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After years of disappointment under Michael Carrick, Middlesbrough finally made a change and put Rob Edwards in charge; but fans are already unhappy.
Missing out on promotion three years in a row and gradually finishing lower and lower in the league cost Carrick his job.
However, many Middlesbrough fans were a little underwhelmed when Rob Edwards was named as his replacement for the 2025/26 campaign.
One Boro player even suggested things were tough under Edwards in the early days of his tenure, and judging by the first pre-season friendly, they’re not about to get any better any time soon.
Middlesbrough throw away three-goal lead vs Mansfield Town
Edwards put out a strong Middlesbrough side to face League One outfit Mansfield Town on Sunday, and the Teessiders were 3-0 up at half-time. Happy days, then? Well, not quite.
After changing his line-up for the second 45, Edwards saw his Boro side throw away their advantage and end up drawing the game 3-3. Suffice it to say, fans watching the game were not happy.
One supporter wrote: “The whole club is rotten from top to bottom. A continuation of last season where we crumble under any pressure. For any apologists who say ‘it is only a friendly’ you are part of the problem. Three weeks to sign 11 decent, battling players or we’ll be in a relegation battle.”
Another added: “That second half team was very, very poor. Pre-season but the cracks in the defending side of stuff showed a little bit here. First half was class though.”
Admittedly, it’s that second XI that the fans are most concerned about, with one writing, “Get rid of the full second team – woeful,” and another adding, “Second string are abysmal and half our first squad are injury prone this is gonna be fun.”
Clearly, Middlesbrough fans are not looking forward to the 2025/26 campaign. One said: “The signs are STILL there that we’re obviously going to struggle YET AGAIN this season!”
Another looked to the summer transfer window as the only glimmer of hope, adding: “Sign some players please. I am begging you, we are going to struggle badly unless you do.”
- READ MORE: Middlesbrough fans can’t stop laughing at the latest Hayden Hackney transfer rumour, ‘not a chance’
Work to be done at Middlesbrough this summer
Edwards has a big task on his hands to win over the Middlesbrough fans and get the squad in shape for the new season. One thing’s for sure, the Boro faithful will not settle for midtable mediocrity, and neither will the board.
While Danny Ings is expected to sign, and a deal for Callum Brittain is not ‘a million miles away’, there is still so much more that Edwards needs if he is to have a squad capable of pushing for promotion.
It’s even more of a challenge when you remember Edwards brings a distinctly different style of play to the Riverside, and a new formation that the squad isn’t really equipped for.
Edwards will now need to find some wing-backs, and he’s probably going to have to replace two of his best players, too. Premier League clubs want Hayden Hackney, while Rav van den Berg is linked with a move to Germany.