Middlesbrough football club (Boro)

Middlesbrough FC was formed by members of the local cricket club at a meeting at the Albert Park Hotel in 1875.

They were elected to the Second Division of the Football League in 1899 and soon became established as a major force.

Promotion to the First Division in 1902 was soon followed by the historic signing of Alf Common from Sunderland for the first 1,000 pound transfer fee.

Boro finished in their highest-ever league position of third in 1913-14 but they were unable to maintain their progress when action was resumed after the First World War.

They almost exclusively competed in the top two tiers until suffering severe financial difficulties in the 1980s.

Liquidation was narrowly avoided in 1986 when the Teesside club was saved by a consortium led by life-long supporter Steve Gibson.

The self-made multi-millionaire and subsequent chairman led their revival and the move to the Riverside Stadium in 1995.

Boro?s profile was raised considerably under the stewardship of manager Bryan Robson with the signing of flair players such as Fabrizio Ravanelli and Juninho as they reached the Finals of the FA Cup and League Cup for the first time in their history.

Middlesbrough won their only major trophy to date in 2004 when Steve McClaren`s team won the League Cup.

They also reached the Final of the UEFA Cup against Sevilla in Eindhoven in 2006.

Following relegation in 2009, Boro returned for their fourth spell in the Premier League in 2016.

Home ground history:

Old Archery Ground -1877

Breckon Hill - 1879

Linthorpe Road Ground - 1882

Ayresome Park - 1903

Cellnet Riverside Stadium - 1995

Renamed:

BT Cellnet Riverside Stadium - 2001

Riverside Stadium - 2002