Riverside Stadium | Middlesbrough FC | Football Ground Guide Football Ground Guide Address: Middlesbrough, Cleveland, TS3 6RS Telephone: 0844 499 6789 Ticket Office: 0844 499 1234 Stadium Tours: 0844 499 6789 Pitch Size: 115 x 75 yards Club Nickname: Boro Home Kit: Red and White Away Kit: Navy and Sky Blue External View WHAT'S IS THE RIVERSIDE STADIUM LIKE? The Club moved to the Riverside Stadium in 1995 after leaving its former home of Ayresome Park where it had played since 1903. The stadium is totally enclosed, after the previous open corners to either side of the West Stand were 'filled in' with seating in 1998. All the stands are two-tiered, although the West Stand is slightly larger than the other three sides, which makes the overall appearance of the stadium look somewhat imbalanced. This stand also has a row of executive boxes running across its middle and has the players tunnel and team dugouts in front.

The roof around the stadium is raised up above the seating areas to allow more light to get to the pitch, through perspex panels located between the roof and the back of the seating areas. There is also a large video screen situated in the South East corner. Although the stadium looks a little bland on the inside, externally it looks great. This is especially so at night, when the stadium is illuminated and is visible from some miles around. Outside the main entrance you will find a pair of statues dedicated to two former Boro greats; George Hardwick & Wilf Mannion. In between the statues are the old entrance gates to Ayresome Park, which is a nice link with the Club's history. WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR AWAY FANS? Away supporters have now been moved to one side of the East Stand (towards the South East corner) at one side of the stadium Just under 3,000 fans can be accommodated in this area. The turnstiles are electronic which means that you have to insert your ticket in a reader, to gain entry. Once inside then the leg room is okay and the view from the away section is excellent.

There is a SportingBet bookies outlet available and there are a number of flat screen televisions, showing Sky Sports (and the match itself once it has kicked off). The catering had a fair choice of grub on offer, including the intriguingly named 'Parmo in a bun'. Apparently this is inspired by the local Middlesbrough dish that consists mostly of chicken in breadcrumbs, creamy sauce and cheese, it costs £4.20. For the less adventurous then there is the regular fayre of; Cheeseburgers (£3.70), Burgers (£3.40), Hot Dogs (£3.40), Pizza (£3), Chicken Balti Pies (£2.90), Cheese & Onion Pasties (£2.90) and Minced Beef Pies (£2.90). In an effort to boost atmosphere inside the ground the Club have encouraged a singing section in the South Stand which is called the 'Red Faction'. Including a drummer and looking colourful with flags and banners, they try and sing for the whole match. They certainly are noisy! One thing to point out is that there is very little in the way of pubs or eating establishments nearby, so you will need to head into the town centre for these.

PUBS FOR AWAY FANS Chris Taylor, recommends Doctor Browns, a ten minute walk away from the ground at the bottom of Corporation Road, in the city centre. This pub serves real ale, has SKY TV and on my last visit had a good mix of home and away fans, both inside and outside of the pub. On the corner opposite the pub, is also a sandwich bar, which was doing a brisk trade in amongst other things, trays of roast potatoes and gravy. To find this pub; If you were standing outside the stadium with the main entrance behind you, head over to your left and turn right down the road, going under a bridge. A little way down this road on your left, there is an underpass (there is usually some programme & fanzine sellers standing by its entrance). Go down through the underpass and as you emerge on the other side turn right and go down the road and through another underpass. You will emerge in a small retail park (there is a McDonalds over on your right), which you walk through unto you come to a main road. Turn right along this road and you will see the Doctor Browns pub over on your left.

Dave Ellis a visiting Leicester City fan informs me; 'We found a pub called "The Lord Byron" on Dock Street, which is only around a five minute walk away from the ground. It was reasonably priced i.e a pint of Carling at £2.70 a pint or £10 for a 4 pint jug. It had a very friendly atmosphere and kids were welcome too!' Otherwise, there is a bar at the back of the away stand within the ground which serves pints of John Smiths Bitter (£3.50), Fosters Lager (£3.70), Bulmers Cider (Bottle £3.70) and Wine (Small bottle £3.60). FIND AND BOOK YOUR MIDDLESBROUGH HOTEL AND HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE If you require hotel accommodation in Middlesbrough then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com . They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.

DIRECTIONS AND CAR PARKING It is quite easy to find. Just follow the A66 (signposted Teesside from the A1) past Darlington's new ground and on into Middlesbrough. Carry on up the A66, through the centre of Middlesbrough and you will pick up signs for the Riverside Stadium. There is a small amount of parking available at the stadium itself (in Car Park E). It costs £6 per car and spaces can be booked through the ticket office. Otherwise there are a number of private parks located (mostly on waste land) nearby. Also when you reach the turn off the A66 (as signposted) for the stadium, then rather than at the top of the slip road turning left towards the stadium, then instead if your turn right to go back across the A66, then there is plenty of street parking available in this area. It is then about a 15-20 minute walk to the away turnstiles. Jerry Hill adds; 'I would suggest that away fans should follow the route marked "away coaches" from the A66, as this passes many private car parks along the river, all priced at £4'.

Bear in mind though that if you do park at one of these car parks, then it may take 45 minutes or so after the game, before you can exit them. Otherwise, as the stadium is about one mile from the town centre you could also consider parking in a long stay car park in the town centre (about a 15-20 minute walk away from the ground). Post Code for SAT NAV: TS3 6RS BY TRAIN The ground is around a 15-20 minute walk from Middlesbrough railway station which is located on Albert Road. Although there is a direct train service from the North West, fans travelling from other parts of the country, will most likely find themselves changing at Darlington, for Middlesbrough. If you come out of the main station entrance, turn left onto Zetland Road. Then left again into Albert Road and proceed under the railway bridge. Turn immediately right into Bridge Street East, going past the Bridge pub (not recommended for away fans) and then take the next right into Wynward Way. The stadium is down this road. If you come out of the rear station entrance, turn right onto Bridge Street East.

Go straight past the Bridge pub and then take the next right into Wynward Way for the ground. The stadium is visible in the distance along most of this route. Thanks to Glenn Brunskill for providing these directions. Find train times, prices and book tickets with trainline. Booking tickets in advance will normally save you money! BOOK TRAIN TICKETS WITH TRAINLINE Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance. Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets. Click on the trainline logo below: BY AIR The nearest airport is Teeside which is located just under 13 miles away, just outside Darlington. To get to the stadium it may be an idea to head into Darlington and then take a train to Middlesbrough, or to get a taxi from to airport to Middlesbrough which would cost around £20. Like a number of Clubs, Middlesbrough operate a category system (A&B) for the pricing of tickets, whereby the most popular games cost more to watch. Category A prices are shown below, with Category B prices shown in brackets.

Home Fans West Stand Upper Tier: Adults £39 (B £34) Over 65's £31 (B £26), Under 18's £20 (B £17) West Stand Lower Tier: Adults £35 (B £30) Over 65's £25 (B £20) Under 18's £20 (B £17) East Stand Upper Tier: Adults £37 (B £32) Over 65's £29 (B £24) Under 18's £20 (B £17 ) East Stand Lower Tier: Adults £35 (B £30) Over 65's £25 (B £20) Under 18's £20 (B £17) Stadium Corners: Adults £35 (B £30) Over 65's £25 (B £20) Under 18's £20 (B £17) South Stand: Adults £35 (B £30) Over 65's £25 (B £20) Under 18's £20 (B £17

) Family Area: Adults £32 (B £27) Over 65's £23 (B £18) Under 18's £15 (B £13) Away Fans As per an agreement with all Premier League Clubs, away fans will be charged a maximum price of those shown below for all League games: East Stand Upper Tier: Adults £30 Over 65's £20 Under 18's £17 Category A Matches: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Sunderland.and Tottenham Hotspur.

Record Attendance At The Riverside: 35,000 England v Slovakia Euro 2004 Qualifier, June 11th 2003. At the Riverside (For A Middlesbrough Game): 34,836 v Norwich City, Premier League, December 28th 2004. At Ayresome Park: 53,536 v Newcastle United, Division One, December 27th, 1949. Average Attendance Wednesday 14th December 2016, 7.45pm Phil Bowmen (Liverpool fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Riverside Stadium? I hadn't yet visited the Riverside Stadium due to Middlesbrough being in the lower leagues for so long. So when they came up I thought I'd give it a go. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? Simple enough driving ourselves. Parked at our hotel for the night in the town centre. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? We had a couple of pints in the Yates pub then made the walk over to the Riverside Stadium.

The home and away fans mixed well and we seen no trouble at all. One thing that annoyed me though was on the way to and from the ground I was approached twice by shifty looking people. One asking for 70p for his bus home the other was just your usual bagger asking for spare change. Not something I've ever experienced anywhere else in the country on an away day. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium? Nothing special to be honest. The Riverside it's just a basic modern looking ground. The facilities are okay, but I have experienced better elsewhere. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. Piece of cake. Really enjoyed the game, with Liverpool comfortably winning 3-0. The atmosphere was okay but home fans were very quiet most of the game. We should have won by more to be honest and I expect Middlesbrough will really struggle to stay in the Premiership this season. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Leaving the ground was simple enough. Took about 20 minutes to walk back into the town centre. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: An okay with a great result.

Sunday 20th November 2016, 4pm Will Donaghue (Chelsea fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Riverside Stadium? I had always wanted to visit the Riverside Stadium but had never got the chance to as Middlesbrough were playing in the Championship League. But with Middlesbrough back in the Premier League it was a great opportunity to finally go! Also with Chelsea on a five game winning streak, I was confident we would get a positive result. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? We drove up on the Saturday and stayed in a Premier Inn hotel in Hartlepool which is close to Middlesbrough. The next day it was easy to find a car park near the stadium which was about a 20 minute walk away from the Riverside. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? Before the game we stopped off at a nearby KFC to get some food and then drove to Middlesbrough, got parked up, picked up a programme and walked straight into the stadium. The Middlesbrough fans seemed friendly.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium? Seeing the Riverside Stadium from a distance was quite good! I was really impressed seeing how close we were to the pitch in the away end. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. Chelsea won the game 1-0 thanks to a goal from Diego Costa to extend our winning streak to 6 games! This result also meant we climbed to the top of the league! We had a few chances to make it 2 or 3-0. Middlesbrough only had 1 good chance but they were great defensively. The atmosphere from the Middlesbrough fans was pretty decent but our away support never disappoints! The toilets were alright. And the stewards had no problems with us standing up through the whole game. It was great to be singing 'We're top of the league' at the end of the match!' Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Getting away after the game was quite easy. 20 Minute walk back to the car park and back on to the motorway in about 15 minutes or so.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: The Riverside was a great stadium to visit! And to see Chelsea extend the winning streak was fantastic! Would love to go back to the Riverside next season should Middlesbrough stay up! Off to the Etihad Stadium next! Come on Chelsea! Saturday 29th October 2016, 3pm Paul Sheppard (AFC Bournemouth fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Riverside Stadium? Always a good atmosphere at the Riverside Stadium. Plus I thought that Bournemouth had a reasonable chance of a point or three! How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? Drove into the town centre and parked in a car park for £2.50 for 3 hours near the pub we were meeting friends in. Like last season we got a little lost in the town centre and ended up driving in circles a bit, despite using the Sat Nav. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? Had a drink in Doc Browns where home and away fans mixed without any bother.

Just had a sandwich I had bought at the services as very few people eating in the pub and my friends who had eaten said the food was nothing special. Then made the 20 minute walk to the Riverside. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium? I had been to the Riverside for the same fixture last season, so I knew what to expect. It is a standard modern ground, but not in the nicest part of Middlesbrough! This was one of the few away games I had been to in the Premier League where we had not sold out our allocation, so I enjoyed the space and the chance to sit down and still see the game when I felt the need or desire. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. Bournemouth weren't great and neither were Boro. But we were undone by an excellent individual goal by Raston Gamirez on the counter from our corner, before Downing sealed our fate in the second half.

Stas showed we had more of the possession and really pushed on in the last 20 minutes but when we lost Surman and went down to ten men with about 10 minutes to go we knew the game was up. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: A fairly slow walk back to the town centre as many fans were heading in that direction. Not too bad heading away from the town centre towards Darlington (where we were staying). Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Apart from the result we had a good day out (especially my mate, who's a Boro fan). As usual the Boro fans created an excellent atmosphere for what was an average game with only the occasional exciting interlude. Saturday 24th September 2016, 3pm Peter Bassett (Tottenham Hotspur fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Riverside Stadium? Although I had seen us play a few times at the old Ayresome Park in the past, this was going to be my visit to the Riverside Stadium. Down the years we haven't done too well generally, at Boro - but I hadn't seen us lose at Ayresome Park in my three visits.

So I was hoping that I could carry this over to the Riverside. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? My daughter and I caught the 7am train up from London Kings Cross. It then a quick change at Darlington onto a local train - and we then arrived at Middlesbrough at 10am. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? We visited the Transporter Bridge, which is only a short walk from the railway station. I would thoroughly recommend this. We found it hugely interesting. We even saw a seal in the River Tees! You also get a fantastic view of the area, including the Riverside Stadium. This took us to 11-30am - after which we walked back past the station and into the local shopping centre. There wasn't a great deal to choose from, eating-wise. So we settled down in a Burger King. Home fans were fine - no problems whatsoever. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium? The Riverside Stadium looked excellent from the outside. A very impressive Main Stand - and a nice touch to keep the old gates from Ayersome Park.

The away end is very similar to most other modern day stadiums (Leicester, Swansea, Southampton etc..) Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc. We were 2-0 up at half time - and it really should have been four or five. Boro weren't even in it. In the second half, we took our foot off the gas and played too much tippy tappy football. They got a goal back - but other than one half chance, saw the game out. Didn't eat inside - so can't comment on the food. Stewards were excellent. Let you bring bottles inside to drink - with the lid on! Which in this day and age, is something novel. The facilities were very good and all the toilets had an ample amount of loo roll! The home fans started off loudly - especially the drummer! But at 2-0 down, it understandably tailed off. Once they scored, it did get quite loud, although only the fans to the left of us sung. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Pretty straight forward to get away from the ground. We walked past the dry dock and then it's virtually a straight line to the station.

There's a nice kebab house just past the shopping centre - very close to the Eight Bells monument. Our train left at 7.30pm with a change at York. Got back to North London just before midnight. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Although a long day - very rewarding! Got the three points, a decent stadium, no trouble. Visit the Transporter Bridge - well worth it! Saturday 24th September 2016, 3pm Tony Newman (Tottenham Hotspur fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Riverside Stadium? Never been to Middlesbrough, but had heard good things about the Riverside Stadium. Also I live relatively local, being near Edinburgh. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? The rail journey took longer than expected due to rail engineering works. Took a taxi from town centre to the ground - cheap and easy. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? A few beers in Yates in Town centre and then had a look at the famous Transporter Bridge..... What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium?

Impressive Architecture - took a wander around to appreciate it. The away end has an excellent view. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. Great home support - plenty of singing and folk banging drums. Stewards friendly and professional. Arrived a bit late so missed out on food and drink. That said it looked good and reasonably priced. Our fans looked like they were enjoying it! Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: A gentle steady walk back to Middlesbrough Railway Station - followed the herd.... Well organised stewarding and appropriate Police presence (viable but not over the top). Summary of overall thoughts of the day out Excellent, I would recommend a visit to the Riverside Stadium to all away fans. Locals are friendly and welcoming (that said there were a few idiots on train home - but there always is!). Got chatting to a few Middlesbrough fans on the train and found common ground straight away. Saturday 13th August 2016, 3pm Lee Sockett (Stoke City fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Riverside Stadium?

I was looking forward to my visit to the Riverside and was expecting a hard game with it being Middlesborough's first home game back in the Premier League. Not the game I would of picked for our first away fixture but you get what your given and I was looking forward to seeing a good competitive match. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? Traveling up to Middlesborough on the official transport offered by Stoke caused no problems apart from the stop at a service station to meet up with a Police escort. With 28 coaches or 1500 fans all landing at a Shell Petrol Station wasn't the brightest idea and the Police soon came to the same conclusion and quickly got us back on the coaches and back on our way to the ground, where we arrived at 12:30pm. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? After arriving so early myself and my two boys had a walk around the impressive looking Riverside Stadium. As we were early we were able to see both teams official coaches arrive. Home fans very welcoming and we're looking forward to the game and in a confident mood.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium? Having last visited the Riverside Stadium in 1998 I wasn't expecting a huge change but was impressed with how clean the ground was and it had good facilities for fans. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. The game it self was a let down for the first 45 minutes for Stoke. Think we were still in pre-season mood, the home fans were really up for it and the early goal give them a lift they didn't really need. The Steve Gibson they sung was really good. After going in only a goal down at half time, we regrouped and got a equaliser from a Shaqiri set piece. Maybe we could have nicked it late on but overall a draw seemed a fair result. Good selection of food and drinks on offer even if they were a little pricey. Stewards were fine and didn't really get involved with fans despite us standing for the 90 minutes. There was some good banter between home and away supporters but both sets of fans would of left happy.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Really quick getaway by the official coaches within 20 minutes of the final whistle, with another Police escort back out of town. Wouldn't like to be on the car park next to the official coaches as it looked like it was going to take a while to getaway from there. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Middlesbrough was a good away day for the first game of the season, would recommend vesting the Riverside Stadium for a good sing song and banter with home fans. Saturday 6th February 2016, 3pm Daniel Ainsworth (Blackburn Rovers fan) Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Riverside Stadium? I am aiming to go to many grounds this year with my team Blackburn. With Middlesbrough doing well in the League and with Rovers not doing so well, I was hoping for an upset! How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? The trip there was easy, as we had travelled by official supporters coach. However when parking the coach was sent the wrong way so we lost time but still got there 40 minutes before the game kicked off.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? As we didn't have much time, we went straight to the ground, which we entered with no fuss. Our best striker Jordan Rhodes had left Rovers for Teesside on January transfer deadline day. So we wasn't impressed to see his photo on the front cover of the matchday programme. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium? I can have no complaints! It was an excellent view of the playing action from the away section and the home fans were amazing in generating some noise.The ground was modern and had an atmosphere unlike many of the other current bowl shaped grounds in my opinion. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. The game was dominated by Rovers surprisingly and deservedly took the lead after 72 minutes only to be clawed back for a 1-1 draw six minutes later - ending the game at 1-1. The atmosphere was the best of the 10 away grounds I've been this year and the singing section next to us was amazing! We had continuous chants going competing with them but it was all in good spirit.

The food was overpriced - especially the Parmo in a bun (chicken in breadcrumbs with cheese) at £4.20. Chips were served in small portions at a pricey £2.20 as well as Burgers nearing the £4 mark. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: We only brought 500/600 so getting out the ground wasn't difficult. Due to the 26,000 attendance the coaches had to wait for around 20 minutes to allow the crowd to disperse before we could set off. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Great day with a great result and I would certainly return! Monday 28th December 2015, 5.15pm Martin E (Sheffield Wednesday fan) Why were you looking forward to visiting the Riverside Stadium? I hadn't been to an away game for a while and I was meeting up with friends, old and new. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? Despite the worry of the recent flooding around Yorkshire, the drive up was fairly straight forward, with no problems. We arrived in Middlesbrough fairly early, so managed to get parked up fairly easily.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? We went into the Dr.Browns pub in the centre, which had a good mix of home and away and mostly friendly natured (apart from a couple of idiots from both sides). The Police presence was pleasantly minimal too! What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside Stadium? have been before and it is certainly an impressive sight,especially at night, all lit up for miles around, although the area around the ground is still pretty post-apocalypse-esque. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. Despite it being a bank holiday tea-time, live on SKY television, costing £32 a ticket and just three days after Christmas, there were 28,000 in attendance, with just short of 2,000 away fans, which was very impressive. The atmosphere was also very good. Despite going 1-0 down after 42 seconds the visiting supporters were good vocally and for a pleasant change the home fans were pretty vocal too! Even though they did sing a lot of the cringey generic stuff.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: A bit hairy going through the underpasses but with 28,000 people all leaving and most heading back the same way, to be expected really. we were back at the car and on our way within 20 minutes. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Apart from the result, it was a good day out with friends and a decent game and atmosphere. Saturday 12th September 2015, 3pm Michael Pala (Doing the 92) Why were you looking forward to going to the Riverside Stadium? Having been to Derby County FC many times, I've been intrigued by the Riverside as they are almost identical stadiums. Also being the furthest Championship ground from where I live, it had an aura of mystery. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? It was a 220 mile journey to the Riverside from my home. I parked in the Captain Cook Square multi storey car park in the town centre and walked to the ground, which took about 15 minutes. What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? I had stayed in Hartlepool the night before.

I then drove to Middlesbrough via the Transporter Bridge (a must see) and also went up to the top of the Transporter Bridge by lift as they had a heritage open day. Drove around Middlesbrough visiting the Brian Clough statue, his childhood street and also went to the location of Ayresome Park; Middlesbrough's old ground. I then went into the town centre for lunch and had a quick look round the shops before walking to the Riverside. The people of Middlesbrough were very chatty, welcoming and helpful. What you thought on seeing the Riverside, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium? Being used to Pride Park, the first glimpse of the Riverside is a shock and especially when there's a large ship parked next to it!! Inside the stadium it was very similar to Pride Park except for the colour and the roof (slopes down at Pride Park but drops suddenly at the Riverside). Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. The stewards at the Riverside were very helpful and friendly. Atmosphere from the home fans was great considering being just under two thirds full. Facilities in stadium were great and toilets were clean.

The game saw eventually saw the home side score two goals in the last 20 minutes, to take all three points. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: I went into the club shop before walking back to the town centre to collect my car. The traffic would have died down and getting away from the town centre was easy and I was back in Bedfordshire in just over 3.5 hours. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: A trip to Middlesbrough is definitely worth it! To make the most of it, its best to go up the day before so you can have a look around the area in the morning. The Transporter Bridge is definitely worth a visit. Whilst the town centre is the same as most town centres, there's definitely enough shops to keep someone busy if you're taking someone who isn't going to the match. People in Middlesbrough and the surrounding area were very friendly and helpful.

Saturday 22nd August 2015, 3pm Adam Chard (Bristol City fan) With Sheffield Wednesday charging a ludicrous £39 per ticket for our first match of the season, I was happy to find Middlesbrough were charging marginally less at £32 just two weeks later. As Teesside is only 2 hours from my home in East Yorkshire and a very pleasant drive up the coast, I decided to tick off ground No 45. With just 4 matches gone, and despite walking League One the previous season, Bristol City had already shipped 11 goals and constant speculation about big money signings didn’t seem to be helping matters. However, a last gasp draw with Leeds Utd the previous Tuesday had given us hope. Middlesbrough, on the other hand, had started the season brightly. They had lost out in the play-off final the previous season and had some decent players in their squad, including newly-signed David Nugent. So I really wasn’t hopeful for any kind of result. As I had arrived around 1:15pm for a 3:30pm kick off I was able to park on Dockside Road, which leads right up to the Riverside Stadium.

As you come off the Cargo Fleet Lane roundabout on the main A66 you turn left at the next roundabout - there are no parking restrictions. I had ample time to wander up towards the stadium on what was turning out to be a nice warm day. One thing I had heard of, and wanted to try, was the famous Chicken Parmo in a Bun – a true Middlesbrough speciality – a breaded chicken cutlet (a bit like a schnitzel) smothered in white sauce and melted cheese. Well worth the £3 I spent on it from one of the numerous vans outside the ground. The Famous Chicken Parmo I had a wander around the outside of the stadium, which was very impressive, but all the while had a desolate feeling to it, tucked away amongst waste ground and salvage yards. Obviously, as the name suggests, it is right next to the River Tees and there was the impressive site of a massive ship docked behind one of the ends – not something you see at most grounds.

I did a full circumnavigation of the ground, as there was plenty to see: The old Ayresome Park gates flanked by the statues of Wilf Mannion and George Hardwick, a mural charting the history of Ayresome Park, along with old seats from the ground, and a great view of the Transporter Bridge. The turnstiles are all equipped with bar code scanners, so my ticket had to be purchased from an office before entering. The facilities inside were as I would expect from such a modern ground. A good concourse area, with Sky TV showing the noon match and large food and drink outlets – got a pint of Strongbow (no decent cider for us discerning Bristolians of course!) for £3.70. The Ship Got A Good Parking Spot! The stadium from the inside was also very impressive. With the seating forming a near continuous bowl the effect. which was tremendous. The main Grandstand opposite looked huge and there was a big screen to our left. We were situated in the South East corner, so the home side effectively had two home ends. There were a lot of banners hung around the stadium by various fan groups – although some had seen better days. Leg room wasn’t bad and the view was excellent.

As the stadium filled up a good atmosphere started building, with the City fans who had made the 530 mile round trip in good voice. City got off to an incredible start – better than I could have hoped for – with a fantastic goal curled into the top right corner from our wing back, Bristol-born Joe Bryan, on 10 minutes. Cue wild celebrations in our little corner and stunned silence from Boro. Middlesbrough still looked menacing and their left winger Wildschut was causing all sorts of issues. However, it really should have been 2-0 midway through the first half as Bobby Reid blazed over from close range and it could have been even better for City had Konstantopoulos not managed to pull off a fantastic save when Kodjia’s shot looked like it was goalbound. Boro did have the ball in the back of the net at one point, but the referee had already blown for a quite blatant foul. The second half came and went and with City looking more and more defensive many of us wondered when the inevitable equaliser would come. However, City stood firm.

When the likes of Flint and Ayling weren’t clearing anything slung into the box, Ben Hamer in goal was coming up with some incredible saves. View From The Away Section Boro threw on ex City favourite Albert Adomah, who received a standing ovation and had his name chanted by the travelling City fans – despite the fact he was attacking our goal! However, it was to be our day as the clock ticked to full time, sparking some jubilant celebrations in the away section. Our first win back in the Championship. It was an easy ten minute walk back to car, although I found that many more people had parked in Dockside Road, so the road was pretty jam packed with cars left in all manner of awkward places, making it difficult to get out. I queued to get onto the main road for a while and it took me around 15 minutes to get out of Middlesbrough. So overall, a fantastic away trip: nice food, good stadium, great result!

Middlesbrough v Brighton and Hove Albion Championship League Saturday 2nd May 2015, 12.15pm Michael Stoner (Brighton and Hove Albion fan) Why you were looking forward to going to the Riverside Stadium? I first was intrigued of this away game since about the new year. First of all, it was the last game of the season. The last game of the season historically been highly intense, especially if the club you're supporting is fighting for their place in something. Another thing that i was looking forward to was travelling the distance between Teeside and Sussex. I never really experienced travelling this distance and looked on this fixture and actually doing it. And lastly, when I actually booked my tickets in March, the promotion and title race was anyone guess and it'll be a good day out if I saw a side potentially 'Go Up' or if not, win the league. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Middlesbrough slipped up against Fulham last week which meant Watford gained promotion to the Premier League at Brighton and Bournemouth practically sealed their promotion as well (providing they don't lose to Charlton and Middlesbrough beat us with a swing a 19 goal victory) How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking? I decided to coach this game as i usually do when i travel along to away games. I went with a independent 'Run by Fans, for Fans' coach, called Blues away, and left Eastbourne at 2:30am in the morning. Finally reached and left the Amex by 4. The Journey itself was relativity stress free as we didn't get stuck in traffic. We did stop at a service station about 6.45ish in the morning and stopped for 45 minutes. Besides that, the journey was spent on the motorway What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly? The coach arrived at the Riverside at 10:10am and conveniently parked directly outside the away turnstiles. There was several Burger vans dotted around the stadium however I didn't treat myself.

I did enter into the shop and purchase a scarf, as you do. I felt the home fans was extremely friendly, nearly every 'Boro fan i spoke to ask the same question "... So what time did you leave this morning" What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Riverside stadium? My first impression of the stadium, from the motorway, was a good one. Inside, the stadium looked tidy as we were located in the East Stand towards the South Stand. The leg room was adequate enough, and the concourse was big enough for the travelling fans (by the looks of it, we must of taken about 400-500 fans). The stadium is certainly of Premier League Standard. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. The Brighton fans were 'lucky' enough to been given a free £6 voucher to spend on the refreshment bar, courtesy of our club. Personally, I had a Chicken Balti Pie and a coke. I personally didn't rate the pie I had. The facilities is what I expected from a team who spent many years in the top flight of English football. The toilets seemed clean and the concourse was adequate too.

The stewards seems friendly enough. They didn't have much about presences about them. Brighton fans aren't renowned for trouble so the stewards have practically nothing to do except to guide fans to their seats, The home fans did put up a display before the game with their banners, flares and confetti. The 'Singing Section' was located in the South Stand and they did sing the whole of the first half which was led by a drummer. However they didn't make much noise in the second half as the drum failed to make an appearance. The game itself was end to end. Each team had chances in both half's but struggled to put them away. Middlesbrough only threaten once Brighton slipped up or misplaced a pass .... which happened lot in the first half. I felt Brighton dominated in the last 20 minutes or so but failed to score. Substitution Craig Mackail-Smith came on and replaced Chris O'Grady in the second half for his last appearance with the Seagulls. Substitution and Brighton's player of the year Inigo Calderon came on and have a chance in the dying moments but it was saved. The game ended a 0-0 draw.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: As I said earlier on, my coach was parked outside the away turnstiles, so it was easy to get to. Once everyone got onto the coach, we went back home. Besides a 5 minute wait just outside the stadium due to traffic, the traffic was stress free. We did stop off at the Watford Gap for 45 minutes or so, except for that, we were mostly on the motorway. Got back home in Eastbourne about 9:45pm in the evening. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: The day itself was decent enough but was it really worth spending 19 hours or so for a 0-0 result? Well, at least the Riverside can be ticked off of the list of stadiums I've been too. Thankfully this dreadful season is over for Brighton - the sooner we forget about it, the better.

Middlesbrough v Preston North End Capital League Cup 2nd Round Tuesday 26th August 2014, 7.45pm Paul Willott (Preston North End fan) I couldn't honestly say that I was brimming with excitement before I embarked upon this trip; the League Cup engenders a mixture of responses depending on a clubs aspirations and I for one fervently hope that this season is one that Preston North End will remember for a successful promotion campaign from the third tier of English league football, and therefore cup runs are much more of a "nice-to-have". However, it was to be my first "fix" of football for the new season, and as much as it might "only" have been the League Cup, I was intrigued to see how the squad that has started the season quite well would fare against a team from the Championship. Hence I departed from Kent, and running via Croydon to collect my travelling companion, commenced the drive North which once we'd escaped the stop-start clutches of the bedeviled M25 went fairly smoothly. Upon arrival on Teeside, we swung onto the A66 from the A19 and soon spotted the quite imposing Riverside stadium to our left.

First impressions certainly count, we certainly agreed that it looked quite striking from the outside, and that pictures on the internet don't really do the place justice. As per the guide, I was planning on turning to the right once trundling up the ramp upon leaving the main A66 to try to find some on-street parking in the residential areas, but noticed that there was seemingly some spaces for parking on grass verges closer to the stadium, so chanced our luck and found a spot so got parked quite close to the ground and saved ourselves a few bob! The Riverside continues to impress as you approach on foot; first there is the impressive statues of former 'Boro greats such as Wilf Mannion, then there is also the former main gates of Ayresome Park sited in front of the stadium which is a nice touch, and a link to the clubs former home. Furthermore, one thing that certainly struck me was that the ground, despite being some 20 years old, is in very good condition. Many a newer ground is already weather-stained, streaks of rust spoiling the paintwork, but no so the Riverside.

Not only has it clearly been solidly built, but it is well maintained, and that struck a chord with me. A club that takes a pride in its stadium and home is doing something right. Ayresome Park Gates Despite the lack of established eating facilities as listed in the guide, for match-day countless burger vans had appeared, and the one we chose to sample was serving up the most gorgeous grub. I opted for the more traditional 1/4lb cheeseburger whereas my buddy opted for the variant with mushrooms. I noticed amongst the many other options was a Hawaiian burger, which we discussed and assumed would be served with pineapple? With hindsight, we should have gone back for more... And so attention turned to the game in prospect. I knew there would be nowhere near a full house but my concern was that if hardly any turned up at all, the prospect of just a few thousand in such a handsome stadium would make for an empty atmosphere. However, although the approximately 11,000 fans that appeared, was a little lower than the league crowds experienced currently at the Riverside, it was still more than I'd feared, but crucially enough to generate a much better atmosphere than I'd dared to hope for too.

Perhaps the strategy of reducing ticket prices does encourage fans to turn up on nights like these. Some matches with a derby element seem to be recapturing a degree of attraction to supporters; there was a full house at Deepdale last season for our first round clash with Blackpool, and the Leeds-Bradford match I noticed had a large attendance this week too In fact, the few thousand in the "singing section" in the South Stand never let up all night, and with the drums and the flags waving certainly again left a positive impression that sufficient 'Boro fans were up for a cup clash even if it was against lower league opposition. As the build-up to the match continued I perused the matchday programme which would have been ok if it didn't touch a raw nerve of mine by making a feature of this infernal ice-bucket challenge; worse was to follow on the big-screen as they showed footage of the manager followed by player after player taking part in this childish, gimmicky, and wasteful charity stunt. Fortunately, there were other things in the programme to read whilst that farce was displayed... Once the match got underway, it soon developed into an intriguing contest.

Both sides took the chance to rest a few senior players and blood some youngsters and the first 20 minutes was played in an almost continental defensive keep-ball style with very little typical English action. Unusual perhaps, but it was interesting to see and also good to see that concentrated effort on passing football. Gradually both sides started to probe a little more, with arguably the best chance of the first half falling to one of the Preston youngsters only for him to slip at the crucial moment and miss a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Riverside Stadium In fact, it would be the second half before the game really erupted into life, with first 'Boro taking the lead with a well worked free-kick, then Preston equalising with an equally great set-piece move, only for 'Boro to take the lead again 3 minutes later. Subsequently the home side cemented their lead with a third goal, but great credit to the Preston players who were striving with intensity throughout the second half, it was only when we crept towards injury time that I sensed it was all over. Once the final whistle blew, we trooped out and we jumped in the car and within 3 minutes we were motoring freely along the A66.

I sense the night was more remarkable for the fact that 28,000 had graced the stadium MK to witness an unbelievable 4-0 spanking of a certain club formerly known as Newton Heath; but from our little perspective we'd thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the match experience exceeded expectations too. All clubs take note; look after your ground the way 'Boro look after theirs, and you'll be okay! Riverside Stadium Guide - Middlesbrough | Football Tripper Stadium Guide History The inaugural fixture at The Riverside stadium was held against Chelsea on 26th August 1995, a team which would later go on to defeat Middlesbrough in the 1997 FA Cup final at Wembley . Attracting a record crowd of 28,286 fans – the largest in over 14 years, the move to the brand new ground coincided with the club’s return to the Premier League and kick-started an upward trajectory which marked a high-point in the club’s recent history.

Constructed as a direct response to the publication of the Taylor Report in 1990, Middlesbrough, along with Millwall who built The New Den , where one of the first clubs in England to build an all-seater stadium in order to comply with the new legislation. Previously the club had played at Ayresome Park, however the 1903 created ground was located in a resident area and even after expansion the ground would have struggled to reach a capacity of 20,000. After being offered a piece of land on the southern bank of the River Tees, east of the city centre, the club hired Taylor Woodrow Construction to build the £16 million pound stadium. Constructed over a 32 week period beginning in the Autmun of 1994, the 30,000 capacity ground would later directly inspire Derby’s Pride Park Stadium which opened in 1997. Initially known by the working title of Middlehaven Stadium after the local area fans were given the chance to choose the name during the Boro’s last ever match at Ayresome Park.

The most popular name chosen in the polls was Riverside Stadium, and upon opening the ground was officially referred to as the Cellnet Riverside Stadium after the BT owned company signed a deal worth £3 million lasting until 2002. Within five years of opening, The Riverside stadium was expanded at the start of the 1998/1999 season after the club gained promotion back to the Premier League. Costing £5 million the corners between the north and south-west stands were filled in, giving the ground its additional capacity of 5,000. If required in the future Middlesbrough already have planning permission to add another 7,000 seats to the ground which would increase the 34,742 capacity ground to 42,000. Seating Plan Below is a seating plan of Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium: Stands Middlesbrough’s ground is comprised of the following four sections: North, East, South and West which is the main stand. Click the thumbnails above to enlarge an image of each stand and to read a more detailed description of each part of the stadium.

Matchday Experience Away Fans Football fans who visit the Riverside stadium as away supporters are allocated tickets within the East Stand which runs for the length of the pitch opposite the main stand which contains the hospitality area and dugouts. The standard issue of 3,500 tickets for the visiting club are designated towards the south-stand, and could be described as being in the south-east corner. As is the case for all parts of the stadium with the exception of the west stand, the east stand consists of a single-tier which is essentially divided into an upper and lower section. As a modern stadium, views throughout the riverside are uninterrupted, and the seats are both comfortable and as spacious as the distance trade-off from the pitch would allow. After entering the East Stand via the electronic turnstile, fans enter a well-sized concourse which has a plentiful amount of food on offer ranging from the expected sausage rolls and burgers, to the local delicacy, “Parmo in a bun”. Toilet facilities are more than adequate, and overall Middlesbrough represents a decent day out for football fans across England.

Best Pubs Around the ground itself there aren’t any independently run pubs which are suitable for football fans, as Brasserie Hudson Quay Bar-Restaurant appears to be the wrong type of place, although we’d be happy to be proven wrong. For those who arrived by either car or coach this means that drinking inside is the only choice with there being a decent sized bar within the away concourse. Near to the train station the range of drinking option are much greater with The Isaac Wilson and Dr Browns probably the best choice for the ale connoisseurs amongst us. Food Besides the usual range of fast-food options inside the stadium, there is a Mcdonald’s south-east of the ground which always does a roaring trade, as does the Nando’s near to the station. If you are either travelling from town or the city centre then you are spoiled for choice as there is a slew of independent restaurants and recognisable high-street names like KFC, Subway and Sainsburys. Club Shop With the exception of the official online Store, the club store located at the Riverside is the best place for fans to lay their hands on all the latest Boro merchandise.

The club shop has the following opening times depending on home matches: Non-Match Weeks Monday to Saturday: 9.30 am to 5.00 pm Sunday: 11.00 am to 3.00 pm Match Weeks Monday to Friday: 9.30 am – 5.00 pm Saturday Matchday: 9.30 am to 3.00 pm and then 5.00 pm – 6.00 pm Midweek Matchday: 9.30 am until kick-off The traditional club colours of The Boro: red and white. Stadium Tour It doesn’t appear as if Middlesbrough currently offer fans the chance to undertake a stadium tour of Riverside Stadium. If this changes, we’ll be sure to update this section.

Ticket Prices Prices for the Middlesbrough home matches for the Championship are as follows: North Stand, North East Corner Adults: £29.00 Under 18’s: £10.00 Over 65’s: £15.00 Tickets can be purchased via the usual channels such as in person at the club shop/ticket office, via the telephone (0844 499 1234) and online courtesy of the club’s official e-ticket store . Matchday Travel The Riverside stadium is located approximately 1 mile north-east of Middlesbrough city centre beyond the A66 dual carriageway on the southern bank of the River Tees. The decorative Entrance to Middlesbrough’s Riverside stadium. Train Middlesbrough train station is located exactly 0.9 miles west of the Riverside Stadium, with the walking distance likely to take the average fan well under 20 minutes. To get there by foot, exit the station on Bridge Street East and travel along Dock Street towards the River Tees for the most scenic route to the stadium.

Eventually you will come to the smaller Scott’s Road which will take you all the way to Boro’s ground, even crossing a bridge en route! Bus Middlesbrough FC’s official website states that there are buses which run from the town centre to the ground and besides this, there is no other information provided. From doing a small bit of research it would appear as if the closest bus station to The Riverside is the stop outside Cineworld which is tucked southwards of the A66 and will leave you with a walk of around 10 minutes. Buses which serve this route are as follows: 36, 37, 38, 456 and 611. Driving The stadium’s address for satnav is: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, TS3 6RS. Middlesbrough fans proudly cheering their club on in the Uefa Cup final. Car Parks There are a certain amount of spaces at the Riverside Stadium with the club asking vehicles to arrive at least one hour before kick-off with the adjacent Shepherdson Way road becoming pedestrianised from around 2.00pm onwards.

To ensure your parking space please phone the ticket office on 0844 499 1234 – a certain number of spaces are reserved for permit holders and you never know if the club will change their current policy on a match by match basis or not. Hotels The majority of hotels are located back towards Middlesbrough city centre beyond the A66 with The Thistle Hotel and Travelodge being two of the most central examples. There really isn’t that much choice around the stadium area with the usual suspects strangely absent. By Football Tripper Directions and Parking Directions and Parking Looking up at the Riverside Stadium Image by:MFC General information including directions and parking Address: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, TS3 6RS Ticket Information: 0844 499 1234 Fax: 01642 877840 DIRECTIONS Routes into Middlesbrough by road From the north: Approaching Middlesbrough on the A19, cross over the River Tees and take the A66 eastbound towards Middlesbrough town centre.

Stay on the A66 past the town centre (on your right) and follow signs to the stadium, which you will see on your left. From the south: Leave the A1(M) at junction 49, signposted to Teesside, and join the A168, which after approximately 1 mile will become the A19. Approximately 19 miles later take the A66 eastbound towards Middlesbrough town centre. Stay on A66 past the town centre (on your right) and follow signs to the stadium, which you will see on your left. From the west: Leave the A1(M) at Junction 57 onto the A66(M). Follow signs to Teesside on the A66. In approximately 18 miles you will pass Middlesbrough town centre (on your right) and follow signs to the stadium, which you will see on your left. Car parking at Middlesbrough Football Club Matchday parking at the stadium is restricted to permit holders. Matchday parking can be pre-booked via the Ticket Office on 0844 499 1234.

If you do not have a permit, you are advised to use town centre parking. If you have a permit, the map above will show you where you need to be. Coach parking Home coaches park in Car Park E and visiting coaches and minibuses park in Car Park D. Access for both is from Dockside Road (The Leeway). Public Transport Rail Services: Middlesbrough station is located on Albert Road, 10 to 15 minutes' walk from the ground. First TransPennine Express and Northern Rail both operate through Middlesbrough Railway Station. Supporters travelling by rail from the south should change at Darlington. Buses: From the town centre. ________________________________________ TICKETING DETAILS Visiting fans are advised to purchase tickets from their own club. Ticket information can be obtained from the ticket office on 0844 499 1234 or via the ticket information page. Visiting Supporters Kindly note that the visitors’ ticket office accepts cash only – the nearest ATM machine is in Middlesbrough town centre. Entry to the visitors’ section is via turnstiles 51-61.

Under normal circumstances the stadium opens at 1.30pm for 3pm kick-offs and 6.30pm for evening kick-offs. Visitors are located in the East Stand, which is at the top of the above plan. Disabled supporters MFC offers a limited number of raised platform seats for home and away fans in the West Lower Stand and South West Lower Corner. Additional disability seating is provided pitchside along the East and West Stands. For visiting fans, there is wheelchair availability on the front row of the away section. Availability depends on the size of the away allocation. These tickets will be forwarded to your club for you to purchase directly. Please contact Disabled Liaison Officer Liam Hamilton on 0844 499 1234 with any ticket queries.

________________________________________ Programme: #UTB, £3, on sale in and around the stadium Radio: BBC Tees 95FM Current Local Time in Middlesbrough, England, United Kingdom Current Local Time in Middlesbrough, England, United Kingdom Lat/Long: 54°34'N / 1°14'W Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP) Sun in South: 12:16 pm Altitude: 15.5° Durham Tees Valley Airport, MME About 9 mi WSW of Middlesbrough Newcastle Airport, NCL About 37 mi NNW of Middlesbrough Leeds Bradford International Airport, LBA About 52 mi SSW of Middlesbrough Middlesbrough History Photo: Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees by David Simpson Photo: Transporter Bridge, Middlesbrough, photographed by David Simpson Middlesbrough and surrounds The Birth of Middlesbrough Mydilsburgh is the earliest recorded form of Middlesbrough's name and dates to Saxon times.

'Burgh' refers to an ancient settlement, or perhaps a fort of pre-Saxon origin which may have been situated on slightly elevated land close to the Tees. 'Mydil' was either the name of an Anglo-Saxon or a reference to Middlesbrough's middle location, half way between the Christian centres of Durham and Whitby. In Anglo-Saxon times Middlesbrough was certainly the site of a chapel or cell belonging to Whitby Abbey but despite this early activity, Middlesbrough was still only a small farm of twenty five people as late as 1801. In 1829 a group of Quaker businessmen headed by Joseph Pease of Darlington purchased this Middlesbrough farmstead and its estate and set about the development of what they termed `Port Darlington' on the banks of the Tees nearby. A town was planned on the site of the farm to supply labour to the new coal port - Middlesbrough was born. Joseph Pease, `the father of Middlesbrough' was the son of Edward Pease, the man behind the Stockton and Darlington Railway .

By 1830 this famous line had been extended to Middlesbrough, making the rapid expansion of the town and port inevitable. In 1828 Joseph Pease had predicted there would be a day when; "..the bare fields would be covered with a busy multitude with vessels crowding the banks of a busy seaport". His prophecy was to prove true, the small farmstead became the site of North Street, South Street, West Street, East Street, Commercial Street, Stockton Street, Cleveland Street, Durham Street, Richmond Street, Gosford Street, Dacre Street, Feversham Street and Suffield Street, all laid out on a grid-iron pattern centred on a Market Square. New businesses quickly bought up premises and plots of land in the new town and soon shippers, merchants, butchers, innkeepers, joiners, blacksmiths, tailors, builders and painters were moving in. Labour was employed, staithes and wharves were built, workshops were constructed and lifting engines installed.

Indeed such was the growth of this port that in 1846 one local writer observed; "To the stranger visiting his home after an abscence of fifteen years, this proud array of ships, docks, warehouses, churches, foundries and wharfs would seem like some enchanted spectacle, some Arabian Night's vision." By 1851 Middlesbrough's population had grown from 40 people in 1829 to 7,600 and it was rapidly replacing Stockton as the main port on the Tees. An old Teesside proverb had proven true; - " Yarm was, Stockton is, Middlesbrough will be " Iron and Steel In 1850 Iron ore was discovered in the Cleveland Hills near Eston to the south of Middlesbrough and Iron gradually replaced coal as the lifeblood of the town. The ore was discovered by John Vaughan, the principal ironmaster of Middlesbrough who along with his German business partner Henry Bolckow had already established a small iron foundry and rolling mill at Middlesbrough using iron stone from Durham and the Yorkshire coast.

The new discovery of iron ore on their doorstep prompted them to build Teesside's first blast furnace in 1851. Iron was now in big demand in Britain, particularly for the rapid expansion of the railways being built in every part of the country. More and more blast furnaces were opened in the vicinity of Middlesbrough to meet this demand and by the end of the century Teesside was producing about a third of the nation's iron output. The status of Bolckow and Vaughan reached great heights in Middlesbrough and in 1853 Bolckow became the town's first mayor and fifteen years later became its first M.P. The development of Middlesbrough as an `Iron Town' spurred on its continuous growth and by 1860 its population had increased to an incredible 20,000. Two years later, the town was visited by the Victorian minister Gladstone who remarked; "This remarkable place, the youngest child of England's enterprise, is an infant, but if an infant, an infant Hercules" By the 1870s, steel, a much stronger and more resilient metal was in big demand and Middlesbrough had to compete with Sheffield.

In 1875 Bolckow and Vaughan opened the first Bessemer Steel plant in Middlesbrough. At first phosphorous ores had to be imported from Spain for the making of the steel, but by 1879 methods were developed which could use local iron ores. The Tees was destined to become 'the Steel River'. In 1881 one commentator described how the ironstone of the Eston Hills processed at Middlesbrough, had been used in the building of structures throughout the world.; The iron of Eston has diffused itself all over the world. It furnishes the railways of the world; it runs by Neapolitan and papal dungeons; it startles the bandit in his haunt in Cicilia; it crosses over the plains of Africa; it stretches over the plains of India. It has crept out of the Cleveland Hills where it has slept since Roman days, and now like a strong and invincible serpent, coils itself around the world. Sir H.G Reid Bridges of Tees, Tyne and Sydney Harbour Associated with the making of steel on Teesside is the construction of bridges, one of the industries for which the area has achieved international recognition.

Chief among the bridge building firms was Dorman Long, a firm which began as an iron and steel works in 1875 manufacturing bars and angles for ships. A natural progression from this was to become involved in the construction of bridges particularly when Dorman Long took over the concerns of Bell Brothers and Bolckow and Vaughan in the late 1920s. The most famous bridge ever constructed on Teesside was Dorman Long's Sydney Harbour Bridge of 1932. This was partly modelled on the 1929 Tyne Bridge , a construction regarded as the symbol of Tyneside's Geordie pride, but also a product of Dorman Long's Teesside workmanship. The great example of Dorman Long's work on Teesside itself is of course the single span Newport Lifting Bridge. Opened by the Duke of York in February 1934 it was England's first vertical lifting bridge. With a lifting span of 270 feet and 66 feet in length it is constructed from 8000 tons of Teesside steel and 28,000 tons of concrete with towers 170 feet high.

The electrically operated lifting mechanism allowed the road to be lifted 100 feet in one and a half minutes by means of ropes passing through sheaves in the four corner towers. The Transporter Bridge The most notable Teesside Bridge is the Transporter Bridge, which was designed by the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company of Darlington and opened on 17th October 1911, by Prince Arthur of Connaught. A kind of a cross between a ferry and a bridge, vehicles are transported across the river by means of a moving car which is capable of carrying 600 persons or 9 vehicles across the Tees to Port Clarence in two and a half minutes. Like the later Newport Bridge it was designed to facilitate the movement of ships along the River Tees. It has a 160 feet clearance above the river.

Above: Transporter Bridge, Middlesbrough - photo David Simpson The Incredible Growth of Middlesbrough The expanding iron and steel industry of Middlesbrough in the 1860s and 1870s spurred on the growth of Middlesbrough with a population of 19,000 in 1861 increasing to 40,000 only ten years later. The residents of this early town came mainly from neighbouring Yorkshire and the North East, but later from Cheshire, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and a some European countries. At the turn of the century Middlesbrough's population had more than doubled to 90,000 and it must have been hard to believe that only seventy years earlier the town did not exist. Today Middlesbrough has a population of 150,000 and is undoubtedly the heart of the Teesside connurbation and the modern `Capital' of the area. In English history nothing compares to Middlesbrough's rapid growth. It is no wonder that Middlesbrough has been described as the `oldest new town' in England.

Middlesbrough Today and 'Over the Border' Middlesbrough's town centre today is quite different from the original town planned by Joseph Pease and Partners in 1829. The early town, now called 'St Hilda's' after the parish church that stood here until 1969, was centred on a market square, where the first town hall was built in 1846. Immediately to the south of this early town, lay the railway line and station of 1877. As Middlesbrough grew, its boundaries quickly expanded south of the railway, leaving the old town somewhat isolated between the railway and river. Gradually the centre of commerce, trade and local government shifted south of the railway and in 1899, the old town hall, was succeeded by the grand structure, in Corporation Road. The town hall and its municipal buildings vaguely resemble the Houses of Parliament and are still an impressive headquarters for local government in Middlesbrough. At the turn of the century, Linthorpe Road, also south of the railway, had become the main shopping street.

This road followed the course of an old country route from Linthorpe to Middlesbrough called Linthorpe Lane. Today Linthorpe Road, along with Albert Road, Grange Road and Corporation Road, form the modern centre of Middlesbrough, with the University, the Central Library, the Law Courts, radio stations, shopping centres, car parks and busy shopping streets all located within easy reach. 'Over the border', to the north of the railway, some features of the earlier town can still be seen. Middlesbrough's oldest pub, the Ship Inn, in Stockton Street is still there as is the old Town Hall, which has seen better days. More impressive are the Georgian style houses, (now offices) in Queens Terrace, which belonged to the first Middlesbrough owners and nearby, the one time house of the ironmasters Bolckow and Vaughan. From here a short walk leads to the magnificent Transporter Bridge, ensuring that the old part of town still gets some of the attention. Middlesbrough is the capital of Teesside and the Tees Valley and is famed for its industry, football club and its bridge, including the Transporter Bridge, the undisputed symbol of Teesside.

The Tees Estuary and Seal Sands To the north of Redcar, the entrance to the Tees estuary is clearly marked on the coast by the pier breakwaters on either side of the river estuary. These are the half mile long North Gare and the two and a half mile long South Gare. The gares were built following a great storm in 1861 in which 50 vessels were wrecked on the sand bars between Redcar and Hartlepool in the vicinity of the estuary. Both Gares are under the management of the Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority and the South Gare is the sight of a Coastguard station which monitors the busy shipping activity of the estuary. The Tees estuary is one of the biggest on the North Eastern coast and is dominated on either side by the large areas of reclaimed industrial land called Seal Sands on the northern bank and Bran Sands on the southern bank. Seal Sands is the site of an Oil Refinery and a Chemical Works.

The two hundred and twenty mile long EKOFISK oil pipeline has its terminus at Seal Sands by which oil and gas liquids are piped ashore from the Ekofisk oilfield for processing at one of the largest plants of its kind in the world. Today oil exporting is one of Teesside's most important industries. Despite all the heavy industry the Tees estuary is surprisingly important for its wildlife. Seal Sands now only half its original size due to land reclamation is still the Winter home to thousands of wildfowl and waders. Seals may still be seen `basking' in their man made surroundings. Autumn and Winter is the best time of the year for viewing wildlife at the Tees estuary. The main species are Little Stints, Curlew Sandpipers, Ruffs, Greenshanks, Wood Sandpipers, Bar-Tailed Godwits and Whimbrels. In Winter time Golden Plovers may also be seen but Winter is best for Duck-Watching when the main species are Shoveler Ducks, Widgeon, Long-Tailed Ducks, Goldeneye and Teal.

Question: On which river does Middlesbrough stand?
Answer: Tees