X-Nico

4 unusual facts about Middlesbrough F.C.


GMR Stadium

The stadium was opened on 17 May 2000, and was celebrated with a friendly match between Middlesbrough F.C. and A.S. Bari.

Loakes Park

At the time, Middlesbrough were near the top of the old Football League First Division (now the Premier League), and Wycombe (a non-league team at this time) held them to a 0-0 draw.

Smoggie

Originally, this was a term of abuse for supporters of Middlesbrough F.C. coined by their Sunderland A.F.C. counterparts.

Teesville

Football training is provided by an outreach element of Middlesbrough F.C., called Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community.


1905 in association football

On February 19, Alf Common becomes the first player to be transferred for a fee of £1,000 (a 2011 equivalent of roughly £95,000), in a transfer from Sunderland A.F.C. to Middlesbrough F.C.

1957–58 Stoke City F.C. season

Stoke made in-roads in the FA Cup overcoming Aston Villa in a 2nd replay and then Middlesbrough to reach the fifth round where they came up against a powerful Bolton Wanderers side who with the help of Nat Lofthouse beat Stoke 3–1 as they went on to lift the cup.

1974–75 Luton Town F.C. season

Luton fans would have to wait two more years for Haslam to deliver the third promotion; in 1973–74 the team finished second in Division Two behind Middlesbrough, and ensured that for 1974–75 Luton would be a top division club once again.

2003–04 Football League Cup

The winners were Middlesbrough who beat Bolton Wanderers in the final 2-1 and collected their first major piece of silverware in their history and as a result of their victory qualified for European football for the first time.

2004 Football League Cup Final

The 2004 Football League Cup Final (known as the Carling Cup final for sponsorship reasons) was played between Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough at the Millennium Stadium on 29 February 2004.

2008–09 Luton Town F.C. season

Harford introduced several younger players into the aquad, including 16-year-old left-back Jake Howells from the youth team, 19-year-old Harry Worley on loan from Leicester City and 20-year-old striker Tom Craddock on loan from Middlesbrough.

Andy Woodman

He is a close friend of ex-England international and ex-Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate, with whom he has written a book about life in the youth ranks of Crystal Palace, their first club.

Bixente Lizarazu

However, he did subsequently make one appearance for Middlesbrough in August 2006, participating in Robbie Mustoe's testimonial alongside Curtis Fleming.

Clayton Blackmore

He joined Middlesbrough for the 1994–95 season, linking up with newly appointed player-manager and former team mate Bryan Robson.

Craig Hignett

He has recently starred in Sky1's Premier League All Stars, in which he helped Middlesbrough beat Newcastle, and represented England in the 2009 Home Nations Masters Cup despite having not won a full international cap.

David Affleck

In May 1937, he was recruited by Tom Parker to join Southampton as part of his drive to strengthen the team in an attempt to gain promotion from the Second Division, along with Frank Hill (from Blackpool), Billy Bevis (from Portsmouth) and Ray Parkin (from Middlesbrough).

David Elleray

A Jonathan Howard shot had hit the crossbar and then bounced over the line but was cleared by the Middlesbrough defence.

Deeping Rangers F.C.

Their most notable alumni include Malcolm Christie (who moved to Derby County and then Middlesbrough) and Ben Wright (who later played for Viking Stavanger in the UEFA Cup and was also on the books of football league clubs Lincoln City).

Ernie Coleman

The signing of Ted Drake in March 1934 meant Coleman was forced out of the Arsenal team, and he signed for Middlesbrough in August 1934.

Football League North and South

An example of this is that in the 1942 Football League North Leeds United played Middlesbrough, Gateshead, Newcastle United, Doncaster Rovers, Sunderland, Bradford Park Avenue, York City, Halifax Town and Huddersfield Town, which they played Home and Away in succession.

George Houghton

While in America he also travelled to Florida to talk to an unnamed man who he said almost runs football over there and he has also been talking to former Middlesbrough and England now FC Twente manager Steve McClaren as well to set up links with David Beckham to try to get him to become an ambassador for the club.

Harry Newbould

In 1906 financial pressures led Derby's directors to sell England international Steve Bloomer to Middlesbrough.

Horace Astley

Born in Bolton, Astley played professionally for Middlesbrough, before following manager Jack Robson South to join the newly established club, Crystal Palace.

John Lyall

When West Ham played Middlesbrough in the FA Cup Semi-final on 23 April 2006 at Villa Park, a one-minute silence was held in Lyall's honour, although after only a few seconds the West Ham fans started a chant of "Johnny Lyall's Claret and Blue Army" in tribute to their most successful ever manager.

Kevin Pilkington

Gary Walsh was sold to Middlesbrough just before the start of the 1995–96 season, enabling Pilkington to become United's second choice goalkeeper.

Pedro Barbosa

In his last the 34-year-old played 13 matches as the Lions reached the 2005 UEFA Cup Final played on home soil, scoring all of his two goals against Middlesbrough in the round-of-16.

Scott Minto

In 1996–97, he was an important part of the side's run to the 1997 FA Cup Final, which they won, defeating Middlesbrough 2-0 in what proved to be his last game for the club.

Tim Williamson

Reginald Garnet "Tim" Williamson (6 June 1884 in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough – 1 August 1943 in Redcar) was an English football player who made 602 appearances as a goalkeeper for Middlesbrough, scoring two goals, as well as 7 appearances for England.


see also

Tuncay Şanlı

The 2008–09 season saw him pick up all four of the club's major awards for 2009: the Players Player of the Year, Garmin Player of the Year, the Middlesbrough F.C. Official Supporters' Club Prize and the Terrace Legends Award.