On This Day – 30th April
The last game to be played at Middlesbrough’s Ayresome Park as played on this day a quarter of a century ago.
30th April 1995 is a date etched in the mind of Middlesbrough fans old enough to remember the move. It was the date that they would be leaving their home for the last 92 years.
The name of the new stadium being built for the club was announced before the game.Before the match, a large placard with the name ‘Riverside Stadium’ was shown to the crowd from the centre circle. It was a popular choice.
The team would seal the league title and promotion to the Premiership with a win and that added to the carnival feeling on the day. There was sadness too, because so many memories had been made at the ground.
Middlesbrough won the game 2-1 with two goals from striker John Hendrie and the win clinched the league championship. Not a bad first season in charge for Bryan Robson!
John Hendrie opened the scoring with a deflected effort in the last minute of the first half.
Luton’s John Taylor ran in to equalise, nodding home from a free-kick in the second half. But it was to be Middlesbrough who would go on to win the game and give the Boro fans one last goal at their famous old ground.
John Hendrie added his second goal of the game, giving him the honour of scoring the last ever competitive goal at Ayresome Park.
Hendrie side-footed the ball into the back of the net in front of the Holgate End.
The last Middlesbrough team to play at Ayresome Park was:
Alan Miller, Neil Cox, Nigel Pearson, Steve Vickers, Derek Whyte, Clayton Blackmore, Alan Moore, Jamie Pollock, Bryan Robson, John Hendrie and Jan Age Fjortoft.
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