Big write up in the Smoggy Gazette about The Borer's 'home' game with Port Vale played at the Vic on 23rd August 1986:

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/30-years-ago-today-team-11784020

I'd forgotten just how close they came to extinction. It's a decent piece with some good photos, thought you after laugh when the writer says that Teesside would have been left without a team if the Boro had gone bust and the area's fans would have had to support Sunderland, Newcastle or Leeds.

As a Yakker Poolie I half agree - Hartlepool is in County Durham.

Remember that day well.
Went to both games.
Lots of violence in and around the ground.
Strange experience were 3 sets of fans were hell bent on getting tore into each other.
Just telling it how it was.
Thankfully nowadays pools n Boro get on a bit better since that fans utd game the other year.
UTP.

I hope that their fans continue to be grateful. Considering that this is a recently written piece, disappointed that there is not any mention that Boro fans might have come to Pools instead (and yes, I know how unlikely that is - like saying 'Welcome' to Darlo fans switching allegiance).

A timely reminder to Boro about how bad things really were. Thanks for sharing it.