Middlesbrough need to put an end to an unwanted 10-year record if they are to secure Premier League promotion in 2024/25.
Middlesbrough last secured promotion to the Premier League in 2015/16 under Aitor Karanka.
The Teessiders spent just one season in the top flight before being relegated back down to the Championship.
Steve Gibson has since hired and fired several managers in a bid to return his club to England’s premier division.
At present, the Boro owner is putting his faith in Michael Carrick, who joined the club in October 2022.
Carrick’s first season at the Riverside went better than most fans likely expected, with Boro finishing fourth before losing to Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals.
2023/24 was something of a disappointment by comparison, with Middlesbrough settling for eighth place in the league – just four points off the top six.
Middlesbrough must end unwanted opening day record to secure promotion
If Middlesbrough are to better their finish from the previous campaign in 2024/25, they must have a better start to the season.
It is not expected to be easy work for Carrick and co. though, with Boro having failed to win an opening day fixture since 2014.
That victory came at the Riverside and saw the club earn a 2-0 win, kick-starting a campaign that ended with Boro in the play-off final.
As well as needing to overcome that unwanted 10-year record, Carrick will have to better his side’s start from the 2023/24 season.
Middlesbrough drew 1-1 on the opening day versus a now-relegated Huddersfield Town.
This was followed by losses to West Bromwich Albion, Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers, plus a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.
That slow start hampered the club’s campaign a great deal and had they just improved one or two of those results, they would have finished in the top six.
In turn, Carrick must do everything in his power to ensure the North East outfit start 2024/25 in much better form.
Who will Middlesbrough face at the start of 2024/25
Middlesbrough’s fixture list for the 2024/25 Championship season was released on June 26 and the club have a favourable start.
Boro begin their season with a home meeting versus Swansea City on Saturday, August 10th.
Middlesbrough then travel to newly-promoted Derby County on August 17th, host Portsmouth on August 24th and welcome Cardiff City to the Riverside on August 31st.
On paper, this is a fairly easy start to the season for Boro and should give them a good chance of racking up some points early on.
However, facing two of the newly promoted teams in the first month does not guarantee wins, with Michael Carrick warning Middlesbrough against underestimating Derby and Portsmouth recently.