# 1987–88 Middlesbrough F.C. season

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.

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | 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 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |
| 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 44 | 21 | 14 | 9 | 68 | 52 | +16 | 77 | Qualification for the Second Division play-offs |

## 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.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division 2 | Division 2 | FA Cup | FA Cup | League 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