Promotion fears prompted Southgate sacking

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Southgate was fired following a string of bad results - and despite Tuesday night's victory over Derby which took Boro to one point off the top of the Coca-Cola Championship. Gordon Strachan, the former Celtic manager, is the clear favourite to replace Southgate.

Gibson told the club's website: "When I sat down and considered our start to the season, I felt that the league table was actually more favourable than some of our performances."

He added: "Then I looked at the important games against the teams immediately around us, and took those results into account.

"In general the results and the performances have not been to the level I would have hoped for.

"Before last night, our five home games had brought in seven points. That will not get us promoted - and promotion is the only objective for the season."

Middlesbrough have already lost four times this season, and against some of their main promotion rivals - West Brom, Bristol City, Leicester and Watford. The club had suffered a run of home defeats without scoring that was the worst for 77 years.

Gibson added: "As difficult a decision as it was to make, the decision was made before last night's match.

"One good result wasn't going to change that decision."