Middlesbrough will no doubt be targeting a strong end to the Championship season under Neil Warnock.

Sitting ninth in the Championship table, six points adrift of the play-off with eight games of the season still to be played, 'Boro are still not completely out of the running for a play-off spot.

Indeed, if 'Boro were to reach the top-six between now and the end of the season, and potentially go on to win promotion to the Premier League, it would undoubtedly be a hugely impressive achievement for a club who were looking nervously over their shoulder at the Championship relegation zone for the vast majority of last season.

Here, though, we're focusing on achievements of a different kind, in the form of career longevity, by taking a look at the ten oldest players to have represented Middlesbrough over the years, according to Transfermarkt.

How many of these did you know about?

We start this list with Gary Pallister, whose final appearance for Middlesbrough came in November 2000 at the age of 35 years, four months and 12 days, enough to earn him tenth place here.

That final outing for 'Boro came in a 2-1 defeat at Old Traffoes against Pallister's former club Manchester United, where he had spent nine years between 1989 and 1994.

Pallister would retire at the end of that 2000/01 following a string of injuries, bringing an end to his second spell with 'Boro - who he previously played for between 1984 and 1989 at the start of his career - with the midfielder having made more than exactly 250 appearances in all competitions for the North East club.

Another player who had more than one spell with Middlesbrough during his playing career, Woodgate was 35 years, seven months and three days when he featured in a 2-1 win for 'Boro against Burton in August 2015.

That is enough to earn the former England international ninth place on this list, with the centre back having more than 100 appearances in total for 'Boro from 2006 to 2008 and 2012 to 2015.

Following his retirement from playing, Woodgate worked behind the scenes for a time at The Riverside, before taking on the manager's position last season, only to be sacked after winning just nine of his 41 games in charge, with 41-year-old now in charge at Championship rivals Bournemouth.

An undoubted 'Boro legend, Mark Schwarzer was 35 years, seven months and five days old when he featured in the club's 8-1 demolition of Manchester City on the final day of the 2007/08 season, putting him eighth place on this list.

In total, Schwarzer made 445 appearances in all competitions for Middlesbrough between 1996 and 2008, helping the club to their first major trophy with the League Cup title in 2003/04.

Remarkably, the goalkeeper would not retire for another eight years after leaving 'Boro, playing regularly for Fulham for five seasons between 2008 and 2013, before spending time as an experienced backup option for both Chelsea and Leicester, making just a handful of appearances for both.

Joining Middlesbrough from Aston Villa in 2001, Southgate made just over 200 appearances in all competitions for the North East club over the next five years, and was another member of that League Cup winning side.

The defender was 35 years, eight months and seven days old when he played his final game for 'Boro in their 4-0 defeat to Sevilla in the 2006 UEFA Cup final, earning him seventh place here, before being appointed manager at The Riverside, a role he would hold for just over three years, before being sacked in October 2009, shortly after the club's relegation from the Premier League.

Of course, Southgate has since gone on to be appointed as England manager, with the Three Lions' win over San Marino in March 2021 making him the first man to win 50 caps as both player and manager for the Three Lions.

Townsend joined Middlesbrough from Aston Villa at a time when he was approaching the latter stages of his career in the summer of 1997.

The Republic of Ireland international would go on to make 88 appearances in all competitions for 'Boro over the next two years, and his appearance in a 1-0 defeat to Villa in August 1999 at the age of 36 years, one month and five days earns him fifth place on this list.

Shortly after that outing, Townsend would leave 'Boro to join West Brom, but spent just a single season with The Baggies before retiring due to a knee injury in the summer of 2000, going on to become a regular on our screens as a television pundit.

Another player who joined Middlesbrough from Aston Villa is Shay Given, with the veteran goalkeeper making a loan move to The Riverside from the Midlands on an emergency loan loan deal in November 2013.

Given went on to make 16 league appearances during his time with 'Boro, and he earns fifth on this list following his outing in a goalless draw with Leeds in February 2014, at the age of 37 years, ten months and two days.

After leaving Villa in 2015, Given spent two years at Stoke City, largely playing a bit-part role for the Potters before retiring in 2018, with the Irishman now part of Wayne Rooney's coaching team at Derby County.

Having joined Middlesbrough from Tranmere Rovers in the summer of 2009, Coyne initially started life at The Riverside as number one under Southgate.

However, the goalkeeper soon dropped down the pecking order, and made just 26 league appearances for the club before leaving in 2012, although his appearance in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland in January 2012 at the age of 38 years, five months and two days puts him fourth on this list.

After spending time with Sheffield United and Shrewsbury without much game time - the latter in a player-coach role - Coyne returned to 'Boro as goalkeeping coach under Woodgate, but was replaced at The Riverside following the appointment of Warnock last summer.

Another player on this list who surely claims a place as a Middlesbrough legend, is Colin Cooper, who initially represented the club from 1984 to 1991.

The centre back then returned to the club in 1998, staying with the club until the end of the 2005/06 season, playing well over 300 league games across those two stints, with his appearance of the bench against Fulham in May 2006 at the age of 39 years, two months and nine days putting him third on this list.

Cooper retired from playing after that campaign, going on to work in a coaching role with 'Boro until 2010, later taking a similar position with Bradford, and spending time as Hartlepool manager between May 2013 and October 2014.

Robson joined Middlesbrough from Manchester United in a player-manager role in 1994, and would go on to 28 league games for the club.

The last of those playing appearances came on New Year's Day 1997 at the age of 39 years, 11 months and 21 days - earning him second in this list - in a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal, with the midfielder retiring in the wake of that defeat.

Even so, Robson would remain as Middlesbrough manager until December 2000, during which time he took charge of ore than 300 games for the club, later going on to manage the likes of Bradford, West Brom, Sheffield United and then, at international level, Thailand.

Following his release from AEK Athens in the summer of 2013, Konstantopoulos initially joined 'Boro on a free transfer, signing a short-term deal until January 2014.

Ultimately though, the one time Greece international would stay with 'Boro for six years until the end of the 2018/19 season when he was released following the expiration of his contract, having made 112 appearances in all competitions during his time at The Riverside Stadium.

The goalkeeper's final appearance for the club came in 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Newport County in February 2019 at the age of 40 years, two months and seven days makes him the club's oldest ever player, and ensures he takes top spot on this list.