Trip to Millers will be club’s third friendly
MIDDLESBROUGH have confirmed their third pre-season friendly of the summer will be a visit to fellow Championship side Rotherham United.
Boro had already announced trips to Hartlepool United and York City within 24 hours of one another on July 14 and 15.
Just a few days later they will travel to Rotherham’s New York Stadium as they continue to build up their pre-season schedule.
The game will take place on Wednesday, July 19 (7.00) with more friendlies to be announced in due course.
As things stand, Michael Carrick’s side will also head over to Europe for a pre-season training camp but it is not expected to play a friendly while out there.
It is not overly common to play teams from the same division in pre-season, presumably as managers choose not to give potential rivals a first-hand glimpse of things which might be tested during friendly matches. However, with an increased market for games abroad particularly involving Premier League teams in Asia and America - they have become more common.
Boro only recently played at the South Yorkshire ground, losing their penultimate game of the regular season 1-0. That result confirmed the Millers’ survival in the Championship, Boro’s fourth-place finish and play-off spot already guaranteed. The Teessiders also went there in pre-season of 2021-22, winning 1-0 thanks to a Paddy McNair free-kick.
■ FORMER Boro boss Neil
Warnock has reportedly agreed to stay on as manager of
Huddersfield Town for next season.
The 74-year-old worked his magic after stepping out of retirement in February, guiding the Terriers to Championship safety with a match to spare.