Middlesbrough honour Geremi Njitap and other club legends

By Angu Lesley

Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon

Cameroon legend Geremi Njitap was back at the Riverside Stadium on Monday as Middlesbrough celebrated their 150th anniversary by bringing together some of the biggest names from the club’s history.

Geremi was among a long list of former Boro stars who returned to Teesside for the special occasion, giving supporters the chance to see some of the players who made their mark on the club over the years.

The Cameroonian spent the 2002/03 season at Middlesbrough on loan from Real Madrid, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable seasons of his career.

Geremi was a regular under Steve McClaren, starting all 33 of Middlesbrough’s Premier League matches in which he featured. He played 2,968 minutes, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists as Boro finished 11th in the Premier League. He also made one FA Cup appearance, taking his total for the season to 34 games and seven goals.

Those numbers tell only part of the story. Geremi quickly became a favourite at the Riverside, with his energy, versatility and ability to contribute in the final third making him an important part of McClaren’s team.

The former Cameroon captain was joined at the anniversary celebration by several other Boro favourites, including Juninho, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Christian Karembeu, Yakubu, Tuncay and Aitor Karanka.

Geremi was not simply there to watch from the stands. He joined his former teammates on the pitch as the Boro legends rolled back the years in front of the Riverside crowd, in a game that produced an incredible 8-7 scoreline.

His return was a fitting moment for a player who has often spoken warmly about his time at Middlesbrough. Despite playing for Real Madrid and Chelsea and winning major honours elsewhere, Geremi has described his season at Boro as one of the most enjoyable periods of his career.

For Middlesbrough supporters, Monday was another opportunity to celebrate that connection — and to welcome back a Cameroonian who, in just one season, left a lasting impression on Teesside.