been a great loss to us, he was the one giving us the soul and the hope. Now that he is gone we miss that piece of soul and hope. He is a great person, and I wish him the best of luck in his new team. Even though he is now gone, I still wish he will come back." Middlesbrough On 13 June 2007, Middlesbrough confirmed they had agreed personal terms with Tuncay and the move was now subject to a medical. Tuncay arrived in Middlesbrough on 18 June 2007, having signed a four-year contract. After passing his medical on 22 June 2007, he attained a work permit on 4 July 2007, and completed his free transfer. In July 2007, Tuncay was interviewed by the Evening Gazette and talked about his ambitions for the upcoming season. He said: "My aim was to play in Europe one day and I have done that in previous seasons. It is also very important for me to play in the Premier League and that, too, is going to happen. But I want to get Middlesbrough back into Europe. That is my target." On 15 July 2007, Tuncay made his debut in a Boro shirt against German team Schalke 04 in Austria. Known for his passionate affinity with fans at his beloved Fenerbahçe, Tuncay developed the same kind of relationship with the fans of Middlesbrough. His efforts were not unnoticed, with Middlesbrough supporters singing in his favour, "We've only got one player!" in reference to their admiration of his non-stop attitude. Tuncay's endless energy and passion shown during matches has won him many plaudits. In May 2009, Matt Le Tissier of Sky Sports acknowledged his performances: "If they [Boro] had 11 Tuncay's they'd be in the top half of the table; this boy is quality, he works his socks off as well. He showed great technique with the overhead kick and was a great example for the rest of the team – it's just a shame there are not a few more like him in the side." The 2008–09 season saw him pick up all four of the club's major awards for 2009: the Players Player of the Year, Garmin Player of the Year, the Middlesbrough F.C. Official Supporters' Club Prize and the Terrace Legends Award. He won the Player of the Year with a massive 75% of the vote. Although the 2008–09 season