All Competitions WinsDrawsLossesWin %Home8 8 4 40.0%Away3 3 1415.0%Both11111827.5%

Premier League WinsDrawsLossesWin %Home5 8 4 29.4%Away2 2 1212.5%Both7 10 1621.2%

The 2008–09 season was Middlesbrough's eleventh consecutive season in the Premier League. They were relegated at the end of the season. They were knocked out of the League Cup in the third round and knocked out of the FA Cup in the quarter-finals (sixth round).

Gareth Southgate continued as manager under chairman Steve Gibson. Before the season, Southgate was considering whether to continue with the traditional role of a club captain, but later decided that Emanuel Pogatetz would continue being captain following his performances in the final ten games of the previous season.

Team kit and sponsors Middlesbrough's kits were produced by Erreà for the fifteenth and final season, and sponsored by GPS manufacturer Garmin. Back at the start of 2008, the club ran a poll to decide whether the club should return to the white band of prior seasons. The votes came out in favour of the band, and it was then up to the fans to decide between three different designs. The winning shirt was announced on 7 May 2008 to be choice A – the white band with a curl. The away kit, announced on 17 July 2008, would see a return to the popular black and blue striped kit worn by Jack Charlton's side of the mid-1970s.

Transfers

Summer transfer window Middlesbrough net spending over the 2008 summer transfer window was almost nil, as money spent bringing in new faces was matched by money brought in through player sales, though it had only been half a year since Afonso Alves' club-record signing during the previous season.

The first transfer for the season was thought to have been announced back in May, with Maidstone United's England youth international defender Chris Smalling signing a two-year contract. However, the player changed his mind, the contract was cancelled, and later the same month he decided to join Fulham instead as it was closer to his home.

Mark Schwarzer's departure at the end of the previous season saw Gareth Southgate announce that Brad Jones and Ross Turnbull would fight it out for the first choice goalkeeper's shirt, and thus no goalkeepers were amongst the signings during the summer, much to the initial dismay of Boro supporters. Liverpool goalkeeper Charles Itandje later revealed that Middlesbrough tried to sign him on loan during the summer, but that his club refused to allow him to move.

The club's first signings of the summer were both announced on the same day in early July, with Dutch forward Marvin Emnes arriving in a deal worth €4 million (£3.2 million at the time) and French midfielder Didier Digard arriving from PSG for €5 million (£4 million).

Next up came a series of midfield departures. After six years on Teesside, Dutch midfielder and former club captain George Boateng left for newly promoted Hull City for a fee of £1 million, while academy graduate and England under-21 midfielder Lee Cattermole signed for Wigan Athletic in a deal worth £3.5 million, rising to £4 million based on appearances. Boro's midfield options were further reduced when Hérold Goulon, signed two years earlier, left without playing a senior game for the club.

Wellington Phoenix's New Zealand international left-back Tony Lochhead joined the club on a week-long trial at the end of July but the club eventually decided against offering him a contract.

Finally, just a week before the season began and after only a year on Teesside, Luke Young moved to Aston Villa for a fee of £5.5 million rising to £6 million based on appearances. Fans were disappointed with the sale but, coupled with Young's wish to make the move, the club felt the offer was too good to turn down, having only paid £2.5 million for him a year earlier. A replacement was brought in when Middlesbrough completed the £3 million signing of Arsenal's Justin Hoyte before the first game of the season, but not in time for him to be eligible to play. The right-back signed a four-year contract.

January transfer window In mid-November, before the window opened, former youth goalkeeper David Knight returned to the club on a month-to-month contract as cover following an injury to third-choice keeper Jason Steele.

Middlesbrough and MFK Košice came to an agreement that would see talented young players exchanged between the two clubs. It was verbally agreed that 17-year-old Peter Gál-Andrezly would join the Middlesbrough reserve side for the second half of the season. Two further players, Serbian Under-21 international Nemanja Matić and 18-year-old Juraj Hovančík, came to England on a trial period during December.

During December, the club told reporters that there were no funds available for transfers, meaning they needed to sell before they could buy, although at the same time the club were not looking to move on any of their best players either. This became a key element of the January transfer window.

The transfer window was once again dominated by reports linking Stewart Downing with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, but this time there was a basis for such reports. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp announced his interest in Downing towards the end of December. With the transfer window open, Spurs put in a bid for the player, reported to be around £6 million, which was described as "derisory" by Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb. An improved offer was submitted and immediately rejected. Middlesbrough told Tottenham that the player was not for sale and any further interest they had would not be entertained, while chairman Steve Gibson told the media that no senior player would be leaving the club in January. Shortly afterwards, Downing submitted a written transfer request. The request was considered before being rejected. Downing's father, Stewart Senior, revealed his son's reasons for submitting his transfer request, stating that "when he signed his new contract [in February 2008] he was assured that there would be significant investment in the squad", arguing this had not happened.

Reiterating their position that they would not be letting any senior players leave the club during January, the club rejected a £4.5 million offer from Portsmouth to take Gary O'Neil back to his former club.

With the club falling into the relegation zone and a number of players ruled out through injury and suspension, Middlesbrough eventually moved into the transfer market on 22 January, with their first move bringing in striker Marlon King on loan from Wigan Athletic until the end of the season. King had been on loan at Hull City but his time there was cut short after he fell out with their manager. A day later, Mido made a move in the opposite direction, also on a loan until the end of the season.

Crystal Palace midfielder Ben Watson underwent a medical at Middlesbrough, after the two clubs agreed a £2 million fee. However, Wigan's bid for the player was also accepted and Watson decided to move there instead.

Following a successful loan spell, Academy graduate Tom Craddock made a permanent move to Luton Town. The striker started only one game during his time on Teesside before completing his £80,000 move.

End of season Ross Turnbull left the club at the end of the season on a free transfer, to join Chelsea, after rejecting several contract offers, citing that he wanted to play regular first team football. The goalkeeper played less than 30 first team games for Middlesbrough and had been dropped earlier in the season in favour of teammate Brad Jones. David Knight also left at the end of the year, to join Darlington.

Out of contract winger Graeme Owens left the club to join Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock.

Summary

In DatePlayerPrevious clubFeeRef 4 July 2008 Marvin EmnesSparta Rotterdam£3.2 million 4 July 2008 Didier DigardParis Saint-German£4 million 16 August 2008 Justin HoyteArsenal£3 million 4 November 2008 David KnightMansfield TownFree November 2008 Onisiforos RoushiasEnosis Neon Paralimni

Roushias made his under-18 debut on 15 November 2008. He was not present in the start-of-season squad list so joined between these two dates.

Loans in DatePlayerOn Loan FromPeriodRef 4 January 2009 Peter Gál-AndrezlyMFK KošiceUntil end of season 22 January 2009 Marlon KingWigan AthleticUntil end of season

Trials in DatePlayerOn Trial FromPeriodRef 29 July 2008 Tony LochheadWellington Phoenix1 week 1 December 2008 Nemanja MatićMFK Košice2 days 1 December 2008 Juraj HovančíkMFK Košice1 week 13 February 2009 Demetris MoulazimisEnosis Neon Paralimni

Matić's trial was initially intended to last for 1 week but was cut short by an international call-up.

Out For departures of players out of contract at the end of 2007–08 see 2007–08 Middlesbrough F.C. season. DatePlayerNew clubFeeRef 16 July 2008 George BoatengHull City£1 million 29 July 2008 Lee CattermoleWigan Athletic£3.5 million 7 August 2008 Hérold Goulon–Released 7 August 2008 Luke YoungAston Villa£5.5 million 30 January 2009 Tom CraddockLuton Town£80,000 16 June 2009 Graeme OwensKilmarnockOut of contract 2 July 2009 Ross TurnbullChelseaOut of contract 3 July 2009 David KnightDarlingtonOut of contract

Cattermole's transfer fee is £3.5 million rising to £4 million based on appearances. Young's transfer fee is £5.5 million rising by £250,000 after 30 appearances, and a further £250,000 after 60 appearances.

Loans out DatePlayerClub atPeriodRef21 August 2008 Tony McMahon Sheffield Wednesday To 24 October 2008 1 September 2008 Jonathan Grounds Norwich City To 2 October 2008 17 October 2008 Tom Craddock Luton Town To 17 January 2009 3 November 2008 Tony McMahon Sheffield Wednesday 1 month 25 November 2008 John Johnson Tranmere Rovers To 31 December 2008 6 January 2009 Seb Hines Derby County 1 month 6 January 2009 Jonathan Grounds Norwich City 2 months 7 January 2009 Graeme Owens Blackpool 2 months 23 January 2009 Mido Wigan Athletic To end of season 30 January 2009 Rhys Williams Burnley 3 months 13 February 2009 Seb Hines Oldham Athletic 1 month

McMahon's loan was extended from an initial period of 1 month, but then cut short when he was recalled by Middlesbrough. Grounds' loan was initially intended to last three months, but was cut short when he was recalled. He returned for a further two months later in January. Craddock's loan was extended from one month, to two months, and then to three. Owens' loan was extended from one month to two months.

Squad

Senior squad Squad numbers for the 2008–09 season were announced on 23 July 2008. Changes saw Julio Arca move from 3 to 20, with Andrew Taylor moving from 33 to 3. Marvin Emnes took the number 11 shirt, vacated by Jérémie Aliadière's move to number 10. Didier Digard received the vacant number 8 shirt. Ross Turnbull and Brad Jones stayed at 21 and 22 respectively, leaving the number 1 shirt empty. Before they left, Luke Young, Lee Cattermole and Hérold Goulon were given numbers 2, 27 and 37 respectively. Justin Hoyte became the new number 2 upon his arrival, while Nathan Porritt was given number 33 before the away match at Portsmouth. Franks was given the number 37 shirt before the away match at Everton.

Appearances and goals Appearance and goalscoring records for all the players who were in the Middlesbrough F.C. first team squad during the 2008–09 season.

Discipline Disciplinary records for 2008–09 league and cup matches. Only players with one or more cards are included. No.Nat.Player Yellow cards Red cards3 304 1105 306 418 419 3010 1012 2014 5015 3016 2017 4020 5026 3128 2029 3031 21

Pre-season Top scorers Afonso Alves 4 Jérémie Aliadière 3 David Wheater 2 Adam Johnson 2