While Middlesbrough are currently enjoying a promotion push, and have been for the last two seasons, it has not always been quality on display at the Riverside Stadium.

The club were relegated to the Championship in 2009 after an eventful 11 years in the top flight, but before Aitor Karanka's arrival, they never seriously challenged for promotion.

Under Gordon Strachan and Tony Mowbray, the club failed to make a push for a return to the top flight and even when they finished 7th under Mowbray, they never looked like finishing the job after a blistering start to the season couldn't be replicated after the January transfer window.

While Karanka's side boasts a wealth of talent with the likes of experienced Premier League stars Stewart Downing and David Nugent in the side, as well as big money buys like Christian Stuani and Jordan Rhodes, some of the players that have graced the Riverside pitch have not had the same quality.

Here is the WORST Middlesbrough FC XI from the past five years......

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE WORST XI!

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GK: Jayson Leutwiler

Jayson Leutwiler

This one may be a bit of harsh one given that the Swiss stopper only played three games for the club in his two years on Teesside, but the 26-year-old is definitely one to forget for Boro fans.

Arguably his worst display in a Boro shirt was a 2-1 home defeat to League Two Accrington Stanley in the League Cup, when he looked nervous and failed to command his defence.

Since his departure, the club have had Shay Given and current number 1 Dimi Konstantopolous in goal so its a big step up for the Teessiders.

RB: Justin Hoyte

Justin Hoyte

Despite spending six years at Middlesbrough, Justin Hoyte was never able to endear himself to the supporters - even when he took a pay cut to extend his deal with the club in 2012.

Defensively he never seemed strong enough to be able to perform at the highest level and with Boro fans having high expectations of a player who set the club back £3m, Hoyte just never cut it at Boro.

After an unsuccessful move to Millwall, the 31-year-old currently finds himself in League Two with Dagenham & Redbridge.

CB: Seb Hines

Seb Hines

27-year-old Hines was a product of Boro's esteemed Academy but injuries early in his career meant he was never able to fulfil his potential.

A regular in Tony Mowbray's side, Aitor Karanka swiftly deemed him not good enough to play regularly at the Riverside and he left for Coventry City on loan before embarking on a new career in MLS with Orlando City.

Never looked comfortable on the ball and was often caught out of position, certainly not one of the finest centre-backs to play for the club in recent years.

CB: Andre Bikey

bikey

On paper, the free signing of Andre Bikey was an astute one by boss Tony Mowbray. He had played for his country as well as playing regularly in the top flight for Reading and Burnley.

However, Boro fans quickly found out that Bikey had the potential to be a defensive liability with mistakes creeping into his game far too often.

Was released after just one season with the club and must go down as one of the worst centre-backs to play for the club in the last five years.

LB: Maxi Haas

mitre52

After Steve Gibson spent a fortune bankrolling Gordon Strachan's promotion chase and cutbacks were needed when club legend Tony Mowbray replaced him.

The German was highly-rated and signed for the club as captain of Bayern Munich's B team but featured just twice, including a heavy 3-0 defeat to QPR.

Capable of playing anywhere across the back four, his versatility should have made him an asset to Boro, but he was a liability and lasted just six months.

RW: Tarmo Kink

Tarmo Kink

There was great excitement surrounding the arrival of the Estonian winger with his highlight reel showing a number of screamers, and fans thought that they had someone who could win them games single-handedly.

He will be remembered by fans for turning around a game against Burnley in which they were 1-0 down but scored two, including a 30 yard free-kick right in the top corner, but he failed to do anything significance afterwards.

Was released by Tony Mowbray and although he is still thought of highly by some fans, he will go down as a flop.

CM: Kevin Thomson

Kevin Thomson

Like Kink, Kevin Thomson was a Gordon Strachan signing but at £2m plus a hefty wage, this is arguably the worst signing Boro have made in the last five years.

The Scot played just 56 times in all competitions in a two-and-a-half year spell with the club, mainly due to persistent injury problems.

However, when he was fit He failed to impress and today is still regarded as one of the worst signings the club has made in the last five years.

CM: Merouane Zemmama

Merouane Zemmama

When Boro signed the Moroccan midfielder in January 2011, fans made early comparisons to club legend Juninho, but Zemmama failed to replicate anything similar to the Brazilian maestro.

Although he had moments of pure magic, the former Hibernian midfielder was frustrating and failed to fully adapt to the Championship and ultimately flopped at the Riverside.

Ended up moving back to Morocco after being released by the club and he will go down as one of the worst midfielders to have played for the club in the last five years.

LM: Adam Hammill

Adam Hammill

At the time the Liverpudlian winger signed for Boro on an emergency loan deal until the end of the season in 2012, he was rated as a winger with massive potential.

Boro were struggling with a post-Christmas dip and Tony Mowbray was hoping that Hammill would come in and be the final piece of the jigsaw, as they saught a return to the Premier League.

Hammill, on loan from Wolves, played 10 games for the club but couldn't even get off the bench after doing more stepovers than anything significant.

ST: Kris Boyd

Kris Boyd

Another Gordon Strahan signing that failed massively and ultimately cost the club a fortune in wages.

Boyd was supposed to be the man that fired Boro to the Premier League after scoring for fun in Scotland but he found the back of the net 6 times in 29 games.

With all the expectation surrounding the strikers arrival, Boyd flopped magnificently and if it weren't for Afonso Alves and Michael Ricketts, may have gone down as the worst striker to play for the club in the last 10 years.

ST: Kei Kamara

Kei Kamara

A striker who attracted more interest for his antics off the pitch than on it, the Sierra Leone striker lasted just a year on Teesside after a £900,000 move from Sporting Kansas City.

Although he had a decent start, his laid back approach failed to impress new manager Aitor Karanka and he found his contract terminated after 12 months.

He criticised the club for not helping him when he contacted malaria in the summer, and the fans were never going to forgive him for that. An ill-fated spell means he makes the team.