Middlesbrough have had some massive names in their side over the last 20 years.

When you think that during that time we've seen a side that won the Carling Cup in 2004, secured their best-ever Premier League finish in 2005 and reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006, there was always going to be some real talent on show.

Since then it's hard to dispute that some big names have played for the club both in the top flight and in the Championship - most notably during Aitor Karanka's promotion winning squad.

Plenty of those players have come from abroad, but it's worth nothing that the core group have always generally been from England.

So who are Middlesbrough's top 10 best English players from the last 20 years? We take a look and deliver our verdict...

He may only be at number 10 in our list but Ben Gibson is arguably the most popular of the bunch.

The central defender is the nephew of club chairman Steve Gibson but anyone who thinks that he made his career on his uncle's coattails is sadly mistaken.

Gibson enjoyed loan spells with Plymouth Argyle, York City and Tranmere Rovers before going on to make over 200 appearances for the club in Aitor Karanka's promotion-winning side and then in the Premier League.

The defender was even named as captain before being sold on in 2018, but with another crack at the Premier League on the horizon there's no doubt that he's among the best English players to play for Middlesbrough of late.

The midfielder was the star of Middlesbrough's FA Youth Cup winning side in 2004, and it didn't take long to start making an impact at first team level.

Morrison scored the club's first ever goal in European competition against Banik Ostrava in 2004, before going on to make 94 appearances for the club, scoring nine goals in the process.

After being sold on, the attacking midfielder moved to West Brom where he enjoyed a wonderful career, making a stunning 341 appearances, racking up 76 goal involvements during that time.

Boro fans will wonder what could have been achieved if the club had kept him but given his record in the Premier League and Championship it's hard to argue with the impact that he made during his career.

The right-back was one of England's best during the early noughties.

After a wonderful spell with Leeds United, Danny Mills became England's top full-back as he was a regular starter during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea.

In 2003 he made the move to Middlesbrough where he established himself as a first team regular and part of the group who won the club's first major trophy in their 128-year history.

While a move to the club was thought to be close, Mills ended up moving to Manchester City at the end of his loan deal, but will still be regarded as one of the best right-backs ever to play for the club.

Another contender to be Middlesbrough's best-ever right-back.

Luke Young moved to the Riverside in 2007 following years with Charlton Athletic and enjoyed a wonderful campaign before being sold on to Aston Villa the following year.

The former Tottenham man was a Premier League stalwart and even played for England seven times during a very successful career in the top flight.

Middlesbrough fans didn't get to see a huge amount of him but they'll always remember his goal against Tottenham Hotspur when he walloped the ball into the top corner of the net from all of 40 yards.

One of the more modern entrants into the top 10, but still very much deserved.

Patrick Bamford first moved to Middlesbrough on a season-long loan deal in 2014 as he scored 19 goals to help the club to the play-off final - a game which the club would go on to lose.

After spells on loan with Burnley and Norwich City, the Chelsea youngster completed a permanent move to Teesside in January 2017 and scored 13 goals as the club looked to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

Since then Bamford has gone from strength to strength, scoring 16 goals last term in the Championship and another 16 this year after playing a huge role in Leeds United's success in the top flight.

There's no doubt that the forward is deserving of a spot in our list - the only reason that he isn't higher is because of the caliber of the competition.

A player who surely deserves to be on the list.

Ray Parlour started his youth career with Arsenal and went on to make 466 appearances for the Gunners over a 12-year period.

In 2004 the midfielder completed a move to Middlesbrough and proved himself as a key player during the club's UEFA Cup journey under Steve McClaren.

After two and a half years with the club, Parlour left for Hull City but will always be remembered as a core player of one of Middlesbrough's most successful ever squads.

A man mountain of a defender and someone who was undoubtedly one of Middlesbrough's best Englishmen.

Ugo Ehiogu started his career with West Brom before moving to Aston Villa where he made over 300 appearances and established himself as one of the Premier League's most accomplished centre-backs.

Ehiogu spent six and a half years with Middlesbrough during their golden era under Steve McClaren before moving on in January 2007.

Sadly, Ugo Ehiogu passed away in April 2017 after suffering a cardiac arrest while working with Tottenham Hotspur, but will always be remembered by Middlesbrough fans as a top quality player and an even greater gentleman.

Middlesbrough's boy wonder is certainly the best talent to come from the club's academy, but yet is still criminally underrated by supporters.

Stewart Downing emerged on the first team scene in 2002 but would have to wait until 2004 to really make his breakthrough and start showing his quality at the Riverside Stadium.

While spells at Aston Villa, Liverpool and West Ham split two spells with Middlesbrough, the winger still made a staggering 402 appearances for the club - quite a tally for a player in the modern era.

In that time he scored 32 goals and created 49 more for the club, as well as making 35 appearances for England.

There's no doubt that Stewart Downing is a Middlesbrough legend and perhaps his achievements will be better remembered once the player hangs up his boots.

Number two on the list is Middlesbrough's 'Captain Fantastic'.

Gareth Southgate was already one of the top players in the Premier League after a thoroughly successful time with Aston Villa.

He moved to Middlesbrough in 2002 as Steve McClaren's first signing for the club and became the central figure in which the Teessiders' were built around for many years to come.

Southgate was the captain who lifted the club's first-ever major trophy in 2004 and was the skipper during two memorable seasons in the UEFA Cup, before going on to manage the team.

Now England manager, there's no doubt that Gareth Southgate is deserving of his spot in second place.

Jonathan Woodgate has to be the best English player to play for Middlesbrough during the last 20 years.

A Teesside lad, Woodgate started his career with Leeds United, before moving on to Newcastle United and then Real Madrid as he established himself as one of Europe's best defenders.

Unfortunately injuries were never far away for Woodgate and that's arguably the reason why Middlesbrough were able to pull off such a coup by signing him in 2007.

While he went on to play for the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Woodgate went on to make 112 appearances for his hometown club, and while his longevity at the highest level might not have been there, it's widely regarded that he would have been one of the world's best defenders if he'd have stayed fit.