EVERYONE related to Middlesbrough Football Club should be holding their heads up high this week. The result against Norwich City was heart breaking in the Championship play-off final. But there were many positives that will hopefully be a platform for success going forward.

The fans at Wembley were exceptional. It was great to bump into old friends at the match but what was most wonderful was the family atmosphere. There were lots of men at the match but the amount of women and children cheering on the Boro made it a great occasion and offers optimism about the future fan base of the club.

The atmosphere generated by both sets of fans was awe inspiring. Before kick there was a cacophony of noise and a wall of colour. It seemed everyone of the Boro faithful had unearthed every item of red clothing they owned.

Steve Gibson was cheered and his ongoing commitment to Middlesbrough is truly heart warming. While the players on this occasion fell short of the standard required to win promotion, they should stand tall as they displayed great commitment and maintained dignity at the end of the encounter.

I can't wait for my season ticket to arrive for next season and to carefully peruse next season's fixtures. I hope I'm watching the play-off final next season as an interested bystander after seeing Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough team holding aloft the championship trophy in early May 2016.

Richard Bulmer, Sheffield.