# 1959–60 Middlesbrough F.C. season

The 1959–60 season was Middlesbrough's 77th year in existence and 6th consecutive season in the Division Two. Also the club competed in the FA Cup.

## Summary

In his fifth season as manager Bob Dennison took off Boro to the 5th place just 10 points below promotion to Division One. Forward Brian Clough scored 40 goals with another brilliant partnership among Alan Peacock and aimed by assists from Scottish Forward Fernie. Clough was the Division Two topscorer again for the second consecutive season. The midfield was hit by injuries with Harris and Hilliday delivered a decent performance, meanwhile Day and Burbeck were out for several rounds. McNeil clinched the left back position as starter. In spite of a premier class offensive line, Boro again collapsed due to a weak defensive hit by injuries of Stonehouse and Phillips not being regular starters among Bilcliff and McNeil allowing a lot of goals against both Goalkeepers Taylor and Million. Also, the squad reached the FA Cup third round being eliminated by Sheffield Wednesday.

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Peter Taylor |
| — | GK | ENG | Esmond Million |
| — | GK | ENG | Bob Appleby |
| — | DF | ENG | Ray Bilcliff |
| — | DF | ENG | Brian Phillips |
| — | DF | ENG | Derek Stonehouse |
| — | DF | ENG | Ray Barnard |
| — | DF | ENG | Mick McNeil |
| — | DF | SCO | Ken Thomson |
| — | DF | ENG | Derrick Wilkie |
| — | DF | ENG | Norman Liggitt |
| — | DF | ENG | Len Walker |
| — | MF | ENG | Carl Taylor |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | WAL | Bill Harris |
| — | MF | SCO | Ray Yeoman |
| — | MF | SCO | Don Walker |
| — | MF | ENG | Dennis Windross |
| — | FW | ENG | Ron Burbeck |
| — | FW | ENG | Eddie Holliday |
| — | FW | SCO | Willie Fernie |
| — | FW | ENG | Brian Clough (c) |
| — | FW | ENG | Alan Peacock |
| — | FW | ENG | Alan Rodgerson |
| — | FW | ENG | Derek McLean |
| — | FW | ENG | Ronnie Waldock |
| — | MF | ENG | Billy Day |

### Transfers

In :
| Pos. | Name | from |
| GK | Bob Appleby | |
| DF | Ken Thomson | Stoke City |
| MF | Don Walker | Leicester City |
| FW | Ronnie Waldock | Plymouth Argyle |
| DF | Derrick Wilkie | |
| MF | Dennis Windross | |
| DF | Norman Liggitt | |
| DF | Len Walker | |
Out :
| Pos. | Name | To |
| DF | Dicky Robinson | Barrow A.F.C. |
| MF | Ronnie Dicks | |
| DF | Ernie Walley | Tottenham Hotspur |
| DF | Brian Jordan | York City |
| FW | Joe Scott | Hartlepools United |
| DF | Joe Birbeck | Grimsby Town F.C. |
| FW | George Crook | |
| MF | Billy Wilkinson | |

## Results
### Second Division
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 3 | Liverpool | 42 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 90 | 66 | 1.364 | 50 |
| 4 | Sheffield United | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 68 | 51 | 1.333 | 50 |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 19 | 10 | 13 | 90 | 64 | 1.406 | 48 |
| 6 | Huddersfield Town | 42 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 73 | 52 | 1.404 | 47 |
| 7 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 90 | 87 | 1.034 | 47 |

#### Results by round

| 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 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H |
| Result | D | L | W | D | W | W | W | D | W | L | W | D | L | W | L | W | L | W | L | W | W | L | W | W | W | D | D | L | W | D | D | L | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | D | L | D |
| Position | 14 | 20 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 |

#### Matches

* .- Source: https://www.11v11.com/teams/middlesbrough/tab/matches/season/1960/

### FA Cup
## Statistics
### Squad statistics

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Football League Division Two | Football League Division Two | FA Cup | FA Cup | Other | Other |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | ENG | Peter Taylor | 35 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Ray Bilcliff | 22 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Brian Phillips | 19 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Mick McNeil | 43 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | WAL | Bill Harris | 36 | 11 | 35 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Ray Yeoman | 43 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Billy Day | 19 | 5 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Willie Fernie | 40 | 1 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Brian Clough | 42 | 40 | 41 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Alan Peacock | 36 | 13 | 35 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Eddie Holliday | 42 | 9 | 41 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Bob Appleby | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Ken Thomson | 19 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Derek McLean | 17 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Derek Stonehouse | 15 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Ron Burbeck | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Don Walker | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Ronnie Waldock | 8 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Ray Barnard | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Esmond Million | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Derrick Wilkie | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Alan Rodgerson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Carl Taylor | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Dennis Windross | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Norman Liggitt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Len Walker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Source: https://www.11v11.com/teams/middlesbrough/tab/players/season/1960/