IT'S THE biggest game of the season at the Riverside as Boro face bottom-of-the-table Bradford City on the back of a miserable run of seven straight defeats.

"At the start of the season, the last thing we expected - or wanted - was to be in the position we are in now," said Curtis Fleming. "But it's up to the players to get the club out of the situation and we are determined to get it right tomorrow."

The long-serving full back knows that the fans are becoming increasingly frustrated and said: "The supporters were superb against Arsenal. Even when things were going against us last Saturday they kept on shouting for us and that will help in the weeks ahead."

Manger Bryan Robson held a behind-closed-doors meeting with the players on Monday.

"The players spoke openly about what's going wrong and staff had their say. But now it's time to put those words into action on the pitch," Robson said.

He remains defiant in the face of some criticism and insists he can put an end to Boro's bad run.

"I know the present run cannot continue and that excuses are wearing thin - but I am determined to turn things around," he said.

Bradford arrive at the Riverside with a new manager, Jim Jefferies, at the helm and Paul Oken is wary of a new boss being in charge of the Bantams.

"Usually when a club gets a new manager there is an immediate response and we have to make sure that Bradford don't get anything on Saturday," he said.

Oken is also convinced that Boro's season can pick up.

He said: "I was at Fiorentina when the club, at this stage of the season, were struggling. Yet at the end of the campaign we qualified for Europe."

Oken played for 90 minutes recently in Australia's win at Hampden Park and had the message: "If called upon, I am ready."

Boro are in desperate need of a win ahead of testing trips to West Ham and Sunderland.

By Alistair Brownle