# 2010–11 Middlesbrough F.C. season

The 2010–11 season was Middlesbrough second consecutive season in the Championship. The club captain is Matthew Bates, with Tony Mowbray as manager. Mark Venus was appointed assistant manager. Former manager Gordon Strachan resigned on 18 October 2010 by mutual consent, following a string of poor results. Mowbray was appointed on 26 October 2010.

## Season review
### Championship
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 10 | Leicester City | 46 | 19 | 10 | 17 | 76 | 71 | +5 | 67 |
| 11 | Hull City | 46 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 52 | 51 | +1 | 65 |
| 12 | Middlesbrough | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 68 | 68 | 0 | 62 |
| 13 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 62 | 68 | −6 | 62 |
| 14 | Watford | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 77 | 71 | +6 | 61 |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source:

#### Result round 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 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | D | W | L | L | W | W | L | L | D | L | L | L | L | W | W | L | L | D | L | W | L | W | D | D | W | D | W | L | L | W | L | D | L | W | D | W | D | W | D | D | L | W | W | W | W |
| Position | 19 | 19 | 10 | 16 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 12 |

### Championship results

Win  Draw  Loss
Note: Results are given with Middlesbrough score listed first. Man of the Match is according to mfc.co.uk.
| Game | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result F–A | Attendance | Boro Goalscorers | Man of the Match |
| 1 | 7 August 2010 | H | Ipswich Town | 1–3 | 21,882 | McDonald 22' | Coyne |
| 2 | 14 August 2010 | A | Leicester City | 0–0 | 21,587 | | Steele |
| 3 | 22 August 2010 | H | Sheffield United | 1–0 | 14,633 | Boyd 52' | Arca |
| 4 | 28 August 2010 | A | Barnsley | 0–2 | 11,767 | | Not awarded |
| 5 | 11 September 2010 | A | QPR | 0–3 | 14,784 | | Steele |
| 6 | 14 September 2010 | H | Burnley | 2–1 | 15,033 | Kink (2) 79', 90'+4 | Kink |
| 7 | 18 September 2010 | H | Reading | 3–1 | 15,158 | Robson 1', Lita 41', Wheater 68' | Lita |
| 8 | 25 September 2010 | A | Watford | 1–3 | 12,185 | Mariappa (o.g.) 80' | McDonald |
| 9 | 28 September 2010 | A | Derby County | 1–3 | 24,739 | Boyd 20' | Wheater |
| 10 | 2 October 2010 | H | Portsmouth | 2–2 | 14,749 | Bates 29', Robson 42' (pen.) | O'Neil |
| 11 | 16 October 2010 | H | Leeds United | 1–2 | 23,550 | Boyd 53' | Wheater |
| 12 | 19 October 2010 | A | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | 22,115 | | McMahon |
| 13 | 23 October 2010 | A | Norwich City | 0–1 | 25,410 | | McManus |
| 14 | 30 October 2010 | H | Bristol City | 1–2 | 19,039 | Boyd 30' | L. Williams |
| 15 | 6 November 2010 | H | Crystal Palace | 2–1 | 15,400 | Kink 76', McCarthy (o.g.) 85' | McMahon |
| 16 | 9 November 2010 | A | Scunthorpe United | 2–0 | 5,475 | Boyd 6', McDonald 23' | Steele |
| 17 | 14 November 2010 | A | Swansea City | 0–1 | 14,906 | | Wheater |
| 18 | 20 November 2010 | H | Millwall | 0–1 | 15,697 | | Bates |
| 19 | 27 November 2010 | H | Hull City | 2–2 | 15,075 | Lita 29', McDonald 46' | Robson |
| 20 | 4 December 2010 | A | Coventry City | 0–1 | 15,768 | | Emnes |
| 21 | 11 December 2010 | H | Cardiff City | 1–0 | 14,250 | Arca 40' (pen.) | Hines |
| 22 | 17 December 2010 | A | Doncaster Rovers | 1–2 | 9,543 | McDonald 4' | Thomson |
| 23 | 28 December 2010 | A | Preston North End | 3–1 | 11,946 | Lita (2) 30', 59', Wheater 61' | Lita |
| 24 | 1 January 2011 | A | Leeds United | 1–1 | 30,452 | Wheater 20' | Wheater |
| 25 | 3 January 2011 | H | Norwich City | 1–1 | 16,853 | R. Martin (o.g.) 21' | Bailey |
| 26 | 15 January 2011 | A | Bristol City | 4–0 | 13,699 | Cissé (o.g.) 43', Lita (2) 58', 90' (pen.), Robson 77' | Lita |
| 27 | 22 January 2011 | H | Preston North End | 1–1 | 16,157 | Bates 71' | Bailey |
| 28 | 1 February 2011 | H | Scunthorpe United | 2–0 | 14,364 | Boyd 8', McMahon 69' | McMahon |
| 29 | 5 February 2011 | A | Crystal Palace | 0–1 | 14,060 | | Arca |
| 30 | 12 February 2011 | H | Swansea City | 3–4 | 14,825 | Emnes 8', Grounds 34', Lita 53' | Arca |
| 31 | 19 February 2011 | A | Millwall | 3–2 | 11,871 | McMahon 58', McDonald 62', Lita 83' | Zemmama |
| 32 | 26 February 2011 | H | QPR | 0–3 | 16,972 | | Not awarded |
| 33 | 1 March 2011 | H | Nottingham Forest | 1–1 | 15,341 | McDonald 51' | Hines |
| 34 | 5 March 2011 | A | Reading | 2–5 | 18,568 | Lita (2) 29', 72' (pen.) | Ripley |
| 35 | 8 March 2011 | H | Derby County | 2–1 | 13,712 | Hines 73', Zemmama 88' | Hines |
| 36 | 12 March 2011 | A | Portsmouth | 0–0 | 16,447 | | R. Williams |
| 37 | 19 March 2011 | H | Watford | 2–1 | 16,090 | McDonald 33', Taylor 45' | Bennett |
| 38 | 2 April 2011 | H | Leicester City | 3–3 | 16,010 | Emnes 14', R. Williams 55', McManus 90'+4 | R. Williams |
| 39 | 9 April 2011 | A | Sheffield United | 2–1 | 21,572 | Bates 18', Emnes 89' | McManus |
| 40 | 12 April 2011 | A | Ipswich Town | 3–3 | 17,286 | Halliday 42', McDonald 43', Taylor 51' | Halliday |
| 41 | 16 April 2011 | H | Barnsley | 1–1 | 16,107 | McDonald 84' | Smith |
| 42 | 19 April 2011 | A | Burnley | 1–3 | 21,882 | Taylor 81' | Bates |
| 43 | 23 April 2011 | A | Hull City | 4–2 | 21,937 | McDonald (3) 11', 13', 45', Arca 26' | McDonald |
| 44 | 25 April 2011 | H | Coventry City | 2–1 | 15,817 | Arca 25', Kink 90'+2 | Robson |
| 45 | 2 May 2011 | A | Cardiff City | 3–0 | 25,183 | Lita 3', Robson 13', Smallwood 21' | Robson |
| 46 | 7 May 2011 | H | Doncaster Rovers | 3–0 | 19,978 | Robson 43', Lita 66', Reach 90'+3 | Emnes |

## League Cup results

| Round | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result F–A | Attendance | Boro Goalscorers | Man of the Match |
| 1 | 10 August 2010 | A | Chesterfield | 2–1 | 6,509 | McDonald 8', Arca 33' | Steele |
| 2 | 24 August 2010 | A | Millwall | 1–2 | 6,704 | McDonald 89' | Steele |

## FA Cup results

| Round | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result F–A | Attendance | Boro Goalscorers | Man of the Match |
| 3 | 8 January 2011 | A | Burton Albion | | 5,236 | O'Neil 58' | Arca |

## Squad

The squad numbers for 2010–11 were announced on 2 August 2010.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Justin Hoyte |
| 3 | DF | GER | Maximilian Haas |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Matthew Bates (captain) |
| 5 | MF | MAR | Merouane Zemmama |
| 6 | DF | SCO | Stephen McManus |
| 7 | FW | AUS | Scott McDonald |
| 8 | MF | SCO | Kevin Thomson |
| 9 | FW | SCO | Kris Boyd (on loan to Nottingham Forest) |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Nicky Bailey |
| 11 | FW | EST | Tarmo Kink |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Andrew Davies (on loan from Stoke City) |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Smith (on loan from Nottingham Forest) |
| 14 | MF | IRL | Willo Flood |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Leroy Lita |
| 16 | FW | SCO | Lee Miller (on loan to Scunthorpe United) |
| 17 | MF | SCO | Barry Robson (vice-captain) |
| 19 | MF | SCO | Andy Halliday |
| 20 | MF | ARG | Julio Arca |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | GK | WAL | Danny Coyne |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Luke Williams |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Jonathan Grounds |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Seb Hines |
| 25 | DF | AUS | Rhys Williams |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Andrew Taylor |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Joe Bennett |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Jonathan Franks |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Anthony McMahon |
| 30 | GK | ENG | Jason Steele |
| 32 | MF | NED | Marvin Emnes |
| 33 | MF | ENG | Richard Smallwood |
| 34 | DF | ENG | Ben Gibson |
| 35 | MF | ANG | Bruno Pilatos |
| 37 | MF | SEN | Mickaël Tavares (on loan from Hamburg) |
| 38 | MF | ENG | Cameron Park |
| 39 | GK | ENG | Connor Ripley |
| 41 | DF | ENG | Adam Reach |

### Statistics

| 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 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Justin Hoyte | 19 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | GER | Maximilian Haas | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Matthew Bates | 32 | 3 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | David Wheater* | 26 | 3 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | MAR | Merouane Zemmama | 9 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | SCO | Stephen McManus | 24 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | AUS | Scott McDonald | 39 | 14 | 37 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 8 | MF | SCO | Kevin Thomson | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | SCO | Kris Boyd | 29 | 6 | 27 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Nicky Bailey | 37 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | EST | Tarmo Kink | 21 | 4 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Andrew Davies | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Paul Smith | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | IRL | Willo Flood | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | ENG | Leroy Lita | 40 | 11 | 37 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | SCO | Lee Miller | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | SCO | Barry Robson | 32 | 4 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Gary O'Neil* | 19 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | SCO | Andrew Halliday | 13 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | ARG | Julio Arca | 34 | 4 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 21 | GK | WAL | Danny Coyne | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | ENG | Luke Williams | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Jonathan Grounds | 7 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Seb Hines | 17 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | AUS | Rhys Williams | 11 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Andrew Taylor | 20 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | ENG | Joe Bennett | 33 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Jonathan Franks | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Anthony McMahon | 34 | 2 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | ENG | Jason Steele | 36 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | NED | Marvin Emnes | 22 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | ENG | Richard Smallwood | 12 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | ENG | Ben Gibson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | ANG | Bruno Pilatos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | ENG | Matthew Kilgallon* | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | SEN | Mickaël Tavares | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | MF | SCO | Cameron Park | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | GK | ENG | Connor Ripley | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | MF | ENG | Connor Ripley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(*: player has since left club)

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Player | Club | Fee |
| 1 July 2010 | Andrew Halliday | Livingston | Undisclosed |
| 5 July 2010 | Kris Boyd | Rangers | Free |
| 7 July 2010 | Nicky Bailey | Charlton | £1.4 million |
| 13 July 2010 | Stephen McManus | Celtic | £1.5 million |
| 16 July 2010 | Kevin Thomson | Rangers | £2 million |
| 28 July 2010 | Tarmo Kink | Győri ETO | Undisclosed |
| 31 January 2011 | Maximilian Haas | Bayern Munich | Undisclosed |
| 31 January 2011 | Merouane Zemmama | Hibernian | Undisclosed |

### Out

| Date | Player | Club | Fee |
| 1 July 2010 | Emanuel Pogatetz | Hannover 96 | Free |
| 23 July 2010 | John Johnson | Northampton Town | Undisclosed |
| 17 August 2010 | Brad Jones | Liverpool | £2.3 million |
| 20 August 2010 | Josh Walker | Watford | Free |
| 23 August 2010 | Mido | Ajax | Free |
| 20 January 2011 | David Wheater | Bolton Wanderers | Undisclosed |
| 25 January 2011 | Gary O'Neil | West Ham | Undisclosed |

### Loan in

| Date | Player | Club | Until |
| 20 August 2010 | Matthew Kilgallon | Sunderland | End of Season (returned to Sunderland) |
| 27 August 2010 | Mickaël Tavares | Hamburg | January 2011 |
| 18 February 2011 | Andrew Davies | Stoke City | End of Season |
| 8 March 2011 | Paul Smith | Nottingham Forest | End of Season |

### Loan out

| Date | Player | Club | Until |
| 19 August 2010 | Didier Digard | OGC Nice | End of Season |
| 31 August 2010 | Jonathan Grounds | Hibernian | January 2011 |
| 31 August 2010 | Andrew Taylor | Watford | January 2011 |
| 18 October 2010 | Marvin Emnes | Swansea City | November 2010 |
| 19 November 2010 | Lee Miller | Notts County | January 2011 |
| 28 January 2011 | Lee Miller | Scunthorpe United | End of Season |
| 8 March 2011 | Kris Boyd | Nottingham Forest | End of Season |