This article is part of Football League World’s Terrace Talk‘ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Middlesbrough had a positive season last year despite just missing out on the play-offs. 

However, following Chris Wilder's work over the summer transfer window, you can imagine that fans were eager to get back to the Riverside this summer and support their team.

Admittedly this campaign hasn't got off to the start that Boro fans would have hoped for as they currently sit 22nd in the league.

If the club want attendances to be high this year, things on the pitch will have to improve but we asked FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit Dana Malt how the club were doing off the pitch in terms of a fan's match day experience and she said: "I will say that the match day experience at the Riverside has improved ten-fold over the years.

"The introduction of the fan zone before the game has been a really welcomed addition because having pottered around the Ayresome Park Gates a few times before matches, it's a really vibrant and positive and social atmosphere which is fantastic for Boro fans to go and soak up before they go into the Riverside.

"Then in the stadium I think that's improved as well. The new guy on the PA system John Foster has listened to fans, he's taken feedback and the previous man just drowned out the fans it was all about him really whereas John Foster listens, he engages, he takes on feedback and applies it which is brilliant.

"So yeah I think it's improved, it's improving and I really enjoy it."

 

 

The Verdict: 

Although the fans don't currently have much to shout about once they get into the Riverside, giving fans the opportunity to soak up a pre-match atmosphere in the fan zone should mean supporters come into the stadium in good spirits and ready to support the team.

At times like this, support from the fans can make all the difference for a struggling team so making sure they are well looked after off the pitch will at least keep them coming back and hopefully entering the ground in a good mood.

It seems they are getting things right on a match day other than the football side of things so if they can match the results to a similar standard, then the Riverside could be an intimidating ground for opposition teams this season.