JUST moments before Gareth Southgate headed upstairs for his last press conference as Middlesbrough manager, fullback Justin Hoyte outlined the belief the players had in their boss.

Hoyte, like all his teammates, believed Tuesday night’s 2-0 victory over Derby County showed Middlesbrough were more than capable of staying in the promotion mix under Southgate.

That was insufficient to convince chairman Steve Gibson to stick with the man he appointed to replace Steve Mc- Claren in the summer of 2006.

By the time Hoyte had reached home, Southgate was summoned to a meeting by the chairman and sacked.

After enduring fraught times during last season’s relegation, the atmosphere within the dressing room had changed this season. Now, though, Southgate will never know whether he could have led the club back to the topflight at the first attempt.

Hoyte, speaking immediately after Tuesday night’s victory and before the sacking, said: “All of the players are right behind him. For me the players are behind him before, during and after the games. We all want to fight for each other.

“We are at the top end, a point behind the leaders, so I don’t know what the problem is. We are near the top, I can’t see that there is a real problem.

“Fans will boo at certain situations but that is part and parcel of football. The manager is doing a great job, look at the league table. The blame can’t go to the manager. He has been doing everything he can to change the situation.

He puts the team out and everyone gives 110 per cent for him.”

While results haven’t helped Southgate, the drop in attendances are the main contributor to his removal. Fewer than half of the Riverside Stadium’s capacity witnessed the triumph over Derby, with Gibson there to see the large number of empty seats.