Callum Brittain expresses an ‘amazing feeling’ after captaining Middlesbrough in their win over QPR.

Callum Brittain has spoken about his pride at being given the opportunity to captain Middlesbrough during their impressive 1-0 Championship victory over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

The midfielder was handed the responsibility of leading Boro out for the first time this season, and he admitted that wearing the captain’s armband for such a historic club was a hugely special moment in his career.

Middlesbrough returned from West London with all three points after Will Lankshear scored the only goal of the game. The victory was particularly valuable because it moved Kim Hellberg’s side up to second place in the Championship table.

For Brittain, however, the result carried an additional personal significance.

Luke Ayling had worn the captain’s armband in every Middlesbrough match before Saturday’s trip to QPR. The experienced defender had been a consistent presence in the starting XI since the beginning of the campaign, but this time he was named among the substitutes.

That opened the door for Brittain to take responsibility for leading the team.

Callum Brittain captains Middlesbrough at QPR(Image: Getty Images)

Hellberg had already revealed that Brittain was one of four players included within a leadership group at the club. Those four players operate as vice-captains behind Ayling, meaning Brittain was among the natural candidates to take over when the regular skipper was not selected from the beginning.

The opportunity clearly meant a great deal to him.

Speaking to BBC Tees after the match, Brittain described the experience as an unforgettable one and explained what it meant to lead Middlesbrough.

“It was an amazing feeling. What a special club to lead out. It means everything,” Brittain said.

He explained that becoming a professional footballer is something many young players dream about, with countless hours of training and sacrifice required to reach that level.

For Brittain, being trusted by his manager to lead a club of Middlesbrough’s stature was therefore a particularly rewarding moment.

“As a young kid, you want to play football. You want to be a professional footballer. You work so hard in training every day. And to get the trust from the gaffer to lead this team out, to lead the club out, it was an amazing feeling,” he added.

Brittain also made it clear that he does not view the captaincy as something that belongs exclusively to him. Instead, he praised the character and leadership qualities within the Middlesbrough dressing room.

“It’s such a great group of lads. I’m sure if the gaffer could give 11 armbands out, he would. So, it’s credit to the boys. And yeah, it was an amazing feeling,” he said.

The victory itself made the occasion even more memorable.

Brittain produced an impressive individual performance as Middlesbrough secured their first clean sheet of the Championship season. He also played a direct role in the winning goal, helping create the opportunity that ultimately allowed Lankshear to find the back of the net.

The three points continued what has been an encouraging beginning to the campaign for Boro.

Middlesbrough have now won three of their opening five league matches, while they have also recorded two victories in cup competition. That means Hellberg’s team have enjoyed five wins from their first seven competitive fixtures.

What makes that record particularly encouraging is the fact that Middlesbrough are still adapting to a heavily rebuilt squad.

The club brought in 12 new players during the summer transfer window, meaning Hellberg has had to integrate a significant number of fresh faces into his tactical system and dressing room.

Brittain acknowledged that developing strong chemistry between so many new players cannot happen instantly.

“There’s been a lot of new players brought in,” he said. “It takes time to gel, but all the players have bought into the gaffers, the values, and the work ethic each day.”

The midfielder believes the willingness of the new arrivals to embrace Hellberg’s philosophy has helped accelerate the process.

Middlesbrough have a particular style they want to play, and understanding that approach requires commitment on the training ground.

“We play a certain style, so it takes a lot of hard work. But the new lads have brought in real experience and energy that we needed,” Brittain explained.

That hard work was especially evident at Loftus Road.

QPR were determined to push forward and attack, particularly when they fell behind, and Middlesbrough had to demonstrate plenty of discipline to protect their narrow advantage.

Brittain felt the performance was a complete one because the players remained organised and willing to suffer when necessary.

“The boys dug in for a real complete performance, I would say,” he said.

The victory also represented a response to disappointment from their previous league fixture.

Middlesbrough had been frustrated by the goal they conceded against Burnley, and Brittain admitted that the team were determined to learn from what went wrong in that match.

“We were extremely disappointed with the goal we conceded at Burnley,” he said.

Rather than allowing that setback to affect them, the players used it as motivation to improve their defensive concentration.

“So to learn from that and to really stick together as a group, and dig in against a lot of good players who commit a lot of numbers forward, was great,” Brittain continued.

That mentality was crucial against QPR because the hosts possess plenty of attacking quality and were prepared to commit players forward in search of an equaliser.

Middlesbrough therefore had to defend collectively rather than relying on individual performances.

The result was the clean sheet that the team had been waiting for.

Brittain also acknowledged the quality of the opposition and pointed out that QPR had made a strong start to the season.

“They’ve had a great start to the season. So to dig in and to find that clean sheet that we’ve been wanting for a while, it’s a good feeling,” he said.

For Middlesbrough, the result was about much more than simply adding another three points to their Championship tally.

The performance demonstrated that Hellberg’s squad is beginning to develop the resilience required for a promotion challenge. After suffering disappointment in last season’s play-off final, Boro have made it clear that their ambition is to return to the Premier League.

Winning difficult away matches will be essential if they are to achieve that objective.

The victory at QPR provided evidence that Middlesbrough can handle those challenges.

For Brittain personally, captaining the team made the afternoon even more significant. He was trusted by Hellberg to lead a group containing numerous new arrivals, and he responded with a strong performance that helped Boro secure victory and a clean sheet.

The fact that he also contributed to the winning goal made the occasion even better.

Middlesbrough still have plenty of work to do. Integrating 12 summer signings is inevitably going to take time, and maintaining their early momentum across an entire Championship season will be difficult.

However, the players appear to be embracing Hellberg’s methods, while the results have provided plenty of encouragement.

Brittain’s comments also underline the importance of unity within the dressing room. Rather than focusing on individual recognition, he praised the collective effort and suggested there are numerous players capable of taking responsibility.

For a club hoping to challenge for promotion, that attitude could prove invaluable.

Saturday’s 1-0 triumph at Loftus Road therefore represented another positive step for Middlesbrough. It moved them into second place, delivered their first league clean sheet of the campaign and demonstrated the defensive resilience they had been seeking.

For Brittain, it was also a day he is unlikely to forget.

Leading Middlesbrough out as captain fulfilled a childhood ambition and gave him another reason to be proud of his development as a professional footballer.

His message after the match was simple: the armband was an honour, but the victory belonged to the entire team.