Mark Warburton proud despite Brentford defeat

Brentford boss Mark Warburton has insisted that he is proud of his players despite their defeat to Middlesbrough in the Championship playoff semi-finals.

The Bees suffered a resounding 3-0 loss at the Riverside Stadium on Friday night as Boro clinched a 5-1 aggregate triumph.

Warburton, who is due to leave the club this summer, has now backed the team to push on next term following an impressive season.

"The fans, the players, the staff have all been outstanding," he told BBC Sport. "We weren't the best team on the night but the boys have been outstanding all season, they'll go on from here. Hopefully [I've left the club] in a healthier state than when I came here."

Waburton has been linked with taking over at a number of clubs at the end of the season, including Leeds United and Fulham.