Middlesbrough release striker Christie
Luckless Middlesbrough striker Malcolm Christie will leave the club at the end of the season after a prolonged injury nightmare.
The 28-year-old frontman, along with youngster Danny Graham, will be released at the end of his contract with manager Gareth Southgate unable to offer him the football he needs at this stage of his career.
Christie has managed just 29 starts and 20 further appearances as a substitute, scoring nine goals, since arriving at the Riverside Stadium in January 2003.
His chances have been severely limited by a catalogue of injuries, which includes two broken legs and a fractured foot, and the subsequent battles for fitness.
Ironically, his contract is drawing to a close at a time when he is free from any problems.
Southgate said: "I have spoken with Malcolm and we both feel a change would be the right thing for him. I have not been able to give him the opportunities he has understandably wanted.
"Now that Malcolm is over his injury problems, it is important for him to be playing, but I feel he will have more of an opportunity to be first choice at another club.
"Malcolm is a good professional and a great lad to have around, so we wish him well wherever his future takes him.
"Boro fans should not forget his vital contribution to our first ever silverware, when he scored our extra-time goal against Brighton (in the League Cup second round) when we might have fallen at the first hurdle."
Christie arrived on Teesside as part of the £3m (€4.4m) deal which also took defender Chris Riggott from Derby.
Then manager Steve McClaren was confident he had landed a bargain by capturing two men who had experience at England U-21 level.
However, while Riggott was eventually able to establish himself as Southgate's central defensive partner until the arrival of Jonathan Woodgate and Robert Huth last summer, Christie never really had the chance to do the same.
As his injuries struck, the likes of Mark Viduka, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Ayegbeni Yakubu were drafted in to lead the hunt for goals while he spent much of his time in rehabilitation.
Graham, 21, made only two senior starts for the club and 19 appearances as a substitute, scoring two goals, and has had loan spells with Derby, Leeds and Carlisle.
The announcement of their impending departures comes just two days after Boro revealed that full-back Abel Xavier would also be leaving.
