AS Colin Cooper approaches two decades in professional football he has one more burning desire - playing in Europe with Middlesbrough, the club where it all began.

His future at the Riverside next season hangs in the balance, but sleep will be lost by the veteran defender over whether he will get an extension to his contract which runs out in June.

But, sitting just one short of making 400 appearances for Boro, Cooper admits it would be a great honour and privilege to gain new terms and in turn have the opportunity to represent his very first club in the UEFA Cup.

That is something he has wanted to do since he was handed his debut by Willie Maddren on November 5, 1985, and Cooper is no mood for declaring on his good innings just yet.

"We have had conversations about what's happening," said Cooper. "There's a few people out of contract but I don't like to worry myself about that and I won't. I would like to think I would get a new contract but we will see.

"I feel fit and you are a long time finished. While the body is fit then I will keep going. I am 37 and if there's another year in the offing then that will take me to 38 and whatever will be will be.

"My future will be decided in the next couple of months or so. That will be down to me, the family and the people offering me things.

"It would mean a lot for me to play in the UEFA Cup with this club. When I came back here in 1998 I said I would love to win something and play in Europe. I've done one and I would like to do both.

"If I was to be part of that team in the UEFA Cup then it would mean a hell of a lot to a guy who lives just 20 minutes from here."

In fact, a victory at Wolves tomorrow will keep the slim possibility of Boro skipping the UEFA Cup and appearing in the Champions League next season.

Steve McClaren's men are just four points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool with five games to play and, although very few expect it, their impressive recent form has alerted many.

Cooper said: "All we can do is go on a decent run as we have been. Take as many points from the last games and see where it takes us. Having the UEFA Cup place already does sort of distract from our form in the league.

"But these players have the flair and ability to attack teams, create chances and we should win football matches.

"It might seem a bit of a cop out. We have 15 points to play for but Newcastle are still favourites because they have a game in hand.

"If we can get above ninth and beat 52 points then that will be a terrific season for us."

Only Denis Irwin, Teddy Sheringham, Nigel Martyn, Martin Keown and Les Ferdinand are older than Cooper in the Premiership.

And the Boro star admits: "Hopefully that 400 mark will be surpassed in the next five games, especially with Gareth Southgate out injured.

"I look around and those who make appearances at any level should be applauded. It doesn't happen in modern day football anymore and I do feel I should give myself a pat on the back at times."

It had looked as though Cooper, who reached 700 career appearances earlier in the campaign, would never go past his second landmark of the season.

After missing out on a place on the bench for the Carling Cup final, the versatile and reliable defender was farmed out on loan to neighbours Sunderland last month.

But injuries to Gareth Southgate, Ugo Ehiogu, Andrew Davies and Chris Riggott meant that McClaren had to recall Cooper before he had even made a starting appearance for the Black Cats.

And he said: "The month up at Sunderland was great even if I didn't get the starts I would have liked. I didn't go to Sunderland to take anybody's FA Cup semi-final place off them. Mick McCarthy was very loyal to the players who were doing the business for him.

"And before the semi-final Mick told me he had all of his players fit and I said 'don't worry about it. I'm not here to take anyone's place'.

"The reason I went up there was because I knew they had so many games until the end of the season and I just wanted to play some games and finish the season on a high.

"I was down to play against Wimbledon but once Mick knew I was going to be recalled he told me that he had to give players a chance who were needing a game.

"Joachim Bjorklund got the chance and he played ever so well."

Read more about Middlesbrough here.