Boro miss bus as they crash out

MIDDLESBROUGH’S team bus told the story of a car crash of a season. It arrived late last night, just an hour before kick-off having bumped into the back of someone’s motor (left) on the crowded Fulham Road en route to Stamford Bridge. Boro have been an accident waiting to happen since August and were finally condemned to relegation with two games to go.

And the harsh reality of their demise is that if you buy Championship players then you generally end up in the Championship.

Boro keeper Brad Guzan was signed from Aston Villa last summer, Rudy Gestede recruited in January for £7million from Villa and Patrick Bamford was on the bench because he is every inch a Championship striker.

The success story of an otherwise doom-laden campaign has been Ben Gibson.

And chairman Steve Gibson’s nephew looks certain to stay in the Premier League even after Boro’s relegation was confirmed, his recent England call-up proof that he at least is suited to the highest level.

But there have simply not been enough quality performers in red and white like 24-year-old Gibson.

And the truth is that Boro have been swimming against the tide for too long, owing much to their spirit rather than any technical ability. Aitor Karanka actually did a decent job, bringing them up and getting enough results in the first half of the season to make it look as if they might survive.

But Boro’s disastrous run since the turn of the year did for Karanka. The decision to change him for Steve Agnew brought a slight improvement but it was too little, too late.

If there is one lesson to be learned then it must be in the quality of the signings. Boro did not have nearly enough.