During the 1988–89 English football season, Middlesbrough finished third from bottom in the Football League First Division and were relegated after just one season.
| 1988–89 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Colin Henderson |
| Manager | Bruce Rioch |
| Stadium | Ayresome Park |
| First Division | 18th |
| FA Cup | Third round |
| League Cup | Second round |
| Simod Cup | Fourth round |
| Top goalscorer | League: Slaven (15) All: Slaven (18) |
| Highest home attendance | 25,197 (vs Liverpool, 11 March 1989) |
| Lowest home attendance | 6,853 (vs Portsmouth, 21 December 1988) |
After a decent first half of the season, having occupied seventh place in November, they won just one of their last 17 League matches and fell into the relegation places on the final day of the season after losing 1–0 to Sheffield Wednesday.[1] Bernie Slaven was one of the First Division's top scorers with 15 goals in the League, but Peter Davenport scored just four times after signing from Manchester United.
Middlesbrough were eliminated from both the FA Cup and the League Cup at the round they entered each competition. They were beaten by lower league opposition, Grimsby Town and Tranmere Rovers respectively.[2]
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Luton Town | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 42 | 52 | −10 | 41 | |
| 17 | Aston Villa | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 45 | 56 | −11 | 40 | |
| 18 | Middlesbrough (R) | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 44 | 61 | −17 | 39 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 19 | West Ham United (R) | 38 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 37 | 62 | −25 | 38 | |
| 20 | Newcastle United (R) | 38 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 32 | 63 | −31 | 31 |
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated
Results
Football League First Division
| 27 August 1988 1 | Derby County | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | Derby |
| Stadium: Baseball Ground Attendance: 19,432 |
| 3 September 1988 2 | Middlesbrough | 2–3 | Norwich City | Middlesbrough |
Mowbray  Burke | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 18,595 |
| 10 September 1988 3 | Manchester United | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | Manchester |
| Stadium: Old Trafford Attendance: 40,442 |
| 17 September 1988 4 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | Wimbledon | Middlesbrough |
| Hamilton | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,709 |
| 24 September 1988 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3–2 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Slaven Mowbray | Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 23,427 |
| 1 October 1988 6 | Coventry City | 3–4 | Middlesbrough | Coventry |
| Slaven Burke | Stadium: Highfield Road Attendance: 14,527 |
| 8 October 1988 7 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | West Ham United | Middlesbrough |
| Pallister | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,608 |
| 22 October 1988 8 | Middlesbrough | 2–1 | Luton Town | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven Cooper | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,792 |
| 26 October 1988 9 | Newcastle United | 3–0 | Middlesbrough | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Stadium: St James' Park Attendance: 23,927 |
| 29 October 1988 10 | Middlesbrough | 4–2 | Millwall | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven Ripley Burke Parkinson | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,788 |
| 5 November 1988 11 | Liverpool | 3–0 | Middlesbrough | Liverpool |
| Rush Aldridge Beardsley | Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 39,489 |
| 12 November 1988 12 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | Queens Park Rangers | Middlesbrough |
| Brennan | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 20,565 |
| 19 November 1988 13 | Arsenal | 3–0 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Merson Rocastle | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 32,294 |
| 26 November 1988 14 | Middlesbrough | 0–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | Middlesbrough |
| Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,310 |
| 3 December 1988 15 | Nottingham Forest | 2–2 | Middlesbrough | Nottingham |
| Brennan Ripley | Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 17,742 |
| 10 December 1988 16 | Middlesbrough | 3–3 | Aston Villa | Middlesbrough |
| Brennan Hamilton Mowbray | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 18,096 |
| 17 December 1988 17 | Middlesbrough | 0–0 | Charlton Athletic | Middlesbrough |
| Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 16,065 |
| 26 December 1988 18 | Everton | 2–1 | Middlesbrough | Liverpool |
| Glover | Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 32,651 |
| 31 December 1988 19 | Norwich City | 0–0 | Middlesbrough | Norwich |
| Stadium: Carrow Road Attendance: 16,021 |
| 2 January 1989 20 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | Manchester United | Middlesbrough |
| Davenport | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 24,411 |
| 14 January 1989 21 | Southampton | 1–3 | Middlesbrough | Southampton |
| Kerr Slaven Burke | Stadium: The Dell Attendance: 13,157 |
| 21 January 1989 22 | Middlesbrough | 2–2 | Tottenham Hotspur | Middlesbrough |
| Cooper Ripley | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 23,691 |
| 4 February 1989 23 | Middlesbrough | 1–1 | Coventry City | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,352 |
| 18 February 1989 24 | Luton Town | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | Luton |
| Stadium: Kenilworth Road Attendance: 8,187 |
| 21 February 1989 25 | Millwall | 2–0 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Stadium: The Den Attendance: 11,396 |
| 26 February 1989 26 | Middlesbrough | 1–1 | Newcastle United | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 24,385 |
| 11 March 1989 27 | Middlesbrough | 0–4 | Liverpool | Middlesbrough |
| Beardsley Houghton Aldridge McMahon | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 25,197 |
| 18 March 1989 28 | Middlesbrough | 0–1 | Derby County | Middlesbrough |
| Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 16,580 |
| 25 March 1989 29 | Wimbledon | 1–1 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Slaven | Stadium: Plough Lane Attendance: 11,396 |
| 27 March 1989 30 | Middlesbrough | 3–3 | Everton | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven Parkinson Davenport | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 23,151 |
| 1 April 1989 31 | Charlton Athletic | 2–0 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 6,696 |
| 8 April 1989 32 | Middlesbrough | 3–3 | Southampton | Middlesbrough |
| Hamilton Slaven Burke | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 16,983 |
| 11 April 1989 33 | West Ham United | 1–2 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Keen | Slaven | Stadium: Upton Park Attendance: 16,217 |
| 18 April 1989 34 | Queens Park Rangers | 0–0 | Middlesbrough | London |
| Stadium: Loftus Road Attendance: 10,347 |
| 22 April 1989 35 | Middlesbrough | 3–4 | Nottingham Forest | Middlesbrough |
| Hamilton Slaven Davenport | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 20,778 |
| 29 April 1989 36 | Aston Villa | 1–1 | Middlesbrough | Birmingham |
| Davenport | Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 18,590 |
| 6 May 1989 37 | Middlesbrough | 0–1 | Arsenal | Middlesbrough |
| Hayes | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 21,803 |
| 13 May 1989 38 | Sheffield Wednesday | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | Sheffield |
| Stadium: Hillsborough Attendance: 20,582 |
FA Cup
| 7 January 1989 3 | Middlesbrough | 1–2 | Grimsby Town | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,190 |
League Cup
| 28 September 1988 2 (1st leg) | Middlesbrough | 0–0 | Tranmere Rovers | Middlesbrough |
| Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 12,084 |
| 11 October 1988 2 (2nd leg) | Tranmere Rovers | 1–0 | Middlesbrough | Birkenhead |
| Stadium: Prenton Park Attendance: 8,617 |
Simod Cup
| 14 December 1988 1 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | Oldham Athletic | Middlesbrough |
| Glover | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 7,439 |
| 21 December 1988 2 | Middlesbrough | 2–1 | Portsmouth | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven Glover | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 6,853 |
| 11 January 1989 3 | Middlesbrough | 1–0 | Coventry City | Middlesbrough |
| Davenport | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 9,910 |
| 28 January 1989 4 | Middlesbrough | 2–3 | Crystal Palace | Middlesbrough |
| Slaven Cooper | Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 16,314 |
Squad
Appearances and goals
Appearance and goalscoring records for all the players who were in the Middlesbrough F.C. first team squad during the 1988–89 season.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Division 1 | FA Cup | League Cup | Simod Cup | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK |  ENG | Stephen Pears | 33 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| GK | ENG | Kevin Poole | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Colin Cooper | 42 | 2 | 35 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| DF |  IRL | Alan Kernaghan | 26 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Nicky Mohan | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Tony Mowbray | 44 | 3 | 37 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Gary Pallister | 44 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| DF | ENG | Gary Parkinson | 41 | 2 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Mark Barham | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Mark Brennan | 31 | 3 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Mark Burke | 33 | 5 | 29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Gary Gill | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Dean Glover | 15 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| MF |  SCO | Gary Hamilton | 43 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Paul Kerr | 24 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Mark Proctor | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| MF | ENG | Stuart Ripley | 42 | 3 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG | Peter Davenport | 28 | 5 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| FW | ENG | Paul Proudlock | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | ENG | Trevor Senior | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| FW | IRL | Bernie Slaven | 44 | 18 | 37 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | |
References
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