HIS five-year Teeside tenure might have had a disastrous denouement, but Steve McClaren last night insisted he would leave Middlesbrough with his head held high despite his side's four-goal UEFA Cup final humiliation at the hands of a rampant Sevilla.

Five years after starting his Riverside career with a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal - a game that also included one goal in the first half and a late triple whammy - the 45-year-old watched history repeat itself as his toothless Teessiders were ripped apart in Eindhoven's Philips Stadion.

The dramatic comebacks that had carried Middlesbrough to their first European final were nowhere to be seen as Sevilla romped to the biggest win in a UEFA Cup showcase since 1986.

Even in his worst nightmares, McClaren cannot have imagined ending his domestic career on such a sour note.

He will succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager on August 1 under a cloud but, having told his shell-shocked players not to lose sight of the magnitude of their previous achievements, he insisted he had nothing to be ashamed of either.

"Will I leave with my held high? I will do, once I reflect," said McClaren, who remains Middlesbrough's manager, in title at least, until May 16.

"I don't like losing football matches and I didn't think they were four goals better than us. That's disappointing.

"On reflection, I'm so proud of the run we've had over the five years, the experiences we have had in Europe have been fantastic, incredible.

"This was an incredible night. We didn't perform as we know we can on a night when we needed to. That's why we lost.

"It's the finale of my Middlesbrough career, one I have enjoyed thoroughly. It ends on a bad note but that's football.

"I will reflect on the five years over the next few days and I think I have left the club in a good condition to move on.

"It's a fantastic club to work for and I have enjoyed it. I'm sad to go but people move on. I start a new chapter here."

The same is true of Middlesbrough, who will not now compete in European football next season. Instead of taking part in a Super Cup final against either Arsenal or Barcelona in late August, the Teessiders will now find themselves playing in the second round of the Carling Cup. The contrast for McClaren's successor will be stark.

Nevertheless, this season's exploits will stand the club's youngsters in good stead as they look to maintain their staggering progress over the next couple of seasons.

The likes of Stewart Downing, Stuart Parnaby, James Morrison and Lee Cattermole have proved they can survive amongst the European elite, knowledge that will surely spur them to even greater heights in the future.

"I have told the players I am so proud of them," said McClaren.

"It will be disappointing for the next couple of days, but when we reflect on what a fantastic season this has been and the great run we have had, we will realise that we should be proud.

"They should still celebrate because it was a major achievement to get to the final.

"It was a great night for Middlesbrough Football Club, for the fans and the chairman. It just was not to be.

"Our luck ran out. It's a very disappointed dressing room but they shouldn't be down.

"They should be proud of what they have achieved.

"This is a small town in Europe but we have proved we can compete with the best."

Things might have been even better had German referee Herbert Fandel not turned down Mark Viduka's vociferous penalty appeal when the score was 1-0.

Sevilla skipper Javi Navarro appeared to bundle the Australian over in the box, but Fandel remained unmoved and, within minutes, former West Brom striker Enzo Maresca had doubled the Spanish side's lead.

"For me, it was a stonewall penalty," argued McClaren.

"That could have turned the game but we didn't get it this time.

"Congratulations to Sevilla, they played well and are a very good team. But not four goals better than us.

"We had three great opportunities in the second half and a decision that didn't go for us. Once the second goal went in it was very, very difficult."

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