Middlesbrough have struggled to recruit and produce players in certain positions over the course of the 21st century, but central midfield isn’t one of them.
Indeed, Boro have struck gold in the goalscoring department with Emmanuel Latte Lath and Chuba Akpom over the last few years, but preceding those two, Middlesbrough had fairly mixed fortunes when it came to quality up front.
The Teessiders have also gone through some rough patches between the sticks, with the likes of Brad Guzan, Joe Lumley and Marcus Bettinelli having made the Mark Schwarzer years seem even further in the past than what they were.
But, for all the ups and downs they’ve endured in other areas of the pitch, high-quality central midfielders have seemingly always found their way into Middlesbrough’s various sides over the last 24 years.
Football League World investigates Boro’s exceptional track record
It was during this era that the Riverside Stadium masses were treated to some true greats of the game wearing the red and white shirt, and that was no exception in the centre of midfield.
Paul Ince, George Boateng, Ray Parlour, Christian Karembeu, Jonathan Greening and Doriva all enjoyed spells in the heart of Middlesbrough’s midfield, whilst the likes of Geremi and Gaizka Mendieta also lined up in the centre of the park at times too.
Boro also produced some excellent young central midfield players during this period, with the likes of James Morrison and Lee Cattermole graduating from Middlesbrough’s academy side and into the first team.
Central midfielders shine during some dark years on Teesside
Derby County have sparked an interest in Luton Town striker Cauley Woodrow, with Paul Warne bidding to add to his attacking options in the final few weeks of the summer transfer window.
That’s according to a report from journalist Alan Nixon via Patreon, who has claimed that Woodrow is a target for the Rams, but Luton will need to find a replacement before any deal can be made between the two Championship clubs.Woodrow scored just once in the Premier League in 2023/24, but is experienced in the second tier, having found the back of the net 46 times in 213 games in his career.Derby County looking to
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