Middlesbrough: 25-year-old must push through permanent Riverside exit | OneFootball

Middlesbrough have had a mixed first half of the season in their seventh successive campaign in the Championship.

They are currently sitting in 12th position in the second tier, four points off of the play-off places.

After starting the season by failing to win any of their first seven league games, Michael Carrick’s side went on to win ten of their next thirteen matches in all competitions.

Their form has settled in recent weeks, winning three of their last eight in the Championship.

But one man who has barely been a part of Carrick’s side this season is Hayden Coulson.

The 25-year-old has struggled for gametime at the Riverside this season, being limited to just two appearances, starting both of Boro’s first two Championship games.

Since then he has been a benchwarmer for Carrick and Boro.

This has been a running theme throughout his time in the north-east, with the most appearances he has made for the club in a single season being 29, with his playing time regressing each year he has spent at Boro.

He has had plenty of temporary moves away from the north-east, spending time on loan at Cambridge United, Ipswich Town and Peterborough United.

He has also had spells north of the border in Scotland, with St Mirren and most recently Aberdeen, where he spent the entirety of last season.

Coulson moves out on loan - again

Now Coulson has embarked on yet another loan move away from the club, this time at Blackpool in League One.

The Tangerines have brought him in as additional cover down their left-hand side, as they look to claim a play-off spot come the end of the season.

His skillful attacking play and pace should make him slot in well in the left wing back role, with Blackpool boss Neil Critchley preferring to use five at the back.

Critchley told Blackpool's club website: “Hayden joins us with good experience across both the EFL and Scottish Premiership, and we’re pleased to welcome him here to Blackpool.

“We believe he will be a quality addition to our squad for the second half of the season and brings us a good balance on the left-hand side of the pitch.”

This move makes it his sixth loan spell away from Boro, and Coulson needs to make it his last.

Coulson needs a permanent home

At 25 years of age, he needs to find somewhere where he can settle down as he is no longer a youngster who you would expect to be going out on loan this many times.

After a poor spell at Aberdeen last year, League One seems to be about his level.

For Coulson’s sake, he really needs to kick on in the second half of the season at Blackpool in order to secure himself a permanent move away from his boyhood club.

His contract at Boro is set to expire in 2025, so Coulson needs to make himself worth it for a club to part ways with a fee for his services in the summer.