Middlesbrough defender Darragh Lenihan is hoping the Teessiders can replicate what Nottingham Forest did and compete for promotion after a poor start to the season.

New manager Michael Carrick has gotten off to an excellent start to his time in charge, with three wins from his first five matches, and Lenihan would like Boro to build on recent performances and move up the table:

“As a young kid, you want to play in the Premier League and the Championship has that nature. You look at Forest last year – I don’t know when they were bottom of the league, but they got promoted in the playoffs. There is plenty of competition this year in the Championship, but hopefully, we can be up there come the end of the season.”

As Lenihan mentions, Steve Cooper took charge of Forest when the Midlands club were rooted to the foot of the Championship and he managed to guide them to the Premier League through the playoffs.

Boro’s situation wasn’t too dissimilar when Carrick took the reins last month and recent results mean they are now just four points off the top six. Of course, there is a long way to go and it is important that the club maintain the momentum they have built after the World Cup. Their next competitive fixture is against Luton Town on December 10th.