Vital Statistics
Founded: 1876
Chairman: Steve Gibson
Last Season: Championship - 12th
Nicknames: Boro, Smoggies
Rivals: Newcastle United, Sunderland
Major Honours
League Cup: 2004
Scheduled Matches
Middlesbrough vs Portsmouth: Saturday, August 6th (3pm)
Portsmouth vs Middlesbrough: Saturday, March 3rd (3pm)
Transfers In
Malaury Martin (Blackpool - Free)
Curtis Main (Darlington - Free)
Transfers Out
Willo Flood (Dundee United - Free)
Andrew Taylor (Cardiff - Free)
Kris Boyd (Eskisehirspor - Undisclosed)
Didier Digard (Nice - Undisclosed)
Leroy Lita (Swansea - £1.75 million)
Probable Starting XI
GK: Jason STEELE
RB: Tony McMAHON
CB: Matthew BATES
CB: Stephen McMANUS
LB: Joe BENNETT
RM: Barry ROBSON
CM: Rhys WILLIAMS
CM: Kevin THOMSON
LM: Meroaune ZEMMAMA
CF: Scott McDONALD
CF: Marvin EMNES
The Manager: Tony Mowbray
As one of the best players in Middlesbrough's history, "Mogga" eventually returned to the club as manager in 2010 following the sacking of Gordon Strachan but he began his coaching career at Ipswich before his first managerial role at Hibernian.
Mowbray is probably best known for his stint as manager of West Brom, whom he took up from the Championship and back down again, having installed a philosophy of attacking, attractive football whilst he was Baggies boss.
Following Albion's relegation in 2009, Mowbray returned to Scotland to take charge of Celtic where he endured a torrid time and was sacked before the season finished. One suspects he will be given more patience under a chairman who gives his managers time and a fanbase who see him as a legend.
The Fans
I've not spoke to many Boro fans as they understandably don't bring too many down to Fratton Park and they also struggle to sell out their home games too, but they are pleasant enough people.
Famous Smoggies include Sky pundit Chris Kamara, Shooting Stars host Bob Mortimer and comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown.
Boro fan Chris Narey on the upcoming season:
Our squad is currently incredibly thin being very short upfront and in wide positions. On top of that we are going to be starting our season without our keeper for whom we currently have no real backup, and without Thomson who many believe to be our best footballer when he is actually fit. What we do have though is a good manager and I think Mowbray will really get the best out of what he has here.
With Lita out the door next we may actually see some new faces come in before the start of the season. The bookies have us down as one of the favourites (again) but I think the playoffs are optimistic at this point.
It really depends on if we get anyone else in and how we cope with injuries. I expect a top half finish but I hope we will push for the playoffs.
The Ground: The Riverside Stadium (Capacity: 35,100)
The Riverside is one of the dullest stadiums in the country. It may well have been impressive in 1995 when it opened and it looks good on the outside but it's simply bland on the inside. This is the North Stand.
This is the slightly elevated West Stand. Derby's Pride Park is very similar to Boro's ground. If you have been there and not here, just imagine a slightly bigger, red version of that ground only less populated and with a greyer sky.
This is the East Stand where all the kids tend to sit and try their hardest to bring some atmosphere to a ground which has virtually no character. In fact, Boro's ground is probably the worst for atmosphere in the entire Championship.
One thing I will give the Riverside, however, is that whether you're sat in the lower or upper tier of the South Stand, you'll always have a good view of the pitch. This photo was taken just before the teams entered the pitch with the ever irritating "pigbag" played in the background.
