CONFIDENT Malcolm Christie last night urged Middlesbrough to snap up new players or miss out on challenging for European football again.

Manager Steve McClaren has admitted the forthcoming season, which starts on August 16, is a massive year for the club.

And prior to the summer he insisted his side will be hoping to secure a place in the UEFA Cup.

But a number of midfield transfer targets - including Geremi, Brett Emerton, Trevor Sinclair and David Dunn - have opted for moves elsewhere and Boro are looking short of numbers.

McClaren is close to tying up a deal for Real Madrid's Flavio Conceicao and he is hoping to conclude another deal for a right-sided midfielder.

And Boro striker Christie is backing his manager's efforts in the transfer market as he revealed his determination to help the Riverside outfit claim a place in Europe.

"I think we are still in the market for players and I'm sure the manager is still looking and wants to bring in a couple more players," said Christie, who arrived in a January double deal from Derby with Chris Riggott.

"I think that is what is needed because we do not have the biggest squad in the league and we do need to make a couple more additions.

"If that happens then hopefully we can push on this season and we are all really confident we can have a good season.

"Europe is everybody's aim at the club. The manager wants that and so do all the players.

"It would be great if we could get it. Obviously it's a bit early to talk about European places, but it's definitely what we will be aiming for."

McClaren has recently snapped up Brazilian Doriva from Celta Vigo and trialist Alan Wright will remain at the club for the rest of this week at least.

Wright, a left-back, played in Boro's first pre-season friendly at Hull City on Saturday - a game the Teessiders won 1-0.

And McClaren indicated he will make a decision on the former Aston Villa and Blackburn man after he has taken part in Boro's next two games at Rotherham (on Wednesday) and Sheffield United (Saturday).

But the former Manchester United No 2 revealed the midfield remains a priority. He said: "We are trying to do a couple of things this week and Flavio is one of them, but we are still well away from finalising that deal.

"We are still short in the midfield area and Doriva obviously helps, especially as we have George Boateng out injured. We are a little bit short and we still haven't replaced Geremi.

"We lacked depth last season and we don't want to be caught out."

McClaren's return to Third Division Hull, where he spent eight years as a player, ended in success for the Premiership outfit.

But only one goal separated the two sides and that came two minutes into stoppage time when Doriva, only given international clearance hours before kick-off, struck a low 25-yard effort in off the post.

Hull enjoyed a better second half and could have made Boro pay for a dreadful show of finishing in an opening 45 minutes.

Massimo Maccarone, who was taken to hospital just after half-time with an ankle problem, and partner Szilard Nemeth managed to miss 11 good opportunities between them before the interval.

But Boro were pleased with their first pre-season run around and Christie was delighted to come through his first game unscathed.

The former supermarket shelf-stacker had his tonsils out and had a groin operation during the summer and only started training last week.

And Christie, who replaced Maccarone on 49 minutes, said: "My groin is not back to normal but I'm coming along.

"This was my first real pre-season game and I was surprised to get as long as I did as I've only been training the past four or five days.

"I was told before I was only going to get 15 minutes but I was pleased to come on when Massimo went down."

Hull: Fettis, Thelwell, Delaney, Hinds, Joseph, Price (Regan 61), Ashbee, Appleby, (Williams 55), Elliott (Keates 55), Burgess (Donaldson 80), Allsopp (Webb 80). Subs (not used): Musselwhite, Whittle, Melton, Peat.

Boro: Schwarzer (Crossley 58), Parnaby (Stockdale 46), Wright, Cooper (Davies 64), Riggott, Southgate (Wilkshire 46), Greening (Doriva 80), Doriva (Wilson 64), Juninho (Downing 46), Maccarone (Christie 49), Nemeth (Johnston 64). Subs all used.

Result: Hull City 0 Middlesbrough 1.