The 2011-12 campaign was a season of soaring hope and near-miss for Middlesbrough as The Boro, under the stewardship of club legend Tony Mowbray, battled to a respectable 7th-place finish in the Championship. Despite enforced budget cuts, the team showed tremendous fighting spirit, even briefly topping the table early in the season. Spearheading the attack was the Dutch striker Marvin Emnes, whose crucial 14 league goals anchored an exciting, short-passing side and earned him the club's top scorer title for the season. Though The Boro ultimately finished just five points shy of the play-off places, this year is fondly remembered for the flashes of attacking brilliance and the resilience of a squad that continued to aim high despite the financial constraints.