Riverside Stadium: Middlesbrough FC

By Chemical Engineer (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The Riverside Stadium opened in 1995 as a replacement for Ayresome Park after the Taylor Report declared that stadiums needed to be all-seater and it was decided that it would be too difficult to expand the original ground. Teeside Development Corporation offered Middlesbrough the Middlehaven location near to the River Tees. The 30,000 seat stadium cost £16 million to build and was constructed by Taylor Woodrow Construction.

The stadium opened with a win for the home side when they beat Chelsea 2-0 on the 26th of August 1995. The first ever goal at the new stadium was scored by Craig Hignett and the second goal was netted by Jan Åge Fjørtoft. The first season at the ground was also the club’s first back in the Premier League after two seasons away. Sadly their second season wasn’t as successful, with Boro losing out in the final of both domestic cups as well as relegated from the top-flight.

Stats

Riverside Stadium Photos

• Middlesbrough 2 Aldershot 1 (FA Cup R4, Jan 2013) Middlesbrough 2 Aldershot 1 (FA Cup R4, Jan 2013)
• Statue of George Hardwick Statue of George Hardwick
• Statue of Wilf Mannion Statue of Wilf Mannion
• Riverside Exterior Riverside Exterior
• Ayresome Park Middlesbrough former ground Ayresome Park Middlesbrough former ground
• Roary the Lion Roary the Lion
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Riverside Stadium Seating Plan & Where to Sit

The Riverside is something of a cross between a bowl style stadium and the more traditional English style, four-sided ground. It is a fully enclosed stadium and every seat inside has an uninterrupted view of the pitch.

• The North Stand - This stand backs onto the nearby River Tees and is the location of the more vocal home supporters. Because of that it’s known as the New Colgate End, in reference to the stand at Ayresome Park where the same fans used to congregate.
• The West Stand - This is the largest stand in the ground and runs along the side of the pitch. There are executive boxes along its length and it is also the part of the ground that houses the changing rooms and the tunnel that leads to the pitch.
• The East Stand - This is the stand that houses both the Family Zone and the the visiting supporters.
• The South Stand - This used to be where the away supporters were located but they were moved before the start of the 2013-2014 season. The vocal group of supporters known as the Red Faction are housed here.

Middlesbrough Ticket Prices

Middlesbrough categorise their matches depending on the opposition, but only as A and B. The only other reason you’ll pay more money than someone else is if you chose to sit in a different part of the ground from them, as that’s how the pricing structure works. Here we’ll give you the different ticket prices for adults and the over-65s. The club also runs a scheme called Boro Pride, through which you can get a discount on match day tickets.

• Category A: Adults - £29 - £37 / Concessions - £20 - £29
• Category B: Adults - £26 - £34 / Concessions - £17 - £26

How To Get Middlesbrough Tickets

If you’re hoping to get tickets for Middlesbrough games then your best bet is to head to the club’s official website. From there you’ll be able to pick out and buy your tickets. If you don’t trust websites then you can call the club’s ticket office directly or else call in at the ticket office at the Riverside in person.

Where to Buy

Getting To Riverside Stadium

The Riverside is just a mile from the centre of Middlesbrough, with the city itself being out on the North-East of England’s coast. That means it’s a little out of the way but still in a good position to get to.

Train - Middlesbrough Train Station is about twenty minutes walk from the ground. It’s about three hours away from London with a change in Darlington, whilst if you’re heading there from a North-West location such as Liverpool it could take up to four hours with a change at York.

Bus - The nearest bus station to the ground is one that stops outside Cineworld, about ten minutes walk from the stadium. Bus numbers 36, 37, 38, 456 and 611 all stop there and most run through the centre of the city.

Car - From the North you’ll approach Middlesbrough on the A19 before changing onto the A66 until you see the stadium. If you’re coming from the South then you’ll leave the A1(M) at junction 49 and get onto the A168. That will become the A19 and then the A66. Those of you coming from the West will leave the A1(M) at Junction 57 on to the A66(M). Stay on there for about 19 miles and you’ll see the ground.

By Air - Durham Tees Valley International Airport is technically located in Darlington, around thirteen miles from The Riverside. It’s the place you’ll be flying in to if you’re coming to see Middlesbrough from abroad.

Taxi - The amount you’ll pay for a taxi journey depends on where you’re coming from. If you want a taxi from the airport to the ground, for example, then it will cost about £35 and take something in the region of twenty minutes. If you get caught in traffic then it could cost more, however.

Parking Near Riverside Stadium

Parking at the stadium itself on a match day is restricted to permit holders. If you don’t have a permit then the club recommends that you park in the centre of town which is only a short walk away.

• See Available Parking Near Riverside Stadium

Useful Resources

Riverside Stadium Hotels

Middlesbrough is an ever-growing city, so there are a huge variety of hotels there. We’ve picked some of our favourites for your consideration here, though:

Kingswood Guest House - £50+

379 Norton Road, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, TS20 2PJ

This sweet little bed and breakfast has just fifteen rooms but offers breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking all in a location just under four miles from the ground. More details.

Leonardo Hotel Middlesbrough - £75+

Fry Street, Middlesbrough, TS1 1JH

Around half a mile from the stadium is the Leonardo Hotel. It has a health club with a pool, a restaurant and bar and self-parking. That's not to say your car will park itself though, to be clear. More details.

Holiday Inn Express Middlesbrough Centre Square - £110+

93-127 Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2PA

The Holiday Inn is just under a mile from the ground and has a business centre, meeting rooms and self-parking. There’s also the ubiquitous free Wi-Fi and, more importantly, a free buffet breakfast. More details.

Pubs & Bars Near Riverside Stadium

There aren’t a heap of pubs near to the ground that welcome football fans, but thankfully, the city is very close and awash with a great number of places to get a drink, so you shouldn’t be short of a watering hole or two.

Facilities

The inside of the Riverside is a little bland, but the facilities are as good as you’d expect for a modern day stadium. There are places on the concourses to buy a bite to eat or a quick drink before the game and wide concourses on which to eat and drink them.

Prices

• Programme: 3.00
• Pie: 3.00
• Cup of tea: 2.00
• Beer: 3.60

Hospitality

There are a number of excellent hospitality options at the Riverside Stadium, including the opportunity to sponsor a match in its entirety or hire an executive box for you and your business associates. Here are some of the other options available to you:

• The Archery - Modern hospitality at its finest. The Archery is billed as an experience rather than a package, and it includes a VIP welcome on arrival, live mixologist-crafted drinks, fully inclusive bar including fine wines, spirits and champagnes, Chef’s grazing global charcuterie and seafood boards, Directors’ Box match seating, half-time continental coffees with sweet treats, and as a rather unique addition, exclusive match analysis with Leo Percovich when he's available.
• The Rockliffe Lounge - The height of prestige in an intimate luxury setting, the Rockliffe Lounge comes with premium matchday car parking, champagne on arrival, four-course à la carte dining experience, fully inclusive bar including fine wines, spirits and champagnes, Directors’ Box match seating for the game, half time and full time refreshments, and even a former player guest appearance.
• The Legends Lounge - You'll have a three-course carvery meal here, as well as complimentary bar and half-time refreshments. You’ll also find that the occasion is hosted by a club legend who will interview match guests before the game.
• The Fenton Club - With excellent hospitality and panoramic views, your time here will be hosted by Middlesbrough legend Jim Platt. A delicious three-course carvery awaits, along with a private pay bar and half and post-match refreshments.
• Hardwick and Middlehaven - These are the most relaxed of all of the lounges available to you. Both are sports bar styled venues with a private pay bar, casual dress code and a light bite.

Private Hire

The Riverside has a number of excellent private hire options available to you as well as website dedicated specifically to that very purpose. You can hire parts of the ground for conferences, exhibitions or even training events. The stadium is also licensed to host weddings, so if you’d like to have your special day there then you should get in touch with the club directly and they’ll let you know how they can help make it a brilliant occasion for all concerned.

Stadium Tours & Museum

The home and away dressing rooms, referee’s changing room, the tunnel and the side of the pitch are all places you can expect to visit if you go on a tour of the Riverside. You’ll also get to sit in the manager’s seat in the press room and imagine you’re briefing the nation’s press after a big match! You’ll get a chance to have a look in the boardroom as well as sit in the club Director’s box to see what he’ll see on a match day.

Tours are available periodically (there is no set schedule) and cost £10 for an adult and £5 for under-18s. You might even get the chance to meet a Boro first-team player or two. This is much more likely, however, if you book onto one of their VIP tours.

About Middlesbrough

Known affectionately to their fans as Boro, Middlesbrough Football Club was formed in 1876 and was one of the founding members of the Premier League when it was formed in 1992. They played at Ayresome Park for 92 years until it was decided that that ground wouldn’t be able to be redeveloped to get it up to the standard necessary to meet with the demands of the Taylor Report.

The club’s highest finish to date in the top-flight was third, a position they reached in the 1913-1914 season. In their history they have only played outside of the Football League’s top two division for two seasons. Although they have competed in most major competitions, including the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup, the only major trophy that they have won is the League Cup, something that they achieved in 2004. They did reach the final of the UEFA Cup in 2006 but they lost out on the trophy to Spanish side Seville.

Riverside Stadium History

With a capacity of over 34,000, the Riverside isn’t one of the largest grounds in the country but it’s a place with its own character and can create a good atmosphere when the fans are up for it. It took just nine months to build and cost in the region of £16 million. The fans chose the name of the stadium as the Riverside from a list of options that also included Erimus Stadium, Teeside Stadium and Middlehaven Stadium. As well as Middlesbrough matches the ground has also played host to numerous England Under-21 games over the years. It was also one of the venues used for the 2012 London Olympics friendly games.

In 1998 Boro gained promotion back to the Premier League after just one season in what is now called the Championship. The promotion back to the top division also saw the stadium’s capacity expand by 5000 at a cost of £5 million. Interestingly, the Riverside is one of the few stadiums in the country that is self-sustaining after the local council gave the club permission to build a wind turbine next to it. The turbine powers the ground and the club sells any excess to the National Grid.

Future Developments

In August 2015 it was announced that the club was going to work alongside a digital technology company to introduce what it referred to as ‘game-changing’ technology to the stadium. The idea is that stats, news and information will be broadcast to fans throughout the ground, though that hasn't yet happened at the time of writing.