Middlesbrough F.C.
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Pp Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football club Middlesbrough Football Club (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a professional association football club based in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. Nicknamed the Boro, they were formed in 1876 and are the 11th oldest football league club in England and Wales. The club have played at the Riverside Stadium since 1995,<ref name="RSStadium">Template:Cite web</ref> having previously played at Ayresome Park for 92 years, from 1903 to 1995.
Middlesbrough were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, and have spent all but two seasons of their entire history as a professional club competing within the top two tiers of English football.<ref name="MFCHistBk1"/> Their highest league finish to date was third place in the top flight in the 1913–14 season. The outbreak of the First World War stunted their push for a first top division title, though the club pushed again during the inter-war years, finishing fourth in the 1938–39 season before the Second World War halted the English leagues and again prevented a push for a first title. The club came within minutes of folding in 1986 before they were saved by a consortium led by board member and later chairman Steve Gibson.<ref name="PremierLeagueSite"/> A remarkable recovery saw the club immediately earn back to back promotions to the top division in the 1986–87 and 1987–88 seasons. The club were runners-up in the FA Cup and League Cup in 1997<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while also being relegated following a controversial 3-point deduction,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and losing another League Cup final the following season. Under Steve McClaren, the club won the League Cup in 2004, its first major silverware, and reached the 2006 UEFA Cup final. The club has played one Premier League season since relegation in 2009.
Middlesbrough is the only major professional football club in the greater Teesside area (the 14th biggest urban area in England), the Tees Valley, and the county of North Yorkshire (the largest county in England by area<ref name="English Counties By Population And Area 2024">Template:Cite web</ref>). The club has regional rivalries with the two closest major clubs, Newcastle United (the Tyne–Tees derby) and Sunderland (the Tees–Wear derby).<ref name="fan survey">Template:Cite web</ref>
The club's traditional kit is red with white detailing, often in the form of a white chest band. The home shorts and sock colours have interchangeably been shifted between red and white, complementing the red shirt that was adopted in 1899.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The various crests throughout the club's history, the most recent of which was adopted in 2007,<ref name="newcrest">Template:Cite news</ref> incorporate a lion rampant.
History
Formation and early years (1876–1914)
Middlesbrough were formed in 1876, and won the FA Amateur Cup in 1895 and again in 1898. The club turned professional in 1889, but reverted to amateur status in 1892.<ref name="MFCHistBk1">Template:Cite book</ref> They turned professional permanently in 1899.<ref name="Hist76-02">Template:Cite web</ref> After three seasons, they won promotion to the First Division, where they would remain for the next Template:Nowrap.<ref name="MFCHistBk1"/>
In 1903, the club moved to Ayresome Park, their home for the next Template:Nowrap. In 1905, the club sanctioned the transfer of Alf Common for £1,000, a record fee.<ref name="AlfCommon">Template:Cite news</ref> In the same year, Tim Williamson became the first Middlesbrough player to play international football.<ref name="Hist03-WW2"/>
Over these early years in the top flight, their form fluctuated greatly, rising to sixth in 1907–08<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> before dropping to 17th two seasons later.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The club rose to their highest league finish to date, third, in 1913–14.<ref name="Hist03-WW2">Template:Cite web</ref> The First World War soon intervened, and football was suspended.
Ups and downs (1914–1966)
Before league football resumed, Middlesbrough won the Northern Victory League,<ref name="finish table">Template:Cite web</ref> but the team were unable to maintain their previous form and finished the 1919–20 season in mid-table. They remained in the First Division for the next few seasons, but were relegated in 1923–24 after finishing bottom, 10 points adrift of their nearest rivals.Template:Failed verification<ref name="LeagueResults">Template:Cite web</ref> Three seasons later, they won the Division Two title. During that season, debutant George Camsell, who had signed from Third Division North side Durham City the previous season, finished with a record 59 league goals, which included nine hat-tricks. He would continue as top scorer for each of the next 10 seasons.<ref name="Camsell">Template:Cite web</ref> Middlesbrough's tenure back in the top flight lasted only one season, and the club were relegated.<ref name="finish table" /> They were promoted at the first attempt in 1928–29, winning another Second Division title.<ref name="finish table" /> The club remained in the First Division until 1954.
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The decade before the Second World War saw the emergence of Wilf Mannion and George Hardwick, both of whom would go on to become England internationals in the years ahead.Template:Citation needed Middlesbrough climbed to fourth in the last full season before the war, and were expected to challenge for the title the following season, but the war intervened.<ref name="MFCHistBk1"/> After the war, the club was unable to recover the form of the previous seasons before the war, hovering around mid-table and exiting in the early rounds of the FA Cup. Soon after the war, the team began to falter, and were relegated in 1953–54. This was the start of a 20-year spell outside the top division, but this was the spell too that saw the emergence of one of the club's top goalscorers, Brian Clough, who scored 204 goals in 222 games, before he left for Sunderland.<ref name="Clough">Template:Cite news</ref>
On 6 May 1950 Middlesbrough were represented by a Black player for the first time, Jamaican-born Lindy Delapenha making his debut in an away game against Fulham on that date. In total he went on to make 270 appearances, scoring 92 goals, before he left for Mansfield Town after the 1957–58 season.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Over that period, Middlesbrough maintained reasonable progress in the Second Division, but were never serious contenders for promotion. After a fourth-place finish in 1962–63, the club endured a steady decline and were relegated to the Third Division for the first time in their history in 1966.<ref name="finish table" />
Resurgence, 'Charlton's Champions', and financial crisis (1966–1994)
New manager Stan Anderson returned the club to the second flight at the first attempt.<ref name="MFCHistBk1" /> Middlesbrough would not finish below ninth during the next six seasons in the Second Division, finishing 4th (just outside the top three promotion winning places at the time) on three of those occasions.<ref name="MFCHistBk1" />
In 1973, Jack Charlton took over as manager and guided the team back to the top flight. A team led on the pitch by Willie Maddren and Bobby Murdoch, and including a young Graeme Souness, ensured promotion as early as 23 March 1974, and with eight games of the season left, they became runaway champions, finishing with a league record 65 points (based on the 2 points for a win format).Template:Failed verification<ref name="MFCHistBk1" /><ref name="Hist45-86">Template:Cite web</ref> After a very promising start to their first campaign back in the first division Bob Paisley, manager of eventual runners up Liverpool, tipped Middlesbrough as favourites to win the league, however they ultimately fell short finishing seventh. Middlesbrough won their first silverware as a professional side in the 1975–76 season, lifting the Anglo-Scottish Cup in its inaugural season after a two-legged final win over Fulham.<ref name="Hist45-86" /><ref name="Anglo-Scottish">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1979, John Neal made the club's first international signing, with Boško Janković arriving from Željezničar Sarajevo.<ref name="MFCHistBk1" />
The club experienced severe financial difficulties during the mid-1980s.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Middlesbrough were dropping down the table, and finished 19th in the 1984–85 season.<ref name="finish table" /> In April 1986, the club had to borrow £30,000 from the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) to pay wages.<ref name="MFCHistBk1" /> The final game of the season saw Middlesbrough relegated to the Third Division again.<ref name="MFCHistBk1" /> That summer, the club called in the Provisional Liquidator, and, shortly afterwards, the club was wound up and the gates to Ayresome Park were padlocked.<ref name="MFCHistBk1" /> Without the £350,000 capital required for Football League registration, a new rule, the club risked folding permanently.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Steve Gibson, however, a member of the board at the time, brought together a consortium, and with 10 minutes to spare before the deadline they completed their registration with the Football League for the 1986–87 season.<ref name="liquidation">Template:Cite news</ref> Following the registration came both a change of club crest and a change of the official company name to Middlesbrough Football and Athletic Club (1986) Ltd.Template:Failed verification<ref name="Hist86-Pres">Template:Cite web</ref>
Over the next two seasons, Middlesbrough gained successive promotions into Division Two and then into Division One,<ref name="finish table" /> the latter being the first and only time a second-tier side directly relegated a first tier side through the English Football League play-offs. The next season however, they came straight back down to Division Two, and with it came the then British transfer record move of Gary Pallister to Manchester United for £2.3 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following promotion again, Middlesbrough became one of the founding members of the FA Premier League when it was launched in the 1992–93 season.<ref name="PremierLeagueSite">Template:Cite web</ref>
Bryan Robson years (1994–2001)
Player-manager Bryan Robson, from Manchester United, took charge in 1994.<ref name="Bryan Robson">Template:Cite web</ref> Following promotion to the Premier League Middlesbrough made high-profile purchases like Brazilian international Juninho<ref name="PremierLeagueSite" /> and previous season's Champions League final goalscorer and Italian international Fabrizio Ravanelli. A difficult 1996–97 season, however, was compounded by a deduction of three points imposed just after Christmas as punishment for the club's failure to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn Rovers, which ultimately resulted in relegation.<ref name="PremierLeague96/97">Template:Cite web</ref> Without the points deduction imposed by the FA Premier League despite the club having taken advice from the Premier League themselves prior to calling off the match, the club would have had enough points to avoid the drop.Template:Citation needed At the same time, the club reached both the League and FA Cup finals for the first time, but lost both games. Despite being in the second tier, they were again runners-up in the League Cup final the next year.<ref name="Hist86-Pres"/>
Despite losing high-profile players Ravanelli and Juninho due to relegation, Middlesbrough were promoted back to the Premier League at the first attempt, in 1998. The following season saw them settle well and they had a 12-game unbeaten run midway through 1998–99, including a 3–2 win at Old Trafford in January during which they took a 3–0 lead; it was Manchester United's only home defeat during their treble-winning season. Middlesbrough continued to stay secure in mid-table the following season, due mainly to the goals of Hamilton Ricard and the signings of prominent players such as Paul Ince and Christian Ziege. In 2000–01, they had a brief relegation scare that was solved with the arrival of Terry Venables as co-manager, and a 3–0 win away at Arsenal in April was the team's best result. The trend of buying high profile European-based players continued with the acquisitions of Christian Karembeu and Alen Bokšić. Bryan Robson left the club before the start of 2001–02 season, having served as manager for seven years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Venture into Europe (2001–2009)
After Venables decided not to take on the role of full time manager, in June 2001 Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren was appointed to replace Robson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In his first season, McClaren led Middlesbrough to a respectable 12th place league finish and an FA Cup semi final, narrowly losing 1–0 to Arsenal. A slight improvement in the league saw the club finish 11th the following season. The 2003–04 season saw the club again finish 11th in the league, but much more significantly win a first major trophy by beating Bolton Wanderers 2–1 in the League Cup final.<ref name="LgCpFinal">Template:Cite news</ref> The League Cup win also ensured that Middlesbrough would qualify for Europe – the UEFA Cup – for the first time – the following season, where they reached the last 16 of the competition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> UEFA Cup qualification was achieved for the second consecutive year after a 1–1 away draw with Manchester City on the final game of the season. The match concluded with a dramatic last minute late penalty save by goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer which saw Middlesbrough finish above City in 7th place and qualify for Europe again.<ref name="Results0405">Template:Cite news</ref>
Middlesbrough enjoyed one of its most successful cup campaigns to date in the 2005–2006 season. Domestically the club reached the League Cup quarter final and the FA Cup semi final, losing out to a late goal in a 1–0 loss to West Ham at Villa Park. The club also reached the 2006 UEFA Cup final following two miraculous last minute comebacks from 3–0 down on aggregate in the quarter and semi finals against FC Basel and Steaua Bucharest respectively,<ref name="UEFACpQt">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="UEFACpSm">Template:Cite news</ref> however ultimately fell short losing 4–0 to Sevilla in the final in Eindhoven.<ref name="Results0506">Template:Cite web</ref> McClaren's teams featured local youth players such as Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as well as experienced international players such as forward trio Yakubu, Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and midfielder Gaizka Mendieta. Middlesbrough fielded the youngest starting 11 (average age 20) in the final Premier League game in the 2005–06 season, against Fulham. Nine players were teenagers – all English – and two more came on as substitutes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Following the European Cup final loss, McClaren left to manage the England national team, and captain Gareth Southgate took over as manager. Despite not having the coaching qualifications, he was allowed by the Premier League board to continue after receiving special dispensation.<ref name="GateCoachingBadges">Template:Cite news</ref> Southgate led the club to a 12th-placed finish and an FA Cup quarter final in his first season as manager. In the subsequent 2007–2008 season, Middlesbrough again made the FA Cup quarter final, but despite being 2nd favourites to win the cup ahead of their quarter final home tie to Championship side Cardiff City, Middlesbrough lost the tie and eventually finished 13th in the league, beating Manchester City 8–1 on the final day.
In January 2008, the club broke its record transfer fee, paying £13.6 million for Brazilian international striker Afonso Alves.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The club was relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2008–09 season<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> in 19th place.
Decline, brief revival and relegation (2009–2017)
Middlesbrough sacked Gareth Southgate as manager in October 2009, when Southgate's team were one point from leading the Championship, and replaced him with Gordon Strachan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the time of Southgate's dismissal, Boro were fourth in the Championship but their form under Strachan declined and they finished mid-table.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 18 October 2010, Strachan resigned and was later replaced by Tony Mowbray.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following a poor run of form at the start of the 2013–14 campaign, Mowbray left the club with immediate effect on 21 October.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Aitor Karanka, a former assistant coach at Real Madrid to José Mourinho, became the new Middlesbrough manager.<ref name="AKNOV13">Template:Cite news</ref> He became the first non-British manager at the club,<ref name="AKNOV13"/> and led Boro to a 12th-place finish.<ref name="FCHD"/> In Karanka's first full season in charge, Middlesbrough finished fourth and thus qualified for the 2015 Football League play-offs.Template:Citation needed After defeating Brentford 5–1 on aggregate in the semi-final, the club lost 2–0 to Norwich City at Wembley Stadium in the final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The following 2015–16 season ended in dramatic fashion. The final match of the ordinary season was a head to head between 2nd placed Boro and 3rd placed Brighton & Hove Albion at The Riverside. Boro required 1 point from the match to finish above Brighton in second place and secure automatic promotion. After taking a first half lead, they were pegged back, but ultimately held on for the draw, securing promotion back to the Premier League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Middlesbrough dismissed Karanka in March 2017 following a poor run of form, and the team were relegated in 19th place, after just one season back in the top flight. The team won only 5 league games, and scored 27 goals, the lowest in the league.Template:Additional citation neededTemplate:Failed verification<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Return to the Championship (2017–present)
The club appointed former Leeds United manager Garry Monk as manager in the off-season. Expectations at the club were high, having spent close to £50 million in the transfer window on player purchases, in order to mount an immediate promotion challenge back to the Premier League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Monk left in December, with Middlesbrough ninth in the Championship,<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref name="BBC23dec17">Template:Cite news</ref> and Tony Pulis was appointed as his replacement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pulis led the side to finish 5th in the table, however, they lost in the play-off semi-finals to Aston Villa.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="FCHD"/> In the following season, a poor finish to the season caused them to finish 7th and miss out on the play-offs by one point.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
When Pulis's contract was not extended,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he was replaced by former Middlesbrough defender and first team coach, Jonathan Woodgate on 14 June 2019 on a three-year contract.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Woodgate was sacked with the club only outside of the relegation zone on goal difference with eight games left of the 2019–20 season,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Neil Warnock was appointed as his replacement on the same day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Warnock ensured survival from relegation, securing safety on the final day of the season and a 17th-place finish.<ref name="FCHD">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 6 November 2021, Middlesbrough parted company with Warnock, who was replaced by Chris Wilder the following day.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After 11 months in charge, Wilder was sacked with the club in 22nd position.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick was appointed as his successor and led Boro to a fourth-place finish, but lost in the play-off semi-finals against Coventry City.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 26 May 2023, the club officially became affiliated with the women's team.<ref name="Women's team affiliation">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2023–24 season, Middlesbrough reached the semi-finals of the League Cup for the first time since 2004.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite defeating Chelsea in the first leg, Middlesbrough lost 6–2 on aggregate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Carrick was dismissed in June 2025 with Rob Edwards replacing him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, after a promising start to the season that saw the club enter the automatic promotion spaces, Edwards suddenly left in November 2025 to take the Wolverhampton Wanderers job, just 3 months into the season.
Colours and crest
Template:Commons Template:Football kit box
Middlesbrough's original home kit upon election to the Football League in 1899 was a white home shirt with red shorts, and they did not adopt their colours of blue and white until later that season.Template:Failed verification<ref name=hist-kit>Template:Cite news</ref> Previous kits included a white shirt with a red and white polka dotted collar from around 1889.Template:Failed verification<ref name=hist-kit/> The Middlesbrough kit has remained broadly the same since 1899; a red shirt with white detailing, with shorts and socks of either red or white.Template:Citation needed The distinctive broad white stripe across the chest was introduced by Jack Charlton in 1973 (following an attempt to change the home shirt to a Leeds United-style white shirt), and brought back for a one-off in 1997–98, and, then again, for the 2000–01 and 2004–05 seasons due to popular demand.Template:Failed verification<ref name="chestband">Template:Cite news</ref> The club subsequently announced in December 2007 that the club would allow fans to decide via an online and text vote whether the white band should return for the following season.Template:Additional citation needed<ref name="chestband" /> On 8 January 2008, the club announced that, with 77.4% of voters voting in its favour, the white band would return to the home kit, and that fans would choose the final shirt appearance from a selection of three designs,Template:Additional citation needed<ref name="whiteband">Template:Cite news</ref> of which the winner was announced on 7 May 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Middlesbrough crest has gone through four changes since the formation of the club. Initially, the badge was simply the town of Middlesbrough's crest with a red lion instead of a blue lion in order to fit in with the club's colours.Template:Citation needed Following the adoption of the white band on the shirts in 1973, only the red lion remained with the letters "M.F.C" underneath in red.Template:Citation needed This was further adapted following the reformation of the club in 1986 to a circular crest with the lion in the middle and the words "Middlesbrough Football Club 1986" around the circle in order to reflect this new era.Template:Failed verification In 2007, Middlesbrough changed their crest again, this time with the lion inside a shield and the words "Middlesbrough Football Club 1876" underneath.Template:Failed verification<ref name="newcrest"/> The club's chairman Steve Gibson stated that the intention was to reflect the club's long history and not just their post-liquidation status.<ref name="newcrest"/>
Kit information
Middlesbrough's first sponsor in 1980 was Datsun Cleveland on a two-year deal. Further two-year deals continued until Dickens was the sponsor for the 1994–95 season only. From 1995 to 2002, the club was sponsored by mobile phone service Cellnet, followed by two years with mobile retailer Dial-a-Phone. Online casino 888.com (2004–07) and satellite navigation company Garmin (2007–10) followed. In 2010–11, the club had several temporary sponsors including pawnbrokers Ramsdens, who then became permanent sponsors and signed a five-year deal in 2013. At its end, 32Red became the sponsors.Template:Failed verification<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Early in Ramsdens' sponsorship in March 2011, the company ceded its advertising space to Marie Curie Cancer Care for two games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Italian manufacturers Erreà made Middlesbrough's kits from 1994 to 2009, when the role was taken up by Adidas, who had previously made the kits from 1979 to 1983.Template:Failed verification<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Danish company Hummel, which had made the kits from 1984 to 1987 during the club's winding up and rebirth, secured the contract again in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Erreà returned in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1976–1977 | BuktaTemplate:Failed verification | None |
| 1977–1980 | Adidas | |
| 1980–1982 | Datsun Cleveland | |
| 1982–1984 | McLean Homes | |
| 1984–1986 | Hummel | CameronsTemplate:Clarify |
| 1986–1987 | Dickens | |
| 1987–1988 | SkillTemplate:Failed verification | |
| 1988–1990 | Heritage Hampers | |
| 1990–1992 | Evening Gazette | |
| 1992–1994 | AdmiralTemplate:Failed verification | ICI |
| 1994–1995 | Erreà | Dickens |
| 1995–2002 | BT Cellnet | |
| 2002–2004 | Dial-a-Phone | |
| 2004–2007 | 888.com | |
| 2007–2009 | Garmin | |
| 2009–2010 | Adidas | |
| 2010–2017 | Ramsdens | |
| 2017–2018 | Ramsdens Currency | |
| 2018–2022 | Hummel | 32Red |
| 2022–2025 | Erreà | Unibet<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| 2025– | Castore<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Stadiums
After formation in 1876, and with the club still amateurs, Middlesbrough's first two years of football were played at Albert Park in Middlesbrough. After seeing the damage being caused by players and supporters,Template:Vague the Park Committee ordered the club to find an alternate venue. The club moved to Breckon Hill, behind the former Middlesbrough College longlands site, after agreeing to rent the land from its owner. However, two years later in 1880, the owner increased the rent and the club decided to move. They moved into the Linthorpe Road ground in 1882, home at the time of Middlesbrough Cricket Club. The cricket club departed in 1893–94 to move to the Breckon Hill field, and Middlesbrough Football Club became sole users of the ground.<ref name="GroundsHistory"/>
With the club's growing size, and entry to the Football League, they had to move to a new ground in 1903, Ayresome Park.<ref name="PremierLeagueSite"/> It was designed by Archibald Leitch and would be the club's home for the next 92 years, having also been chosen as one of the stadia for the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Following the Taylor Report in 1990, the ground either needed modernising or the club needed a new stadium.Template:Failed verification The club decided on the latter, and moved out at the end of the 1994–95 season. Ayresome Park was used as a training ground during 1995–96, before it was demolished in 1997 and a housing estate built in its place.Template:Failed verification<ref name="GroundsHistory">Template:Cite web</ref> Since the 1990s, the club trains at a £7 million complex at Rockliffe Park, in Hurworth, on the outskirts of Darlington.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Riverside Stadium, named by the supporters of the club after a vote, became the club's home in 1995. It was the first stadium to be built in line with the Taylor Report's recommendations on all-seater stadiums for clubs in the top two divisions of the English football league system.<ref name="Riverside Stadium">Template:Cite web</ref> It was originally a 30,000-seater stadium, constructed at a cost of £16 million,<ref name="RSStadium" /> before it was expanded in 1998 to a capacity of 35,100 for an extra £5 million.Template:Failed verification<ref name="RSStadium"/>
Since then, several reorganisations of the Riverside Stadium have taken place. At the start of the 2013–14 season, away fans were moved from behind the goal in the South stand to the South East corner, while home fans were situated behind both goals to help create a better atmosphere inside the stadium. A giant TV screen was also installed at the back of the South-East corner, replacing the older style scoreboards attached to the North and South stand roofs.Template:Failed verification<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> For the start of the 2016–17 season (and a return to the Premier League), the club had to improve the stadium's broadcasting facilities and floodlighting in order to meet Premier League requirements.Template:Clarify The club also took this opportunity to move the main camera gantry to the back of the East stand, so that it faced the main West stand.Template:Failed verification As of the 2017–18 season, the stadium capacity is 34,742.Template:Failed verification<ref name="Gazette Live Website">Template:Cite news</ref>
Supporters
Middlesbrough's average historic attendance is the 16th highest of all the clubs in England and Wales.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Traditionally, supporters come from Middlesbrough itself and towns in the immediate area.Template:Citation needed As of May 2001, Middlesbrough had one of the highest proportions in Britain of locally-born season ticket holders at 80%, and one of the highest proportions of female fans at 20%.Template:Failed verification<ref name="Football'sRich Pickings">Template:Cite news</ref> A survey at the start of the 2007–08 season found Middlesbrough supporters were the seventh-loudest set of fans in the Premier League.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Middlesbrough Official Supporters Club, which features its own team in the local football league,Template:Failed verification<ref name="SupportersClub">Template:Cite web</ref> has links with supporters' clubs across the globe. The largest supporters' clubs include the Official Supporters' Club, the Middlesbrough Disabled Supporters' Association, Yarm Reds, Red Faction and Middlesbrough Supporters South.Template:Failed verification<ref name="SupportersClub" />
For Middlesbrough supporters, their main rivals are Newcastle United (with whom they contest the Tyne–Tees derby), followed by Sunderland (with whom they contest the Tees–Wear derby), and also, according to a planetfootball.com's 2004 survey, Leeds United.<ref name="fan survey" />
The nickname Smoggies was first used as a derogatory term by opposing supporters;Template:Synthesis inline<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> it relates to the industrial air pollution – smog – that used to hang over the town, but it was later used by Middlesbrough fans in a somewhat self-deprecating manner, before finally being adopted as a badge of pride by supporters of the club.Template:VagueTemplate:Citation needed An example of this can be seen on the banners carried to away games stating "Smoggies on Tour".Template:Failed verification<ref name="banners">Template:Cite web</ref> Middlesbrough fans received praise from UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson after their behaviour during the 2005–06 UEFA Cup campaign.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He commented that: Template:Blockquote Middlesbrough fans also received praise from Cleveland Police for their behaviour in previous rounds, particularly in the light of aggravation prior to and during the match at Roma.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Media relations
Middlesbrough was the first football club in the world to launch its own TV channel – Boro TV. The first broadcasts were tied to the club's first ever major cup final appearance in 1997, a full year ahead of Manchester United's MUTV, which still claims to be the first in the world.Template:Clarify The channel was the brainchild of then NTL marketing director, Peter Wilcock.Template:Failed verification The programme became synonymous with former Middlesbrough player Bernie Slaven and radio commentator Alastair Brownlee, who proved to be as popular on TV as they were on radio.Template:Synthesis inline<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its programmes were not live initially but were pre-recorded and hosted by local radio/TV broadcaster & Boro fan, Dave Roberts.Template:Citation needed In August 2001, Boro TV claimed another first when it became the first English football club to broadcast time-delayed full-match footage of their league games on its own channel.Template:Clarify<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Boro TV ran through NTL cable television until July 2005.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The club then began to show match highlights through a subscription-based scheme on its official website.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Middlesbrough's official matchday programme, Redsquare, was Programme Monthly's 2006–07 Programme of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> There are numerous other fanzines available, most notably Fly Me to the Moon, formed in September 1988 following Bruce Rioch's quote to Tony Mowbray, stating "If I had to go to the moon I'd want him by my side".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2025, it became the football fanzine with the most issues, overtaking previous record holders Oatcake from Stoke, which stopped printing in 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Community
Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community (MFCIC) was founded in 1996 by club chairman Steve GibsonTemplate:Failed verification<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is one of the largest community-based football schemes in the United Kingdom.Template:Primary source inline<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It is run separately from the football club, but receives support from both the club in terms of providing players, staff, stadium facilities and PR for articles in the matchday programme and other publications, as well as support from other local organisations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2012, MFCIC was relaunched as MFC Foundation.Template:Citation needed The Foundation aims to use the club's profile to deliver sport, health, education and inclusion projects in vulnerable and disadvantaged communities across Teesside.Template:Citation needed Since 1996, the Foundation has delivered 20,000 qualifications, engaged over 500,000 people and invested £25 million in local communities to tackle inequality and disadvantage.
Since 2002, the club and MFCIC have also run the Middlesbrough Enterprise Academy, a scheme which helps local children. In March 2008, plans were announced by the Premier League to roll out the scheme nationally amongst all Premier League clubs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
It was announced in December 2007 that Middlesbrough football club had carried out more community work during 2006–07 than any other Premier League club, rising from second place the previous year, with the club making 318 appearances – almost twice the Premier League average of 162.Template:Failed verification<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They were in the top two for community appearances again in 2007–08, with 374 – a 17% increase on the previous season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Middlesbrough's mascot is Roary the Lion. The club runs Roary's Children's Charity Fund, which purchases items for local children's charities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2009, steel producer Corus Group announced the possibility that it would mothball its Teesside plant after a consortium of steel magnates walked away from a 10-year deal. Middlesbrough Football Club helped with the "Save Our Steel" campaign through various methods.<ref name="SaveOurSteel1"/> Chairman Steve Gibson said:
European Football
Non-playing staff
Template:Updated<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Corporate hierarchy
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Steve Gibson |
| Chief Executive | Neil Bausor |
| Head of Football | Kieran Scott |
| Club Secretary | Karen Nelson |
Coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Interim Manager | Template:Flagicon Adi Viveash |
| Assistant manager | Template:Flagicon Mark Tinkler |
| Goalkeeping coach | Vacant |
| Individual development coach | Template:Flagicon Grant Leadbitter |
| Fitness coach | Template:Flagicon Nick Allamby |
| Performance analyst | Template:Flagicon Phill Hudson |
| Head physiotherapist | Template:Flagicon Adam Reed |
| Chief medical officer | Template:Flagicon Rob Tatham |
| Physician | Template:Flagicon Dr. Bryan English |
| Sports scientist | Template:Flagicon Frankie Hunter |
| Kit man | Template:Flagicon Peter Darke |
Academy coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Academy Manager | Template:Flagicon Craig Liddle |
| Head of Player Pathway and Development | Template:Flagicon Leo Percovich |
| Professional Development Phase Coach (U21s) | Template:Flagicon Mark Tinkler |
| Professional Development Phase Coach (U18s) | Template:Flagicon James Marwood<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Academy Goalkeeping Coach | Template:Flagicon Chris Pennock |
| Head of Academy Recruitment | Template:Flagicon Martin Carter |
| Head of Education and Welfare | Template:Flagicon Barry Dawson |
Managerial history
Template:Further The following are all the full-time Middlesbrough managers since the club turned professional in 1899.Template:Failed verification<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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Players
Current squad
Template:Updated<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Fs start Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs mid Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs end
Out on loan
Template:Fs start Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs mid Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs end
Reserves and Academy
Notable players
Middlesbrough Legends
These 10 players were voted for by fans as part of a campaign with the Evening Gazette.<ref name="Boro Legends">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Div col
- Template:Flagicon George Camsell
- Template:Flagicon George Hardwick
- Template:Flagicon Wilf Mannion
- Template:Flagicon Brian Clough
- Template:Flagicon John Hickton
- Template:Flagicon Willie Maddren
- Template:Flagicon Tony Mowbray
- Template:Flagicon Bernie Slaven
- Template:Flagicon Juninho
- Template:Flagicon Gareth Southgate
Top appearances
Template:Further These players made more than 430 appearances during their time at the club. The number in brackets indicates the number of appearances in all competitions.<ref name="TopApps">Template:Cite book</ref> Template:Div col
- Tim Williamson (602)
- Gordon Jones (532)
- John Hickton (499)
- John Craggs (487)
- Jim Platt (481)
- George Camsell (453)
- Jacky Carr (449)
- Mark Schwarzer (446)
- David Armstrong (431)
Top goalscorers
Template:Further These players scored more than 140 goals during their time with the club. The number in brackets indicates the number of goals scored in all competitions.<ref name="TopApps"/> Template:Div col
- George Camsell (345)
- George Elliott (213)
- Brian Clough (204)
- John Hickton (193)
- Micky Fenton (162)
- Bernie Slaven (146)
- Alan Peacock (141)
Player of the Year award winners
Template:More citations needed section
Football League 100 Legends
The Football League 100 Legends is a list of 100 legendary football players produced by The Football League in 1998, to celebrate the 100th season of League football.<ref name="FL100">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Alf Common
- George Camsell
- Steve Bloomer
- Wilf Mannion
- George Hardwick
- Nobby Stiles
- Graeme Souness
- Bryan Robson
- Paul Gascoigne
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum in Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of top English footballers and footballers who have played in England. These players appeared for or managed Middlesbrough at some point in their careers.<ref name="FLHOF">Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col
- Brian Clough (2002 inductee)
- Paul Gascoigne (2002 inductee)
- Bryan Robson (2002 inductee)
- Viv Anderson (2004 inductee)
- Wilf Mannion (2004 inductee)
- Jack Charlton (2005 inductee)
- Graeme Souness (2007 inductee)
- Nobby Stiles (2007 inductee)
- Terry Venables (2007 inductee)
- Steve Bloomer (2008 inductee)
- Malcolm Allison (2009 inductee)
- Raich Carter (2013 inductee)
- Gordon Strachan (2016 inductee)
- Paul Ince (2021 inductee)
Scottish Football Hall of Fame
The following former Middlesbrough players and managers have been inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col
- Bobby Murdoch (2004 inductee)
- Graeme Souness (2004 inductee)
- Gordon Strachan (2007 inductee)
Honours
Source:<ref name="MFCHistBk1" /><ref name="LeagueResults" /><ref name="Hist86-Pres" />
League
- Second Division / First Division / Championship (level 2)
- Third Division (level 3)
- Northern League
Cup
- FA Cup
- Runners-up: 1996–97
- League Cup
- Full Members' Cup<ref name="Losingfinals">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Runners-up: 1989–90
- FA Amateur Cup
- Winners: 1894–95, 1897–98
- UEFA Cup
- Runners-up: 2005–06
- Anglo-Scottish Cup<ref name="Hist45-86" /><ref name="OtherRecords">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Winners: 1975–76
- North Riding Senior Cup
- Winners on 55 occasions since 1882
- Kirin Cup<ref name="KirinCup">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Winners: 1980
Middlesbrough Women
Middlesbrough Women is the women's team affiliated to Middlesbrough. Founded as Cleveland Spartans in 1976, they became officially affiliated with the men's team in 2023,<ref name="Women's team affiliation"/> and currently play in the FA Women's National League North, the third level of English women's football.
References and notes
External links
Template:Commons category Official websites
- MFC.co.uk – official club website
- Middlesbrough at The Football League's official website
News sites
Template:Middlesbrough F.C. Template:Football League Championship Template:Premier League Template:Authority control
- Pages with broken file links
- Middlesbrough F.C.
- Football clubs in England
- Sport in Middlesbrough
- Premier League clubs
- Association football clubs established in 1876
- Football clubs in North Yorkshire
- EFL Cup winners
- English Football League clubs
- 1876 establishments in England
- Northern Football League
- Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom