Cats promotion should be a kick up the backside

BORO'S MASSIVE MISSED OPPORTUNITY

- By CRAIG JOHNS

AS IF the dagger of a painful season for Middlesbrough hadn’t been plunged deep enough, Sunderland delivered one final twist of the knife for good measure on Saturday.

Their play-off final victory over Sheffield United ensured they earned promotion to the Premier League, ending their own eight-year wait for top-flight football. Relegated in the same year as Boro, they had to drop and spend four years in League One, and yet they're still making that Premier League jump first.

To say it compounds a miserable season on Teesside would be an understatement. It must serve as the ultimate wake-up call to all at Boro as reviews continue into the future direction of travel.

Putting the rivalry aside for just one second though, you have to admire the way in which Sunderland have achieved what they have.

With such a young team, they've been the ultimate dog-it-out side this season.