MIDDLESBROUGH boss Bryan Robson and star player Juninho have been named as Manager and Player of the Month in recognition of their part in the club's remarkable recovery during March.
After standing bottom of the table at the start of the month, the Teesside club picked up 13 points out of 15 and reached the League Cup final and the last four of the FA Cup in a remarkable turnaround in fortune.
Brazilian Juninho played a key role with an FA Cup quarter-final goal at Derby and vital strikes against Leicester, Blackburn and Chelsea.
In the award citation the panel said: 'Juninho's dazzling skill during March has been universally applauded and adds merit to the claim that the Premier League is the world's most entertaining league.
'Bryan Robson has been an outstanding servant to the national game as a player and if his leadership during March is anything to go by he will achieve equal billing as a manager.' Meanwhile the Teesside club's hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a major blow when they failed in their appeal against the deduction of three points.
The Football Association (FA) Appeal Board ruled that the Premier League's decision to dock the points after Middlesbrough called off their match at Blackburn on December 21 with only 24 hours notice was correct.