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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'The best day ever' - Boro legend Mogga surprises long-time fan with a home visit
A long-time Boro supporter had a wish come true when he was reunited with his footballing hero, Tony Mowbray, who visited him at his home. Eric Hughes, a devoted fan of the club for over five decades, was lost for words when Mowbray knocked on his door. The two shared stories, laughter, and memories spanning generations of football history. The emotional meeting was arranged by radio host Paul 'Goffy' Gough, who has been in contact with Eric via his radio shows over the years. Mowbray, a legendary figure in the history of Middlesbrough FC, is not only revered for his time as a commanding centre-half during the 1980s and '90s but also respected for his leadership as the club's manager from 2010 to 2013. Affectionately known as "Mogga" among fans, his deep connection to the club – both as a player and as a manager – has cemented his place as one of Teesside's most admired football figures and a huge ambassador for the club. "It was an absolute honour to meet Tony again," said Eric, whose eyes lit up as he recalled Mowbray's huge authority on the pitch and his dignified leadership around the club. "He's always carried himself with such class, and he's one of us – someone who really understands what this club means to the Boro people. "I only wish he was part of the club now, as we all love him." During the surprise afternoon meeting, Eric took the opportunity to thank Mowbray for making him feel special after Boro had clinched promotion out of Division Three in 1987 – the season when the gates at Ayresome Park had been locked and the club appeared to be on the brink of extinction. Eric had built strong relationships with decades of the club's players by watching them train daily at the old training ground at Hutton Road, and then jumping in the car with various players to head back to the ground. He said: "The players had a special celebration after winning promotion through the play-offs against Chelsea. "When they arrived home, there were thousands of fans there to greet them at the ground. "They had arranged a celebration together at Ayresome Park – and as soon as Tony spotted me, he took me in to celebrate with them all. "I'll never forget that day - the best day ever. "Bruce Rioch, the team and Tony made me feel super special. "We recalled that afternoon and he said it was only right, as I was part of their squad – and that was just magic to hear from him." Mogga was equally moved by the occasion, saying: "It's always special to meet supporters like Eric who have stood by the club through thick and thin. "These are the people who make football truly meaningful. "I'm humbled to have played a part in his life journey. "He was always there at training and at the matches, and when he wasn't around, we missed him. "Long-time fans will remember Eric for his huge radio that he would carry around with him. "Long before mobile phones and rolling sports news, Eric was the man in the know – telling fans the latest team news and scores that had some kind of effect on us." "I just totally get what the Boro means to Eric and the fans – because I am one of them. "I asked Goffy to arrange a visit with Eric, and it was wonderful to reminisce for those few special hours with him." Radio host Goffy said: "We recorded some of the moments of Eric chatting to Tony, and he has watched them over and over again. READ MORE: Luxury housing scheme in North East takes shape with backing of major fund Anger as council propose speed limit increase on 'dangerous' County Durham road Beloved Darlington butchers hits the market after decades of serving the town "The encounter highlights the enduring legacy of club legends like Tony, and the deep emotional ties that exist between players like him and the club's passionate supporters. "In a world where football can often feel commercial and distant, moments like this – instigated by Tony Mowbray – serve as powerful reminders of its roots in community, identity, and loyalty. "To say that Eric was overjoyed would be a huge understatement – it visibly touched him, and it was clear that it did exactly the same to Mogga. "The man hugs they shared will always remain very memorable to me."
Metro
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
What do Banksy's art pieces across London mean? We take a look
Last year, Banksy fans were left gripped after a series of animal-themed murals mysteriously appeared across London over a number of days. The graffiti artworks – depicting the likes of a goat precariously balancing on a pillar with rocks falling below it, two elephants are poking their heads out of blocked windows and three monkeys swinging on a bridge – first cropped up on August 5. The goat, which appeared on a building in Kew Road, west London, was the first piece to be created. Over the following eight days, a wolf, pelicans, a big cat, a rhino, piranhas and a gorilla were all stenciled on buildings in the capital. While some have since been removed, some of the pieces still remain in the city. But what was the reason behind the elusive Banksy's spurt of creative talent? Earlier this year, the covert street artist also added two new pieces to the capital's streets. One was a lighthouse, with the words 'I want to be what you saw in me' written across it. Another was a little girl holding gold balloons in Clerkenwell Green, Farringdon, painted on top of boarded-up toilets. Paul Gough is an expert on Banksy and is a professor and vice chancellor at the Arts University Bournemouth. He previously told Metro that the mysterious artist's stretch of artworks could be pointing towards something significant. What the significance was, however, has yet to be revealed. 'What's different is that Banksy usually leaves it a bit of time, keeps people guessing whether a piece of work is authentically his,' Gough said. While Banksy hosted a month-long residency in New York City in 2013, in which he produced one street art piece in a different part of the city each day in October, this was advertised beforehand. The difference with the artworks in London is that Banksy confirmed he had created them almost immediately after Londoners spotted them. The artist, whose identity has never been officially confirmed, usually waits several weeks or months to confirm that he has created certain pieces, leading to speculation and mock Banksys to appear. The mountain goat artwork was removed in early 2025, leaving local residents 'heartbroken', while owners of the building described it as 'essential'. The second piece showed two elephants poking their heads out of blocked-out windows on Esther Terrace, Chelsea, west London and the third showed three monkeys swinging along a bridge on Brick Lane in east London, which were then removed in February of this year. A lone wolf appeared on Rye Lane in Peckham, south east London, the day after, before being stolen just an hour later. A fifth appeared in Walthamstow, showing two pelicans eating fish above Bonners Fish Bar on Northcote Road. Then a cat on a dilapidated billboard, overgrown with leaves, popped up on Edgware Road in Cricklewood, northwest London, the following day. In a break from silhouettes, Banksy then decorated the windows of a City of London Police box with a swimming school of piranhas on Ludgate Hill. The City of London Corporation removed the box for safekeeping. It has yet to decide on a permanent home for the artwork. The following week saw the arrival of a rhinoceros mounting a parked car on Westmoor Street in Charlton, south east London. That one didn't last long – someone was filmed in a balaclava spray painting over it days after it was created. Then a painting of a gorilla freeing animals at London Zoo appeared, the final piece of the puzzle. As was the case every day in early August last year, Banksy confirmed the artwork's legitimacy on his official Instagram just after 1pm each day. Gaugon added: 'A pattern emerged underneath all this. Banksy certainly has used animals in his work in the past, but the difference is these have often been creatures like rats or chimps. 'The animals used so far seem rather benign, quite innocent to the world bar the wolf, certainly a change from his previous work.' Desperate for an explanation, at least one person has speculated the artworks may be a commentary on immigration and refugees. Another claimed it was about Brexit, pointing to the cat painted on a billboard, because billboards carried the '£350million for the NHS promise during the Brexit campaign'. Writing under Banksy's Instagram post of the piece, they said: 'The cat out of the bag meaning the truth about Brexit. The cats symbolised the scratching of a billboard that's gone to wrack and ruin, with the messages on it long gone.' Sadly, just days after it was put up, the stretching cat piece was removed. Its whereabouts are unknown. Gaugon told Metro he believes Banksy was inspired to create the animal series because of the state of the world. He said: 'Although there is so much going on, it is hard to pinpoint what he is specifically referring to at the moment.' However, people may be overthinking the meaning, Banksy's support organisation, Pest Control Office, suggested. Instead, Banksy's aim might be to cheer people up with 'unexpected amusement' amid bleak news headlines, The Observer reported. It doesn't seem that Banksy chose these specific locations for a reason, but then again, we just don't know. More Trending Banksy has been known to create other art series and campaigns in August in specific geographical areas of the UK in the past. One of the most famous was his Spraycation series across areas on the east coast of England in August 2021. But it took Banksy a while to officially verify these ten pieces of work across towns including Cromer, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Oulton Broad. 'One thing is certain, Banksy works by his own rules and we are all dancing to his tune,' Gaugon said. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: From a 'Surveillance society' to a 'papers please' society, readers discuss the Online Safety Act MORE: England defeat to India shows finishing touches are missing ahead of the Ashes MORE: The Metro daily cartoon by Guy Venables
