MIDDLESBROUGH may have aspirations of playing European football next season, but they have chosen to shun a possible backdoor route into the UEFA Cup.

The ambitious Teesside outfit have decided not to register their interest in the much-maligned InterToto Cup after deciding the competition would do more harm than good.

Teams have to confirm to the Football Association by the February 28 deadline if they want to be considered for one of the two places up for grabs for English clubs.

However, after much deliberation, Boro have chose to say no - something they have done since the competition's formation back in 1994-95.

But the Riverside outfit admitted that they could enter in future campaigns.

"We are not entering the InterToto Cup," said club spokesman Dave Allan. "We have no plans this season as we feel at this stage that it interferes too much with pre-season.

"We have looked at what teams, who have entered the cup in recent seasons, have done and we feel the form has suffered because they have started the season early.

"Entering was something we did consider and we will do so again next season."

Boro followed Everton's lead after their manager, David Moyes, admitted at the weekend that the Toffees would not be putting their name forward. All interested clubs must inform the FA by the end of the month.

Boro's second choice keeper Mark Crossley has hinted he would like to move - but only in a short term deal.

The Welshman is hoping to find some first-team action on loan for a club so that he can force his way into his country's starting line-up.

But Crossley insists he is happy at Boro, he said: "If it's not going to happen here maybe I could go out on loan and get the games I need."

But he added: "There's no way I want to leave here (permanently) it's an up-coming, growing club and I want to be part of things over the next two or three years."

Meanwhile, Boro new-boy Malcolm Christie has revealed he has quickly adapted to life in the North-East.

The 23-year-old striker made a double move with Chris Riggott from Derby County last month and he has been impressed with the club's set-up.

Christie, a former supermarket shelf-stacker, was playing non-league football before his switch to Pride Park back in 1998.

And he said: "I haven't found it too difficult. The big move for me was going from Nuneaton to Derby because I was suddenly training every day in a professional environment.

"The lads here have made me very welcome and I'm looking forward to the challenge, because I've stepped up to a bigger club.

"The big thing that hits you here at Middlesbrough is the high standard of organisation and the training ground, which is like another world."

Christie (dead leg) is winning his fitness race ahead of this weekend's derby at Sunderland, as is right-back Stuart Parnaby who is also fit again after a hamstring strain. But he is facing a fight for his place after Robbie Stockdale performed well at Anfield.

l Allan Johnston has agreed to remain on loan at Sheffield Wednesday for a third month.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.