2007–08 Middlesbrough F.C. season

During the 2007–08 season, Middlesbrough participated in the Premier League. The season saw them play their 4000th league game, versus Reading on 1 March 2008. They reached the third round of the League Cup, where they were knocked out by eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur, while in their FA Cup campaign they were knocked out by Championship side Cardiff City.

Gareth Southgate continued as manager under chairman Steve Gibson. George Boateng retained the captaincy from the previous season, until being replaced at the beginning of 2008 by Julio Arca. Arca's poor form saw him dropped in March, and Emanuel Pogatetz was handed the captaincy in his absence, and later retained it upon Arca's return to the side, though any permanent decision was put off until the following season.

January saw Middlesbrough smash their transfer record to pay a fee of around £12 million for Brazilian striker Afonso Alves.

Team kit and sponsors

During this season, Middlesbrough's kits were produced by Erreà. 888.com's contract with the club expired, and after prolonged negotiations leading to a delay in the release of the new kit, Middlesbrough announced that the new sponsors would be GPS manufacturer Garmin on 20 July 2007.

On 16 July 2007, the club announced that the new home shirt would be predominantly red with white trim. The away shirt was revealed on 20 July 2007 as being predominantly white with gold trim.

Transfers

Summer transfer window

Early pre-season was dominated by the protracted contract talks involving Mark Viduka. West Ham United, and Birmingham City were rumoured destinations for the Boro striker, before he eventually decided to move on a Bosman free transfer to Newcastle United. This meant Boro had only two strikers remaining in Yakubu and Lee Dong-Gook having also released Malcolm Christie and Danny Graham at the ends of their contracts. Jérémie Aliadière from Arsenal and Tuncay from Fenerbahçe were brought in as replacements. Right back Luke Young was also brought in on 26 July 2007 for £2.5 million from relegated Charlton Athletic following the departures of Abel Xavier and Stuart Parnaby on free transfers.

After just short of a hundred appearances, youth academy graduate James Morrison moved on to West Bromwich Albion for an initial £1.75 million.

Two games into the league season, Egyptian striker Mido was brought in from Tottenham Hotspur for £6 million in order to improve the team's attacking options, beating off competition from Sunderland and Birmingham City.

Following Mido's arrival, speculation intensified regarding Yakubu, who had been linked with moves to Manchester City, and Birmingham City before Boro announced a fee was agreed with Everton. The move was completed on 29 August for £11.25 million, an Everton record and Boro's second highest fee ever received (behind Juninho's £12 million fee in 1997) and meant the club's five main strikers from twelve months earlier had all left the club.

Mido's fellow Egyptian international teammate Mohamed Shawky was set to undergo for three-day trial along with teammate Emad Moteab, however Middlesbrough decided on only pursuing their interest in Shawky, who signed on transfer deadline day for £650,000 on a three-year contract. At the same time, Jason Euell moved to Southampton on a free transfer after having his contract cancelled, and David Knight was released to join Swansea City. With less than an hour remaining before the transfer deadline, Boro completed a £5 million move for Portsmouth's Gary O'Neil.

January transfer window

The early part of the transfer window saw prolonged and widespread reports linking Boro with Brazilian strikers Afonso Alves of Heerenveen and Fred of Lyon, interest which was later confirmed by Gareth Southgate. Any move for Alves was delayed by a contractual dispute. AZ Alkmaar claimed they had signed a pre-contract agreement with Alves, though the Dutch FA ruled against them, while Southgate said a move for Fred was looking "complicated" and "unlikely". The move was completed in the final hour of the window for an undisclosed Middlesbrough record fee.

In December it was reported that Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho was a £10m target for the club. These rumours died down and the Brazilian moved to A.C. Milan in the summer.

The first move however, saw Academy product Andrew Davies leave the club for Southampton for an undisclosed fee, following a successful three-month loan spell.

Stewart Downing was once again linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the window. Those reports died away, but widespread media reports emerged at the start of the final week of the window that both Tottenham and Newcastle had come to an agreement with Boro over a fee for fellow home-town star Jonathan Woodgate (only signed in the summer from Real Madrid for £7 million) and the player had been allowed to speak with them. It was confirmed on 28 January that Woodgate had signed for Tottenham for an undisclosed fee.

Meanwhile, Celtic signed a pre-contract agreement with Middlesbrough's young striker Ben Hutchinson after the club failed to agree a new contract with the 20-year-old. Boro were due compensation for the move. Celtic later agreed to pay Middlesbrough a compensation fee (reported to be around £250,000) to allow Hutchinson to leave before the end of the window.

End of season

At the end of the season, Gareth Southgate confirmed that Fábio Rochemback, Gaizka Mendieta and Lee Dong-Gook would all be leaving the club once their contracts finished at the end of June. Later the same day it was announced Rochemback was returning to his former club Sporting Lisbon.

Port Vale signed youngster Steve Thompson after he impressed for them in two reserve team games.

Mark Schwarzer rejected a new two-year deal from Middlesbrough and signed a contract with Fulham at the end of the season, ending his 11-year spell on Teesside that put him 8th in the all-time Middlesbrough appearance records.

Out of contract Jason Kennedy left to join Darlington, where he had ended the season on loan.

Summary

In

''For 2007–08 Academy recruits see Academy squad.''

Out

''For departures of players out of contract at the end of 2006–07 see 2006–07 Middlesbrough F.C. season.''

Loans out

Notes

: Aliadière was purchased for an initial fee of £2 million.
: O'Neil was purchased for an initial fee £2.5 million. The fee could rise to slightly more than £5 million based on appearances.
: Alves' fee was confirmed to be a Middlesbrough transfer record. Manager Gareth Southgate verbally implied the fee was £12 million.
: Filler was signed for an upfront fee, with further amounts tied into his future progress.
: Morrison was sold for an initial fee of £1.5 million. The fee could rise to £2.2 million based on appearances. Middlesbrough are also due 15% of any sell on fee.
: Davies' fee was reported to be around £1 million.
: Woodgate's fee was reported to be around £7–8 million.
: Hutchinson signed a pre-contract agreement with Celtic around 26 January 2008, with the move due to take place once out of contract at the end of June. Middlesbrough were due compensation for the player leaving due to him being younger than 24 years of age, but an earlier move was agreed for a fee reported to be around £250,000.
: Turnbull's loan period was initially intended to last the full season, but he returned early following injuries to Middlesbrough's first team squad.
: Johnson's loan to Watford was initially intended to last three months, but he was recalled early.
: Bates' loan to Norwich was initially intended to last three months, but he returned early following a knee injury.
: Riggott's loan to Stoke City was initially intended to last until the end of the season, however he was recalled early.

Squad

Senior squad

Appearances and goals

''Appearance and goalscoring records for all the players who were in the Middlesbrough F.C. first team squad during the 2007–08 season.''

Discipline

Middlesbrough finished the season with the worst disciplinary record in the Premier League and were subsequently fined £20,000 and a suspended £30,000.

''Disciplinary records for 2007–08 league and cup matches. Players with 1 card or more included only.''

Reserve squad

''Reserve players for 2007–08 season. Senior squad and Academy players are eligible to play for the Reserves. Those listed here agreed professional contracts and had no squad number during this season.''

Academy squad

''Academy players for 2007–08 season.''
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Preseason

Results

''Note: Results are given with Middlesbrough score listed first. Man of the Match is according t
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Premier League

August

Nearing the start of the season, the first team was dealing with injuries to five of the club's centre back