Middlesbrough issue timely Rob Edwards dig after latest Wolves defeat - Boro fans think it's 'superb' | OneFootball

The former Middlesbrough boss has already suffered back-to-back defeats at Molineux

Middlesbrough supporters have been reacting to a subtle dig made by the club's official X account on Sunday afternoon, with many noticing the specific timing of the post as the key reason behind such developments.

Shortly after 4PM on Sunday afternoon, the Teesside club posted a picture of new head coach, Kim Hellberg, in a rather celebratory mood after the Reds marked his first game in charge with a dramatic comeback victory against Derby County at the Riverside Stadium, with Matt Targett and Morgan Whittaker cancelling out Patrick Agyemang's second-minute opener.

However, the aforementioned timing bears relevance to the fact the full-time whistle had just gone at Villa Park, with Aston Villa seeing off Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 in B6 courtesy of Boubacar Kamara's stunning strike after 67 minutes.

Rather unsurprisingly, Middlesbrough and their loyal support remain unwilling to forgive Rob Edwards for the way in which he decided to depart the North East after less than five months in charge, with the 42-year-old hoping to save his current employers from a first stint in the Championship since they won the division at a canter under Nuno Espírito Santo back in the 2017/18 campaign.

Despite there often being a case of a 'new manager bounce' when a critical change is made at a club extremely low on confidence, such fortunes haven't transpired for those of an Old Gold and Black persuasion. Back to-back defeats at the start of Edwards' tenure following the penning of a three-year contract have left Wolves nine points adrift of safety, whilst continuing to go in search of their first win in the Premier League since April 26th, which came against eventually-relegated Leicester City under Vitor Pereira in the 34th game of last season.

As such, many in the North East have praised their 'admin' for the clever dig made on social media, whilst they hope Hellberg can continue to oversee an eventual promotion campaign.

Saturday's game against the Rams was officially the first of Hellberg's tenure on Teesside, with Middlesbrough eventually ending a managerial search which had lasted since November 8th, when Edwards was stood down from his position by Steve Gibson.

The 37-year-old and former Hammarby AIF boss eventually got off to the best possible start, with the aforementioned Whittaker netting the winner against his old club with six minutes to go.

A return to winning ways also saw Boro leapfrog Stoke City and back into the Championship's automatic promotion places, having accumulated 33 points from the first 18 league games of the season.

As such, there is an ever-growing sense of belief amongst supporters that a current eight-year hiatus from the Premier League could be over come May, as well as the potential pleasure of seeing them swap places with Wolves and Edwards in the process.

Middlesbrough's social media team would post the previously mentioned shot of Hellberg with the caption of "a solid start" seconds after Wolves' latest defeat was confirmed, and many of the Riverside faithful were loving these actions.

Indeed, one supporter declared they were "a huge fan", and another has labelled it "superb".

Another believed the post was clearly done 'on purpose'.

This sentiment was clearly shared throughout the Middlesbrough fanbase, with another making a clear reference to the timing.

It's fair to say, though, that not every supporter had clocked the reference, before it was eventually made clear.

Unsurprisingly, some Wolves fans were also spotted in the replies, stating that Boro need to move on.

Middlesbrough will hope to continue positive start to Kim Hellberg era

With Middlesbrough starting Hellberg's tenure in the perfect manner, it's no surprise that a continuation of such fortunes is the top priority.

In recent weeks, we have seen several sides endure mixed runs of form, which has made the Championship table extremely wide-open, with only 10 points separating the North East side and Charlton Athletic, who have slumped to 17th due to three successive defeats.

The festive period can so often be season-defining ahead of the campaign's final weeks and months, and with there being several games in December and January, it is the perfect opportunity for Boro to gather some momentum under the Swede.

Next up for Hellberg's men is a trip to Hull City on Friday night, which will be another tough test, but another chance for Hellberg to prove his glowing credentials.