat the Geordies. All the lads understand what local derbies are about.

“These games are class, you always get a big crowd and we will need the fans behind us to roar us on. We’re the home side and I think Newcastle would be happy to come and get a point at the Riverside.

“ We have to build on last week’s result, and we have home games coming up to do that. When you’re at home, you’re always expecting to get something from the game no matter who you’re playing. I think we can win this game.”

Were Boro to prevail in tomorrow’s Tees-Tyne encounter, there would be no-one at the Riverside Stadium who would celebrate harder than Cattermole.

“I can remember the gaffer’s team talk the last time (Boro played Newcastle),” he added. “He singled me out and said to the others ‘Ask Catts what this means’. This means so much to the fans and we’ll all be over the moon should we win.”