Middlesbrough’s 1996-97 side combined extravagant signings, thrilling attacking football and spectacular failure, ending a remarkable season with two cup-final defeats and relegation on the final day.
That team remains so fondly remembered because it was built during a very different era of English football. The Premier League was still known as the Carling Premiership, and although Sky money was beginning to transform the game, spending had not reached today’s levels.
For a club that had been in the second tier only two seasons earlier, Middlesbrough’s recruitment was extraordinary. They signed Juninho Paulista, an established Brazilian international, and Emerson, a combative midfielder whose fierce challenges and long-range shooting were matched by his reputation for enjoying the Teesside nightlife.
Then came Fabrizio Ravanelli, who had just helped Juventus win the Champions League. The Italian striker looked more like a middle-aged history teacher than a football superstar, but he scored 31 goals in all competitions that season, including 16 in the league. He announced himself with a spectacular hat-trick against Liverpool on the opening day.
Juninho’s arrival had already captured the imagination of football supporters. Children stayed away from school to watch the Brazilian at Boro’s new stadium, The Cellnet, the forerunner to The Riverside. His skill, volleys and affection for the club’s red and white scarf made him an instant favourite.
The signings reflected the ambition of young manager Bryan Robson and owner Steve Gibson, a local man who had helped make the club’s revival possible. Middlesbrough, an industrial town of about 142,000 people on the south bank of the River Tees, had almost ceased to exist a decade earlier. Now it appeared to be challenging the established order.
But the campaign soon became defined by controversy as well as excitement. Middlesbrough were deducted three points by the Football Association after saying they could not field a team for an away match at Blackburn because of injury and illness. Those points ultimately separated survival from relegation, and many supporters still believe the club was treated unfairly.
Yet the deeper problem was an unbalanced squad. Middlesbrough had invested heavily in attacking players but remained vulnerable defensively. When veteran defender Nigel Pearson was injured late in the season, they failed to replace his experience adequately.
Their quality was undeniable. In a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford, they ran Manchester United ragged despite United going on to win the league title.
The season ended with defeat in two major cup finals at Wembley, followed by relegation at Elland Road. It was a painful conclusion to an extraordinary campaign, but Juninho’s performances remained a defining memory. He was named Premier League Player of the Season, and no player has left a greater mark on Teesside than “The Little Fella”.
