List of Middlesbrough F.C. players

This is a list of notable footballers who have played for Middlesbrough. Generally, this means players that have played 100 or more first-class matches for the club, or been an officially designated captain.

Players are listed according to the date of their first-team debut for the club. Appearances are for first-team competitive matches only; wartime matches are excluded. Substitute appearances included. Names in bold are currently active at the club. Statistics correct as of 25 September 2025

Notable players

  Middlesbrough Legend (as voted for by fans in the Evening Gazette in 2007)
  Club captains who have won a major senior competition (competitions noted in notes section)
  Club record holder
  Played their full career at Middlesbrough (professional teams only, including loans)
(n/a) = Information not available

Name Nationality Position[1] Boro career Captaincy Appearances Goals Notes
Peter McCracken  Scotland Left-half
Left-back		 1899–1900 1899–1900 34 0 [2]
Andrew Ramsey  Scotland Left-back 1899–1904 – 136 1 –
William Higgins  England Centre-half 1900–1901 1900–1901 29 4 –
David Smith  Scotland Right-half 1900–1905 1901–1903 114 12 –
Andy Davidson  Scotland Left-half
Centre-half		 1900–1906 – 201 8 –
Joseph Cassidy  Scotland Inside-left
Centre-forward		 1901–1906 – 135 34 –
Abraham Jones  England Centre-half 1901–1906 – 149 9 –
George Friend  England Left-back 2012– – 100 3 –
Tim Williamson  England Goalkeeper 1901–1923 19??–1914 602 2 [3]
John Hogg  Scotland Right-back 1902–1906 – 100 0 –
Sam Aitken  Scotland Right-half
Centre-half		 1903–1910 1907–19?? 242 6 –
Alf Common  England Forward 1905–1910 1905–1907 178 65 [4]
Steve Bloomer  England Inside-right 1905–1910 – 130 62 –
Billy Barker  England Wing-half 1905–1913 – 113 2 –
Sammy Cail  England Inside-left
Centre-forward		 1906–1913 – 143 55 –
Donald McLeod  Scotland Right-back 1908–1913 – 148 0 –
George Elliott  England Centre-forward
Inside-forward		 1909–1925 1913–1921 365 213 [5]
Andy Jackson  Scotland Centre-half 1910–1915 1914–1915 137 3 –
William Carr  England Centre-half 1910–1924 – 118 4 –
Jacky Carr  England Inside-forward
Outside-right		 1910–1930 – 449 81 –
John Stirling  Scotland Outside-right 1911–1914 – 112 8 –
George Malcolm  England Right-half 1912–1915 – 101 1 –
Stewart Davidson  Scotland Right-half 1913–1923 – 216 4 –
Walter Holmes  England Full-back 1914–1928 – 174 1 –
Jack Marshall  Scotland Right-back 1919–1923 – 121 0 –
Robert Pender  Scotland Left-half
Inside-left		 1919–1924 – 110 10 –
William Ellerginton  England Centre-half
Left-half		 1919–1924 – 131 0 –
William Victor Fox  England Full-back
Left-half		 1919–1924 – 112 1 –
Billy Birrell  Scotland Inside-right
Outside-right		 1920–1927 1926–1927 235 63 [6]
Jack Clough  England Goalkeeper 1922–1926 – 128 0 –
Reg Freeman  England Full-back 1923–1930 1924–1926 187 0 –
Robert Furguson  Scotland Centre-half
Right-back		 1924–1931 – 159 2 –
Donald Ashman  England Full-back
Half-back		 1924–1932 – 174 2 –
George Camsell  England Centre-forward 1925–1939 – 453 345 [7][8]
Joseph Miller  Ireland Right-half 1926–1930 – 153 0 –
John Smith  Scotland Full-back 1926–1930 – 123 0 –
Billy Pease  England Outside-right 1926–1933 – 238 102 –
James Mathieson  Scotland Goalkeeper 1926–1934 – 264 0 –
John Reid McKay  Scotland Inside-forward 1926–1934 – 109 20 –
Joseph Peacock  England Wing-half 1927–1930 1929–1930 85 4 –
Bobbie Bruce  Scotland Inside-forward 1927–1935 – 253 71 [4]
Jack Elkes  England Inside-left
Centre-half		 1929–1933 – 113 4 –
John McFarlane  Scotland Wing-half
Inside-forward		 1929–1933 – 101 0 –
John Jennings  England Full-back
Right-half		 1929–1937 1930–1932 205 10 –
Bill Forrest  Scotland Left-half 1929–1939 – 333 8 –
William Brown  England Right-half
Right-back		 1931–1946 – 274 2 –
Tom Griffiths  Wales Centre-half
Right-back		 1932–1935 1932–1935 92 1 [4]
Frederick Gibson  England Goalkeeper 1932–1936 – 120 0 –
Bobby Baxter  Scotland Centre-half
Inside-left		 1932–1939 193?–193? 266 20 –
John Martin  England Wing-half 1932–1939 – 137 3 –
Micky Fenton  England Centre-forward 1932–1950 – 269 162 –
Ralph Birkett  England Outside-right 1934–1938 – 101 36 [4]
David Cumming  Scotland Goalkeeper 1936–1949 – 157 0 –
Wilf Mannion  England Inside-forward 1936–1954 – 368 110 [9]
George Hardwick  England Full-back 1937–1950 19??–19?? 166 7 –
Johnny Spuhler  England Centre-forward 1945–1954 – 241 81 –
Jimmy Gordon  Scotland Wing-half 1946–1954 1951–1952 253 4 –
Harry Bell  England Wing-half 1946–1955 – 315 10 –
Richard (Dickie) Robinson  England Full-back 1946–1959 – 416 1 –
Ronald Dicks  England Wing-half 1947–1958 1956–1958 334 10 –
Tommy Blenkinsopp  England Defender 1948–1952 – 100 0 –
Alex McCrae  Scotland Defender 1948–1953 – 130 49 –
Lindy Delapenha  Jamaica Forward 1949–1958 – 270 93 [10]
Arthur Fitzsimons  Republic of Ireland Inside-forward 1949–1959 – 231 51 –
Raymond Barnard  England Full-back 1951–1961 – 118 0 –
Ray Bilcliff  England Full-back 1951–1961 – 190 0 [11]
John Brian Phillips  England Centre-half 1954–1960 – 124 2 –
Alan Peacock  England Centre-forward 1954–1964 – 238 141 –
Bill Harris  Wales Inside-forward
Wing-half		 1954–1965 19??–19?? 378 72 [4][12]
Brian Clough  England Centre-forward 1955–1961 19??–19?? 222 204 [8]
Derek McLean  England Inside-forward 1952–1961 – 123 30 –
Billy Day  England Outside-right 1955–1962 – 131 21 –
Edwin Holliday  England Outside-left 1956–1962
1965-1966		 – 169 25 –
Ronald Burbeck  England Winger 1956–1963 – 152 29 –
Michael McNeil  England Left-back 1958–1964 – 193 3 –
Bob Appleby  England Goalkeeper 1959–1967 – 110 0 –
Arthur Kaye  England Outside-right 1960–1965 – 185 44 –
Billy Horner  England Defender 1960–1969 – 217 12 –
Gordon Jones  England Full-back 1960–1973 1966–1973[13] 532 5 [14][15]
Alex Smith  England Defender 1961–1972 – 137 1 –
Bill Gates  England Centre-half 1961–1974 – 333 13 –
Mel Nurse  Wales Centre-half 1962–1965 1962–1965 124 9 [4]
Ian Gibson  Scotland Midfield 1962–1966 1965–1966 184 47 [4]
Bryan Orritt  Wales Inside-forward 1962–1966 – 128 23 [16]
Frank Spraggon  England Defender 1962–1975 – 331 3 –
Edward Connachan  Scotland Goalkeeper 1963–1966 – 105 0 –
Arthur Horsfield  England Forward 1963–1969 – 127 56 [17]
Jim Irvine  Scotland Centre-forward 1964–1967 – 100 43 –
Stan Anderson  England Wing-half 1965–1966 196?–196? 22 2 –
Richard Rooks  England Centre-half 1965–1969 – 150 14 [18]
Derrick Downing  England Winger 1965–1972 – 204 49 –
Eric McMordie  Northern Ireland Midfield 1965–1974 – 277 26 [19]
David Chadwick  India Winger 1966–1970 – 115 4 –
John Hickton  England Forward
Utility		 1966–1977 – 499 187 [20]
Joe Laidlaw  England Midfield
Forward		 1967–1972 – 128 23 –
Willie Maddren  England Central defender 1969–1978 – 354 21 [21]
David Mills  England Forward 1968–1979
1984–1985		 – 398 111 [22]
David Armstrong  England Midfielder 1970–1981 – 431 77 [23]
Jim Platt  Northern Ireland Goalkeeper 1970–1982 ????–???? 481 0 [24]
Nobby Stiles  England Wing-half 1971–1973 1971–197? 69 2 –
Stuart Boam  England Central defender 1971–1979 – 393 16 –
John Craggs  England Right-back 1971–1982 1981 488 14 [4]
Alan Foggon  England Winger 1972–1976 – 141 50 –
Peter Brine  England Midfielder 1972–1977 – 101 8 –
Bobby Murdoch  Scotland Midfield 1973–1976 – 125 9 –
Graeme Souness  Scotland Midfield 1973–1978 – 216 27 [25]
Tony McAndrew  Scotland Central defender 1973–1982 1979–1981 358 18 –
Terry Cooper  England Left-back 1974–1978 – 133 1 –
Ian Bailey  England Left-back 1975–1982 – 175 3 –
Billy Ashcroft  England Forward 1977–1982 – 179 25 [4]
Mark Proctor  England Midfield 1978–1981
1989–1993		 – 273 20 –
David Hodgson  England Forward 1978–1982
1987		 – 143 20 –
Terry Cochrane  Northern Ireland Winger 1978–1983 – 128 12 [4]
Dave Shearer  England Forward 1978–1983 – 115 30 –
Irving Nattrass  England Right-back 1979–1986 1983–1985 221 2 [4]
Mick Baxter  England Central defender 1981–1984 – 138 8 –
Heine Otto  Netherlands Midfield 1981–1985 – 187 28 –
David Currie  England Forward 1982–1986 – 127 31 –
Tony Mowbray  England Central defender 1982–1991 1987–1991 425 29 [26]
Stephen Pears  England Goalkeeper 1983
1985–1995		 – 424 0 [27]
Gary Hamilton  Scotland Midfield 1983–1989 – 268 28 –
Gary Pallister  England Central defender 1984–1989
1998–2000		 – 250 7 [28]
Colin Cooper  England Defender 1984–1991
1998–2006		 – 423 14 –
Archie Stephens  England Forward 1985–1987 – 107 27 –
Brian Laws  England Right-back 1985–1988 1985–1986 129 14 –
Stuart Ripley  England Right-winger 1985–1992 – 311 31 –
Alan Kernaghan  Republic of Ireland Central defender 1985–1993 1991–1993 268 22 [29]
Bernie Slaven  Republic of Ireland Forward 1985–1993 – 381 146 [30]
Gary Parkinson  England Right-back 1986–1993 – 258 7 –
Paul Kerr  England Midfield 1987–1991 – 162 18 –
Nicky Mohan  England Central defender 1987–1994 – 131 4 –
Peter Davenport  England Forward 1988–1990 – 28 5 [4]
Jimmy Phillips  England Left-back 1990–1993 – 172 6 –
John Hendrie  Scotland Winger
Forward		 1990–1996 1993–1994 234 55 [31]
Robbie Mustoe  England Midfield 1990–2002 – 367 34 –
Andy Peake  England Midfield 1991–1994 – 100 1 [32]
Jamie Pollock  England Midfield 1991–1996 – 193 19 [33]
Curtis Fleming  Republic of Ireland Defender 1991–2001 – 317 4 [34]
Alan Moore  Republic of Ireland Left-winger 1991–2001 – 142 17 –
Craig Hignett  England Winger 1992–1997 – 195 48 –
Chris Morris  Republic of Ireland Full-back 1992–1997 – 104 4 –
Phil Stamp  England Midfield 1993–2001 – 154 8 –
Neil Cox  England Defender 1994–1996 – 120 4 [4]
Bryan Robson  England Midfield 1994–1997 – 27 1 [35]
Nigel Pearson  England Central defender 1994–1998 1994–1998 139 5 [36]
Juninho Paulista  Brazil Midfield 1995–1997
1999
2002–2004		 – 155 34 [37]
Fabrizio Ravanelli  Italy Forward 1996–1997 – 50 32 [4]
Mikkel Beck  Denmark Striker 1996–1998 – 115 31 –
Andy Townsend  Republic of Ireland Midfield 1997–1999 1998–1999 88 4 –
Gianluca Festa  Italy Central defender 1997–2002 – 171 12 [38]
Mark Schwarzer  Australia Goalkeeper 1997–2008 – 446 0 [39]
Hamilton Ricard  Colombia Forward 1998–2002 – 134 43 –
Paul Ince  England Midfield 1999–2002 1999–2002 106 9 –
Joseph-Désiré Job  Cameroon Forward 2000–2006 – 111 21 –
Stuart Parnaby  England Defender/Midfield 2000–2007 – 128 4 –
Ugo Ehiogu  England Defender 2000–2007 – 150 8 [4]
Jonathan Greening  England Midfield 2001–2004 – 109 4 [40]
Szilárd Németh  Slovakia Forward 2001–2006 – 146 29 –
Franck Queudrue  France Left-back 2001–2006 – 199 12 [41]
Gareth Southgate  England Defender 2001–2006 2002–2006 204 4 [42]
Stewart Downing  England Midfield 2001–2009; 2015–2019 – 404 32 [43]
George Boateng  Netherlands Midfield 2002–2008 2006–2008 222 9 –
Massimo Maccarone  Italy Forward 2002–2007 – 102 24 [4]
Doriva  Brazil Midfield 2003–2006 – 110 1 –
Chris Riggott  England Defender 2003–2009 – 121 8 [44]
Matthew Bates  England Defender 2004–2012 2010–2012 126 6 –
David Wheater  England Defender 2004–2011 – 157 11 –
Emanuel Pogatetz  Austria Defender 2005–2010 2008–2010 112 3 [45]
Julio Arca  Argentina Midfield 2006–2013 – 181 9 –
Jonathan Woodgate  England Defender 2006–2008; 2012–2016 2014–2015 112 2 –
Gary O'Neil  England Midfielder 2007–2011 – 120 12 –
Marvin Emnes  Netherlands Forward 2008–2014 – 161 41 –
Justin Hoyte  Trinidad and Tobago Defender 2008–2013 – 162 2 –
Rhys Williams  Australia Defender/Midfield 2009–2016 2012–2014 141 5 –
Barry Robson  Scotland Midfielder 2010–2012 – 90 19 [46]
Scott McDonald  Australia Forward 2010–2013 – 124 49 –
Ben Gibson  England Defender 2010–2018 – 204 4 –
Grant Leadbitter  England Midfield 2012–2019 2015–2019 244 33 –
George Friend  England Defender 2012–2020 2019–2020 299 10 [47]
Albert Adomah  Ghana Midfield 2013–2016 – 143 26 –
Dimitrios Konstantopoulos  Greece Goalkeeper 2013–2019 – 112 0 –
Daniel Ayala  Spain Defender 2013–2020 – 216 23 –
Adam Clayton  England Midfield 2014–2020 – 241 1 –
Dael Fry  England Defender 2015– – 271 3 [48]
Adama Traore  Spain Midfield 2016–2018 – 71 5 [49]
Britt Assombalonga  DR Congo Forward 2017–2021 2020–2021 161 47 [50]
Jonny Howson  England Midfield 2017–2025 2021–2025 320 9 [51]
Marcus Tavernier  England Midfield 2017–2021 – 155 18 –
Paddy McNair  Northern Ireland Defender 2018–2024 – 219 14 –
George Saville  England Midfield 2018–2021 – 118 12 –
Anfernee Dijksteel  Suriname Defender 2019–2025 – 167 3 –
Matt Crooks  England Midfielder 2021–2024 – 115 23 –
Isaiah Jones  England Forward 2021–2025 – 127 13 –
Hayden Hackney  England Midfielder 2021– - 121 11 -


Key to positions

See also

Notes and references

  • Middlesbrough FC. The Who's Who of Middlesbrough. Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-569-2.
  • E End of contract
  • A Initial fee £2.5 million, rising to just over £5 million based on appearances.[52]
  • Glasper, Harry. Middlesbrough, A Complete Record, 1876-1989. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 0-907969-53-4.
  • "Squad Profiles". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 August 2007.
  • "Soccerbase". Soccerbase. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
  1. ^ For a full description of positions see Football Positions.
  2. ^ Peter McCracken was the first player to captain Middlesbrough in the Football League.
  3. ^ Tim Williamson is the all time appearance record holder.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Was record signing at the time of his purchase.
  5. ^ George Elliott is second in the all time goalscoring tables with 213. Elliott also holds the record for most goals scored in a competitive Middlesbrough game, scoring eleven in a 14–1 reserve team victory over Houghton Rovers. He was the first Middlesbrough player to be top goalscorer in the Football League, during the 1913-14 season.
  6. ^ Billy Birrell won the Football League Second Division as captain.
  7. ^ George Camsell is Middlesbrough's all-time top goalscorer with 345 goals. Camsell also holds the Middlesbrough record for most goals in the season, with 59 league goals and 63 in all competitions during 1926-27. 59 league goals in one season is a Second Division record. His nine hat-tricks that season is an English football record, and his 24 hat-tricks during his time at Middlesbrough is a club record.
  8. ^ a b Joint holder of Middlesbrough record for most goals in a single competitive first team game, with five goals. J.Wilkie, A.N.Wilson, J.McClelland and B.H.Clough each achieved this feat once, while G.H.Camsell achieved it in two games.
  9. ^ Wilf Mannion is Middlesbrough's most capped England player.
  10. ^ Lindy Delapenha was Middlesbrough's first black player.
  11. ^ Raymond Bilcliff made more appearances than any other outfield player without scoring a goal.
  12. ^ Bill Harris is the holder of the Middlesbrough record for fastest recorded goal, with a goal 11 seconds into an FA Cup tie with Shrewsbury.
  13. ^ FIX ME:May be to 1971,72,73.
  14. ^ Gordon Jones is second in the all-time Middlesbrough appearance records.
  15. ^ Player of the year 1965–66 and 1971.
  16. ^ Bryan Orritt was the first substitute ever used by Middlesbrough.
  17. ^ Arthur Horsfield is the club's youngest senior goalscorer.
  18. ^ Player of the year 1967–68, 1968–69.
  19. ^ Evening Gazette player of the year 1969.
  20. ^ John Hickton is third in the all-time Middlesbrough appearance records.
  21. ^ Player of the year 1972–1973.
  22. ^ David Mills' sale to West Bromwich Albion was a British football record transfer fee at the time, with a fee of approximately £500,000.
  23. ^ David Armstrong holds the record for most consecutive appearances with 305 consecutive league games and 358 consecutive games in all competitions between March 1972 and August 1980.
  24. ^ Player of the year 1972, 1981. North East Player of the Year 1981.
  25. ^ Player of the year 1973–74.
  26. ^ Player of the year 1985, 1986.
  27. ^ North East Player of the Year 1992.
  28. ^ Gary Pallister's sale to Manchester United was a British football record transfer fee at the time, with a fee of £2.3 million.
  29. ^ Alan Kernaghan holds the record for most substitute appearances for Middlesbrough, with 53.
  30. ^ North East Player of the Year 1989.
  31. ^ Supporters' club player of the year 1992–93.
  32. ^ Players' Player of the Year 1992–93.
  33. ^ Young player of the year 1991–92.
  34. ^ Supporters' club player of the year 1993–94.
  35. ^ Bryan Robson is Middlesbrough's oldest-ever goalscorer, aged 38 years and 2 months old, with his goal versus Port Vale on 26 March 1995. Robson is also the oldest player to appear for Middlesbrough, aged 38 years and 355 days old with his appearances versus Arsenal on 1 January 1997.
  36. ^ Nigel Pearson won the Football League Division One as captain.
  37. ^ Supporters' club player of the year 1996–97.
  38. ^ Supporters' club player of the year 1998.
  39. ^ Mark Schwarzer holds the record for earning the most international caps while a Middlesbrough player.
  40. ^ Supporters' club player of the year 2002–03.
  41. ^ Community player of the year 2003–04.
  42. ^ Gareth Southgate won the Football League Cup as captain. Player of the year 2001–02.
  43. ^ Supporters' club player of the year 2007–08. Players' Player of the Year 2007–08.
  44. ^ Players' Player of the Year 2005–06.
  45. ^ Supporters' club player of the year 2006–07. Players' Player of the Year 2006–07.
  46. ^ Supporters' player of the year for 2009-10 and 2011-12
  47. ^ Supporters' club player of the year for 2013-14 and 2014-15
  48. ^ Current club captain
  49. ^ Adama Traore holds the record for Middlesbrough's highest transfer fee received, at £18 million in 2018.
  50. ^ Britt Assombalonga is Middlesbrough's record signing. The club paid a fee of approximately £15 million for him in 2017.
  51. ^ Supporters' player of the year 2019-20 and 2021-22. Players' player of the year 2023-24
  52. ^ "Pompey will have to wait for half of O'Neil's fee". Portsmouth News. 5 September 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2007.
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