Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson said the sacking of manager Gareth Southgate was the hardest thing he has had to do in football.

Despite a 2-0 win over Derby County that took the club to fourth on the Championship table on Tuesday night, Gibson ended Southgate's reign as manager after the match.

Although Gibson said it was a hard decision, he believed it was the right one to make for the club's sake.

"This has been the most difficult decision I've had to make in all the time I've been in football," Gibson said.

"Gareth has given Middlesbrough football club magnificent service as a skipper and, in very difficult circumstances, as manager.

"He is a good man and has all the qualities and integrity that we wanted in a manager. However, the time is right for change and that change has had to be made.

"Gareth will always be welcome at our football club. English football needs people of his stature and we feel certain that this experience will serve him well."

Boro had lost three matches at home in a row prior to the win over the Rams and Sotuhgate had indicated he believed his job was safe.

"The margins are fine. We are a point off the top but it would have been very different if we had not won against Derby," he said.