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 10 August 2024
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 | – |
Henry 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 | – |
William Lazenby 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] |
David 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– | – | 241 | 2 | - |
Adama Traore | Spain | Midfield | 2016–2018 | – | 71 | 5 | [48] |
Britt Assombalonga | DR Congo | Forward | 2017–2021 | 2020–2021 | 161 | 47 | [49] |
Jonny Howson | England | Midfield | 2017– | 2021– | 320 | 9 | [50] |
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– | – | 131 | 0 | – |
Matt Crooks | England | Midfielder | 2021–2024 | – | 115 | 23 | – |
Isaiah Jones | England | Forward | 2021– | – | 127 | 13 | – |