# 1960–61 Middlesbrough F.C. season

The 1960–61 season was Middlesbrough's 78th year in existence and 7th consecutive season in the Division Two. Also the club competed in the FA Cup and the inaugural League Cup.

## Summary

During summer Goalkeeper Peter Taylor left the club after five seasons, Port Vale manager Norman Low paid Middlesbrough £750 for Taylor's services. In his sixth season as manager Bob Dennison took off Boro to the 5th place just ten points below promotion to Division One. Forward Brian Clough scored 34 goals with another brilliant partnership among Alan Peacock and aimed by assists from Derek McLean. Scottish Forward Willie Fernie lost its position as starter. Full back Mick McNeil delivered another decent performance. In spite of a premier class offensive line, Boro again collapsed due to a weak defensive allowing a lot of goals against both Bob Appleby and Esmond Million. Also, the squad reached the FA Cup third round being eliminated by Manchester United. After six years and several transfer requests Forward Brian Clough left the club transferred out to Boro rivals Sunderland F.C.

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Bob Appleby |
| — | GK | ENG | Esmond Million |
| — | DF | ENG | Mick McNeil |
| — | DF | ENG | Ken Thomson |
| — | DF | ENG | Derek Stonehouse |
| — | DF | ENG | Ray Bilcliff |
| — | DF | ENG | Derrick Wilkie |
| — | DF | ENG | Gordon Jones |
| — | DF | ENG | Billy Horner |
| — | MF | ENG | Ray Henderson |
| — | MF | SCO | Don Walker |
| — | MF | ENG | Dennis Windross |
| — | MF | SCO | Ray Yeoman |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | WAL | Bill Harris |
| — | FW | ENG | Ron Burbeck |
| — | FW | ENG | Eddie Holliday |
| — | FW | ENG | Ronnie Waldock |
| — | FW | ENG | Derek McLean |
| — | FW | ENG | Brian Clough (c) |
| — | FW | ENG | Alan Peacock |
| — | FW | SCO | Willie Fernie |
| — | FW | ENG | Alan Rodgerson |
| — | FW | SCO | Willie Hamilton |
| — | FW | ENG | Joe Livingstone |
| — | FW | ENG | Billy Day |
| — | FW | ENG | Arthur Kaye |

### Transfers

In :
| Pos. | Name | from |
| MF | Arthur Kaye | Blackpool F.C. |
| DF | Gordon Jones | |
| FW | Willie Hamilton | Sheffield United |
| DF | Billy Horner | |
| FW | Joe Livingstone | |
Out :
| Pos. | Name | To |
| GK | Peter Taylor | Port Vale F.C. |
| DF | Brian Phillips | Mansfield Town |
| DF | Ray Barnard | Lincoln City F.C. |
| MF | Carl Taylor | Aldershot F.C. |
| DF | Norman Liggitt | |
| DF | Len Walker | Spennymoor United A.F.C. |

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

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 3 | Liverpool | 42 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 87 | 58 | 1.500 | 52 | |
| 4 | Norwich City | 42 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 70 | 53 | 1.321 | 49 | |
| 5 | Middlesbrough | 42 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 83 | 74 | 1.122 | 48 | |
| 6 | Sunderland | 42 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 75 | 60 | 1.250 | 47 | |
| 7 | Swansea Town | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 77 | 73 | 1.055 | 47 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup preliminary round |

#### 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 | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | L | D | L | W | W | D | D | L | W | D | D | W | D | W | D | W | L | D | W | D | W | W | D | L | W | W | L | W | W | L | D | D | L | W | L | L | W | W | L | W | L |
| Position | 8 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |

#### Matches

* .- Source: Middlesbrough match record: 1961

### League Cup
## Statistics
### Squad statistics

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Football League Division Two | Football League Division Two | FA Cup | FA Cup | Football League Cup | Football League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | ENG | Bob Appleby | 25 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Mick McNeil | 41 | 1 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Ken Thomson | 40 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Derek Stonehouse | 22 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Ray Yeoman | 44 | 2 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | MF | WAL | Bill Harris | 32 | 7 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Ron Burbeck | 22 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Derek McLean | 20 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Brian Clough | 42 | 36 | 40 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| | FW | ENG | Alan Peacock | 37 | 16 | 35 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | FW | ENG | Arthur Kaye | 21 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Esmond Million | 19 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Ronnie Waldock | 22 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Gordon Jones | 18 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Eddie Holliday | 18 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Don Walker | 13 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Billy Day | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Willie Hamilton | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Ray Bilcliff | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Ray Henderson | 7 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Billy Horner | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Dennis Windross | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Willie Fernie | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Derrick Wilkie | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Joe Livingstone | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Alan Rodgerson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Source: https://www.11v11.com/teams/middlesbrough/tab/players/season/1961/