Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson spoke of the club's importance to the Teesside region and its people

Steve Gibson has pledged that Middlesbrough Football Club will continue its support to helping the region and its people.

Gibson spoke at a special reception held at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening, which was the anniversary of the evening Middlesbrough Football Club was formed 150 years ago.

Speakers at the event included the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Mrs Johanna Ropner, who is His Majesty The King's representative in the County, alongside Mayor of Middlesbrough Chris Cooke.

Along with the Boro owner and chairman, they all spoke about the football club and its significance in the region and to the people.

And coming just weeks after Teesside was rocked by the tragedy that saw police officers PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough killed when they collided with a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on the A66, Gibson made a heartfelt speech, pledging that the club will continue its support to helping the town thrive, and be defined by the positivity of the town and the region, rather than such an horrific event which brought unwanted national attention.

Gibson said: “It’s 150 years this very evening that the club was formed. In that time it’s seen so much history of the town, the country and the world.

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“In recent months, two wonderful policemen sacrificed their lives to protect us. That should not define us. It just shouldn’t.

“It’s what we do in the coming years that will define us. Our job as a football club is to be the best football club that we can, and to operate in the best ways that we can.

“But I also think we have a duty and a passion to be as supportive as we can of this Mayor, this council, and our local MPs, to change the direction of the wind here, to make this town what it could be, and what it should be. We will give you that full support. You deserve it.”

As well as being such a huge part of the lives of the people of Teesside, where passion for football is huge, Middlesbrough FC, through the work of the Middlesbrough FC Foundation, continue to play a huge role in supporting the Teesside community and helping people of all backgrounds and all ages.

On the Foundation’s website, they write that they: “deliver bespoke programmes that provide opportunities to raise aspirations and improve the life chances of people across our local communities. We pride ourselves in inclusion, participation, education and wellbeing for the entire family.”