MIDDLESBROUGH will learn the identity of their first European opponents today with midfielder Ray Parlour insisting that continental experience will make them a force to be reckoned with this season.
Boro chief executive Keith Lamb will be in Monaco when the draw for the first round of the UEFA Cup is made at around 11am this morning.
February's Carling Cup win ensured Boro would make their European bow this season but, after having missed out on continental competition in the past, the UEFA Cup will represent a steep learning curve for the Teessiders.
Conventional wisdom suggests that most sides struggle during their first season in Europe but, after the arrival of five internationals at the Riverside this summer, there is extensive experience in the Middlesbrough ranks.
Eight of the side that started the 2-0 win at Fulham on Wednesday night have played in European competition and, of the three that haven't, Stuart Parnaby and Chris Riggott have both played for England Under-21s while Mark Schwarzer is an established Australian international.
"The UEFA Cup's very exciting," said Parlour, who played more than 50 European games for Arsenal and helped the Gunners lift the Cup Winners' Cup in 1994.
"The club's been waiting a long time and it's going to be a great experience for everyone associated with Middlesbrough.
"We've got a lot of players who have played in Europe, and that's good. There's experience in the club now.
"You need experience if you're going to go a long way in that competition, and hopefully we can."
Parlour found himself on the periphery of the Arsenal side that made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League last term, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was released from Chelsea despite helping them reach the last four.
Mark Viduka has also played in the semi-final of both the Champions League and the UEFA Cup with Leeds, and the Australian made the perfect start to his Boro career at Craven Cottage this week.
His second-half opener proved he has lost none of his cutting edge, and also underlined just how productive his partnership with Hasselbaink could be.
The pair got better and better as the game wore on and, after struggling to hit top form last season, look ready to silence the critics who suggested they were both past their best.
"That's a challenge for a lot of players in this team," admitted Parlour. "We've not come here to take it easy at the end of our careers - we've come here to prove a point.
"Jimmy is always going to score goals wherever he goes. He showed that in the first two games because he's got two goal already.
"Mark's a fantastic player and he's got a lot to prove as well. He held the ball up and you could see his ability straight away. There are a lot of players who have come here to achieve things."
* Middlesbrough officials have urged fans not to make travel arrangements for the club's first European tie until they know they have a ticket for the game.
Demand is expected to be high but, until Boro know where they have been drawn for next month's first round, they cannot make estimates of how many fans will be able to travel to the away leg.
Commercial manager Graham Fordy said: "Such is the historic relevance to our first ever European tie, we are anticipating considerable interest from our supporters.
"We strongly advise supporters wanting to attend the away leg not to book their travel arrangements before they have ensured that they have been successful in their ticket application.
"They risk committing themselves to non-refundable travel expenses only to find they have not been able to purchase a ticket for the game.
"Fans will be able to book ticket and travel packages via the football club for the away leg, though all applications will be handled by post."
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