JONATHAN GREENING has set Middlesbrough a target for their last nine games - at least 14 points.

Boro lie 11th in the Premiership as the season reaches its final hurdle and Greening is determined to help his side claim their highest ever top-flight finish.

The Riverside outfit finished ninth in 1999 when Bryan Robson's men claimed 51 points, and now Steve McClaren's class of 2003 are on course to go better.

Greening, who will line up in the midfield at Leeds United this Saturday, is convinced there is plenty of time for Boro, currently on 38 points, to climb into the top eight.

And he is keen to make sure they continue to perform despite not having any trophies to play for.

"I want to try to get Middlesbrough as high up the League table as possible," said Greening, who knows Boro hit the dizzy heights of third back in September.

"I think the highest points total ever achieved by this club in the Premiership is 51 points and if we can get to 52 then that has been a good season.

"We have still got the time to reach that. If we can do that then we will try to build on that next season."

Greening believes a good end to the current campaign will ensure Boro will go into the 2003-04 season confident.

The 127-year-old club have never lifted a major piece of silverware and the hard-working midfielder has set his sights on being part of the first Boro squad to do that.

The Scarborough-born schemer said: "It would be fantastic to be part of the first Boro side to lift a trophy. Next year we have got to be looking at lifting a cup.

"And to be honest I don't really see any reason why that shouldn't be the case, the manager is building a team here that is more than capable of doing that."

Meanwhile, Boro stars Juninho and Franck Queudrue are battling to be fit for this Saturday's trip to Leeds United.

Juninho has an ankle problem after picking up the injury in the win over Newcastle United last week, while Queudrue suffered a knock to his right knee in the same match.

Both players are receiving treatment but they are expected to shake off the niggles in time to face Terry Venables' Leeds.

Chris Riggott, meanwhile, is also due to arrive back at the club's training base after undergoing a successful knee operation.

The 22-year-old picked up a cartilage injury in the 1-1 draw with Everton ten days ago and he had to be replaced at half-time.

Despite the success of the operation Riggott is not expected to return to first team action for another three or four weeks and he will not return to training until next week.

Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was named third in the Oceania Footballer of the Year award - behind former Newcastle target Brett Emerton and Leeds' Harry Kewell.

* Three of Boro's young guns have been called up for an England Under-19 get together later this month.

Full-back David Murphy, centre-back Andrew Davies and winger Stewart Downing will all attend a three day training meet between March 23-25 at Lilleshall.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.