Middlesbrough: Jonathan Woodgate praises Steve Gibson's 'unbelievable' support
- Published
Jonathan Woodgate succeeded Tony Pulis as Middlesbrough boss last summer
Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate says chairman Steve Gibson's support has been "unbelievable" during his first season in charge.
Boro are in the Championship relegation zone, one point from safety.
Gibson publicly backed Woodgate in an interview with Teesside Live, external on Monday, saying he was behind the ex-England defender "no matter what".
Speaking after Monday's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, Woodgate said Gibson's support was "encouraging".
Asked how much more secure he felt in his position after Gibson's comments, Woodgate told BBC Tees: "I don't want to feel that security.
"I've got a chairman who is with me all of the way and that's fantastic. A lot of managers don't even know their chairman. He's been unbelievable, the support he's given me, because it has been difficult."
The 40-year-old added: "What we need to remember is that he's stuck with this club through thick and thin and if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have a football club like we've got now.
"His support is really encouraging and I'm obviously pleased because he's a fantastic chairman to work for and it's what you need when you're going through a difficult situation. You need someone there to support you.
"He believes in what we're doing. He understands it's been tough with the squad and players that have been sold. A lot of people can see that. You keep on going and we've got 10 games to go."
Boro were close to ending a two-month wait for a win on Monday but conceded a late equaliser.
Scrutiny over Woodgate's position has grown during Boro's slump in form, but he has called on supporters to stick with the team as they bid to avoid relegation to the third tier.
"I need the fans to realise that we need them," he said. "I understand that they're not going to be happy about certain things but they need to look at the bigger picture and look at us fighting to stay in this league. We all need to stick together."