“Not to apologise, but it was a terrible game of football,” said Tony Mowbray after Rovers’ win at Millwall in January 2019. 

And Rovers won’t have the best reputation with Sky Sports viewers, their games when broadcast live not always bringing the most entertaining. 

Rovers are back infront of the cameras on Sunday afternoon, their game with Middlesbrough the starter to the main course of Manchester United v Liverpool which follows in the FA Cup at 5pm.

And they will be looking to improve on a poor recent record on Sky Sports when they take to the field at the Riverside, a ground where they haven’t won in their last seven visits.

This will be the third time since promotion back to the Championship that these two sides have seen their meetings televised.

Rovers were one of just a handful of Championship sides not to be shown live on Sky Sports in their final nine matches of last season, and have often been overlooked when the television picks come around.

But they will undoubtedly be looking to improve on their recent record in Sky matches.

Bristol City 1-0 Rovers – Wednesday, December 29 2020

Adam Armstrong was the main talking point after the game, having nine shots at goal, but Rovers’ unbeaten run was ended at seven games via a late goal from substitute Famara Diedhiou.

Rovers 0-0 Middlesbrough – Tuesday, October 3 2020

Tony Mowbray was running out of players by the end, and the way the game went, they were happy to settle for a point, as Aynsley Pears kept his first clean sheet against his former employers.

Brentford 2-2 Rovers – Saturday, February 22 2020

It was an early start at Griffin Park, but Rovers were quick out of the blocks in both halves, a fine lob and confident penalty from Armstrong putting the visitors 2-0 up. They were made to settle for a point however, a long-range Ollie Watkins strike and dubious Said Benrahma penalty drawing the hosts level.

Rovers 0-0 Wigan – Monday, December 23, 2019

The draw extended Rovers’ unbeaten run to seven games, but the game was marred and overshadowed by the sight of Bradley Dack being taken off on a stretcher with a knee ligament injury.

Rovers 2-2 Huddersfield – Saturday, October 19 2019

The moment Lewis Holtby arrived, scoring one and making the other for Dack in an entertaining affair. The visitors led via a Karlan Grant penalty and levelled following the inspired introduction of Juninho Bacuna.

Hull City 0-1 Rovers – Tuesday, August 20 2019

Derrick Williams scored the only goal of the game, shortly after a comment from his manager towards him that went viral on social media. Rovers were indebted to a first half penalty save from Christian Walton.

Norwich City 2-1 Rovers – Saturday, April 27 2019

The visitors were definitely the side-story as the Canaries secured promotion back to the Premier League under the lights at Carrow Road. They did so in style, courtesy of stunning long-range efforts from Mario Vranjic and Marco Stiepermann. The best moment for Rovers was a first senior goal for Lewis Travis.

Rovers 0-1 Middlesbrough – Sunday, February 17 2019

A Sunday afternoon affair which Rovers didn’t get going in, falling behind to an Ashley Fletcher goal, and then spending the second half with 10-men after Williams was shown a straight red card. They battled away without reward after the break.

Millwall 0-2 Rovers – Saturday, January 12 2019

A desperately poor game in which the neutrals will have switched off by the time Armstrong came off the bench in the closing stages to make one for Joe Nuttall and score almost straight away himself. The birth of the ‘Aberdeen at home’ chant, the away fans at least had a good night out.

Bolton 0-1 Rovers – Saturday, October 6 2018

Bradley Dack scored in front of the cameras once again to give Rovers a half-time lead, one they decided to defend in the second half in which their blushes were spared by an offside flag in injury time, just as the referee was about to award a penalty.

Rovers 1-1 Aston Villa – Saturday, September 15 2018

Not for the first time in that season, Rovers were denied by a late goal, Conor Hourihane curling home an injury-time free kick for Steve Bruce’s side who had trailed to a neat Dack flick.

As for Rovers’ recent Riverside record, well the last four matches have ended in 1-1 draws, with Lewis Travis, Charlie Mulgrew and Jordi Gomez all seeing goals cancelled out, though a last minute Rudy Gestede goal did earn a point in November 2014.

The February 2014 meeting ended 0-0, while Mowbray’s Boro beat Rovers 1-0 on Boxing Day in 2012 to complete the double as Lukas Jutkiewicz scored in a 1-0 win.

The sides shared a 0-0 draw in January 2009, with Rovers’ last win coming in August 2007 courtesy of goals from Roque Santa Cruz and Matt Derbyshire. Rovers midfielder Stewart Downing had opened the scoring for Boro.