Boro moves up to second despite Edwards exit drama
Middlesbrough leapfrogged Stoke City into second place on the EFL Championship table with a 2-1 win over Birmingham City at Riverside Stadium.
The hosts were led by assistant coach Adi Viveash after it was announced before kick-off the club had given head coach Rob Edwards permission to speak to Wolverhampton Wanderers after compensation between the clubs had been agreed.
First-half goals from Dael Fry and Hayden Hackney, either side of a Demarai Gray strike, were enough to lift Boro back into the automatic promotion spots.
"Today was about the players and the fans and they dovetailed together, they suffered together and we've come out on the right side of a really important victory," Viveash said after the win.
"It's not my first rodeo – I've been in the game a long time. We were asked by the club to prepare everything as normal.
"We were ready to go. Training was good, the lads were in good spirits and focused.
"Then I was asked by the club to lead and I said, 'No problem'.
"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster and I should enjoy a glass of red tonight."
