The Boro grounds team have been recognised by the EFL for all their hard work throughout the course of the year.
Tony Bell and his staff have been 'Highly Commended' by the EFL for the quality of the Riverside pitch during the season.
Pitch marks are provided by the referee and away team manager for all EFL League matches. The top clubs from each division with the highest divisional average are then visited by Neil Rodger, from STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute), where further assessments are carried out, which cover pitch quality, environmental conditions and usage, resources, management and sustainability.
Once all club visits have taken place, in-depth reports and recommendations are submitted to the Playing Surfaces Committee, at which point divisional winners are determined.
AFC Bournemouth took the Championship award with Boro and Nottingham Forest both being highly commended.