'Don't blame Steve Gibson' - Middlesbrough boss defends chairman

Despite warning that his squad lacked attacking options, Pulis was left frustrated yesterday as a succession of proposed transfer deals fell through.

The Boro boss blames the club’s overall financial position for the failure to land any of his top attacking targets, and accepts he is having to pay the price of the profligacy that occurred under Garry Monk in the immediate aftermath of relegation from the Premier League.

• 'We are weaker than before' - Pulis disappointed by deadline day

Gibson invested around £50m into the playing squad in an attempt to bounce back to the top-flight at the first time of asking, and while he might have been dismayed at yesterday’s lack of transfer action, Pulis insists it would be unfair to pin any blame on Boro’s chairman.

“I’ve had three windows here and signed there permanent players,” he said. “(Paddy) McNair, (George) Saville and (Aden) Flint. They’re the three permanent players. I’ve signed seven or eight on loan. You’re hoping you’d do more than that.

“But I think the club has got an exceptional person in charge in Steve. The money he’s put in and what he’s done has been extraordinary. There’s absolutely no criticism whatsoever in that area.

“It’s a little bit deja vu if you look at the club - Tony Mowbray got caught in a very similar position when he had to come in when the finances weren’t brilliant. He had two years having to clear everything out and cut back on stuff

“Hopefully, it’s something the club will not do again. But it’s been done and you can’t do anything about it.”

Pulis feels understandable frustration at the way in which his own attempts to improve the Boro squad are being hampered by the largesse that was bestowed on a previous administration.

The need to balance the books is being keenly felt at the moment – Stewart Downing’s contract situation remains unresolved – but Pulis is hoping a unified front can still help fuel a successful promotion push.

The Boro boss previously claimed the current squad was “not good enough” to win promotion, but is willing to change his view provided the sense of togetherness that was apparent in the first half of the season is maintained to the end of the campaign.

“In terms of the window, the feeling is disappointment more than anything else. Disappointment in reflection of seeing what money has been spent 18 months ago.

“Steve has spent more than £50m - and the wages that go along with that – it’s extraordinary and the club is paying for it at the moment.

“But since we got into the top six shortly after I arrived, the team has never been out of that top-six position.

“Maybe we lack the ingredients that we need to get to that next step, but if you play as a team and work as team, we’ve got as good a chance as anybody else, if everybody pulls together.”