by For Josh Coburn, the timing and the opportunity felt right.
The striker “loves” Middlesbrough and only has positive things to say about everyone who is connected to the club, whom he joined as a 16-year-old, but when he sat down with Boro’s head Kieran Scott at the end of last season, his mind was determined.
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Millwall had made it clear to make Coburn’s loan agreements permanently, and after a pleasant year in the capital, the striker was the right time to “make the jump”.
“I just think that it was really more for my development,” says the 22-year-old in an interview with the northern echo a few days after his move of his move of more than £ 5 million to the Lions.
“I was in and out of the team in Middlesbrough, I didn’t really have this run.
“I had the 10-game magic last year, but I think that’s the longest run, and I just had the feeling that I could make this jump for my career and risk a little and leave my comfort zone and try something new.
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“The loan went well. I played a lot of games at the end of the season and really enjoyed my time here. I know the club, I know what it is like, so I hope that I can fight now.”
Scott mind.
“A species had already happened before the new manager came in,” said Coburn.
“At the end of the season I spoke to Kieran and he said I did well this season and it was up to me what I wanted to do.
“He said Boro would like to keep me, but they have a competitive group and at that time we did not know the manager situation.
“But it felt like the right time for me. I had already decided to go out and play games.
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“No matter who the manager would be, I had spoken to Kieran and made it clear and he thought it was in the end for the best.”
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Coburn goes with friends, beautiful memories and pride. And although he does not carry the Boro Red on the field this season, he plans to take an opportunity to watch the club that he will always support – and absolutely wants to experience an away end with a few thousand tesses.
“I loved my time in the club,” he said.
“I can’t talk enough about the club and all employees from which on the training area to all managers. All managers under whom I worked were brilliant for me.
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“I absolutely loved my time there. The Academy coach was great and my time at Boro really developed me to a man. I can’t talk enough about the club.
“I will always keep an eye on the scores and always support them.
“I will try to play if they don’t appear. I would like to go to games abroad if I can get into the fans at the end of the away. I love the club and I wish them nothing as a success.”
Coburn is now populated and happy in the capital, but when he returns to his house in the Bedale family, there will always be a memory of his greatest memory in Middlesbrough. For up, framed on a wall, a shirt that was signed by the Boro players, which was presented three years ago in the 1-0 victory of the fifth round of the FA Cup against Tottenham.
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The extension winner was whipped home by Coburn, a moment that will stay with the young striker forever.
“When I look back on my outstanding memories, I know which I will say,” he laughs.
“The Tottenham goal, this whole game was such an incredible occasion. The boys had done it so well to reach the extension and to achieve the winner in this game was something that I would appreciate forever.
“To get the winner, it was amazing. This cup run, the game before in Old Trafford, felt surreal. That was one of the first time when I was like ‘Wow, that’s something else’. Then came the next game that I opened and scored.
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“This is the main memory for me, but every goal I achieved for Middlesbrough, they all felt incredible. They cannot knock this feeling.
“They simply love to hit the back of the network and every goal that I achieved for Middlesbrough meant so much.
“Darks (Peter Dark, Boros Kit -mann), all boys signed a shirt from the Tottenham game and I put it up in my house, so I always have the memory of this moment.”
Coburn often gets a memory – not that one is needed – the man who made his debut four years ago. Neil Warnock liked the young striker, pushed him to the first team and a teenager coburn with his boss with his first goal in just his second appearance against Sheffield on Wednesday in 2021.
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“He is still in contact,” says Coburn of his former boss.
“He sends a text every now and then when I have scored a goal. It is nice to stay in touch and always be nice to hear from him.
“He was incredible for me. I loved working under him.”
And he really enjoyed working under Alex Neil, an important factor when he thought about his next step at the end of last season.
Coburn was injured when Neil was appointed in December, but the Scots made it immediately known that the young striker would be a decisive player for him if he was fit again.
“It was a massive part of me who came here,” admits Coburn.
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“He was great with me. He could have had his doubts when I was injured, but he trusted me, knew what my body needed and was brilliant.
“I was unlucky with the injury last season, but when I have a full season, I know how well I can.
“It’s exciting for me, but Boro will always mean so much to me, and I will always look back with such a preference and proud of my time in the club.
“Even in London I see Boro fans all the time and I love chatting about things with them because I am a fan myself and will always be.”
His feelings for his former club are parked on the second weekend of the season when Boro visits the cave to be a quick and strange reunion for Coburn.
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“I said that the day how strange it will be,” he said.
“I don’t really know how I feel about it, play against your buddies, I know all the boys really well and they know me.
“It will be a difficult game, Middlesbrough is obviously really strong, but I know that I will enjoy it. Hopefully Millwall is winning and both clubs have a really good season.”
