History of Middlesbrough F.C. facts for kids

Middlesbrough F.C. is a football club from Middlesbrough, England. It has a long and interesting history, full of exciting matches, famous players, and big moments.

How the Club Started (1876–1914)

The breakaway Middlesbrough Ironopolis displaying their Northern championships

Middlesbrough F.C. began in 1876. It was formed by members of the local cricket club. They wanted to stay fit during the winter months. The team first played at Albert Park.

At first, the club was for amateur players. This meant players did not get paid. In 1889, some players left to form a new team, Middlesbrough Ironopolis. Both teams then became professional.

After a few years, it was clear that both clubs were doing well. They tried to join the Football League together. This attempt failed. So, Middlesbrough F.C. went back to being an amateur team. They won the FA Amateur Cup twice, in 1895 and 1898.

In 1899, Middlesbrough became professional again. They wanted to join the Football League. With support from nearby clubs like Newcastle United and Sunderland, they joined the Second Division.

Their first season in the Football League was tough. But in the 1901–02 season, Boro finished second. This earned them promotion to the First Division. They moved to their new home, Ayresome Park. This stadium would be their home for 92 years.

In 1905, Boro made a big signing. They bought Alf Common for £1,000. This was a record fee at the time. The next season, Steve Bloomer joined. By 1907–08, Boro reached their highest league finish. They came sixth in the top division.

In 1910, a manager was suspended for breaking rules. This affected the team's season. Four years later, in 1913–14, Middlesbrough finished third. This was their best finish yet. Then, the First World War began.

Between the Big Wars (1919–1939)

After the war, the team changed. Some players were too old, and three had died. Boro won the Northern Victory League. But their chance at the championship had passed. They finished in the middle of the table for a few seasons.

In 1923–24, they were relegated. They finished last in the league. Three seasons later, they won the Division Two title. This was a great comeback. A new player, George Camsell, scored a record 59 league goals. He scored nine hat-tricks that season! He was the top scorer for the next ten seasons.

Even though they were back in the top league, they didn't stay long. They were relegated again in 1928. But they bounced straight back up the next season. They won another Second Division title. They stayed in the top flight until 1954.

In the 1930s, new stars appeared. Wilf Mannion and George Hardwick joined the team. Both became players for the England team. Boro climbed the league table. They looked ready to challenge for the title in 1939. But then, the Second World War started. This broke up one of their best teams ever.

A Slow Decline (1946–1966)

After the war, the club struggled to find its best form. They stayed in the middle of the table. With Jamaican-born Lindy Delapenha playing, Boro reached ninth place in 1949–50. The next season, they were even top of the league near Christmas. But they slipped to sixth. They were relegated in 1953–54.

This began a 20-year period outside the top league. But it also saw the rise of another great player: Brian Clough. He started playing in 1955–56. He scored many goals for the club. He scored 38, 40, 43, 39, and 34 goals in different seasons. He also played for England twice. After scoring 204 goals in 222 games, he left for Sunderland.

Boro stayed in the Second Division. They made good progress but never looked like getting promoted. After finishing 4th in 1962–63, their performance got worse. They finished 10th, then 17th, then 21st. In 1966, they were relegated to the Third Division for the first time.

Recovery and Big Moments (1966–1986)

The new manager, Stan Anderson, had to get the club back up. After a tough start, Anderson turned things around. The team finished second and won promotion. Gordon Jones was captain. John Hickton joined the team. Both became club legends.

Back in the Second Division, Boro played well. They always finished in the top half of the table. John Hickton became a great goal scorer. Other important players like Willie Maddren, John Craggs, Stuart Boam, and Jim Platt joined. With Graeme Souness also arriving, the team was strong.

Jack Charlton became manager. He led the team back to the top league. They won promotion early, on March 23. They became champions with a record 65 points.

Middlesbrough spent the next eight seasons in the First Division. They finished 7th in 1974–75. They were usually a mid-table team. The club's youth system produced talented players. These included David Armstrong, Graeme Souness, and Mark Proctor.

The team also had some good runs in cup competitions. In 1974–75, they reached the FA Cup sixth round. They also reached the League Cup quarter-finals. The next season, they reached the League Cup semi-final. In 1975–76, Boro won their first trophy as a professional team. They lifted the Anglo-Scottish Cup. They beat Fulham in the final.

After four seasons, Charlton left. John Neal took over. In his first season, Boro almost reached the FA Cup semi-finals. But they lost to Leyton Orient.

In 1979, David Mills was sold for a record fee of £482,222. Neal left in 1981. Bobby Murdoch became manager. Many key players left the club. In the 1981–82 season, Middlesbrough was relegated again.

The club faced serious money problems. Managers changed often. In 1986, Boro was relegated to the Third Division once more.

A Close Call (1986)

On May 21, 1986, the club was in big trouble. It was almost closed down. The gates to Ayresome Park were locked. Many staff were let go. The club needed £350,000 to stay in the Football League. It looked like the club would disappear forever.

But Steve Gibson, a board member, stepped in. He brought together a group of companies. With only ten minutes to spare, Middlesbrough F.C. managed to register with the Football League. They changed their name slightly. They also got a new club badge.

Because Ayresome Park was locked, Boro had to play their first game at Hartlepool United's ground.

Ups and Downs (1986–1994)

Manager Bruce Rioch and his young team worked hard. They included future Boro legends like Colin Cooper, Gary Pallister, and Tony Mowbray. They finished second in the Third Division. This earned them promotion to the Second Division. A year later, they won the playoffs. They beat Chelsea to get promoted to the First Division. This was their second promotion in a row!

Middlesbrough showed promise in 1988–89. But a bad run of form led to relegation on the final day. Gary Pallister was sold to Manchester United for a record £2.3 million. Their poor form continued. Rioch was replaced by Colin Todd. Todd managed to save Boro from another relegation. That season, Middlesbrough played in their first Wembley cup final. They lost 1–0 to Chelsea in the Zenith Data Systems Cup.

In 1990–91, Boro's form improved. They finished seventh. This was enough to qualify for the playoffs. But they lost in the semi-finals. Todd left and Lennie Lawrence took over.

Lawrence's first season was a success. Boro reached the League Cup semi-finals. More importantly, they finished second in the Second Division. This meant they would play in the first-ever Premier League.

Boro started well in the Premier League. But a run of seven defeats saw them relegated. Lawrence stayed as manager. But he resigned a year later after failing to get them promoted.

The Robson Era (1994–2001)

Bryan Robson became the new player-manager. He was a former England captain. With assistant manager Viv Anderson, Boro spent money on new players. These included Neil Cox and Nigel Pearson. Robson's first season was a big success. Boro won the Division One title. They were promoted back to the Premier League.

The 1994–95 season was their last at Ayresome Park. They moved to their new home, the Riverside Stadium.

After promotion, Boro spent a lot more money. They bought Nick Barmby for £5.25 million. They also signed Brazilian midfielder Juninho Paulista for £4.75 million. At first, this seemed to work. Boro were fourth in the Premier League in October. But then their form dropped. They finished 12th.

Robson then bought Fabrizio Ravanelli and Emerson. But the team struggled. They were fighting against relegation. They also had three points taken away. This was a punishment for not playing a game against Blackburn Rovers.

Despite this, Boro had an amazing cup run. They reached their first major cup final in March. They played Leicester City F.C. in the League Cup. Ravanelli scored, but Leicester equalized. Leicester won the replay.

Boro's three-point deduction cost them. They were relegated on the final day of the season. A week later, they lost 2–0 to Chelsea F.C. in the FA Cup final. They became the first English club to lose both major cup finals and be relegated in the same season. Even with these setbacks, Juninho was runner-up for Footballer of the Year.

The board kept faith in Robson. They were rewarded with promotion back to the Premier League. New players like Paul Merson and Mark Schwarzer helped. Merson was the only player from outside the top league picked for England's 1998 World Cup squad. Amazingly, Boro reached the League Cup final again. But they lost to Chelsea once more.

Robson also coached the England team for a while. Boro had two more safe mid-table finishes. But in 2000–01, they were fighting relegation again. Terry Venables joined to help Robson. They managed to avoid the drop.

New Heights Under McClaren (2001–2006)

In 2001, Robson left. Steve McClaren became the new manager. He was a top coach from Manchester United. New players like Gareth Southgate joined. McClaren's first season saw Boro finish 12th. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals.

The 2002–03 season had high hopes. Fan favorite Juninho returned for his third time. George Boateng and Massimo Maccarone also joined. A serious injury to Juninho was a setback. Boro finished 11th.

The next season, 2003–04, was historic. Middlesbrough won their first major trophy! They beat Bolton Wanderers 2–1 in the League Cup final. This win meant Boro would play in Europe for the first time. They qualified for the UEFA Cup.

The following season started well. Boro were near the top six. But many injuries caused them to drop down. They still managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup. In their first UEFA Cup run, they played well. But they were knocked out in the fourth round by Sporting Lisbon.

The 2005–06 season was mixed. Boro could beat big teams at home. They beat Arsenal 2–1 and Manchester United 4–1. But bad form in the middle of the season put them in danger of relegation. They recovered and finished 14th. In McClaren's last Premier League game, he picked a team of mostly local, young English players. Lee Cattermole became Middlesbrough's youngest ever captain.

On April 27, 2006, Middlesbrough reached the UEFA Cup final in Eindhoven. They beat FC Steaua București 4–3 on aggregate. They had an amazing comeback, being 3–0 down in the second leg and still winning. This was the second time they did this in the competition! In the final, Boro lost 4–0 to Sevilla FC. While playing in Europe, fans often chanted, "We're just a small town in Europe."

Southgate, Relegation, and the Football League (2006–2010)

On May 4, McClaren was chosen to manage the England national team. Steve Gibson chose club captain Gareth Southgate as the next manager. Southgate stopped playing football at 35 to focus on his new job. He was one of the youngest managers in the Premier League.

Some players left the club. New players like Julio Arca and Hérold Goulon joined. Southgate's first game was a 3–2 defeat. After a 4–0 loss, Southgate signed two international defenders. Jonathan Woodgate joined on loan from Real Madrid. Robert Huth and Jason Euell also signed.

Middlesbrough's form in 2006–07 was up and down. They had good wins, like against Chelsea. But they also lost to newly promoted teams. They finished 12th in the league. In the cups, they lost early in the League Cup. Their FA Cup run was longer. But they were knocked out by Manchester United in the quarter-finals.

The 2007–08 season was similar. Boro were never in the hunt for European spots. They spent most of the season in the bottom half of the table. They finished 15th, safe from relegation.

In the 2008–09 season, Middlesbrough started well. But they were relegated in a very disappointing way.

The next season, back in the Championship, Gareth Southgate was sacked. This was despite the team being in fourth place. Gordon Strachan became his replacement in October 2009. But the club's form got worse. They finished in the middle of the table in 2009–10.

Briefly Back in the Top League (2010–Present)

Middlesbrough started the 2010–11 season hoping for promotion. But they had a poor start. Strachan resigned in October. Former player Tony Mowbray took over. Mowbray left during the 2013–14 season. Aitor Karanka replaced him. Karanka was a former Spain international defender. He guided the club back to the Premier League. They finished second in the 2015–16 season.

Karanka was sacked in March 2017 after a bad run of results. Middlesbrough was relegated after just one season back in the Premier League. They finished 19th.

Since then, the club has had new managers. These include Garry Monk and Tony Pulis. But they have not returned to the top league. Jonathan Woodgate became the new manager at the start of the 2019–20 season.

Woodgate's team started the season with an exciting 3–3 draw. They used new young players like Lewis Wing and Hayden Coulson. Fans were ready to give the local manager a chance.

But Middlesbrough had a tough September. They had only one win in seven games. They were knocked out of the League Cup. Things didn't get much better in October. Boro found themselves near the relegation places. Woodgate kept saying the team was playing better than results showed. This frustrated fans.

Wins were hard to come by in the autumn. But as winter approached, Boro hit a good patch. They earned 13 points from a possible 18 in December. Woodgate won the Manager of the Month award. This included a rare away win against West Brom. There were strong signs of improvement. Boro went into 2020 with new hope.