1987–88 Middlesbrough F.C. season

Middlesbrough
1987-88 season
Manager	Bruce Rioch
Football League Second Division	3rd (promoted)
FA Cup	4th round
League Cup	2nd round
Simod Cup	1st round
Top goalscorer	League: Bernie Slaven; All: Bernie Slaven
Highest home attendance	Home: 27,645 (vs Leicester City); Away: 34,186 (vs Leeds United)
Lowest home attendance	Home: 9,344 (vs Swindon Town); Away: 5,603 (vs Shrewsbury Town)
	← 1986–87 1988–89 →

During the 1987–88 season, Middlesbrough participated in the Football League Second Division following their promotion the previous season. They were promoted to the First Division at the end of the season having finished third in the league and winning the play-offs.

Team kit and sponsors

During the 1987–88 season, Middlesbrough moved to a striped white top half on their home kit with the kits made by Skill and sponsored by Dickens.^[1]

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Relegation
1	Millwall (C, P)	44	25	7	12	72	52	+20	82	Promotion to the First Division
2	Aston Villa (P)	44	22	12	10	68	41	+27	78	Promotion to the First Division
3	Middlesbrough (O, P)	44	22	12	10	63	36	+27	78	Qualification for the Second Division play-offs
4	Bradford City	44	22	11	11	74	54	+20	77
5	Blackburn Rovers	44	21	14	9	68	52	+16	77

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

League Results

Football League First Division

15 August 1987 1	Middlesbrough	1–1	Millwall	Middlesbrough
	Stephens			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 11,471

22 August 1987 2	Stoke City	2–0	Middlesbrough	Stoke-on-Trent
				Stadium: Victoria Ground Attendance: 9,345

29 August 1987 3	Middlesbrough	1–0	Oldham Athletic	Middlesbrough
	Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 10,551

17 September 1988 4	Crystal Palace	3–1	Middlesbrough	London
			Slaven	Stadium: Selhurst Park Attendance: 6,671

5 September 1987 5	Middlesbrough	2–3	Swindon Town	Middlesbrough
	Stephens Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 9,344

8 September 1987 6	Aston Villa	0–1	Middlesbrough	Birmingham
			Kerr	Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 12,665

15 September 1987 7	Middlesbrough	3–0	Bournemouth	Middlesbrough
	Hamilton , Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 9,660

19 September 1987 8	Middlesbrough	2–0	Leeds United	Middlesbrough
	Kerr Pallister			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 12,051

26 September 1987 9	Blackburn Rovers	0–2	Middlesbrough	Blackburn
			Kerr Kernaghan	Stadium: Ewood Park Attendance: 6,879

29 September 1987 10	Middlesbrough	0–0	Reading	Middlesbrough
				Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,788

3 October 1987 11	Bradford City	2–0	Middlesbrough	Bradford
				Stadium: Valley Parade Attendance: 14,114

10 October 1987 12	Huddersfield Town	1–4	Middlesbrough	Huddersfield
			Slaven , , Laws	Stadium: Leeds Road Attendance: 6,169

17 October 1987 13	Middlesbrough	2–1	West Brom	Middlesbrough
	Cooper Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 10,684

20 October 1987 14	Middlesbrough	3–1	Ipswich Town	Middlesbrough
	Kernaghan Pallister Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 10,491

24 October 1987 15	Birmingham City	0–0	Middlesbrough	Birmingham
				Stadium: St Andrew's Attendance: 7,404

31 October 1987 16	Middlesbrough	4–0	Shrewsbury Town	Middlesbrough
	Kernaghan Slaven , ,			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 10,183

4 November 1987 17	Manchester City	1–1	Middlesbrough	Manchester
			Glover	Stadium: Maine Road Attendance: 18,434

26 December 1988 18	Sheffield United	0–2	Middlesbrough	Sheffield
			Ripley Slaven	Stadium: Bramall Lane Attendance: 11,278

14 November 1987 19	Middlesbrough	1–0	Hull City	Middlesbrough
	Ripley			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 15,709

2 January 1989 20	Plymouth Argyle	0–1	Middlesbrough	Plymouth
			Hamilton	Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 9,428

28 November 1987 21	Middlesbrough	2–0	Barnsley	Middlesbrough
	Kernaghan Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 12,732

5 December 1987 22	Leicester City	0–0	Middlesbrough	Leicester
				Stadium: Filbert Street Attendance: 9,411

12 December 1987 23	Middlesbrough	2–0	Stoke City	Middlesbrough
	Hamilton Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 12,289

19 December 1987 24	Bournemouth	0–0	Middlesbrough	Bournemouth
				Stadium: Dean Court Attendance: 6,792

26 December 1987 25	Middlesbrough	1–1	Blackburn Rovers	Middlesbrough
	Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 23,536

28 December 1987 26	Leeds United	2–0	Middlesbrough	Leeds
				Stadium: Elland Road Attendance: 34,186

1 January 1988 27	Oldham Athletic	3–1	Middlesbrough	Oldham
			Kerr	Stadium: Boundary Park Attendance: 8,181

16 January 1988 28	Millwall	2–1	Middlesbrough	London
			Slaven	Stadium: The Den Attendance: 8,617

23 January 1988 29	Middlesbrough	2–1	Crystal Palace	Middlesbrough
	Mowbray Glover (p)			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 12,597

6 February 1988 30	Swindon Town	1–1	Middlesbrough	Swindon
			Mowbray	Stadium: County Ground Attendance: 9,941

14 February 1988 31	Middlesbrough	2–1	Aston Villa	Middlesbrough
	Mowbray Kernaghan		Daley	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 16,957

20 February 1988 32	Reading	0–0	Middlesbrough	Reading
				Stadium: Elm Park Attendance: 6,706

27 February 1988	Middlesbrough	1–2	Bradford City	Middlesbrough
	Cooper			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 21,079

5 March 1988 34	West Bromwich Albion	0–0	Middlesbrough	West Bromwich
				Stadium: The Hawthorns Attendance: 8,316

12 March 1988 35	Middlesbrough	2–0	Huddersfield Town	Middlesbrough
	Kerr Glover (p)			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 13,866

19 March 1988 36	Shrewsbury Town	0–1	Middlesbrough	Shrewsbury
			Glover (p)	Stadium: Gay Meadow Attendance: 5,603

26 March 1988 37	Middlesbrough	1–1	Birmingham City	Middlesbrough
	Pallister			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 15,465

2 April 1988 38	Middlesbrough	6–0	Sheffield United	Middlesbrough
	Ripley , , Senior , Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,340

4 April 1988 39	Hull City	0–0	Middlesbrough	Hull
				Stadium: Boothferry Park Attendance: 10,758

9 April 1988 40	Middlesbrough	2–1	Manchester City	Middlesbrough
	Hamilton Ripley			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,443

23 April 1988 41	Ipswich Town	4–0	Middlesbrough	Ipswich
				Stadium: Portman Road Attendance: 12,773

30 April 1988 42	Middlesbrough	3–1	Plymouth Argyle	Middlesbrough
	Kernaghan Hamilton Ripley			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 16,615

2 May 1988 43	Barnsley	0–3	Middlesbrough	Barnsley
			Ripley Slaven ,	Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 13,240

7 May 1988 44	Middlesbrough	1–2	Leicester City	Middlesbrough
	Slaven ,		McAllister Weir	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 27,645

Play-offs

15 May 1988 Semi final 1st leg	Bradford City	2–1	Middlesbrough	Bradford
	Goddard 67' McCall		Senior 68'	Stadium: Valley Parade Attendance: 16,017 Referee: David Scott

18 May 1988 Semi final 2nd leg	Middlesbrough	2–0(a.e.t.)	Bradford City	Middlesbrough
	Slaven 35' Hamilton 91'			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 25,868 Referee: Joe Worrall

25 May 1988 Final 1st leg	Middlesbrough	2–0	Chelsea	Middlesbrough
	Senior 30' Slaven 81'			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 25,531 Referee: Keith Hackett

15 May 1988 Final 2nd leg	Chelsea	1–0	Middlesbrough	London
	Durie 18'			Stadium: Stamford Bridge Attendance: 40,550 Referee: Brian Hill

Cup Results

League Cup

18 August 1987 1st Round 1st leg	Sunderland	1–0	Middlesbrough	Sunderland
				Stadium: Roker Park Attendance: 15,770

25 August 1987 1st Round 2nd leg	Middlesbrough	2–0	Sunderland	Middlesbrough
	Mowbray Slaven			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 15,570

23 September 1987 2nd Round 1st leg	Middlesbrough	0–1	Aston Villa	Middlesbrough
			Aspinall	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 11,424

7 October 1987 2nd Round 2nd leg	Aston Villa	1–0	Middlesbrough	Birmingham
	Birch			Stadium: Villa Park Attendance: 11,702

FA Cup

9 January 1988 3rd Round	Sutton United	1–1	Middlesbrough	Sutton
			Pallister	Stadium: Gander Green Lane Attendance: 5,600

12 January 1988 3rd Round Replay	Middlesbrough	1–0	Sutton United	Middlesbrough
	Kerr			Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,932

30 January 1988 4th Round	Everton	1–1	Middlesbrough	Liverpool
	Sharp		Kerr	Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 36,564

3 February 1988 4th Round Replay	Middlesbrough	2–2	Everton	Middlesbrough
	Mowbray Kernaghan		Steven Watson	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 25,235

30 January 1988 4th Round 2nd Replay	Everton	2–1	Middlesbrough	Liverpool
	Sharp Mowbray (og)		Ripley	Stadium: Goodison Park Attendance: 32,222

Simod Cup

10 November 1987 1st Round	Ipswich Town	1–0	Middlesbrough	Ipswich
				Attendance: 6,108

Squad

Appearances and goals

Appearance and goalscoring records for all the players who were in the Middlesbrough F.C. first team squad during the 1987–88 season.^[2]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Division 2		FA Cup		League Cup
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	ENG	Stephen Pears	55	0	47	0	4	0	4	0
	GK	ENG	Kevin Poole	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Colin Cooper	55	2	46	2	5	0	4	0
	DF	ENG	Dean Glover	50	4	42	4	4	0	4	0
	DF	IRL	Alan Kernaghan	42	7	36	6	3	1	3	0
	DF	ENG	Tony Mowbray	57	5	48	3	5	1	4	1
	DF	ENG	Gary Pallister	57	3	48	3	5	0	4	0
	DF	ENG	Brian Laws	37	1	31	1	5	0	1	0
	DF	ENG	Gary Parkinson	51	0	42	0	5	0	4	0
	MF	ENG	Gary Gill	6	0	3	0	2	0	1	0
	MF	ENG	Gary Hamilton	54	7	45	7	5	0	4	0
	MF	ENG	Paul Kerr	57	7	48	5	5	2	4	0
	MF	ENG	Stuart Ripley	55	9	47	8	4	1	4	0
	MF	ENG	Mark Burke	18	0	16	0	2	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Paul Proudlock	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
	FW	IRL	Bernie Slaven	57	24	48	23	5	0	4	1
	MF	ENG	Trevor Senior	10	4	10	4	0	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Archie Stephens	14	2	11	2	0	0	3	0

Coaching staff

Manager: Bruce Rioch
Assistant manager: Colin Todd

Transfers

In

Date	Player	Previous club	Cost
August 1987	Kevin Poole	Aston Villa	Free
June 1987	Dean Glover	Aston Villa	£60,000
December 1987	Mark Burke	Aston Villa	£50,000
January 1988	Tony Cousins	Chelsea	Free
March 1988	Trevor Senior	Watford	£223,000

Out

Date	Player	Buying club	Cost
August 1987	Lee Turnbull	Aston Villa	£59,000
July 1987	Ronnie Coyle	Rochdale	Free
December 1987	Archie Stephens	Carlisle	Free

References and notes

^ "Middlesbrough". historicalkits.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
^ "All Middlesbrough football club players: 1988". Statto. Retrieved 4 April 2023.

Category:Middlesbrough F.C. seasons Middlesbrough

[1] "Middlesbrough". historicalkits.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2023.

[Stats-2] "All Middlesbrough football club players: 1988". Statto. Retrieved 4 April 2023.

[1]

[2]

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