During the 1995–96 English football season, Middlesbrough F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.
Season summary Middlesbrough returned to the top flight of English football, and recorded a solid mid-table finish under player-manager Bryan Robson. It was also Boro's first season at new home Riverside Stadium, following the decision to move out from Ayresome Park, once the Taylor report banned standing on British football stadia.
New to the Boro side for the season were record signing Nick Barmby, goalkeeper Gary Walsh (who succeeded Alan Miller as the club's regular goalkeeper) and young defender Phil Whelan. Soon after the beginning of the season, Boro paid nearly £5million for 22-year-old Brazilian forward Juninho.
Boro had peaked at fourth in the FA Premier League in late October after losing just one of their opening 10 games, but the next four months brought just three wins and included an eight-match losing run which posed the threat of relegation to a side who had previously been challenging for a UEFA Cup place. Boro eventually secured survival by a margin of five points.
Final league table
Results Middlesbrough's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 20 August 1995 ArsenalA1–137,308Barmby 26 August 1995 ChelseaH2–028,286Hignett, Fjørtoft 30 August 1995 Newcastle UnitedA0–136,500 9 September 1995 Bolton WanderersA1–118,376Hignett 12 September 1995 SouthamptonH0–029,181 16 September 1995 Coventry CityH2–127,882Vickers, Fjørtoft 23 September 1995 Manchester CityA1–025,865Barmby 30 September 1995 Blackburn RoversH2–029,462Barmby, Hignett 15 October 1995 Sheffield WednesdayA1–021,177Hignett (pen) 21 October 1995 Queens Park RangersH1–029,293Hignett (pen) 28 October 1995 Manchester UnitedA0–236,580 4 November 1995 Leeds UnitedH1–129,467Fjørtoft 18 November 1995 WimbledonA0–013,780 21 November 1995 Tottenham HotspurH0–129,487 25 November 1995 LiverpoolH2–129,390Cox, Barmby 2 December 1995 Queens Park RangersA1–117,546Morris 9 December 1995 Manchester CityH4–129,469Barmby (2), Stamp, Juninho 16 December 1995 Blackburn RoversA0–127,996 23 December 1995 West Ham UnitedH4–228,640Fjørtoft, Cox, Morris, Hendrie 26 December 1995 EvertonA0–440,091 30 December 1995 Nottingham ForestA0–127,027 1 January 1996 Aston VillaH0–228,535 13 January 1996 ArsenalH2–329,359Juninho, Stamp 20 January 1996 SouthamptonA1–215,151Barmby 4 February 1996 ChelseaA0–521,060 10 February 1996 Newcastle UnitedH1–230,011Beresford (own goal) 17 February 1996 Bolton WanderersH1–429,354Pollock 24 February 1996 Coventry CityA0–018,810 2 March 1996 EvertonH0–229,807 9 March 1996 West Ham UnitedA0–223,850 16 March 1996 Nottingham ForestH1–129,392Mustoe 19 March 1996 Aston VillaA0–023,933 30 March 1996 Leeds UnitedA1–031,778Kavanagh (pen) 5 April 1996 Sheffield WednesdayH3–129,751Fjørtoft (2), Freestone 8 April 1996 Tottenham HotspurA1–132,036Whelan 13 April 1996 WimbledonH1–229,192Fleming 27 April 1996 LiverpoolA0–140,782 5 May 1996 Manchester UnitedH0–329,921
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR36 January 1996 Notts CountyA2–112,621Pollock, BarmbyR47 February 1996 WimbledonH0–028,915R4R13 February 1996 WimbledonA0–15,520
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg 20 September 1995 Rotherham UnitedH2–113,280Mustoe, FjørtoftR2 2nd Leg 3 October 1995 Rotherham UnitedA1–0 (won 3–1 on agg)6,867VickersR325 October 1995 Crystal PalaceA2–211,873Barmby 15'; Hignett 20'R3R8 November 1995 Crystal PalaceH2–016,150Hignett, FjørtoftR429 November 1995 Birmingham CityH0–028,031R4R20 December 1995 Birmingham CityA0–219,878
Squad
Reserve squad
References