Middlesbrough were tipped by many pundits to challenge for promotion from the Championship in 2014-15.
Aitor Karanka's side delivered on their promise, occupying a top-six place for most of the campaign to give the Boro fans hope that their six-year exile from the Premier League could be coming to an end.
The Spaniard's first full season at the helm resulted in the bar being raised, with the quality of the squad improving and a brand of energetic, attacking football being played.
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Boro boasted one of the strongest squads in the division and even topped the table as late as early April, but a dip in form meant that they had to settle for a place in the playoffs.
After dispatching of Brentford in the semi-finals, Norwich awaited in the final at Wembley. However, Karanka's men fell at the final hurdle as defeat to the Canaries consigned them to another season of Championship football.
Five key results
Middlesbrough 2-0 Fulham, October 4, 2014: Draws against Charlton Athletic and Blackpool in their previous games meant that Boro sat eighth in the table ahead of the visit of struggling Fulham. After an uneventful first half at the Riverside Stadium, goals from Adam Reach and Albert Adomah in the second earned the hosts all three points. The win moved them into the playoff spots and fifth place - a position they would not drop below for the remainder of the campaign.
Middlesbrough 4-0 Norwich City, 4 November, 2014: Karanka's side laid down a marker for a top-two finish with this comfortable victory over their promotion rivals. Grant Leadbetter bagged two goals either side of the break as Boro ran riot against Neil Adams's Canaries. The victory moved Middlesbrough up to second in the table for the first time in the season.
Fulham 4-3 Middlesbrough, April 25, 2015: With two games of the season left to play, Middlesbrough were level with second-placed Bournemouth on 84 points, with only goal difference keeping Karanka's side out of the top two. A win against Fulham would put pressure on the Cherries, who were playing Bolton Wanderers two days later, but Boro fans were left frustrated following a dramatic afternoon at Craven Cottage. At 3-1 down and with a player sent off, the visitors had it all to do.
They recovered, though, as goals in the 73rd and 88th minutes from Daniel Ayala and Kike respectively completed a spirited fightback. However, Boro were caught cold in stoppage time when they pushed goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos forward for a corner to try to snatch a win, but a breakaway from Fulham saw Ross McCormack roll the ball into the net to complete his hat-trick. The result also meant that Watford nabbed one of the automatic promotion spots.
Middlesbrough 3-0 (5-1) Brentford, May 15, 2015:
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Bournemouth won their final two games to secure the title and leave Middlesbrough to fight it out for promotion via the playoffs. Boro won the first leg of their semi-final tie against Brentford 2-1 at Griffin Park before making light work of the Bees in the return game a week later. Lee Tomlin, Kike and Adomah gave the hosts a 5-1 aggregate win on a memorable evening at the Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough 0-2 Norwich City, May 25, 2015: After seeing off Brentford, all that separated Boro from a place in the top flight was Alex Neil's Norwich. The Canaries finished a point ahead of the Teesiders in the table in third, but Boro had beaten them twice during the regular season, so hopes were high that they could make it three out of three. However, the Smoggies were blown away in the first half as goals from Cameron Jerome and Nathan Redmond put Norwich two up inside the opening 15 minutes. Boro improved in the second 45 but they failed to create enough clear-cut chances as Norwich went on to win a place in next season's Premier League.
Best Player - Patrick Bamford
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Karanka used his links with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to bring Bamford to the Riverside Stadium on loan and it proved to be an excellent piece of business. The England Under-21 international was one of the most feared strikers in the Championship, netting 17 goals in 38 games to earn the division's Player of the Year award.
Bamford's form has inevitably led to him being linked with a host of sides, and Boro will find it hard to persuade him to return to the Riverside Stadium next season. His goals would certainly give them the impetus to go on another promotion push.
Most Improved Player - Grant Leadbitter
The 29-year-old has been a key figure in the middle of the park since joining from Ipswich Town in 2012, but his performances reached another level this season. Leadbitter netted an impressive 12 goals from midfield - many of them coming through spectacular strikes - and his leadership was vital to the team.
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His fine performances earned him a spot in the Championship Team of the Season alongside Boro teammate George Friend.
Best Signing - Adam Clayton
An honourable mention must go to Bamford here. However, Karanka completed another piece of shrewd transfer work last summer when he agreed a swap deal with Huddersfield Town that saw Clayton arrive at the Riverside Stadium and Jacob Butterfield move the other way.
The 26-year-old slotted into midfield alongside Leadbetter effortlessly, with his defensive discipline allowing the attacking players ahead of him to flourish and, according to WhoScored, no Boro midfielder averaged more tackles per game than Clayton.
Best Goal - Jelle Vossen vs. Millwall
It took Jelle Vossen four months to get off the mark in a Boro shirt, but when his first goal arrived at The Den, it was worth the wait. The Belgian latched on to a long ball down the left-hand side of the penalty area before unleashing a dipping volley that had David Forde beaten. Vossen went on to score a hat-trick in this 5-1 win.
Must Do Better - Tomas Mejias
The Spanish goalkeeper arrived on loan at the Riverside in March 2014 from one of Karanka's old clubs - Real Madrid - before the deal was made permanent last summer. The 26-year-old began the season as first-choice and played in the opening five games of the campaign, but he seemed to lack confidence between the sticks. His hesitancy contributed to three defeats and he was soon ousted in favour of Konstantopoulos, restricted mainly to FA Cup appearances thereafter.
Mejias will need to find his form if he is to earn his place back from the Greek stopper.
End-of-season grade: B
The nature of Middlesbrough's defeat in the playoff final was disappointing, but getting there in the first place represents a good season and gives Karanka something to build on next year.
However, the Smoggies were guilty of throwing away favourable positions in the table when the chance of automatic promotion was in their own hands and they need to find a more ruthless streak if they want to make the step up to the Premier League. There is a strong squad in place at the Riverside and, with a few more additions, they should be challenging for promotion again next term.
Steven Toplis
