Boro have finished fifth in the Championship table.
But this table has nothing to do with footballing form - it’s all about the state of the stadium.
DIY and trade website BuildingMaterials.co.uk has collaborated with ToThe92.co.uk, a site which visited all 92 of England’s Football League stadiums in order to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, to compile a league table of the best Championship football club stadiums.
And the “smart, stylish” Riverside is given a place in the play-offs - fifth - behind Watford, Brighton, Rotherham and table-topping Derby County, whose stadium was based on, and had the same architects, as Boro’s.
Various categories were considered when compiling the table, including catering, toilets, facilities for the disabled and even seat leg room. And it’s fair to say the report compilers were impressed.
They say: “We found the Riverside stadium to be very similar to Derby’s iPro Stadium.
“The Riverside is a smart and stylish stadium for the Boro that boasts two statues (dedicated to two former Boro greats, George Hardwick and Wilf Mannion), and the gates from their old ground Ayresome Park outside the main reception.
“Inside it’s very similar as well. Facilities and toilets are very good, as are the disabled areas and the leg room is more than ample.
"Shame they don’t get the crowds to fill the seats, as it has the capacity to sit 35,000."
There's also the following comment - somewhat dating the visit:
“There’s a nice big scoreboard at either end, which is handy.”
The report also points out The Riverside was the first stadium designed and constructed to comply with the Taylor Report following the Hillsborough disaster and, at the time, was the biggest new arena to be built in England since World War II.
Now let’s hope the team finishes in the top two when the playing season ends.
Full table
1 - Derby County - iPro Stadium
2 - Rotherham United - New York Stadium
3 - Brighton and Hove Albion - American Express Stadium
4 - Watford - Vicarage Road
5 - Middlesbrough - Riverside Stadium
6 - Reading - Madejski Stadium
7 - Cardiff City - Cardiff City Stadium
8 - Charlton Athletic - The Valley
9 - Leeds United - Elland Road
10 - Wolverhampton Wanderers – Molineux
11 - Nottingham Forest - The City Ground
12 - Fulham - Craven Cottage
13 - Bournemouth - Dean Court
14 - Norwich City - Carrow Road
15 - Birmingham City - St Andrews
16 - Blackburn Rovers - Ewood Park
17 - Bolton Wanderers - Macron Stadium
18 - Blackpool - Bloomfield Road
19 - Huddersfield Town - John Smith’s Stadium
20 - Ipswich Town - Portman Road
21 - Sheffield Wednesday - Hillsborough
22 - Millwall - The New Den
23 - Brentford - Griffin Park
24 - Wigan Athletic - DW Stadium
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