As he prepares for his 150th game in charge of Middlesbrough, Aitor Karanka insists he and Steve Gibson saved the club from the third tier.
Aitor Karanka believes he and Middlesbrough owner Steve Gibson saved the club from tumbling into League One.
The former Real Madrid defender took charge of Boro in 2013 - his first senior management job - and guided the Teesside outfit into the Premier League in just his third season.
However, having been relegated from the top tier in 2009, Karanka insists Boro were headed further down the English league pyramid prior to his arrival.