The 2005-06 campaign was an unforgettable season of dramatic European adventure for Middlesbrough as The Boro made their first-ever final, reaching the UEFA Cup showpiece after remarkable comebacks against both Basel and Steaua București. This historic run saw the team ultimately finish runners-up after losing 4-0 to Sevilla in the final. In the Premier League, they secured a mid-table 14th-place finish, led by the goals of talismanic striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni, whose 13 league goals (19 overall) anchored the attack. The emotional season, which also included a run to the FA Cup semi-finals, marked the departure of manager Steve McClaren to take the England job, cementing this as an indelible chapter in the club's history.