The night that stuck with Rob Edwards as he explains why Middlesbrough was the right fit for him

In his first sit-down interview with the media, Rob Edwards explained why Middlesbrough feels like the right fit.

For Rob Edwards, choosing the appropriate club for his next position and returning at the right moment was critical.

Edwards was with Luton Town for just over two years and experienced a roller-coaster journey with the Hatters. An surprise elevation to the Premier League was followed by a season of valiant performance in the top level, as Edwards’ site fought harder than anyone could have predicted. They gained more points than any of the other six recently promoted teams.

However, the new Boro head coach was unable to stop the decline at Kenilworth Road. He was fired in January. Luton were 20th in the Championship when the trigger was pulled, but finished 22nd, resulting in a second consecutive relegation in Edwards’ absence.

For Edwards, the hiatus before his return to Boro was both significant and intentional. In his first media interview upon his appointment, he stated: “It took time [to feel ready and recharged].” I needed time. I spent some quality time with my family, which was very enjoyable. We took a few of vacations and reenergized. “That was good.” Then I could meet some new folks. I am very pleased to work with the people that will be joining me [Adi Viveash and Harry Watling]. That was wonderful. Then I got to watch football again and review what had happened. That’s quite significant.

“However, much of the time was spent re-energising. Life is about time. I didn’t want to take anything unless I felt we had a shot. We pulled off a minor miracle in Luton. Let us be clear about that. If I was going to be given an opportunity someplace, I wanted to make sure it was somewhere where we had a chance to win and play in a specific way. “I think we have that here.” It’s wonderful to be here. It’s taken a few days to get everything done, but I’m really proud and honored.

My family is also quite proud; it’s a significant day for us.”

Edwards beat out a formidable pool of hopefuls to land the position at Boro. He impressed in his interviews, convincing Steve Gibson and others that he was the appropriate person to lead Boro ahead. However, in order to be considered for the Bristol City position, Edwards had to believe Boro was the appropriate club for him as well. One visit to the Riverside kept coming back to the 42-year-old as he weighed his options.

“It’s odd. I may have had a feeling that something like this would happen, but you never know,” he remarked. “I had forgotten about my Aston Villa debut against Middlesbrough; it was a fantastic experience for me. However, that was a long time ago!

“Coming up against this football club in recent years has made you appreciate how big it is. I attended the play-off semi-final [against Coventry] the night after our game, and I saw the Riverside in a completely new light. I had never seen anything like that before.

“It was pure emotion; I heard and felt it, and it gave me chills. That’s something I’ll always remember, and it’s also what drew me to this place. We all want to have that connection with our fans. They are the most essential people at any football team; they arrived long before us and will remain long after we leave. We need to respect that and make them proud to support their football team.”

Edwards noted, in terms of the more practical aspects that prompted him to go with Boro, “The process has been wonderful. It’s been thorough, and in the last few days, you’ve been frantic to finish it and get things done. We were fairly convinced that this would be the case. Knowing there was interest and a prospect of landing the job has been quite thrilling.

“It’s a wonderful football club, one that, from the outside, I’ve always had a lot of respect and regard for. You look at the fans, the training ground, the facilities, the stadium, and Steve (Gibson) is also an owner.

“He’s also a significant component in it because he’s always given individuals time and support, which I believe is quite crucial in this game these days. As we all know, it is quite fragile. There are several elements that make me quite thrilled about it.”