TRIBUTES have been paid to former Middlesbrough footballer Bobby Braithwaite, who has died at his home in South Africa at the age of 78, writes Nick Gullon.

The Northern Irishman, who was nicknamed ‘The Irish Gento’ after the Real Madrid winger Franscisco Gento, scored 12 goals during the five years he spent on Teesside in the 1960s.

Braithwaite left his full-time job in a shipyard to join Boro in 1963, where he became a firm crowd favourite in the club’s pursuit of achieving promotion from the Second Division.

It seemed like £10,000 well spent by then Middlesbrough manager Raich Carter, but after a promising start during his time at Ayresome Park, he suffered a broken leg during a clash with Newcastle United’s Jim Iley, restricting him to just 71 appearances over four seasons.

Following his injury, he struggled to recapture his best form and was part of the Boro team that were relegated to the third tier in 1966.

After making minimal appearances in Division Three, Braithwaite emigrated to South Africa where he spent his final playing days, before taking up managerial positions at Durban City and Bloemfontein City.

Braithwaite, who started his senior career with Linfield, won ten caps for Northern Ireland between 1962-65, and the Irish Football Association described him as “one of the most attacking talents in the Irish League through the late 1950s and early 1960s”.