Ban middle management from the boat (5)
I believe the answer is:
barge
'boat' is the definition.
(I know that barge is a type of boat)
'ban middle management' is the wordplay.
'ban' becomes 'bar' (I've seen this in other clues).
'middle' says to take the centre.
The middle letters of 'management' are 'ge'.
'bar'+'ge'='BARGE'
'from the' is the link.
(Other definitions for barge that I've seen before include "Canal transport" , "Freight-carrying boat" , "Move forcefully" , "Shove, lighter" , "Possibly lighter" .)