Middlesbrough are facing something of an uphill battle if they are to claim a place in the Championship play-off places this season.

Neil Warnock's side have been on the fringes of the top six for much of the campaign so far, but have yet to really break into those positions, and they do still need something of a points swing to do so.

However, with a few weeks still remaining in the season, those associated with 'Boro may not have given up on breaking into the play-offs just yet, and with that, earning themselves a shot at promotion to the Premier League.

Here, though, we're turning our focus away from the current battle for a place in next season's top-flight for a few moments, to take a look at Middlesbrough's best XI from the last decade which, with the exception of one Premier League campaign, saw the club competing exclusively in the Championship.

So, do you agree with these selections?

We start this list in goal, with Darren Randolph, who only arrived at The Riverside late in the decade in the summer of 2017, joining for a reported £5million from West Ham.

The Irishman would go on to establish himself as a commanding figure between the posts 'Boro during his time with the club, producing some outstanding saves and regularly solid and reliable performances, as he made over 100 appearances in all competitions during his time with the club.

Randolph's time with 'Boro came to an end in the 2020 January transfer window when he returned to West Ham, where he has since played a back-up role to Lukas Fabianski.

Taking the left-back place in this side is George Friend, who joined for just £100,000 from Doncaster Rovers in the summer of 2012.

Over the next eight years, Friend would become a figure synonymous with 'Boro, making 299 appearances in all competitions for 'Boro, regularly wearing the captain's armband and playing a key role in the club's promotion to the Premier League during the 2015/16 season.

Friend left the Riverside Stadium at the end of last following the expiration of his contract, and went on to join 'Boro's Championship rivals Birmingham City last summer, though he has struggled to make a similar sort of impact at St Andrew's.

The first of the two centre backs to claim a place in this side, is one who came through the academy ranks at The Riverside Stadium, in the shape of Ben Gibson.

Having made his debut for the club 2011, Gibson was forced to wait a couple more years before he really managed to establish himself in the 'Boro first team, although he would go on to become a commanding presence in that 'Boro, making just over 200 appearances for the club and claiming a promotion winners medal.

Gibson left The Riverside for Burnley in 2018 but struggled to establish himself in the Premier League, although he has impressed on loan at Championship league leaders Norwich during the current campaign.

Another academy graduate who claims a place in the centre of defence in this Middlesbrough team of the decade, is Dael Fry.

Like Gibson, Fry did have to wait his turn for a period after making his senior 'Boro debut a few years later in 2015, but has rarely looked back since getting a run in the side over the past few years, and even now at the age of just 23, the former Rotherham loanee has become one of the most reliable centre back in the Championship.

Indeed, it is perhaps no surprise that Fry is now being linked with a move to the Premier League this summer, with Gibson's current owners Burnley among those said to be interested.

He may have not been with the club for as long as some of the others in this 'Boro team of the decade, but Nsue certainly earned his place at right-back in this side during his time in the North East.

Having joined Middlesbrough as a free agent following his release from Spanish side Mallorca in the summer of 2014, Nsue went on to make 80 appearances in all competitions for the club, winning promotion in 2016, while his tireless efforts made him a fans favourite during his time at The Riverside.

After leaving Middlesbrough in January 2017, Nsue spent a year in the Championship with Birmingham, before joining his current APOEL FC in 2017, although he has also had a spell with Apollon Limassol during the 2019/20 season.

The first of the central midfield spots in this side is taken by Grant Leadbitter, who joined 'Boro on a free transfer from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2012.

Over the next six-and-a-half years, Leadbitter would become a regular feature of 'Boro's starting lineup, making over 200 appearances, claiming the club's Player of the Year award in 2013, and a place in the Championship team of the season for the 2014/15 campaign.

Having been a key figure in the 'Boro engine room for so long, Leadbitter left the Riverside Stadium in January 2019, when he re-joined the club's North East rivals Sunderland, returning to the side where he originally started his career.

Partnering Leadbitter in the centre of midfield in this Middlesbrough team of the decade, is another long serving 'Boro icon, in the shape of Adam Clayton.

The midfielder joined 'Boro in the summer of 2014, and quickly established himself as a key figure in the centre of park for the club, earning himself a place in the Championship team of the season during the 2015/16 promotion winning campaign.

Clayton would make 241 appearances in all competitions during his time at The Riverside Stadium before leaving at the end of his contract last summer, joining the aforementioned George Friend at Birmingham City, where too hasn't quite made the same impact.

Taking one of the places in attacking midfield Middlesbrough in this particular team, is Albert Adomah, who joined from Bristol City for a reported £1million in the summer of 2013.

Over the next three years, the versatile and likeable winger would become a regular figure at The Riverside Stadium, scoring 26 goals and providing 12 assists in 143 appearances in all competitions for the club, winning promotion in 2016.

However, Adomah left the club early on in 'Boro's Premier League season, making the move to Aston Villa, where he would collect another Championship promotion winners medal in 2019, before turning out for Nottingham Forest, Cardiff and now QPR in the second-tier of English football.

Downing may have been coming towards the latter stages of his career when he returned to Middlesbrough for his second spell at The Riverside Stadium, but he still made a useful impact during his 2010s 'Boro stint.

The former England international still managed to make well over 150 appearances in all competitions for the club after returning to Middlesbrough from West Ham in 2015, eventually passing the 400 game mark for the club in total, while also helping 'Boro win promotion to the Premier League in 2015/16, with his quality of delivery continuing to pose a threat throughout his time in the North East

Eventually, Downing left 'Boro for a second time in the summer of 2019, moving to Blackburn Rovers, where he has since shown that even in his late 30s, he is still capable of making an impact in the Championship.

Middlesbrough paid an undisclosed and allowed Albert Adomah to join Aston Villa as part of a deal to bring Traore to the Riverside Stadium in the summer of 2016, and it did seem to pay off.

Although the inconsistency that has dogged Traore was something of a feature in the Premier League as 'Boro were relegated in 2016/17, but his pace and power became a huge asset in the Championship the following season, scoring five goals and providing ten assists in the second-tier.

That was enough to see the winger sweep the board at the club's 2016/17 Player of the Season awards, and convince Wolves to pay a reported £18million for Traore in the summer of 2017, a tidy financial return for Middlesbrough.

Leading the line for 'Boro in the centre forward role in our team of the decade, is a striker who had two separate spells at The Riverside Stadium during that period, in Patrick Bamford.

The striker first spent the 2014/15 season on loan with 'Boro from Chelsea, scoring an impressive 19 goals in 44 appearances, then returning to the club in January 2017, scoring a further 14 goals in 53 games before leaving for Leeds in the summer of 2018.

Since then, Bamford has helped Leeds return to the Premier League as Championship title winners last season, subsequently proving during the current campaign that he is more than capable of making a significant impact in the top-flight of English football.