THE GROUND
Riverside Stadium
Middlesbrough
TS3 6RS
The Riverside Stadium opened in the summer of 1995 and Middlesbrough left their historic Ayresome Park home to move next to the River Tees.
The stadium, which hosted an England international in 2003, was expanded in 1998 to its current capacity of 34,742.
It is a fully enclosed bowl and visiting supporters are housed in a section of the East Stand.
The usual away allocation is around 3,500.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 253 miles from Griffin Park to The Riverside Stadium by road.
Those heading from the south will usually take the M1, M18 and A1(M).
Leaving the A1(M) at junction 49, drivers will take the A168, which becomes the A19.
The A66, which leads in to the centre of Middlesbrough, can be accessed from the A19 and goes within viewing distance of the stadium.
Car parking at the stadium is for permit holders only.
Those without permits are advised to park in the town centre.
The nearest station is Middlesbrough, which is around 15 minutes from the stadium.
Middlesbrough is served by Northern Trains and First TransPennine Express services.
Train travellers will have to change elsewhere – perhaps Darlington, Hartlepool, Northallerton or York – to get to Middlesbrough.
This will involve travelling from London King’s Cross on East Coast or Grand Central services.
Some East Midlands Trains services from London St Pancras go to York.
The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE FIXTURES
Brentford will travel to The Riverside Stadium on Saturday September 20.
The Bees then host Middlesbrough at Griffin Park on Saturday January 31.
THE RECENT HISTORY
Middlesbrough are about to start their sixth season in The Sky Bet Championship and are starting to become an established side at that level.
The Boro were relegated from the Premier League in 2009, ending a run of 11 seasons in the top tier.
They yo-yoed between the top two divisions in the early 1990s but became a regular Premier League name after promotion in 1998.
They finished in the top 12 in seven of 11 years, won the League Cup in 2004 and lost in the UEFA Cup Final in 2006.
After relegation they have not really come close to going back up again.
The Boro finished seventh in 2011/12, missing out on the Play-Offs by five points but have been mid-table otherwise.
They had a poor start last term, winning just four of their first 20 games, but had a good second half of the season.
Aitor Karanka arrived as manager in November and they climbed the table.
Middlesbrough ended the season with six wins from eight games to finish 12th in the table, just eight points outside the Play-Off places.
THE MANAGER
Aitor Karanka was appointed as Middlesbrough boss on November 11, his first managerial role.
He had previously been Assistant Manager at Real Madrid, working under José Mourinho, and Spain Under-16 boss.
The 40-year-old had a successful playing career as a defender representing Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.
He won one Spain cap and represented his country in the 1996 Olympic Games as well as at Under-21 level.
The three-time UEFA Champions League winner also has a La Liga winner’s medal and played in two European Under-21 Championship tournaments.
THE TOP SCORER
Albert Adomah scored 12 goals for Middlesbrough last season, all of them coming in The Championship.
The 26-year-old joined The Boro from Bristol City at the start of the 2013/14 season and made an immediate impact, being named Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month for October.
Adomah started his semi-professional career at Harrow Borough and was snapped up by Barnet in 2008.
After two and a half years with the North London side he moved to Bristol City for a fee decided by tribunal.
He was a regular at City but left when they were relegated to League One and headed north.
Adomah made his international début for Ghana in 2011 and was named in their squad for the 2014 World Cup.
He made one appearance in the tournament and now has 16 caps.
THE KEY MEN
Middlesbrough chopped and changed their team a great deal last season and may be looking for more consistency in the new campaign.
Only two players – top-scorer Adomah and defender George Friend – appeared in more than 40 Championship games.
That may have been a reason why only Adomah reached double figures in terms of goals.
Grant Leadbitter got six from midfield in 39 Championship games while Argentinian Emmanuel Ledesma also got six and Mustapha Carayol scored eight.
All four will still be at The Boro for the new campaign but many others have left.
Loan players Danny Graham who scored six goals in 18 games on loan from Sunderland, József Varga, who played 34 Championship games, and Chelsea pair Nathanial Chalobah and Kenneth Omeruo have returned to parent clubs.
Defenders Frazer Richardson and Stuart Parnaby, who were more peripheral in 2013/14, have been released while forward Marvin Emnes has joined Swansea City after a loan spell.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Tomás Mejías has joined permanently after a loan spell but there have been no other arrivals.
Former England centre half Jonathan Woodgate is set to captain the side from defence while Ben Gibson, who played 30 games last term after coming through the youth ranks, will also feature.
Lee Tomlin, who scored four goals in 13 games after signing from Peterborough United, is currently the key man in attack while Kei Kamara will be looking for a better return after netting four goals in 25 games last term.
Lukas Jutkiewicz, who scored seven goals in 20 games while on loan at Bolton Wanderers, is back at The Boro while Dean Whitehead, who played 37 games last season, is set to join Leadbitter, Adomah and Ledesma in the midfield
THE FIRST MEETING
February 2 1907, FA Cup Second Round – Brentford 1 Middlesbrough 0
Brentford line-up: Williams; Watson, Taylor; Jay, Parsonage, Tomlinson; Pentland, Hagan, Corbett, McAllister, Underwood
Brentford goal scorer: Hagan
A record Griffin Park crowd watched as Southern League Brentford knocked Division One Middlesbrough out of the FA Cup with Pat Hagan scoring a second half goal
THE LAST MEETING
October 1 2002, Worthington Cup Second Round – Brentford 1 Middlesbrough 4
Brentford line-up: Smith; Dobson, Roget, Sonko, Anderson; O’Connor (sub Williams), Hutchinson, Fullarton, Hunt (sub Evans); McCammon (sub Constantine), Vine
Subs (not used): Julian, Smith
Brentford goal scorer: Sonko
A young Middlesbrough team prove far too good for Brentford in League Cup tie.
THE MEMORABLE DAY
March 20 1937, Football League Division One – Brentford 4 Middlesbrough 1
Brentford line-up: Nichols; Wilson, Poyser; McKenzie, James, Brown; Hopkins, Scott, McCulloch, Holliday, Smith
Brentford goal scorers: Smith, McCulloch (3)
Dave McCulloch scored a hat-trick to take his tally for the season to 30 as Brentford kept up their push for the Division One title with a comprehensive win at Griffin Park.
THE ODDS
Sky Bet is offering 20/1 on Middlesbrough winning The Championship in 2014/15.
Those who back The Boro can get ¼ of the odds if they finish in the top three.
Every bet you make with Sky Bet benefits Brentford FC – click here to see the Championship market.