Middlesbrough Football Club’s role as a unifying force for good in the community has been brought to life in a unique and heartfelt project.
Titled “My Boro, My Shirt,” the initiative tells the diverse stories of the club’s fans, both from Teesside and beyond, showcasing how supporters have made football a welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of their background.
Photographers Tom Banks and Paul Thompson captured fifteen striking portraits of fans, each accompanied by the supporters’ reflections on what their shirt—and the club—means to them.
The project was spearheaded by Robert Nichols, editor of the Fly Me To The Moon fanzine, and Ellen Sowerby, with the first exhibition of these portraits unveiled at the Riverside Stadium on Monday. This effort was carried out on behalf of the Middlesbrough Supporters Forum.
The timing of this exhibition added even more weight to its message, coming just after violent far-right riots in Middlesbrough and across the country over the weekend.
One of the individuals featured in the exhibition was Sahida Ditta, who represented the Amal Project. Sahida was also one of the key organisers behind the clean-up operation that united hundreds in the town on Monday morning, following Sunday’s unrest.
Reflecting on the exhibition, Robert Nichols said: “It was wonderful to meet up with so many of the fans captured in the portraits for the exhibition at the football club.
“Sadly, the events of the 24 hours before the exhibition made that launch even more important.
“It felt like part of the cleaning and healing process and reclaiming the upper hand for the true Middlesbrough community and extending a welcome to all once again.
“The message is simple – we are all Boro when we wear our shirts, we are all a part of the Boro, Middlesbrough and Teesside communities. We all belong.”
The launch event on Monday was attended by the fans featured in the portraits, alongside their families and friends. The event also included a panel discussion hosted by compere Gary Philipson, with panellists such as Brian Robinson (Head of Safeguarding at MFC), Nilesh Chauhan (Football Supporters’ Association’s “Fans for Diversity” Campaign Manager), Liam Bird (Fans Liaison Officer at Level Playing Field), Joe White (Pride in Football & Three Lions Pride Co-Chair), and Ged Grebby (Chief Executive at Show Racism the Red Card).
Following its debut, the exhibition is set to move to the Dorman Museum for a two-week stint beginning on August 20, before touring other community venues across Middlesbrough and Teesside.
“My Boro, My Shirt” is inspired by a project launched by the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) aimed at enhancing inclusivity in football—a campaign that has been embraced by other fan groups across the country.
The project was made possible with support from Middlesbrough Football Club, Borderlands Creative People and Places, and Middlesbrough Council.
