"Not an issue" - Michael Carrick drops clear claim on Middlesbrough owner Steve Gibson | OneFootball

The Boro boss has emphatically denied any suggestion that there is a lack of commitment and ambition from the club's hierarchy.

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has emphatically dismissed any suggestions over owner Steve Gibson's commitment to the club.

After spending the vast majority of the 2000s as a Premier League force, hoisting the 2004 Carling Cup (League Cup) trophy before embarking on European adventures, Middlesbrough have largely been resigned to Championship football in recent times.

Whether it's been European away trips to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, or to some quintessentially English footballing arenas in the Championship such as Yeovil Town's Huish Park, Gibson has been there at every twist and turn in Middlesbrough's journey throughout his life, both as a fan, and as owner.

From standing on the Ayresome Park terraces as a youngster, to being at the forefront of the construction of the club's current home, The Riverside Stadium, the 67-year-old local businessman has Boro coursing through his veins.

However, with the Teessiders now in their eighth season in the second tier, and star players being tipped for big-money moves to line the club's coffers, some questions have arisen over his commitment to fielding as strong a team as possible over the financial gains of cashing in on key assets.

"No way on earth" - Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick stands behind Steve Gibson's commitment to success

Someone who isn't asking those questions is Carrick, and having been entrusted by Gibson to lead Middlesbrough into the future since his appointment in October 2022, the 43-year-old knows exactly what the ambition is from everyone inside the club.

Speaking via Teesside Live recently, Carrick said: “I don’t think it’s fair to say about commitment from them (Middlesbrough's hierarchy). There’s no way on earth you could ever question the commitment of anybody at this football club - whether that’s at the very top, for what they’ve done day in and day out to try and make this great club better.

“And then that’s the same in terms of me, the backroom staff and the players.The commitment is not an issue. So we have to be careful what we see as commitment and what’s just football in general, and the life of being at a football club.

"It’s certainly not for the want of trying and the want of success and effort and attitude here. There’s no way anyone could be questioned for that.”

Middlesbrough wouldn't be where they are without Steve Gibson's unwavering financial support

Middlesbrough is a place that has long punched above its weight. For a small industrial town tucked away in the North East of England, 'The Infant Hercules' has a long and proud heritage of hard work despite testing times for many of its sons and daughters. It's this that is the very foundation of many of their individual success stories.

Gibson's, and indeed Middlesbrough Football Club's story is no different. Born and raised in the tough and unforgiving streets of Middlesbrough's Park End estate, he became the town's youngest ever Labour Councillor in 1979, when he was elected to represent Park End at just 21 years of age.

Just two years later in 1981, he would found the company that would set him up for huge future success - Bulkhaul Limited. He did so by borrowing £1,000 of his father's money, and over the next few decades, would build it up into one of the world-leading companies in the transportation of gases, liquids and powders.

Joining Middlesbrough's board in 1986 as their youngest ever director at just 26, Gibson played a leading role in dragging the club away from liquidation at the final moment, before succeeding Colin Henderson as chairman in 1994.

Over the years that followed, Gibson's financial backing enabled Middlesbrough's newly constructed Riverside Stadium to provide the stage for some of world football's biggest stars to ply their trade on Teesside.

That commitment has never wavered. In fact, evidence from the club's most recent financial accounts would suggest it's stronger than ever. Over the 12-month period covering the 2023/24 financial season, the club recorded a loss of £12.4m.

However, the wage bill rose by six per cent, which was the second-highest of any Championship side not benefiting from Premier League parachute payments. Over that financial year, Gibson also effectively wrote off £135m of debt owed to his parent company.

If that writing off of substantial debt wasn't enough of a sign of his financial backing, he would also inject a further £13.7m in the cash year, on top of an additional £13.8m between July-November 2024, taking his total investment into Middlesbrough to over £250m.

In summary, keeping Middlesbrough afloat over the years has required major financial investments from Gibson, which some owners may not have been willing to fund. However, the Boro chairman has never hesitated to provide the money required to see his beloved club fighting towards the top of the English football pyramid.