1955–56 Middlesbrough F.C. season

Middlesbrough
1955–56 season
Chairman	Eric Thomas
Manager	Bob Dennison
Stadium	Ayresome Park
Division Two	14th
FA Cup	4th
Top goalscorer	League: Lindy Delapenha (14); All: Delapenha (21)
Home colours	Away colours
	← 1954–55 1956–57 →

The 1955–56 season was Middlesbrough's 73rd year in existence and 2nd consecutive season in the Division Two. Also the club competed in the FA Cup.

Summary

In his second season as manager Bob Dennison ^[1] avoided the relegation and reached the FA Cup 4th round. The season is best remembered by the debuts of Forwards Brian Clough^[2] and Alan Peacock^[3] after a good performance over the reserves. Meanwhile, veteran Jamaican Striker Lindy Delapenha^[4] repeated as top club scorer with 18 goals.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	ITA	Rolando Ugolini
—	GK	ENG	Peter Taylor
—	DF	ENG	Derek Stonehouse
—	DF	ENG	Ray Barnard
—	DF	ENG	Dicky Robinson
—	DF	ENG	Ray Bilcliff
—	DF	ENG	Brian Phillips
—	DF	ENG	Bobby Corbett
—	MF	ENG	Billy Day
—	MF	JAM	Lindy Delapenha
—	MF	ENG	Ronnie Dicks
—	MF	IRL	Arthur Fitzsimons


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	WAL	Bill Harris
—	MF	ENG	Bert Mitchell
—	MF	SCO	Sam Lawrie
—	MF	ENG	Joe Birbeck
—	MF	ENG	Frank Mulholland
—	MF	ENG	Peter Stephenson
—	FW	ENG	Joe Scott
—	FW	ENG	Charlie Wayman
—	FW	ENG	Brian Clough
—	FW	ENG	Alan Peacock
—	FW	ENG	Derek McLean
—	FW	ENG	Ken McPherson
—	FW	ENG	Doug Cooper

Results

Division One

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
12	Port Vale	42	16	13	13	60	58	1.034	45
13	Stoke City	42	20	4	18	71	62	1.145	44
14	Middlesbrough	42	16	8	18	76	78	0.974	40
15	Bury	42	16	8	18	86	90	0.956	40
16	West Ham United	42	14	11	17	74	69	1.072	39

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42
Ground	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	A
Result	W	L	L	W	D	D	D	D	L	W	W	L	D	W	L	W	L	W	L	L	W	W	L	L	D	L	W	L	W	W	L	W	D	D	L	L	L	L	W	W	L	W
Position	1	9	15	9	11	13	13	14	15	15	14	15	15	12	13	12	13	13	16	17	16	14	15	17	15	16	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	15	15	16	17	16	15	16	14

Source: https://www.11v11.com/teams/middlesbrough/tab/matches/season/1956/
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; =

1956-57 Division One; = Relegated to 1956-57 Division Three

Matches

.- Source: https://www.11v11.com/teams/middlesbrough/tab/matches/season/1956/

20 August 1955 1	Middlesbrough	3-0	Notts County	Middlesbrough
	Arthur Fitzsimons 33', 58' Lindy Delapenha 38'	1		Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 20,291 Referee: RP Hartley

25 August 1955 2	Swansea
	Cliff Jones 77' (pen) Terry Medwin 84'	9	Charlie Wayman 20'	Stadium: Vetch Field Attendance: 21,351 Referee: W Hickson

27 August 1955 3	Leeds United	2-0	Middlesbrough	Leeds
	Albert Nightingale 18' Harold Brook 69'	15		Stadium: Elland Road Attendance: 22,535 Referee: PF Power

31 August 1955 4	Middlesbrough	4-1	Swansea Town	Middlesbrough
	Arthur Fitzsimons 30', 78' Ken McPherson 68', 82'	9	88' Ivor J Allchurch	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 22,417 Referee: W Hickson

3 September 1955 5	Middlesbrough	1-1	Fulham	Middlesbrough
	Lindy Delapenha 62' (pen)	11	66' Charlie Mitten	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 26,275 Referee: JH Clough

10 September 1955 6	Bury	1-1	Middlesbrough	Bury
	Johnny Robinson 64'	13	81' Ken McPherson	Stadium: Gigg Lane Attendance: 12,278 Referee: ES Oxley

17 September 1955 7	Middlesbrough	1-1	Barnsley F.C.	Middlesbrough
	Arthur Fitzsimons 83'	13	Bobby Brown 56'	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 24,960 Referee: JS Swain
Note: Brian Clough`s League debut, after scoring 15 goals in 9 reserve games.

24 September 1955 8	Liverpool	1-1	Middlesbrough	Liverpool
	Billy Liddell 2'	14	44' Joe Scott	Stadium: Anfield Attendance: 35,213 Referee: L Richardson

1 October 1955 9	Bristol City	2-0	Middlesbrough	Bristol
	John Atyeo 1' Arnold Rodgers 60'	15		Stadium: Ashton Gate Attendance: 28,788 Referee: KA Collinge

8 October 1955 10	Middlesbrough	4-3	Leicester City	Middlesbrough
	Brian Clough 39' Arthur Fitzsimons 41' Lindy Delapenha 44' (pen) Bill Harris 76'	15	5' Arthur Rowley 21', 77' Willie Gardiner	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 20,642 Referee: F Collinge

15 October 1955 11	Lincoln City	1-2	Middlesbrough	Lincoln
	Harry Troops 55'	14	40' Lindy Delapenha 75' Brian Clough	Stadium: Sincil Bank Attendance: 12,532 Referee: H Webb

22 October 1955 12	Middlesbrough	1-3	Stoke City	Middlesbrough
	Lindy Delapenha 48' Harry Oscroft 81', 88'	15	51' Johnny King	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 22,394 Referee: WJ Gaiger

29 October 1955 13	Kingston-upon-Hull
	Charlie Atkinson 13' Andy Davidson 40'	15	24'Arthur Fitzsimons 80' Billy Day	Stadium: Boothferry Park Attendance: 14,013 Referee: T Seymour

5 November 1955 16	Middlesbrough	3-2	Nottingham Forest	Middlesbrough
	Charlie Wayman 35' Sam Lawrie 79' Ken McPherson 87'	12	50' Stewart Imlach 70' Jimmy Barrett	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,573 Referee: JS Swain

12 November 1955 17	Sheffield Wednesday	3-1	Middlesbrough	Sheffield
	Roy Shiner 14' Derek Wilkinson 20' Don Gibson 37'	13	60'Arthur Fitzsimons	Stadium: Hillsborough Attendance: 24,030 Referee: FH Gerrard

19 November 1955 18	Middlesbrough	4-1	Doncaster Rovers	Middlesbrough
	Charlie Wayman 7' Arthur Fitzsimons 19', 73' Joe Scott 69'	12	Johnny Mooney 10'	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 15,360 Referee: L Howarth

26 November 1955 19	Bristol Rovers	7-2	Middlesbrough	Bristol
	Geoff Bradford 13', 64' Dai Ward 15', 18' Peter Hooper 67', 77' George Petherbridge 82'	13	40' Charlie Wayman 80'} Lindy Delapenha	Stadium: Eastville Stadium Attendance: 23,716 Referee: JS McLoughlin

3 December 1955 20	Middlesbrough	1-0	Blackburn Rovers	Middlesbrough
	Lindy Delapenha 76' (pen)	13		Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 16,827 Referee: G McCabe

10 December 1955 21	Plymouth Argyle	4-0	Middlesbrough	Plymouth
	Ralph Wetton 11' Eric Davis 51' Dicky Robinson 73' (o.g.) Arthur Stenner 76'	16		Stadium: Home Park Attendance: 12,651 Referee: A Bond

17 December 1955 22	Notts County	0-5	Middlesbrough	Nottingham
		17	10', 14' Don Roby 75'Jimmy Jackson 85' Bobby Crookes 86'Jack Taylor 86'	Stadium: Meadow Lane Attendance: 9,693 Referee: RP Hartley

24 December 1955 23	Middlesbrough	5-3	Leeds United	Middlesbrough
	Charlie Wayman 6', 44' Lindy Delapenha 7', 78' Joe Scott 85'	16	38' George Hutchinson 41' John Charles 52' Peter Vickers	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,416 Referee: PF Power

26 December 1955 24	Middlesbrough	2-0	West Ham United	Middlesbrough
	Bert Mitchell 56' Charlie Wayman 88'	14		Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 22,001 Referee: TL Wood

27 December 1955 25	West Ham Utd	0-1	Middlesbrough	Upton Park
	Ray Bilcliff 27' (o.g.)	15		Stadium: Boleyn Ground Attendance: 21,522

31 December 1955 26	Fulham	4-1	Middlesbrough	Fulham
	Jimmy Hill 2' Trevor 'Tosh' Chamberlain 24' Bobby Robson 53', 86'	17	Charlie Wayman 58'	Stadium: Craven Cottage Attendance: 18,470 Referee: JH Clough

2 January 1956 27	Middlesbrough	1-1	Porta Vale	Middlesbrough
	Arthur Fitzsimons 9'	15	Albert Mullard 72'	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 21,664

14 January 1956 28	Middlesbrough	1-3	Bury	Middlesbrough
	Charlie Wayman 26' Stan Pearson 49' Don May 72'	16	36' Walter Kelly	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 8,657 Referee: ES Oxley

21 January 1956 29	Barnsley	4-0	Middlesbrough	Barnsley
	Barrie Betts 19' (o.g) Charlie Wayman 78', 85', 86'	14		Stadium: Oakwell Attendance: 15,934 Referee: JS Swain

4 February 1956 30	Middlesbrough	1-2	Liverpool	Middlesbrough
	Lindy Delapenha 6'	14	John Evans 67' Billy Liddell 83'	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 12,171 Referee: L Richardson

11 February 1956 31	Middlesbrough	2-1	Bristol City	Middlesbrough
	Lindy Delapenha 6' Brian Clough 71'	14	22' John Atyeo	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 15,412 Referee: KA Collinge

3 March 1956 32	Stoke City	5-2	Middlesbrough	Stoke-on-Trent
	Frank Bowyer 28' Harry Oscroft 89' Billy Day 65' Lindy Delapenha 73'	14	29' Arthur Fitzsimons 44', 52' Joe Scott	Stadium: Victoria Ground Attendance: 20,135 Referee: WJ Gaiger

10 March 1956 33	Middlesbrough	1-2	Plymouth Argyle	Middlesbrough
	Lindy Delapenha 30' (pen) Neil Langman 82'	14	20' (pen) Malcolm Davies	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 17,278 Referee: A Bond

17 March 1956 34	Nottingham Forest	2-4	Middlesbrough	Nottingham
	Peter Small 49' Doug Lishman 60'	14	Billy Day 26' Alan Peacock 41' Bobby McKinlay 79' (o.g), 81'	Stadium: City Ground Attendance: 22,918 Referee: JS Swain

24 March 1956 35	Middlesbrough	2-2	Sheffield Wednesday	Middlesbrough
	Joe Scott 12', 52' Albert Quixall 48'	14	Roy Shiner 27'	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 19,026 Referee: FH Gerrard

31 March 1956 36	Leicester City	1-1	Middlesbrough	Leicester
	Willie Gardiner 78'	15	35' Arthur Fitzsimons	Stadium: Filbert Street Attendance: 28,450 Referee: F Collinge

2 April 1956 37	Middlesbrough	0-1	Rotherham United	Middlesbrough
	Peter Johnson 88'	15		Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 20,803 Referee: H Haworth

3 April 1956 38	Rotherham United	1-2	Middlesbrough	Rotherham
	Ian Wilson 19', 44' (pen)	15	Billy Day 6'	Stadium: Millmoor Attendance: 13,032 Referee: L Howarth

7 April 1956 39	Middlesbrough	0-1	Bristol Rovers	Middlesbrough
		16	Dai Ward	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 12,536 Referee: JS McLoughlin

14 April 1956 40	Blackburn Rovers	2-1	Middlesbrough	Blackburn
	Johnny Williamson 24' Bobby Langton 36' (pen)	17 stadium=Ewood Park	Billy Day 85'	Attendance: 21,070 Referee: G McCabe

18 April 1956 41	Middlesbrough	4-2	Lincoln City	Middlesbrough
	Derek McLean 5' Charlie Wayman 41' Lindy Delapenha 52', 66'	16	Tommy Northcott 22' Dick Neal 83'	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 8,298 Referee: H Webb

21 April 1956 42	Middlesbrough	5-1	Hull City	Middlesbrough
	Arthur Fitzsimons 30' Lindy Delapenha 31', 54' (pen) Charlie Wayman 58' Billy Day 84'	15	36' Dave Fraser	Stadium: Ayresome Park Attendance: 11,190 Referee: T Seymour

28 April 1956 43	Port Vale	3-2	Middlesbrough	Burslem
	Cyril Done 11', 70' Eddie Baily 88'	16	34' Charlie Wayman 85' Derek McLean	Stadium: Vale Park Attendance: 11,781 Referee: RP Hartley

3 May 1956 44	Doncaster Rovers	0-1	Middlesbrough	Doncaster
		14	41' Sam Lawrie	Stadium: Belle Vue Attendance: 5,670

FA Cup

7 January 1956 3	Bradford Park Avenue	0-4	Middlesbrough	Bradford
			29', 82' Joe Scott 33' Lindy Delapenha 67' Charlie Wayman	Stadium: Park Avenue Attendance: 18,524 Referee: J Kelly

28 January 1956 4	Tottenham Hotspur	3-1	Midlesbrough	Tottenham
	Maurice Norman 30' George Robb 60' Dave Dunmore 87'		16' Joe Scott	Stadium: White Hart Lane Attendance: 41,895 Referee: H Haworth

Statistics

Squad statistics

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Division One		FA Cup		Other
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
	GK	ITA	Rolando Ugolini	38	0	36	0	2	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Derek Stonehouse	31	0	30	0	1	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Ray Barnard	23	0	23	0	0	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Dicky Robinson	31	0	29	0	2	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Billy Day	25	6	25	6	0	0	0	0
	MF	JAM	Lindy Delapenha	37	18	35	17	2	1	0	0
	MF	ENG	Ronnie Dicks	39	0	37	0	2	0	0	0
	MF	IRL	Arthur Fitzsimons	42	14	40	14	2	0	0	0
	MF	WAL	Bill Harris	44	1	42	1	2	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Joe Scott	38	10	36	7	2	3	0	0
	FW	ENG	Charlie Wayman	25	16	23	15	2	1	0	0
	GK	ENG	Peter Taylor	6	0	6	0	0	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Bert Mitchell	21	1	19	1	2	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Ray Bilcliff	21	0	19	0	2	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Brian Phillips	12	0	12	0	0	0	0	0
	DF	ENG	Bobby Corbett	13	0	12	0	1	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Brian Clough	9	3	9	3	0	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Alan Peacock	6	2	6	2	0	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Derek McLean	6	2	6	2	0	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Ken McPherson	5	4	5	4	0	0	0	0
	MF	SCO	Sam Lawrie	5	2	5	2	0	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Joe Birbeck	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Frank Mulholland	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	0
	FW	ENG	Doug Cooper	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
	MF	ENG	Peter Stephenson	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Source: https://www.11v11.com/teams/middlesborugh/tab/matches/season/1956/

References

^ "Bob Dennison (July 1954 to January 1963)". Middlesbrough F.C. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
^ "Stars pay tribute to Clough". BBC News. 21 September 2004. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
^ Lindsey Young (25 August 2021). "Messages of support come flooding in for Boro legend Alan Peacock following dementia diagnosis". gazettelive.co.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
^ "Lindy Delapenha passes at age 89". radiojamaicanewsonline.com. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

[1] "Bob Dennison (July 1954 to January 1963)". Middlesbrough F.C. Retrieved 25 September 2018.

[2] "Stars pay tribute to Clough". BBC News. 21 September 2004. Retrieved 11 July 2009.

[3] Lindsey Young (25 August 2021). "Messages of support come flooding in for Boro legend Alan Peacock following dementia diagnosis". gazettelive.co.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2023.

[4] "Lindy Delapenha passes at age 89". radiojamaicanewsonline.com. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

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