Rob Edwards has been confirmed as Middlesbrough’s new manager, their eighth since relegation from the Premier League in 2017.
“It’s a real privilege to be given the opportunity to be head coach of this great football club,” said Edwards after long-running negotiations to finalise the 42-year-old’s three-year contract and composition of his coaching staff were finally concluded. “It’s something that’s not lost on me, how big this is, how important this is and what it means to people. There is an amazing fanbase here.”
Edwards led Luton into the top tier for the first time in 31 years in 2023 but failed to avoid immediate relegation back to the Championship. The club struggled on their return to the second tier and were 20th by the time Edwards departed by mutual consent in January. Luton ultimately fell into League One.
“It instantly felt that this was right for me,” said Edwards, a former Wales defender who previously steered Forest Green to promotion from League Two and replaces Michael Carrick, who was sacked by Boro’s owner, Steve Gibson, after failing to lead the club back to the Premier League in his two and a half years in charge. “It got me excited. If I was going to come back in I wanted to come back in at a place where we had a chance and we have a really good chance here.
“We have a brilliant owner who, historically, gives his coaches time, support and the tools they need to be successful. I can’t wait to get started now.”
Edwards, who previously worked with Kieran Scott, Boro’s head of football, at Wolves, had been high on Gibson’s shortlist before he appointed Carrick in October 2022. Although Boro considered a number of candidates this time, and spoke to the former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper and Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl about the vacancy, Edwards impressed immensely during the interview process.
