Club Name: Middlesbrough Football Club
Nickname: Boro
Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, England.
Capacity: 35,049
1876
Manager: Gareth Southgate
Chairman: Steve Gibson
2003-04
English Premiership side Middlesbrough founded in 1876 have only succeeded in securing one major trophy in their history. Originally the football club was formed by Middlesbrough Cricket team players as an incentive to keep fitness levels up during the winter months.
The clubs highest finish in the league occurred at the end of the 1913-1914 season when the team secured third place. Middlesbrough have failed to emulate this form despite threatening to do so on a number of occasions.
Relegation to the third division in 1986 signalled the lowest point Middlesbrough had ever suffered as a club. This drop in form led to a financial crisis and bankruptcy loomed. However, the club were pulled back from the brink in the eleventh hour and closely avoided going into administration.
In the intervening years Middlesbrough played their football between divisions as financial problems remained. Middlesbrough were founder members of the Premier League in the 1992-1993 season. Bryan Robson took over as manager in 1994 and the club began to impose their mark in the Premiership signing big name players such as fan's favourite Juninho.
The 1996 season is well remembered as a controversial one for Middlesbrough as they were deducted three points just after Christmas as a punishment for failing to fulfil a fixture against Blackburn Rovers. This resulted in the clubs relegation, a pain that is still prominent in the minds of the fans.
The 2003-2004 season is hailed as the most successful year in the club's history as they finally gained a major trophy beating Bolton 2-1 in the League Cup final. This success ensured that Middlesbrough qualified for the UEFA Cup reaching the European stage for the first time.
Middlesbrough almost reached the apex of European footballing participation when in 2006 the club met Sevilla FC in the final of the UEFA Cup. Despite losing, the club raised their profile and set their mark as serious contenders within Europe's elite.
Middlesbrough's main rivals are fellow northerners Newcastle United and Sunderland.