DISCARDED by Middlesbrough to make way for the Riverside's latest influx of foreign stars, Alun Armstrong was left to reflect on what might have been when he was sold to Ipswich in December 2000.

The Darlington striker spent just two years on Teesside before moving to Portman Road in a cut-price £500,000 deal. In February 1998 manager Bryan Robson paid Stockport County £1.6m for Armstrong's services.

Leading the old Division One table at the time, the Teessiders were already on course for a Premiership return when Gateshead-born Armstrong's arrival added weight to Boro's promotion push.

In scoring six goals during the run-in, the Geordie striker did exactly what was asked as Boro returned to the top flight at the first time of asking.

However, in playing only a bit-part the following season - scoring once in 15 outings - Armstrong's Boro career was effectively over when former Lazio striker Alen Boksic breezed through the Riverside doors on a reputed £63,000 a week in August 2000.

"The club went out and bought Alen and Joesph Job in pre-season, which basically put an end to my Boro career," admitted Armstrong.

"With players of that quality I always knew it was going to be difficult."

In four months Armstrong shared just 19 minutes of first-team action with Boksic - against Macclesfield in the League Cup - before the Tynesider moved on.

"We didn't get the chance to form much of a partnership," joked Armstrong. "Alen was the kind of player you could watch all day in training. For such a big man he had such quick feet and everyone could see his quality."

But Boksic - who cost Lazio £8m from Marseille in 1994 - failed to win over the Teesside public, scoring 22 goals in three seasons. Given the Croatian's reported earnings, supporters justifiably expected more.

"Alen was a really nice bloke and you have to remember that he was in a completely different culture to what he was used to," said Armstrong.

"I don't think he could get his head around some aspects of English life, but football-wise he was a different class."

Armstrong soon forgot his Boro rejection by helping Ipswich to a fifth-placed finish in the Premiership in his first season at Portman Road and a place in the Uefa Cup.

Less than a year after playing reserve-team football at Middlesbrough, Armstrong was gracing the European stage with Ipswich. The former Newcastle forward scored in both legs of a 5-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of Italian giants Inter Milan in the third round.

Armstrong, with four goals in League Two for Quakers this season, will watch Boro's Group E clash with Lazio with interest this evening.

"The club have always been looking to make that next big step up and now they've done it," said Armstrong.

"When I joined they were working their way back up after coming so close with players like Ravanelli and Juninho in the team.

"Steve McClaren has taken a lot of credit for where the club is today but I think the chairman, Steve Gibson, deserves a good shout for what he has done down the years.

"He has put a lot of work into the club and it's good to see him reaping the rewards."

With players like Armstrong's former Ipswich teammate Matteo Sereni and Paolo Di Canio in the Lazio ranks, the 29-year-old believes the Rome giants will be better prepared for tonight's game than many would anticipate.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.