Darragh Lenihan draws Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest link under Michael Carrick | OneFootball

Middlesbrough defender Darragh Lenihan is optimistic that the Championship club can emulate Nottingham Forest by rising up the table and winning promotion via the play-offs.

Forest were bottom of the second tier when Steve Cooper was appointed last September but enjoyed a remarkable change in fortunes under the Welsh coach and ended their long wait for a return to the Premier League thanks to a play-off final victory over Huddersfield Town in May.

Boro enjoyed a similarly poor start to the current campaign ahead of the arrival of new head coach Michael Carrick.

The Teessiders were just a point above the relegation when he took charge in late October but three wins and a draw in the former England and Manchester United midfielder’s first five games has helped them rise up to 14th.

The North East club will not be satisfied with mid-table, however, and one of their summer recruits has hinted that they’re keen to emulate what Forest did last season.

Speaking to RTE Sport, Lenihan addressed his dreams of playing top flight football and the optimism in the squad.

He said: “As a young kid, you want to play in the Premier League. You look at Nottingham Forest last year.

“I don’t know when they were bottom of the league, and they got promoted in the play-offs.

“Hopefully we can be up there come the end of the season.”

Boro first game after the World Cup break will see them take on Luton Town at the Riverside.

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The Verdict

Forest’s remarkable rise last season will be one that many coaches and players use as inspiration in the Championship for years to come.

Boro certainly look like a side on the rise and in a wide-open division, you do feel as though they’ve got a great chance of emulating Cooper’s Reds.

There has been clear improvement under Carrick, in terms of performances as well as results, and they’ve moved to just four points off the play-offs.

If they can carry their recent form into the new year then they’ll find themselves in and around the top six in no time.