Middlesbrough have moved to secure their off-field leadership by handing new long-term contracts to head of football Kieran Scott and head of recruitment Chris Jones. The deals come with the club sitting top of the Championship, having taken 25 points from their opening 12 games, a record of seven wins, four draws and a single loss.
Scott, who was appointed to his role in September 2021, has overseen a major period at the Riverside. He replaced Rob Edwards after Edwards left for Wolverhampton Wanderers last November. The club has also appointed Paul Watson as chief technical officer, a role focused on technical and data strategy. Watson arrives from Brentford, having previously served as sporting director at Swansea City and held senior operational roles at Luton Town.
"I'm delighted to sign a new contract and along with Chris we are excited about the future," Scott said. The pair have been central to a productive summer recruitment drive that brought in 12 new players, including striker Will Lankshear and defender Ashley Phillips. Lankshear, signed from Tottenham Hotspur, has been an instant success, topping the club's scoring charts with 11 goals already this season from 12 appearances, making him the team's top scorer.
That recruitment has underpinned a formidable start to the campaign. Middlesbrough are two points clear at the summit and are unbeaten in their last five matches, a run of three wins and two draws. This sequence includes a 2-2 draw with Cardiff City on Saturday 17 October, a 3-2 win at Stoke City, a 1-0 victory over Wolves, and a 5-1 demolition of Bolton Wanderers last Friday. In that emphatic win at Bolton, Lankshear scored twice, with Aidan Morris, an own goal, and Amario Cozier-Duberry also on the scoresheet. The team has scored 27 goals and conceded 17 this season, giving them a goal difference of plus ten.
The immediate focus now shifts to maintaining that momentum. Middlesbrough's next test is a home fixture against Charlton Athletic this Saturday, where they will aim to extend their lead at the top.
More detail at bbc.co.uk
