FAMILY loyalties will be divided in Stuart Ripley's household as Middlesbrough and Blackburn do battle twice in the space of a week over the festive period.

Ripley, who played for both clubs during his 18-year career, has two sons - one's a Rovers fan and the other is Boro boy.

And he says he's staying strictly impartial to make sure that peace and goodwill to all men rules his Festive period.

He said: "I'm going to the game on Boxing Day as I'll be up there to see family and I'm going to be straight down the middle.

"I've got one son who supports Rovers and the other's a Boro fan so I'll have to be in the middle to make sure there's no fighting.

"But I'll guarantee there'll be a lot of gloating no matter who wins!"

And the former Rovers winger, who helped Rovers lift the Premiership title in 1995, reckons there will be two tough games at the Riverside.

He said: "They're going to be two hard games and they're difficult ones to pick.

"Middlesbrough have got a cracking team at the moment.

"I think Yakubu has been a superb signing. I saw him play a few games for Portsmouth and he's just so strong.

"But as a whole they've got a great squad there with the likes of Hasselbaink and Viduka.

"They've also got some very good players coming through."

He added: "Rovers are building up nicely after what happened last year.

"They've really steadied the ship but it'll be a slow process to get them back up the league.

"Craig Bellamy is a great player but if he doesn't play then Paul Dickov and Shefki Kuqi will cause anyone problems.

"Paul works his socks off and is a proven goalscorer and although it's only Kuqi's first season in the Premiership he's weighed in with some important goals."