Following Middlesbrough parting company with managerial veteran Neil Warnock, The Teessiders have since brought in former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder. 

Wilder, who has been promoted to the Premier League as recently as the 2018/19 campaign, will be hoping that he can help progress Boro into a play-off competing team this time out. 

Despite sitting in 14th place at present, Wilder's side are a mere four points from the division's top-six, but equally, there are just three points above Bristol City in 19th. 

The 54-year-old has spoken to Teesside Live about his Premier League ambitions but certainly acknowledged the competitive nature of Championship football: “I've got to climb another mountain, that's what it's all about. I wouldn't be sat here if I didn't think I could do it.

“I think we can achieve a successful football club and one that gets itself back into the Premier League. I won’t shy away from that.

"I won’t make any bold or ridiculous statements that we’ll do it in the next six months, but that’s got to be the ambition. Our squad as it is, that’s got to be the ambition of everybody.

"That’s no disrespect to the rest of the Championship. It’s a fabulous competition and incredibly tough to get out of.

"But we all want to get back to playing the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United and the other big guns and that has got to be the ambition for me, for the staff and for the players.

"The owner has certainly had a consistent taste of it. Most importantly the supporters, they want to go to the Riverside and see the big names coming and their Middlesbrough side taking on these big names.

"It’s a long way off at the moment, but we dare to dream and we’ll be giving it everything to try and make it happen.”

The verdict 

Given how tight everything is around the play-off positions at the moment, Middlesbrough have every right to be ambitious in what remains of this season.

Fans will be hoping that they are the latest team who thrive after parting company with their manager, with Nottingham Forest, Charlton Athletic and even Cardiff City seeing improvements straightaway. 

Wilder has recent experience of guiding a team to the Premier League and that will certainly benefit Boro as this season progresses. 

The 54-year-old is an excellent manager at this level and it will be no surprise to see Boro continue a challenge for the top six spots this season.