By Chris Wright
Okay, perhaps not ‘blazing’, but still…
Anyway, it would appear that Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka recently became embroiled in a bit of a tetchy row about unpaid photocopying debts at a library in Doncaster a week or so ago.
With Boro in town to play Donny two Saturdays back, Karanka had his back-room staff traipse down to the local library to get a few of his tactics sheets copied before the game.
It was at this point that library worker Mike Collinson informed the club staff that they would have to pay 50p per copy.
It then came to light that the Boro boys only had a credit card on which to pay and that – shock horror! – the library did not possess the requisite facilities to process card payments.
The staffers then agreed with Collinson that they would return later in the morning to pay-off their copying costs. That’s when the whole thing started going sour.
After waiting for several hours for Karanka’s minions to return with their £5 payment to no avail, Collinson decided to take his gripe to the top and marched up the road to Boro’s hotel and confront their Spanish manager directly, which he relayed to the Doncaster Free Press:
“We came to an arrangement for them to pay us £5 before the library closed at noon – but nobody turned up. They were staying at the Holiday Inn about 200 yards down the road.”
“Before I went home I walked along to the Holiday Inn and found the manager but I don’t think he got the gist of what I was saying.
“I have spent quite a lot of time in the north-east and that’s not what I would expect from anyone from there.”
After then complaining to the club formally, Collinson received a letter of apology from Karanka, who also personally invited him to any of Boro’s remaining home fixtures this season in a bid to make amends.
Karanka didn’t, however, mention the money that Collinson was still owed – which didn’t go down well at all!
“I accept his apology,” he said. “And I was going to tell them thanks for the generous offer – but a cheque for £5 would suffice.”
You keep fighting the good fight, Mike! We’ve got your back, Jack!
(Via Mirror Football)