Another season in the Championship for Middlesbrough
Their 4-1 defeat at Preston and other results sealed their fate
Middlesbrough have failed in their bid to a Championship play-off spot as they fell to a 4-1 defeat at Preston on the final day of the season.
Chris Wilder's men needed to win to give themselves a chance of leapfrogging either Sheffield United or Luton into the last two available positions.
But Alan Browne's strike, Emil Riis Jakobsen's double and Dael Fry's own goal settled the contest in Preston's favour. Marcus Tavernier's goal was nothing more than a consolation - and Paddy McNair was sent off.
Even if Boro had managed to win they still would have missed out on a play-off spot, with fifth-placed Sheffield United beating champions Fulham 4-0 and sixth-placed Luton overcoming Reading 1-0 to seal their top-six position.
Chris Wilder says it's really disappointing saying they've "ultimately fell short" of the best sides in the division.
He said: "Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
"The players were really off it and our fight should have been bigger than theirs.
"It was not the performance and not the day - you wake up believing, but it's not to be."
But Wilder added a huge plus point was the 6,000 away supporters who stayed to the end - calling them "incredible".
Wilder says he hopes the fans will believe in what he and the coaching staff want to do with the football club - saying there will be changes.
He hopes the supporters don't lose the enthusiasm for the club they love off the back of one disappointing and poor performance - focusing on an outstanding Cup run.
He says they'll dust themselves down and go again....