Here are my selections of some of the best and the worst Boro matches for each season since the Second World War, some of which I witnessed, but most from newspaper reports at the time:-
1946/47 Best home v Blackpool 4-0 on 22nd November when Wilf Mannion was purported to have ran the length of the field with the ball continuously bobbing on his head.
Worst home v Burnley 1-1 in Quarterfinal of FA Cup when Burnley’s equaliser was pushed into the net by the centre forward lying on the ground.
Highest attendance 53,025 v Burnley (ground record)
1947/48 Best away v Blackburn 7-1 on 29th November
Worst away at Arsenal 0-7 on 26th March
Highest attendance 45,145 v Sunderland 2-2
1948/49 Best home v Aston Villa 6-0 on 11th December
Worst away v Preston 1-6 on 4th September
Highest attendance 44,780 v Blackpool 1-0
1949/50 Best home v Newcastle 1-0 on 27th December
Worst home v Portsmouth 1-5 on 3rd September
Highest attendance 53,802 v Newcastle 1-0 (ground record)
1950/51 Best away v Tottenham 3-3 on 2nd December – eagerly awaited clash between the top two teams in the First Division. Even the London press said it was the best match of the season at the time. Spurs finished as Champions, Boro 6th. However the Best home match was definitely v Huddersfield 8-0 on 30th September
Worst away v Second Division Leeds United 0-1 in the FA Cup on 6th January when half the crowd didn’t see the goal because of thick fog.
Highest attendance 52,764 v Sunderland 1-1
1951/52 Best home v Tottenham 2-1 on 18th August (first match of the season against the Champions)
Worst home v Second Division Doncaster Rovers 1-4 in the FA Cup on 6th February (the day King George VI died)
Highest attendance 44,434 v Manchester United 1-4
1952/53 Best home v Manchester United 5-0 on 25th April
Worst away v Tottenham 1-7 on Christmas Day
Highest attendance 42,159 v Cardiff City 3-0
1953/54 (Relegation Season) Best away v Champions elect Wolves 4-2 on 27th March
Worst away v Charlton Athletic 1-8 on 12th September
Highest attendance 39,416 v Blackpool 0-1
1954/55 Best home v West Ham United 6-0 on 30th October
Worst away v Blackburn Rovers on 6th November (just a week later)
Highest attendance 45,271 v Leeds United 1-0 (many to see the great John Charles on Boxing Day)
1955/56 Best home v Leicester City 4-3 on 8th October (Boro 0-2 down scored three times in 5 minutes just before halftime)
Worst away v Bristol Rovers 2-7 on 26th November
Highest attendance 26,275 v Fulham 1-1
1956/57 Best away v Second placed Nottm Forest 4-0 on 10th November (I saw Brian Clough score a hat trick that day)
Worst home v Barnsley 1-2 on 22nd December
Highest attendance 42,396 v Aston Villa 2-3 (FA Cup)
1957/58 Best home v Derby County 5-0 on 4th January (FA Cup)
Worst away v Charlton Athletic 2-6 on 15th February
Highest attendance 31,771 v Blackburn Rovers 2-3
1958/59 Best home v Brighton 9-0 on 23rd August (first match of the season)
Worst home v Charlton Athletic 1-3 on 7th February
Highest attendance 42,866 v Sheffield United 0-0
1959/60 Best away v Derby County 7-1 on 29th August
Worst away v Leyton Orient 0-5 on 31st October
Highest attendance 47,297 v Sunderland 1-1
1960/61 Best home v Champions elect Ipswich Town 3-1 on Easter Monday
Worst away v Bottom team Lincoln City 2-5 on Easter Saturday
Highest attendance 27,458 v Sunderland 1-0
1961/62 Best away v Newcastle United 4-3 on Boxing Day and home v Newcastle 3-0 on 7th March
Worst home v Leeds United 1-3 on 18th November
Highest attendance 35,666 v Sunderland 0-1
1962/63 Best home v Champions elect Chelsea on 9th March
Worst home v Huddersfield Town 0-5 on 25th August
Highest attendance 43,509 v Sunderland 3-3
1963/64 Best home v Newcastle United 3-0 on 26th August
Worst home v Bradford Park Avenue 2-3 on 2nd October (League Cup)
Highest attendance 43,905 v Sunderland 2-0
1964/65 Best home v Southampton 4-1 on 12th December
Worst away v Cardiff City 1-6 on 15th January
Highest attendance 38,194 v Newcastle United 0-2
1965/66 Best home v Wolves 3-1 on 18th December
Worst away v Bolton Wanderers 0-6 on 11th April
Highest attendance 21,107 v Leyton Orient 2-1
1966/67 Best home v Oxford United 4-1 on 16th May
Worst away v Gillingham 1-5 on 1st October
Highest attendance 39,683 v Oxford United 4-1
1967/68 Best home v Carlisle United 4-0 on 23rd December
Worst away v Birmingham City 1-6 on 26th September
Highest attendance 29,217 v Bolton Wanderers 1-2
1968/69 Best home v Hull City 5-3 on 22nd March
Worst away v Bristol City 0-3 on 11th January
Highest attendance 29,824 v Aston Villa 0-0
1969/70 Best home v West Ham United 2-1 on 3rd January (FA Cup)
Worst home v Carlisle United 0-2 on Boxing Day
Highest attendance 40,040 v Manchester United 1-1 (FA Cup)
1970/71 Best home v Queen’s Park Rangers 6-2 on 26th September and v Manchester United 2-1 on 5th January (FA Cup)
Worst away v Swindon Town 0-3 on 24th October
Highest attendance 40,040 v Manchester United 2-1 (FA Cup)
1971/72 Best home v Manchester City 1-0 on 18th January (FA Cup)
Worst away v Sunderland 1-4 on 29th September
Highest attendance 39,917 v Manchester City 1-0 (FA Cup)
1972/73 Best home v Burnley 3-3 on 4th November
Worst away v Sunderland 0-4 on 17th February
Highest attendance 23,822 v Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 (FA Cup)
1973/74 Best home v Sheffield Wednesday 8-0 on 20th April
Worst away v Nottm Forest 1-5 on 2nd February
Highest attendance 37,030 v Sunderland 2-1
1974/75 Best away v Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on 11th September (League Cup)
Worst away v Birmingham City 0-1 on 8th March (FA Cup)
Highest attendance 39,500 v Leeds United 0-1
1975/76 Best home v Manchester City 1-0 on 13th January (League Cup)
Worst away v Bury 2-3 on 6th January (FA Cup) and v Manchester City 0-4 on 21st January (League Cup)
Highest attendance 34,579 v Manchester City 1-0 (League Cup)
1976/77 Best home v Arsenal 4-1 on 26th February (FA Cup)
Worst away v Sunderland 0-4 on 19th February
Highest attendance 35,208 v Arsenal 4-1 (FA Cup)
1977/78 Best home v Everton 3-2 on 28th January (FA Cup)
Worst away v Leeds United 0-5 on 18th March
Highest attendance 36,662 v Bolton Wanderers 2-0 (FA Cup)
1978/79 Best home v Chelsea 7-2 on 16th December (BBC Match of the Day)
Worst away v Peterborough United 0-1 on 5th September (League Cup)
Highest attendance 32,314 v Liverpool 0-1
1979/80 Best home v Arsenal 5-0 on 19th May
Worst home v Stoke City 1-3 on 23rd February (only second home defeat of the season match 15)
Highest attendance 30,587 v Manchester United 1-1
1980/81 Best away v Swansea City 5-0 on 3rd January (FA Cup on BBC Match of the Day)
Worst home v Coventry City 0-1 on 21st April (only second home defeat of the season match 19)
Highest attendance 37,557 v Barnsley 2-1 (FA Cup)
1981/82 Best home v Aston Villa 3-3 on 21st November
Worst home v Coventry City 0-0 on 24th April (Relegation looming)
Highest attendance 21,019 v Sunderland 0-0
1982/83 Best home v Chelsea 3-1 on 11th December (Heine Otto scored after 23 seconds)
Worst away v Queen’s Park Rangers 1-6 on 5th March
Highest attendance 25,184 v Newcastle United 1-1
1983/84 Best home v Arsenal 3-2 on 7th January (FA Cup)
Worst away v Leeds United 1-4 on 31st December
Highest attendance 20,175 v Bournemouth 2-0 (FA Cup)
1984/85 Best home v Manchester City 2-1 on 20th October
Worst home v Grimsby Town 1-5 on 1st September
Highest attendance 19,084 v Darlington 0-0 (FA Cup)
1985/86 Best home v Sunderland 2-0 on 28th December
Worst away v Wimbledon 0-3 on 17th August (first game of the season)
Highest attendance 19,702 v Sunderland 2-0
1986/87 Best home (at Hartlepool) v Port Vale 2-2 on 23rd August
Worst away v York City 1-3 on 1st January
Highest attendance 18,523 v Wigan Athletic 0-0 (Promotion confirmed)
1987/88 Best home v Chelsea 2-0 on 25th May and away v Chelsea 0-1 on 28th May (Promotion to 1st Division)
Worst away v Ipswich Town 0-4 on 23rd April
Highest attendance 27,645 v Leicester City 1-2 (last league match of the season)
1988/89 Best away v Coventry City 4-3 on 1st October
Worst home v Grimsby Town 1-2 on 7th January (FA Cup) and v Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 on 13th May (Relegation)
Highest attendance 25,197 v Liverpool 0-4
1989/90 Best home v Newcastle United 4-1 on 5th May (Relegation avoided)
Worst home v Blackburn Rovers 0-3 on 17th March
Highest attendance 23,617 v West Ham United 0-1
1990/91 Best home v Leicester City 6-0 on 29th September
Worst away v Notts County 0-1 on 22nd May (Playoff)
Highest attendance 22,869 v Sheffield Wednesday 0-2
1991/92 Best away v Wolves 2-1 on 2nd May (Promotion)
Worst away v Portsmouth 0-4 on 28th December
Highest attendance 25,572 v Manchester United 0-0 (League Cup)
1992/93 Best home v Leeds United 4-1 on 22nd August
Worst home v Nottm Forest 0-3 on 3rd February (FA Cup)
Highest attendance 24,390 v Newcastle United 1-3 (League Cup)
1993/94 Best home v Sunderland 4-1 on 17th October
Worst away v Tranmere Rovers 0-4 on 4th April
Highest attendance 17,056 v Nottm Forest 2-2
1994/95 Best home v Luton Town 2-1 on 30th April (Promotion on last League match at Ayresome Park)
Worst away v Luton Town 1-5 on 15th October
Highest attendance 23,903 v Luton Town 2-1
1995/96 Best home v Chelsea 2-0 on 26th August (first match at the Riverside Stadium) and v Blackburn Rovers 2-0 on 30th September
Worst away v Chelsea 0-5 on 4th February
Highest attendance 30,011 v Newcastle United 1-2
1996/97 Best home v Liverpool 3-3 on 17th August and v Newcastle United 3-1 on 27th November (League Cup)
Worst away v Liverpool 1-5 on 14th December
Highest attendance 30,215 v Tottenham Hotspur 0-3 (Ground Record)
1997/98 Best home v Liverpool 2-0 on 18th February (League Cup
Worst away v Queen’s Park Rangers 0-5 on 4th March
Highest attendance 30,228 v Oxford United 4-1 (Promotion)
1998/99 Best away v Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 on 13th September
Worst home v Arsenal 1-6 on 24th April
Highest attendance 34,687 v Tottenham Hotspur 0-0 (Ground Record broken 4 times in the season)
1999/2000 Best home v Arsenal 2-1 on 12th March
Worst away v Wrexham 1-2 on 11th December (FA Cup) and home v Aston Villa 0-4 on 14th February
Highest attendance 34,800 v Leeds United 0-0 (Ground Record broken twice more in the season)
2000/01 Best home v Chelsea 1-0 on 16th December (Terry Venables first match? but first win for 9 matches)
Worst home v Wimbledon 0-0 on 6th February (FA Cup)
Highest attendance 34,698 v Liverpool 1-0
2001/02 Best home v Everton 3-0 on 10th March (FA Cup)
Worst home v Arsenal 0-4 on 18th August (Steve McLaren’s first match as manager)
Highest attendance 34,358 v Manchester United 0-1
2002/03 Best home v Manchester United 3-1 on Boxing Day
Worst home v Aston Villa 2-5 on 28th January
Highest attendance 34,814 v Newcastle United 1-0
2003/04 Best v Bolton Wanderers 2-1 at Millennium Stadium on 29th February (League Cup Final)
Worst away v Portsmouth 1-5 on 15th May
Highest attendance 34,738 v Manchester United 0-1
2004/05 Best away v Blackburn Rovers 4-0 on 16th October
Worst home v Sporting Lisbon 2-3 on 10th March (EUFA Cup)
Highest attendance 34,836 v Norwich City (Existing Ground Record for a Boro match)
2005/06 Best home v FC Basel 4-1 on 6th April and v Steau Bucharest 4-2 on 27th April (EUFA Cup Quarter and Semifinals)
Worst away v Arsenal 0-7 on 14th January
Highest attendance 34,622 v Steau Bucharest 4-2
2006/07 Best home v Bolton Wanderers 5-1 on 20th January
Worst home v Portsmouth 0-4 on 28th August
Highest attendance 33,308 v Manchester United (FA Cup)
2007/08 Best home v Manchester City 8-1 on 11th May
Worst home v Cardiff City 0-2 on 9th March (FA Cup)
Highest attendance 33,952 v Manchester United 2-2
2008/09 Best home v Liverpool 2-0 on 28th February
Worst home v Chelsea 0-5 on 18th October
Highest attendance 33,724 v Liverpool 2-0
2009/10 Best away v Queen’s Park Rangers 5-1 on 5th December
Worst home v West Bromwich Albion 0-5 on 19th September
Highest attendance 27,347 v Newcastle United 2-2
2010/11 Best away v Cardiff City 3-0 on 2nd May
Worst away v Burton Albion 1-2 on 8th January (FA Cup)
Highest attendance 23,550 v Leeds United 1-2
2011/12 Best home v Southampton 2-1 on 21st April
Worst away v Blackpool 0-3 on 2nd January
Highest attendance 27,794 v Hull City.
2012/13 Best away v Sunderland 1-0 on 30th October (League Cup)
Worst away v Ipswich Town 0-4 on 2nd February
Highest attendance 28,229 v Sheffield Wednesday 3-1
2013/14 Best home v Doncaster Rovers 4-0 on 25th October
Worst home v Accrington Stanley 1-2 on 6th August ( League Cup)
Highest attendance 23,679 v Bolton Wanderers 1-0
2014/15 Best away v Manchester City 2-0 on 24th January (FA Cup)
Worst v Norwich City 0-2 at Wembley on 25th May (Playoff Final)
Highest attendance 33,381 v Brighton and Hove Albion 0-0 on 2nd May
2015/16 Best away v Brighton and Hove Albion 3-0 on 19th December and home v Brighton and Hove Albion 1-1 on 9th May
Highest attendance 33,806 v Brighton and Hove Albion 1-1
2016/17 Best home v Manchester City 2-2 on 30th April
Worst away v Bournemouth 0-4 on 22nd April
Highest attendance 32,704 v Chelsea 0-1 and v Liverpool 0-3
2017/18 Best home v Leeds United 3-0 on 2nd March
Worst away v Burton Albion 1-1 on 2nd April
Highest attendance to date 29,443 v Bolton Wanderers 2-0
I realise that most of you will not have experienced the earliest post war matches, but hope some of these matches will bring back happy memories, but accept that others perhaps will bring back painful ones. I don’t anticipate that all these selections will meet with everyone’s approval, but will be interested to read any comments. This exercise has taken me several hours to complete and I will welcome for folks who spot any errors to let me know.
Thank you, and happy hunting.
Up the Boro.
Hi Ken,
Many thanks for your diligent work. I can now date the 60/61 as first season I started accompanying my Dad and Grandad to the ‘match’. From your list, my first recollections are of the 61/62 1-3 home defeat by Leeds. One of the more vivid memories was the muddy furrow ploughed by the linesman, we hardly got a kick of the ball! I can also remember the intimidating noise generated by the Leeds. Leeds upward trajectory was never in doubt.
My Dad’s comment was we were lucky to concede only three and it was one of the best teams he had seen since the war.
I remember the Leeds match pretty well as it was fairly wet and instead of my vantage point in the ‘bob end’ which was open to the elements, I stood under cover in the South stand. The crowd was a measly 10,758 probably because of the bad weather and if I remember correctly, Boro were 0-3 down until Billy Day scored a consolation goal in the last five minutes.
Most supporters were despondent following the transfer of Brian Clough pre-season and, after having gone unbeaten at home for 17 matches the previous season, Boro had only gained 13 points from the first 16 matches prior to the Leeds match and in a lowly position of 18th out of 22 teams and were still only in 18th position with only one more match remaining. However a 2-1 home victory over Norwich elevated them to a rather flattering final position of 12th, so tight was the points difference at the lower end of the league.
Like it. Great work Ken.
2016-17, for me…
Best? 0-0 v Arsenal A.
Worst? 0-1 v Watford H.
Contenders from 2005-06?
Best? 3-0 v Chelsea H.
Worst? 0-4 v Villa H.
I was going to refer to RR’s “Is it always darkest before the dawn?” lament after Arsenal. But instead I’ll hand you over to AV and his comments post-Chelsea, circa 2006.
“Yes, it is ‘magnificent’ that Boro battered the champions.
“Yes, it was a superb example of the sum adding up to more than the parts.
“And yes, it was a morale-booster that banished the relegation blues.
“But on the downside, a new standard has now been set, and people will now quite rightly demand Boro do that to lesser teams every week.
“And they will be asking why it hasn’t happened every week before now.
“And it is a good question. Now the euphoria has faded, supporters can be forgiven for scratching their heads and wondering why a team that can play with such power, pace, crisp attacking movement and defensive solidity against a team of supermen can’t sweep aside the mere mortals and makeweights.
“It is not something that can be dismissed glibly as ‘Typical Boro’ or part of some historical enigma beyond control.
“Having frustrating inconsistency as the default setting should not be accepted.
“Fans are right to question such wild swings in performance levels, and to wonder why it takes the prospect of a glamour game to drag out of Boro the kind of displays we know are possible.
“One widely touted explanation is that Boro were highly motivated for the Chelsea game. They were ‘up for it’. They played above themselves as they rose to the daunting challenge of the champions.
“Laudable though that successful mental self-preparation is, it is also deeply worrying. Worrying because it is not routine. If they are up for the visit of the glamour sides, then why not for the also-rans?
“We are told that this current Boro is more professional, more scientific, more nutritionally, tactically and psychologically tuned and more meticulously prepared than any previous set-up in history.
“So how do you explain spineless and shapeless collective capitulations like those against Arsenal or Aston Villa? If Chelsea was the result of intense managerial motivation, what must we make of the season’s low points?
“And if it was the result of individual self motivation, shouldn’t we be pointing the finger at those who are buzzing for the big ones but can’t manage to be ‘up for it’ in a mundane mid-table match? Because there are more of them. And right now they are more important.”
I see where you’re coming from in the 2016/17 season with the draw at Arsenal or indeed the draw at Man City, but chose the home draw with Man City because I thought Boro were robbed of victory by the referee. There were some dreadful performances though, too many to mention.
I missed the winter matches in 2005/06 as I have done except for televised matches for the last 22 years as I’ve always spent 3 to 5 months in the Algarve, but used to listen to Five Live on the BBC World Service on Saturdays sitting on the apartment balcony, and after the Villa 0-4 debacle was astounded when Boro scored early doors a week later at home to Chelsea in the commentary match, even more so when Downing and Yakubu added to Rochenbach’s opener. I suppose big home defeats are the harder to bear, and on reflection maybe I was being a bit harsh in nominating the 0-7 defeat at Highbury as Boro had I believe 6 teenagers playing that day.