Middlesbrough’s director of football Kieran Scott has shared his thoughts on Boro’s promotion chances for the 2024/25 season.
Under Steve Gibson, Middlesbrough have spent the majority of the time as a Premier League club.
However, following their relegation to the Championship in 2009, Boro have had a hard time re-establishing themselves as a top-flight club.
The Teessiders last won promotion to the Premier League in 2015/16 under Aitor Karanka but were relegated just one campaign after being promoted.
Since their last relegation the North East outfit have flirted with promotion but never been able to get the job done.
Current manager Michael Carrick took them to the play-off semi-finals in 2022/23 before losing to Coventry City.
In the previous campaign, meanwhile, Middlesbrough finished eighth, four points outside the top six following a slow start.
However, there is finally some stability at the Riverside, and Boro fans are likely expecting a proper promotion push this time around.
Kieran Scott backs Middlesbrough to be in promotion race
Middlesbrough missed out on the playoffs last term due to injury issues and their squad being unsettled.
Boro lost several key players, including top scorer Chuba Akpom, last summer and the new signings brought in took some time to settle.
Ahead of 2024/25, however, Middlesbrough do not look set to have that issue as, so far, they have been able to keep hold of key players like Hayden Hackney and Emmanuel Latte Lath.
The Teesside outfit will have to deal with the three recently relegated teams in their quest for promotion this season.
But Boro’s director of football Kieran Scott still expects the club to be in the promotion race in 2024/25, as per the Northern Echo.
He said: “We all know three really big clubs came down last year, two of them have gone back, one has stayed.
“The clubs that are coming down are boosted by parachute payments, I believe one is due for a takeover. You never quite know the landscape. You never really know what you’re up against until it starts.
“That being said, I’m looking at it thinking we have a stronger chance of being competitive this season than perhaps last season. We have a much more settled squad, we have players who ended the season in form. I’d like to think we’ll be in and around it.”
Middlesbrough must start 2024/25 season well to secure promotion
As well as losing a number of big names last summer, Middlesbrough’s promotion chances were hampered by a slow start.
Carrick’s side failed to win their opening five league games in 2023/24. Just two wins from that run would have put them in the top six.
Middlesbrough’s fixture list for 2024/25 was released last week and the club have been handed a favourable start.
They kick off the season on August 10th at home to a Swansea City side who finished 14th in the division last term.
Boro then take on two of the three newly promoted teams in Portsmouth and Derby County in their following two fixtures.
Middlesbrough could not have asked for a kinder start and if they want to be in the promotion mix come May, at least two wins from three in said games should be the target.