Middlesbrough part company with Pulis

Middlesbrough have parted company with manager Tony Pulis after the club missed out on the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.

The club confirmed on Friday morning that Pulis' contract would not be renewed, ending an 18-month reign on Teesside.

A club statement said: "Middlesbrough FC can confirm that the contract of manager Tony Pulis will not be extended."

Pulis arrived at the Riverside Stadium in December 2017 to replace Garry Monk at the helm and attempt to drag an expensively-assembled squad back into the Premier League at the first attempt in the wake of relegation.

However, Boro lost out to Aston Villa in the play-offs last season after finishing the campaign in fifth place, and despite being in contention for automatic promotion for much of the campaign which has just ended, they slipped away alarmingly and were ultimately pipped to a top-six spot by Derby.

Chairman Steve Gibson said: "I'd like to thank Tony for his hard work and commitment over the past 18 months. He has been a joy to work with and a complete gentleman.

"Two years ago, we invested heavily in the squad in terms of transfer fees and salaries in an attempt to regain our Premier League status. This happened before Tony's arrival.

"Over the past 18 months, Tony has been proactive, not only in the ambition to win football matches and promotion to the Premier League, but also in addressing our financial position in order to comply and respect the Championship Fair Play criteria.

"He has ensured that the club is stable and strong for the future. He leaves us in excellent condition."