Address: Middlesbrough Football Club, Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, TS3 6RS
Telephone No: 01642 757 640
Ticket Office No: 0844 499 1234
General Info
The Riverside Stadium has been the home of Middlesbrough FC since 1995 having been built to replace Boro’s former home at Ayresome Park which could not be appropriately modernised and extended after the Taylor Report. For a reasonable cost of £16million, the then 30,000-seater stadium was completed in the summer of 1995 and took only nine months to complete.
Middlesbrough’s first game at the Riverside was against Chelsea in front of over 28,000 fans which had been their highest for over 14 years. The game took place on August 26th 1995 and Boro managed to win it 2-0.
Appropriately enough, Middlesbrough’s first season at the Riverside was also their first in the Premier League and the following season they finished as runners-up in both domestic cup competitions, seeming to herald a new dawn for the club, though they ended up relegated from the top division following a points deduction.
Undersoil heating us deployed beneath an all natural grass surface with the playing area measured at 105 metres by 69 metres, fairly standard for a Premier League or Championship club.
Capacity
Presently the capacity at the Riverside is 34,000 though the ground is rarely full. The stadium could expand however in the future should there be sufficient demand.
Stands
Right on the banks of the River Tees is the North Stand, sitting behind one of the goals opposite to the South Stand, naturally. The East and West Stands run along the length of the pitch with the latter housing the ticket office etc. All four corners of the stadium are filled in.
Away Fans At The Riverside
Visiting supporters at The Riverside are housed in the lower part of the south-east corner with a standard allocation of 3,500 – a very fair amount for most clubs.
Given how modern the Riverside is, views are excellent from all areas of the away section and the space afforded each seat is generous, though the atmosphere there has never been what you would call raucous or overly noisy which is a shame.
The concourse area generally receives favourable reviews from visiting fans with plenty of room to move about and well stocked outlets selling reasonable quality food and drinks.
Ticket Prices
Home Championship tickets at the Riverside Stadium for a typical match range from £17 – £34. Disabled, pensioners and younger fans get a concession while prices may be lower depending on the perceived level of the opposition.
Hospitality
Many lounges and restaurants are available for corporate guests at the Riverside with the Ayresome Lounge being their most exclusive. Guests in here can expect to pay £315 – £340 per person plus VAT per game while those in the Fenton Club, Middlehaven, Riverside Restaurant or Legends Lounge can pay £70 – £235.
How To Get To The Riverside
A little north of Middlesbrough town centre and as the name would suggest right on the River Tees, the Riverside Stadium is a simple 10-15 minute walk from Middlesbrough train station. The walk from the centre of Middlesbrough to the stadium will take around 20 minutes.
Drivers should head onto the A19 before turning off onto the A66 following signs for Middlesbrough. The stadium will come into view on the left hand side – simply follow signs.
Future Developments
Planning permission exists to turn the Riverside into a 42,000-seat arena should the need arise, though average attendances even at the top level would suggest this is not a reality.