'Blown our best chance of promotion in 10 years'

Q: What are Middlesbrough's current standings in the Championship?

Middlesbrough is currently in 5th place in the Championship with 72 points.

Q: How many points do Middlesbrough need to secure a play-off spot?

Middlesbrough currently has 72 points and needs to maintain or improve their position to secure a play-off spot.

Q: What teams are competing with Middlesbrough for promotion?

Teams like Ipswich, Millwall, and Southampton are currently ahead of Middlesbrough in the Championship standings.

Q: Why is this season significant for Middlesbrough's promotion chances?

This season represents Middlesbrough's best chance for promotion in the last ten years, making their performance critical.

A banner which says "your opinions" in white writing on a red background with Middlesbrough's club badge over a yellow square background on the right

[BBC]

The Championship table from second to seventh as of 16 April
2nd Ipswich: Played 41, goal difference +29, points 75
3rd Millwall: Played 42, goal difference +9, points 72
4th Southampton: Played 42, goal difference +23, points 72
5th Middlesbrough: Played 42, goal difference +20, points 72
6th Hull City: Played 42, goal difference +4, points 68
7th Wrexham: Played 42, goal difference +3, points 64 — The Championship table from second to seventh as of 16 April 2nd Ipswich: Played 41, goal difference +29, points 75 3rd Millwall: Played 42, goal difference +9, points 72 4th Southampton: Played 42, goal difference +23, points 72 5th Middlesbrough: Played 42, goal difference +20, points 72 6th Hull City: Played 42, goal difference +4, points 68 7th Wrexham: Played 42, goal difference +3, points 64

[Getty Images]

On Tuesday, we asked for your thoughts on Middlesbrough's chances of automatic promotion - and whether they have enough to hold on to a play-off spot.

Boro are fifth and three points behind second-placed Ipswich, having played one game more, but visit the Tractor Boys on Sunday (kick-off 12:00 BST).

Kim Hellberg's side also travel to Wrexham on the final day - the Welsh side are currently seventh and eight points behind, though Boro do also hold a 17-goal advantage over the Red Dragons on goal difference.

Here are some of your responses:

Jezza: Play-offs for the Boro this season and unlikely to get to the final. Hellberg's Boro are an excellent possession-based team. Unfortunately, possession doesn't always transfer to points and a plan B is not evident.

Andy: Think we've blown the best chance we've had for a good 10 years. We need a striker who can score, a team that doesn't just want to pass the ball into the net. So disappointed, praying the play-offs will be kind to us, if we make it!

Andrew: I still think we can do it. We've had slumps before. I believe in Steve Gibson. I believe in Kim Hellberg. I believe in the players. I believe in the fans. Come on Boro!

John: We can't score goals so a last day shootout with Wrexham looks ominous as was last year at Coventry. Even if we stay in a play-off place, we have no momentum and our record in the play-offs is not good.

Luke: It's a must win this weekend for us to have a chance at automatics but due to our current run of form and lack of goals from our strikers in particular, my hopes have dwindled to almost zero for us going up automatically this year.

Bernie: Miracles can happen. It's in our hands to beat Ipswich and get our act together. It's a shame we did not see the potential of [Josh] Coburn. I feel a player like him in our forward line would have given us a lot more options. I think the club may live to regret taking money for him and could cost [us] a huge amount if we don't go up. Come on Boro, go for it.

Paul: Personally, I think we will be lucky to get a play-off spot, the other teams around us are on good runs and picking vital points up. I just can't see where our next three points will come from?

Lewis: Sorry to say it but we've blown it. Southampton are flying and look like they'll take second. Unfortunately, history, combined with current form, gives me no faith we'll do anything in the play-offs. We've got absolutely no clue how to score goals. At least we'll know what position to spend the Hackney money on!

Francis: We've been hampered by the same issue we've had for years, no striker. We've signed plenty of forwards that can play all along the front line but no player that has a natural instinct for goal.

Without that threat teams have been able to set up against us and prevent us getting anything. In a certain respect we are quite lucky to be playing Ipswich and Wrexham as they need to beat us for their own promotion chances as much as we need to beat them for ours.

This may produce more open games with more opportunity for us to take three points. Having said that, I think realistically automatic promotion is gone and that we might possibly be fighting Wrexham on the last day to remain in the top six.