Middlesbrough are preparing for next season in the hope that they will be battling it out for promotion. 

There are additions to be made to the side to ensure they are able to compete at the right end of the table but it's not just on the pitch that these additions are being made.

Alan Fettis was appointed as the club's new goalkeeping coach this week making the switch from Manchester United after more than a decade at the club.

The coach has turned down offers to leave Old Trafford before but when asked why the Riverside felt like the right place to move to he told the club's Official Media: "I think the stature of the club. Whenever I've been here with Manchester United's academy they've always been good footballing people.

"It's a really good football club and obviously the manager that has come in has done really well wherever he has been previously. I had a few deadlines with him when Dean Henderson was at Sheffield United and so I understand what he's about and how he plays.

"Like me, he's a good and honest footballing person, as are all of his staff. It was a big wrench to leave Manchester United after so long but I had ambitions to want to push myself a little bit further so it was a no-brainer really in some respects."

Furthermore, the 51-year-old is eager to play his part in Boro's push to the top flight as he said: "I hope I can help the club achieve what they want to achieve. And I hope I can help the manager achieve what he wants to achieve. If he's brought me in with that in mind, that's great. It's a bit of pressure on I suppose.

"But I look forward to the challenge and it's a great challenge. I had a wonderful time at Manchester United but it's a different perspective now and it's a different situation now. There are a lot of people here who want success, and of course the fans want that too. We all want to be back in the Premier League."

The Verdict: 

The new goalkeeping coach sounds like he'll be able to add a lot to the club and it suggests that there is a strong relationship between all the coaches at the club, with everyone knowing they have a responsibility to help the club reach their aims.

Furthermore, the fact he has decided to leave Manchester United to come to the club and cited their aims as a reason for joining is a massive credit to where Boro are as a club right now, and shows they are going in the right direction.

They will now be hoping that by the time the new season comes they will be able to reflect these aims on the pitch and fight to go up to the top flight.