The 2017–18 season was Middlesbrough's first season back in the Championship, making an immediate return to the division following relegation from the Premier League in the previous season. In their 142nd year in existence, the club also competed in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
The season covers the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018, with all competitive games played between August 2017 and May 2018. Two transfer windows took place, the first from 1 July to 31 August 2017, the second from 1 January to 31 January 2018.
Garry Monk was appointed as manager in June 2017, however he parted company with the club in late December after an unconvincing start to the season, with the club in 9th position. Tony Pulis replaced him on 26 December, and took charge of the team after Middlesbrough's Boxing Day fixture against Bolton Wanderers.
Changes The first and most crucial change this season is that the club will play in the EFL Championship, having been relegated from the Premier League in the previous season. Aitor Karanka, who had managed the club from November 2013, was sacked in March 2017 after a poor run of results, having not won in ten matches and having occupied a place in the relegation zone. Prior to his sacking, tensions had mounted between Karanka and both the club's board and fans surrounding Middlesbrough's January transfer activity and frustration from supporters over the poor results and perceived poor style of play. Karanka's assistant manager, Steve Agnew, served as caretaker manager until the end of the season. On 9 June 2017, it was confirmed that former Swansea City and Leeds United manager Garry Monk would become the new manager for the 2017–18 season.
Nathan Convery, Bradley Fewster, Brandon Holdsworth, Lewis Maloney, Niall McGoldrick, Junior Mondal, Josef Wheatley, Matthew Wilson, Víctor Valdés, Brad Guzan and Viktor Fischer were amongst the first players to leave the club in the summer 2017 transfer window. Further departures would include Bernardo Espinosa and Cristhian Stuani, who both completed moves to Girona, while James Husband would leave for Norwich City, defender Antonio Barragán would depart on a season-long loan to Spanish club Real Betis, midfielder Gastón Ramírez would depart for Sampdoria, and the club also terminated the contract of Carlos de Pena by mutual consent.
Monk's first major signings included Norwich City midfielder Jonny Howson, Derby County right-back Cyrus Christie, Toulouse striker Martin Braithwaite, Nottingham Forest striker Britt Assombalonga, as well as goalkeeper Darren Randolph, and striker Ashley Fletcher, both moving from West Ham United.
Squad
First team squad
Squad No. Name Nationality Position(s) Date of Birth (Age) Previous Team Goalkeepers 1 Dimitrios Konstantopoulos GK AEK Athens 13 Tomás Mejías GK Real Madrid 25 Darren Randolph GK West Ham United Defenders 2 Fábio FB Cardiff City 3 George Friend LB Doncaster Rovers 4 Daniel Ayala CB Norwich City 5 Ryan Shotton RB / CB Birmingham City 6 Ben Gibson CB Academy 14 Martin Cranie CB / RB Huddersfield Town 20 Dael Fry CB / RB Academy Midfielders 7 Grant Leadbitter DM / CM Ipswich Town 8 Adam Clayton DM / CM Huddersfield Town 16 Jonny Howson CM Norwich City 19 Stewart Downing AM / LM / RM West Ham United 21 Marvin Johnson LW Oxford United 23 Jack Harrison L RW Manchester City 27 Muhamed Bešić L CM Everton 30 Lewis Baker L CM Chelsea 37 Adama Traoré RW Aston Villa Strikers 9 Britt Assombalonga ST Nottingham Forest 11 Patrick Bamford CF Chelsea 39 Rudy Gestede FW Aston Villa
L = Player on Loan
Pre-season
Friendlies As of 3 July 2017, Middlesbrough have announced five pre-season friendlies, against Mansfield Town, Rochdale, Oxford United, Chesterfield and FC Augsburg.
Competitions
Championship
League table
Result summary
Results by matchday
Matches
Football League play-offs
FA Cup In the FA Cup, Middlesbrough entered the competition in the third round and were drawn at home versus Sunderland. Boro beat the Black Cats 2–0 at the Riverside.
The Monday after Boro were drawn with who ever won that night's game between Brighton and Crystal Palace. The Seagulls (Brighton) won the game 2–1, meaning that Boro will play them in the 4th round, on the Weekend of the 27th of January.
EFL Cup Middlesbrough entered the 2017–18 EFL Cup in the second round, and were drawn at home to Scunthorpe United. An away trip against Aston Villa was confirmed for the third round. A fourth round trip to AFC Bournemouth was announced.
Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 1 July 2017 CF Luke Armstrong Blyth Spartans Free 1 July 2017 CB Tom Brewitt Liverpool Free 1 July 2017 CB Enes Mahmutovic Fola Esch Undisclosed 1 July 2017 AM Lewis Wing Shildon Free 7 July 2017 RB Cyrus Christie Derby County Undisclosed 7 July 2017 CM Jonny Howson Norwich City Undisclosed 13 July 2017 CF Martin Braithwaite Toulouse undisclosed 14 July 2017 ST George Miller Bury Undisclosed 17 July 2017 CF Britt Assombalonga Nottingham Forest £15,000,000 22 July 2017 GK Darren Randolph West Ham United £5,000,000 28 July 2017 CF Ashley Fletcher West Ham United £6,500,000 29 August 2017 CB Jakub Sinior Legia Warsaw Undisclosed 29 August 2017 AM Amadou Sylla Stade Reims Free 30 August 2017 CB Ryan Shotton Birmingham City Undisclosed 31 August 2017 LM Marvin Johnson Oxford United Undisclosed 31 January 2018 RB Martin Cranie Huddersfield Town Undisclosed
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 1 July 2017 FW Jordan Rhodes Sheffield Wednesday Undisclosed 1 July 2017 RB Nathan Convery Free agent Released 1 July 2017 CF Bradley Fewster Free agent Released 1 July 2017 LW Viktor Fischer Mainz 05 Undisclosed 1 July 2017 GK Brad Guzan Atlanta United Undisclosed 1 July 2017 CM Brandon Holdsworth Free agent Released 1 July 2017 CM Lewis Maloney Free agent Released 1 July 2017 CB Niall McGoldrick Whitby Town Released 1 July 2017 LW Junior Mondal Free agent Released 1 July 2017 GK Víctor Valdés Retired Released 1 July 2017 CM Josef Wheatley Free agent Released 1 July 2017 MF Matthew Wilson Free agent Released 7 July 2017 CB Bernardo Espinosa Girona Undisclosed 11 July 2017 LB James Husband Norwich City Undisclosed 19 July 2017 LW Carlos de Pena Free agent Released 21 July 2017 RW Cristhian Stuani Girona Undisclosed 4 August 2017 AM Gastón Ramírez Sampdoria Undisclosed 7 August 2017 CB Alex Baptiste Queen's Park Rangers Released 10 August 2017 CM Marten de Roon Atalanta Undisclosed 18 January 2018 CM Adam Forshaw Leeds United £4,500,000 31 January 2018 RB Cyrus Christie Fulham Undisclosed 31 January 2018 CM Adlène Guedioura Nottingham Forest Free
Loans in Start date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref. 14 July 2017 RB Connor Roberts Swansea City 30 June 2018 11 August 2017 CM Lewis Baker Chelsea 30 June 2018 30 January 2018 RW Jack Harrison Manchester City 30 June 2018 31 January 2018 DM Muhamed Bešić Everton 30 June 2018
Loans out Start date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref. 1 July 2017 GK Joe Fryer Stevenage 30 June 2018 1 July 2017 DM Julien De Sart Zulte Waregem 30 June 2018 3 July 2017 DM Robbie Tinkler Gateshead January 2018 6 July 2017 RB Antonio Barragán Real Betis 30 June 2018 7 July 2017 CB Matthew Elsdon Inverness Caledonian Thistle 30 June 2018 18 July 2017 AM Callum Cooke Blackpool 30 June 2018 4 August 2017 RW Harry Chapman Blackburn Rovers 30 June 2018 7 August 2017 GK Connor Ripley Burton Albion 31 August 2017 RB Callum Johnson Accrington Stanley January 2018 5 December 2017 CF George Miller Wrexham 5 January 2018 12 December 2017 CM Alexander Pattison York City 12 January 2018 4 January 2018 GK Connor Ripley Bury 30 June 2018 17 January 2018 LW Marcus Tavernier Milton Keynes Dons 30 June 2018 19 January 2018 CF George Miller Bury 30 June 2018 31 January 2018 CF Martin Braithwaite Girondins de Bordeaux 30 June 2018 31 January 2018 CF Ashley Fletcher Sunderland 30 June 2018
Statistics
Appearances
No.Pos.NameChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssists 1 GK Dimitrios Konstantopoulos00000030030000 2 DF Fábio18 (3)1100011019 (3)2120 3 DF George Friend27 (4)2120020031 (4)2190 4 DF Daniel Ayala3171200300367121 5 DF Ryan Shotton21 (1)1220000023 (1)1220 6 DF Ben Gibson4313200100461250 7 MF Grant Leadbitter29 (3)3110010127 (3)32111 8 MF Adam Clayton20 (10)001 (1)0010022 (11)00110 9 FW Britt Assombalonga30 (12)1500 (1)0000030 (13)15030 11 FW Patrick Bamford23 (14)11010022026 (14)13010 13 GK Tomás Mejías00000000000000 14 DF Martin Cranie1 (8)000000001 (8)0010 16 MF Jonny Howson35 (6)3220010038 (6)3270 19 MF Stewart Downing36 (2)371 (1)000 (3)0037 (6)3710 20 DF Dael Fry11 (2)010 (1)002 (1)0013 (4)0120 21 MF Marvin Johnson6 (11)120 (1)000006 (12)1200 23 DF Jack Harrison0 (3)000000000 (3)0000 25 GK Darren Randolph4400200000460030 27 MF Muhamed Bešić1311000000131130 30 MF Lewis Baker6 (6)100002108 (6)2010 37 FW Adama Traoré24 (8)51020120228 (8)51232 39 FW Rudy Gestede10 (9)321100 (1)0011 (10)2131 45 FW George Miller0000000 (1)000 (1)0000Players who left the club in August/January transfer window or on loan 10 FW Martin Braithwaite17 (2)5221000019 (2)6230 12 GK Connor Ripley00000000000000 14 MF Marten de Roon10000000010000 15 DF Alex Baptiste00000000000000 17 DF Antonio Barragán00000000000000 17 MF Adlène Guedioura10000000010000 18 FW Ashley Fletcher3 (13)111002 (1)106 (14)2100 22 DF Cyrus Christie24 (1)140 (1)0000024 (2)1470 23 MF Julien De Sart00000000000000 23 DF Connor Roberts10000020030000 34 MF Adam Forshaw5 (6)000003008 (6)0010 51 MF Lewis Wing0000001 (1)001 (1)0000 62 MF Marcus Tavernier4 (1)100003127 (1)2200
Top scorers The list is sorted by shirt number when total goals are equal. PlayerChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal1FW9 Britt Assombalonga1400142FW11 Patrick Bamford1002123DF4 Daniel Ayala70074FW10 Martin Braithwaite51065FW37 Adama Traoré50056FW39 Rudy Gestede31047MF7 Grant Leadbitter30038DF3 George Friend2002MF16 Jonny Howson2002MF19 Stewart Downing2002DF2 Fábio1012FW18 Ashley Fletcher1012MF30 Lewis Baker1012MF62 Marcus Tavernier101215DF5 Ryan Shotton1001DF6 Ben Gibson1001MF21 Marvin Johnson1001DF22 Cyrus Christie1001MF27 Muhamed Bešić1001Own Goal1001Total632671
Notes
References