Dear Middlesbrough fans: your team has won once in its last 16 games. They’ve scored one goal in the last nine games. Now could you please stop cheering so loud?

That’s the gist of the letter sent to fans of Middlesbrough, which is facing relegation from the Premiership. Turns out supporters in the southeast corner — the singing area — have been too loud for the club’s tastes, so management let the offending section know last week. Reaction has not been positive.

Complaints had apparently been received by fans in the block 53a about “persistent standing and the constant banging and noise coming from the back of this stand.” That’s laughable, said one fan:

Dom Campbell from Stokesley, said: “There’s only been one goal in nine games so we wouldn’t be making much noise ever would we?

“As fans we’re always being criticised for one thing or another. First it was booing, now it’s cheering on the team.”

Even former players can’t believe it.

Boro legend Bernie Slaven thought the letter was a hoax when he was handed one at the ground.

“I thought it was a joke,” he said. “Do they want the place to be like a morgue?

“Perhaps the safety stewards should send the players a letter telling them to score.”

I know it’s rough to be surrounded by rowdy fans, but there are sections meant for singing and the hardestcore supporters. If your tickets are in that section, you should know exactly what you’re in for.

As a columnist wrote, “for fans who don’t like noise on Saturday afternoon I suggest they go down the library.”