Having missed out on looked like an all but certain place in the play-offs, and with the fans far from happy with his style of play and the consequential results, it was little surprise last week to see that Tony Pulis had left Middlesbrough.

But that while that seemed a relatively simple decision for the 'Boro hierarchy to make, the choice around who will replace Pulis is a much more difficult one for the club's hierarchy, and one they do not have a lot of time to make.

With the transfer window already open and pre-season, 'Boro will need to appoint someone quickly in order to start the planning and recruitment for next season as quickly as possible, as they look to make sure they do not find themselves looking from the outside when it comes to handing out places in the Premier League again in 12 months time.

One man who has now emerged that 'Boro must surely consider is Nigel Pearson, with The Teeside Gazette quoting the 55-year-old as saying: “I want to get back to work. I want to find the next challenge, the right challenge.

“Middlesbrough is a football club that anyone in my position would have to contemplate."

Pearson has been out of work since leaving Belgian second-tier side OH Leuven in February but has done good work in the Football League, and in particular at Leicester City.

During two spells at Leicester, Pearson got Leicester promoted as champions from League One in his first spell, and from the Championship in his full season since his return to the club.

After taking The Foxes back to the top tier, Pearson then performed a second half of the season great escape to keep Leicester in the Premier League. While he may have then been moved on in the summer as Leicester went onto produce one of the most incredible seasons in living memory, 'Boro should not take Pearson's pedigree lightly.

The Riverside club will have the same ambitions and be capable of giving Pearson a solid backing as Leicester did, meaning there is no reason why the 55-year-old couldn't replicate his achievements in the Championship once again.

As Pearson's time at Leicester showed, it is a move that may need patience to pay off, but if Pearson is able to show early signs of a more promising approach than his predecessor, then those around the club will surely be willing to wait a bit longer - as Gibson did in giving Pulis until the end of the season - something you wouldn't be able to blame them for given the prize on offer, and the difficulty of claiming it.