Steve Gibson and Kim Hellberg named as former favourite assesses Middlesbrough promotion hopes

Former Middlesbrough forward Dean Windass believes his old club will be ‘right up there’ in the race for promotion into the Premier League - despite being dealt a blow with the loss of captain Hayden Hackney during the summer transfer window.

Kim Hellberg’s side narrowly missed out on promotion last season when a late goal from Oli McBurnie gave Hull City a dramatic win on a deeply disappointing day at Wembley Stadium. That proved to be Hackney’s final game for his hometown club as the Boro academy product was tempted away by an offer from Premier League club Everton as Boro reportedly received an initial £15m fee for the midfielder.

The funds have been put to good use with the likes of Will Lankshear, Ashley Phillips and Sebastian Berhalter all joining the club ahead of Hellberg’s first full season in charge. As it stands ahead of Tuesday’s home clash with Millwall, Boro are sitting firmly in the race for promotion - and Windass believes Hellberg will benefit from working under chairman Steve Gibson as he looks to guide the club back into the top flight.

Speaking on behalf of betTOM, Windass said: “I like Middlesbrough. I like Kim Hellberg, the way he plays and the philosophy he has brought to the club. Losing Hayden Hackney was a blow because he was their best player last season and, for me, one of the best players in the Championship. But Boro have a huge fanbase, a very good chairman in Steve Gibson and the backing required to compete. Steve Gibson is a fantastic chairman. In my two-and-a-half years there, I think I saw him only twice. He does not chase publicity or interfere.

“He lets the manager get on with the job and gives people the chance to build something. Middlesbrough were the better side than Hull on the day in the play-off final, but in one-off games you have to take your chances. They did not, and that was the difference. I think they have every chance of going up this season. Some teams miss out and then drop off slightly the following year, but Hellberg now has the experience of that disappointment, and he has good players at his disposal. I fancy them to be right up there - potentially even in the automatic-promotion places.”

Your next Middlesbrough read: Hartlepool United must take criticism 'on the chin' after poor run of form - Lee Clark