WHEN Dimi Konstantopoulos joined Middlesbrough in August 2013, he did so as a 35-year-old who looked destined to be the club’s third-choice goalkeeper.

His most recent experience of English football had seen him deputising for Kieren Westwood on the substitutes’ bench at Coventry City prior to his release from the Ricoh Arena, and he joined Boro from AEK Athens, a once-proud club that had effectively imploded in the wake of the Greek financial crisis.

At the time, there was every chance that his short-term contract would expire before he had even made a senior appearance. Less than two years on, however, and he is preparing to head to Wembley for the biggest game of his 13-year career.

“I can’t really have imagined that something like this would happen,” said Konstantopoulos, who experienced a play-off final at League One level ten years ago as he was part of the Hartlepool United team that lost in extra-time to Sheffield Wednesday at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. “I have played in some important matches before, but this is the biggest.

“Fortunes can change so fast in football, and ever since I came back to England and joined Middlesbrough, things have just been getting better and better.

“I am very grateful to this club for everything that has happened so far, but I hope it gets even better. This place feels like home and I am very happy here, but it would obviously be better for all of us if we were playing in the Premier League.”

For that to happen, Middlesbrough will have to beat Norwich City in two days time, and with the two sides having been separated by just a point in the final Championship standings, there is every chance that defensive capabilities could be key.

Hopefully, Boro will have the edge on that score, with Konstantopoulos’ fine form between the sticks a key factor in Aitor Karanka’s side finishing the regular season with the best defensive record in the division.

Tomas Mejias might have started the season in goal, but Konstantopoulos replaced the Spaniard for September’s win at Huddersfield and has missed just one league game since, the 1-0 defeat to Leeds that saw him a serve a suspension following his dismissal at Birmingham.

His shot-stopping capabilities and command of his penalty area have enabled him to provide a resolute last line of defence, and while he might have made an uncharacteristic error to hand Andre Gray an equaliser in the first leg of Boro’s play-off semi-final against Brentford, his sensational one-handed save from the same player moments later was a crucial factor in his side’s 5-1 aggregate success.

“That’s probably as good a save as I’ve made all season,” he said. “It felt important at the time, and I’m just so glad I pulled it off.

“It wasn’t really a case of making amends because I’ve learned that if you do make a mistake, you’re in danger of making another one if you try too hard and overdo it. I just tried to stay calm and play my natural game, and it paid off.”

That natural game could be a decisive factor again in two days time, and after beating Norwich twice during the regular season, Konstantopoulos is hoping a hat-trick of victories will enable Boro to return to the top-flight after a six-year break.

“Hopefully, on Monday night, we’ll be sat on a happy bus home,” he said. “We know it’s going to be a difficult game, but that’s what you expect in a play-off final.

“The most important thing is that we know what we can do and we know the kind of game we’re capable of playing. As long as we focus on that, and don’t get too distracted with everything else that’s around it, I’m sure we’ll be okay.”