Southgate vows to stay on as Boro plummet

MIDDLESBROUGH fans arrived at Upton Park dressed as an assortment of superheroes but they must have known none would be present on the pitch.

Gareth Southgate’s side surrendered an 11-year membership of the Premier League in the meekest of manners. They say the table never lies; in that case Boro are worse than Hull.

Needing to win and for Newcastle and Hull both to lose, Southgate’s shot-shy collection of home-grown hopefuls and foreign flops never threatened to pull off a great escape even though their relegation rivals did indeed both fail to rise to the occasion themselves.