# 2015–16 Middlesbrough F.C. season

The 2015–16 season was Middlesbrough's seventh consecutive season in the Football League Championship in their 140th year in existence. Along with the Championship, the club also competed in the FA Cup and Football League Cup. The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

    Last updated 12 July 2016
    "+" constitutes substitute appearances
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Championship | Championship | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | GRE | Dimitrios Konstantopoulos | 48 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | George Friend | 45 | 1 | 39+1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Daniel Ayala | 39 | 3 | 34+1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | BEL | Ritchie De Laet (on loan from Leicester City) | 10 | 0 | 9+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Gibson | 43 | 1 | 39+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Grant Leadbitter | 46 | 4 | 39+2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Adam Clayton | 48 | 1 | 41+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | SCO | Jordan Rhodes | 18 | 6 | 13+5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | URU | Carlos De Pena | 10 | 0 | 3+3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | ESP | Tomás Mejías | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | BEL | Julien De Sart | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | ENG | James Husband | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | URU | Cristhian Stuani | 40 | 11 | 20+16 | 7 | 0+1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Stewart Downing | 49 | 3 | 40+5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Adam Reach | 6 | 1 | 3+1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | URU | Gastón Ramírez | 18 | 7 | 15+3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Dael Fry | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | ESP | Kike Sola (on loan from Athletic Bilbao) | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | EQG | Emilio Nsue | 46 | 3 | 37+3 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | CZE | Tomáš Kalas (on loan from Chelsea) | 30 | 0 | 19+7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | GHA | Albert Adomah | 47 | 8 | 36+7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 2 |
| 34 | MF | ENG | Adam Forshaw | 34 | 2 | 9+20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | ENG | David Nugent | 40 | 8 | 24+14 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 39 | DF | ENG | Jonathan Woodgate | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Players who appeared for Middlesbrough but left during the season: ||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | ESP | Kike | 24 | 4 | 10+9 | 4 | 0+1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | ENG | Jack Stephens | 5 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | VEN | Fernando Amorebieta (on loan from Fulham) | 16 | 0 | 11+2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | NED | Yanic Wildschut | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | MF | ITA | Diego Fabbrini | 26 | 6 | 14+8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 36 | MF | ARG | Bruno Zuculini (on loan from Manchester City) | 6 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |

### Top scorers

    Last updated 12 July 2016
| Rank | Pos. | No. | Name | Championship | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | 18 | Cristhian Stuani | 7 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| 2= | MF | 27 | Albert Adomah | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 2= | FW | 35 | David Nugent | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | MF | 21 | Gastón Ramírez | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 5= | MF | 31 | Diego Fabbrini | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 5= | FW | 9 | Jordan Rhodes | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 7= | FW | 9 | Kike | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 7= | MF | 7 | Grant Leadbitter | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 9= | DF | 4 | Daniel Ayala | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 9= | MF | 17 | Stewart Downing | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 9= | DF | 24 | Emilio Nsue | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 12 | MF | 34 | Adam Forshaw | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 13= | MF | 8 | Adam Clayton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13= | DF | 3 | George Friend | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13= | DF | 6 | Ben Gibson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13= | MF | 20 | Adam Reach | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 13= | MF | 30 | Yanic Wildschut | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Nation | Position | Name | Total | Total | Championship | Championship | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Adam Clayton | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Grant Leadbitter | 12 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Daniel Ayala | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | VEN | Fernando Amorebieta | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | GHA | Albert Adomah | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Cristhian Stuani | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Ben Gibson | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | George Friend | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | ITA | Diego Fabbrini | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | FW | ENG | David Nugent | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | URU | Carlos De Pena | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | EQG | Emilio Nsue | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | ENG | Stewart Downing | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | CZE | Tomáš Kalas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | ESP | Kike | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | ESP | Kike Sola | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | ENG | Adam Forshaw | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | URU | Gastón Ramírez | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | SCO | Jordan Rhodes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| 6 July 2015 | DF | Alex Baptiste | Bolton Wanderers | Free |
| 16 July 2015 | MF | Stewart Downing | West Ham United | £5,500,000 |
| 7 August 2015 | FW | Cristhian Stuani | Espanyol | £3,600,000 |
| 14 August 2015 | FW | David Nugent | Leicester City | £4,000,000 |
| 1 September 2015 | MF | Carlos de Pena | Nacional | Undisclosed |
| 1 February 2016 | FW | Jordan Rhodes | Blackburn Rovers | £9,000,000 |
| 1 February 2016 | MF | Julien De Sart | Standard Liège | Undisclosed |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July 2015 | DF | David Atkinson | Carlisle United | Free |
| 1 July 2015 | MF | Ryan Brobbel | Whitby Town | Free |
| 1 July 2015 | DF | Seb Hines | Orlando City | Free |
| 1 July 2015 | MF | Emmanuel Ledesma | Rotherham United | Free |
| 1 July 2015 | MF | James Warnett | Free agent | Released |
| 1 July 2015 | DF | Kieron Weledji | Whitby Town | Free |
| 1 July 2015 | MF | Dean Whitehead | Huddersfield Town | Free |
| 2 July 2015 | FW | Luke Williams | Scunthorpe United | Undisclosed |
| 4 August 2015 | MF | Lee Tomlin | AFC Bournemouth | £3,000,000 |
| 9 January 2016 | MF | Yanic Wildschut | Wigan Athletic | Undisclosed |
| 3 February 2016 | FW | Kike | Eibar | Undisclosed |

### Loans in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Until |
| 17 July 2015 | DF | Tomáš Kalas | Chelsea | End of season |
| 27 July 2015 | MF | Diego Fabbrini | Watford | End of season |
| 31 July 2015 | DF | Jack Stephens | Southampton | End of season |
| 28 August 2015 | DF | Fernando Amorebieta | Fulham | End of season |
| 29 August 2015 | GK | Michael Agazzi | Milan | End of season |
| 26 October 2015 | MF | Bruno Zuculini | Manchester City | 26 November 2015 |
| 15 January 2016 | FW | Enrique Sola | Athletic Bilbao | End of season |
| 26 January 2016 | MF | Gastón Ramírez | Southampton | End of season |
| 1 February 2016 | DF | Ritchie De Laet | Leicester City | End of season |

### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Until |
| 31 July 2015 | GK | Connor Ripley | Motherwell | 4 January 2016 |
| 3 August 2015 | DF | Jonny Burn | Oldham Athletic | 4 January 2016 |
| 6 August 2015 | MF | Bryn Morris | Coventry City | 27 October 2015 |
| 27 August 2015 | MF | Mustapha Carayol | Huddersfield Town | End of season |
| 28 August 2015 | DF | James Husband | Fulham | 26 September 2015 |
| 10 September 2015 | DF | Brad Halliday | Hartlepool United | 8 October 2015 |
| 14 September 2015 | DF | Adam Jackson | Coventry City | 12 October 2015 |
| 26 September 2015 | MF | Adam Reach | Preston North End | 28 December 2015 |
| 1 October 2015 | MF | Yanic Wildschut | Wigan Athletic | 1 January 2016 |
| 20 October 2015 | DF | Brad Halliday | Accrington Stanley | End of season |
| 27 October 2015 | MF | Bryn Morris | York City | 27 November 2015 |
| 4 November 2015 | DF | Adam Jackson | Hartlepool United | One-month |
| 26 November 2015 | FW | Bradley Fewster | York City | End of season |
| 26 November 2015 | MF | Jordan Jones | Cambridge United | 2 January 2016 |
| 26 November 2015 | DF | Mark Kitching | York City | One-month |
| 4 January 2016 | DF | Rhys Williams | Charlton Athletic | 1 February 2016 |
| 8 January 2016 | MF | Mustapha Carayol | Leeds United | End of season |
| 8 January 2016 | DF | James Husband | Huddersfield Town | One-month |
| 28 January 2016 | MF | Bryn Morris | Walsall | Two-month |
| 26 February 2016 | MF | Harry Chapman | Barnsley | End of season |
| 1 March 2016 | DF | Alex Baptiste | Sheffield United | 2 June 2016 |

## Competitions
### Pre-season friendlies

On 8 June 2015, Middlesbrough announced two friendlies against York City and Doncaster Rovers. A trip to Barnsley on 29 July was later announced. On 8 July, Boro announced Spanish side Getafe will visit a week prior to the opening game of the season.

### Championship
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Burnley (C, P) | 46 | 26 | 15 | 5 | 72 | 35 | +37 | 93 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Middlesbrough (P) | 46 | 26 | 11 | 9 | 63 | 31 | +32 | 89 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 46 | 24 | 17 | 5 | 72 | 42 | +30 | 89 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 4 | Hull City (O, P) | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 69 | 35 | +34 | 83 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Derby County | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 66 | 43 | +23 | 78 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
* ↑ Following Ledesma's release he joined Rotherham United.
* ↑ Following Whitehead's release he joined Huddersfield Town.
* ↑ Four teams play for one spot and promotion to the Premier League.

#### League results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 7 May 2016. Source: Football League

#### Matches

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | A | H |
| Result | D | W | D | L | W | W | W | W | W | L | D | L | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | D | W | W | W | W | W | L | L | D | D | D | W | W | L | W | L | L | W | W | W | W | W | W | D | D | D | D |
| Position | 16 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
On 17 June 2015, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.

### League Cup

On 16 June 2015, the first round draw was made, Middlesbrough were drawn away against Oldham Athletic. In the second round, Middlesbrough were drawn away to Burton Albion. The third round draw was made on 25 August 2015 live on Sky Sports by Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson. Middlesbrough were drawn at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.