Boro have played 12 home league games so far this season and have been watched by a combined total of 242,863 paying spectators, when 334,447 fans turned out in the corresponding 12 games from last season.
A decline of 91,584.
But we have played Scunthorpe, Blackpool, Watford and Plymouth during that period ... which is hardly going to encourage the 'part-timers', is it?
A drop of 27.4%.
But crowds at St James Park at the start of the season were well down from the 52,000 the Magpies saw last season.
The Toon played Reading for the first home game of their campaign and 36,000 turned up ... that is a drop of 16,000!
George Boateng: “The crowd are used to seeing players like Juninho, like Ravanelli, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka, so they’re used to having quality players at the Riverside.
“So it’s very difficult as a fan to accept when things do not go the way that you are used to. They want to see good football and they want to see results.
“The fans are part of the team and it is part of their lifestyle.
“Somehow Middlesbrough have to try to bring those fans back. The only way is to get results."
2009/10 BORO RESULTS
MACCLESFIELD 0 BORO 3 (Arca pen, Emnes, Franks)
(1st half) Coyne, Hoyte, Huth, Williams, Grounds, Yeates, Walker, Digard, Cronesberry, Aliadiere, Martin. (2nd half) Coyne, McMahon, Bates, Hines, Johnson, Smallwood, O'Neil, Arca, Porritt, Emnes, Franks.
DUMBARTON 0 BORO 5 (O'Neil, Dunlop og, Aliadiere pen, Adam Johnson, Williams)
Jones (Coyne 46), Hoyte (McMahon 72), Bates (Wheater 72), Huth (Hines 72), Grounds (Taylor 72), O'Neil (J Johnson 72), Arca (Capt) (Williams 72), Digard (Walker 29), Yeates (A Johnson 65), Aliadiere (Franks 46), Emnes (Porritt 63).
CARLISLE 0 BORO 2 (Adam Johnson, Williams)
Jones (Coyne 60),McMahon,Taylor (Williams 72),Bates(Walker 24),Huth,Wheater (Hines 60),O'Neil,Arca(Hoyte 60) 60),Franks,Yeates (Porritt 72),A Johnson (Martin 84)
OLDHAM 2 BORO 2 (Williams, Huth)
Coyne; Williams, Wheater (Huth 64), Hines, A Taylor; Hoyte (McMahon 64), Walker (Yeates 54), Arca (Smallwood 79), A Johnson (Martin78); Aliadiere(J Johnson 78) Franks (Porritt 78) Substitutes (not used): Ripley
MILLWALL 1 BORO 1 (Williams)
Coyne (Jones 46), Hoyte (McMahon, 61), Huth, Wheater, Ground, Yeates, Arca (O'Neill 46), Digard (Williams, 61), Johnson, Aliadiere, Emnes (Franks, 81) Subs not used: Adan Smith, Seb Hines , Andrew Taylor, Josh Walker, Nathan Porritt Goals: Wheater OG 27mins, Williams 78m.
BORO 0 SHEFF UTD 0
Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, Huth, Grounds, Yeates,Williams, Digard (O'Neil 42), Adam Johnson, Aliadiere,Emnes (Lita 65).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Hoyte, Taylor, Arca, Franks.
SWANSEA 0 BORO 3 (Adam Johnson, Emnes, Tuncay)
Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, Huth, Williams, Grounds, Yeates (Arca 85), O'Neil, Adam Johnson, Lita (Franks 79), Emnes (Sanli 67).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Hoyte, Taylor, Hines.
SCUNTHORPE 0 BORO 2 (Adam Johnson 2, 1 pen)
Coyne, McMahon, Williams, Huth, Grounds, Yeates (Arca 84), O'Neil, Wheater, Adam Johnson (Hoyte 90), Lita (Sanli 74), Emnes.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Hines, Franks, Steele.
BORO 2 DONCASTER 0 (Tuncay, Lita)
Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, Huth, Grounds,Yeates (Aliadiere 72), Williams, Arca, Adam Johnson, Lita (Taylor 84), Emnes (Sanli 16).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Hoyte, Hines, Bennett.
NOTTINGHAM FOR 2 BORO 1 (Adam Johnson) Carling Cup AET
Coyne, Hoyte, Wheater, Huth, Taylor, Yeates,Williams, Arca (Bennett 106), Adam Johnson, Aliadiere (McMahon 83), Emnes (Lita 65).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Grounds, Hines, Franks.
BRISTOL CITY 2 BORO 1 (Adam Johnson pen)
Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, Grounds, Taylor, Adam Johnson, Arca, Williams, Yeates, Lita, Emnes (Aliadiere 71).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Hoyte, Walker, Hines, Bennett, Franks.
BORO 3 IPSWICH TOWN 1 (O'Neil, Aliadiere 2)
Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, Hines,Taylor (Grounds 41), O'Neil, Williams, Arca (Yeates 77), Adam Johnson, Emnes, Lita (Aliadiere 61).
Subs Not Used: Jones, Hoyte, Bennett, Franks.
SHEFF WED 1 BORO 3 (Purse og, Aliadiere, Adam Johnson)
Coyne, McMahon (St. Ledger 82), Grounds, Wheater, Hines, Williams, Adam Johnson, Arca, O'Neil (Hoyte 90), Aliadiere, Emnes (Lita 71).
Subs Not Used: Jones, Yeates, Bennett, Franks.
BORO 0 WEST BROM 5
Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, St. Ledger, Grounds,Yeates, Williams, Arca (Digard 57), Adam Johnson,Emnes (Lita 67), Aliadiere (Folan 32).
Subs Not Used: Jones, Hoyte, Hines, Bennett.
COVENTRY 2 BORO 2 (St. Ledger, Williams)
Jones, Hoyte, Wheater, St. Ledger,Bennett (Grounds 64), O'Neil, Williams, Arca,Johnson (Yeates 74), Aliadiere, Emnes (Lita 53).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Folan, Hines, McMahon.
BORO 0 LEICESTER CITY 1
Jones, McMahon, Wheater, St. Ledger,Bennett (Digard 86), O'Neil, Williams, Arca (Yeates 62),Johnson, Aliadiere, Emnes (Lita 62).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Grounds, Hines, Franks.
READING 0 BORO 2 (St. Ledger, Lita)
Jones, McMahon, St. Ledger, Wheater, Bennett,Yeates (Arca 70), O'Neil, Williams, Johnson, Lita (Emnes 88),Aliadiere.
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Hoyte, Digard, Grounds, Hines.
BORO 0 WATFORD 1
Jones, McMahon, St. Ledger, Wheater, Bennett (Hoyte 55), Yeates (Arca 74), O'Neil, Digard, Johnson, Lita, Aliadiere.
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Pogatetz, Emnes, Grounds, Williams.
PRESTON 2 BORO 2 (O'Neil, Johnson)
Jones, Hoyte, Wheater, St. Ledger, Bennett,O'Neil, Williams, Digard, Johnson, Lita, Emnes (Franks 90).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Pogatetz, Yeates, Arca, Grounds, McMahon
BORO 0 PLYMOUTH 1
Jones, Hoyte, Wheater, St. Ledger, Pogatetz (Grounds 53), Arca (Yeates 87), O'Neil, Williams, Johnson, Lita, Emnes (Bent 46).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Digard, Franks, McMahon.
CRYSTAL PALACE 1 BORO 0
Jones, Hoyte (Arca 69), St. Ledger, Wheater, Grounds, O'Neil, Williams, Osbourne, Johnson, Lita (Franks 77), Bent.
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Yeates, Emnes, Bennett, McMahon.
BORO 1 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1 (Lita)
Jones, Williams, Wheater, St. Ledger, Pogatetz, Arca (Digard 66), O'Neil, Osbourne, Johnson, Lita (Franks 76), Kitson (Bent 57).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Taylor, Yeates, McMahon.
PETERBOROUGH 2 BORO 2 (Kitson 2)
Jones, McMahon, St. Ledger, Wheater, Pogatetz,Yeates (Hoyte 75), Arca, Osbourne, Johnson, Lita, Kitson.
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Taylor, Riggott, Digard, Emnes, Bent.
QPR 1 BORO 5 (Kitson, Lita 2 (1 pen), O'Neill, Yeates)
Jones, Rhys Williams, St. Ledger, Wheater, Pogatetz, O'Neil (Digard 79), Arca, Yeates, Osbourne, Kitson,Lita.
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Hoyte, Riggott, Emnes, McMahon, Luke Williams.
BORO 0 BLACKPOOL 3
Jones, Rhys Williams (McMahon 46), Wheater,St. Ledger, Pogatetz, Arca (Digard 80), O'Neil (Yeates 62),Osbourne, Johnson, Lita, Kitson.
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Hoyte, Emnes, Luke Williams.
BORO 0 CARDIFF CITY 1
Jones, McMahon, Wheater, St. Ledger, Pogatetz, Johnson (Emnes 68), Rhys Williams, Osbourne, Yeates, Bent,Kitson (Lita 62).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Hoyte, Arca, Hines, Luke Williams.
NEWCASTLE 2 BORO 0
Jones, McMahon, Wheater, Pogatetz, Hoyte,O'Neil, Rhys Williams, Osbourne, Arca (Yeates 66),Lita (Franks 83), Kitson (Bent 46).
Subs Not Used: Coyne, Taylor, Riggott, Luke Williams.
BORO 3 SCUNTHORPE 0 (Johnson pen, Rhys Williams, Aliadiere)
Coyne, McMahon, Wheater, Pogatetz (Riggott 83), Hoyte, O'Neil, Rhys Williams, Osbourne, Johnson (Yeates 70),Aliadiere (Bent 64), Lita.
Subs Not Used: Steele, Taylor, Arca, Luke Williams.
BARNSLEY 2 BORO 1 (Hoyte)
Coyne, Hoyte, Riggott, Wheater, McMahon, Rhys Williams, O'Neil, Arca, Johnson, Bent, Franks (Luke Williams 73).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Taylor, Yeates, Emnes, Grounds, Bennett.
FA CUP: BORO 0 MAN CITY 1
Coyne, Hoyte, Riggott, Wheater, McMahon, O'Neil,Rhys Williams, Arca (Luke Williams 70), Johnson (Emnes 32),Bent, Franks, Emnes (Yeates 57).
Subs Not Used: Steele, Shawky, Grounds, Bennett.