Winning promotion would top Cardiff or Eindhoven says Ben Gibson

Tonight’s Boro game is bigger than the 2004 Carling Cup final or the 2006 UEFA Cup final, according to Ben Gibson.

The England Under-21 defender believes the financial riches on offer the clubs in the Premier League means winning promotion will top every other achievement.

Victory for Boro at Norwich in tonight’s televised six pointer will put the club in a fantastic position to clinch a place in the top flight without having to endure the play-offs.

Defeat, however, would leave Aitor Karanka’s side four points behind City with just two games remaining.

Losing would also mean current leaders Bournemouth would be two points better off than Boro with a game in hand while Watford will have a one point advantage with three to play.

“It all boils down to this game,” said Gibson. “It is do or die. We have got to go there and win. You need three wins from three if you want automatic promotion.

“I would say this is the biggest game in the club’s history. The way the Premier League is and the gap financially makes this our biggest game ever.

“If we get back in the Premier League it’s different to the last time. It has more of an impact, financially, than what the UEFA Cup or Carling Cup final did.

“It’s £100m for going up, that is irreplaceable. It will have a bigger effect on the club and the town than winning the cup.”

“We all know financially what the difference is between Championship and the Premier League. The affect it has on the town is massive.

“This is as big a finish to the season as any of them.”

Gibson, who has established himself in the first team this season, reckons all the pressure is on Norwich going into tonight’s Carrow Road showdown.

He also insists Boro would have gladly taken a place in the play-offs at the start of the season.

But now that automatic promotion is achievable, the players are desperate to seal a top two finish.

“At the start of the season if you’d offered us the play-offs we would have snapped your hand off,” he said. “To have got that in the bag and now with three games to achieve automatic promotion is something we would have dreamt of at the start of the season.

“It’s our best opportunity to get back in the Premier League. We haven’t even been in the play-offs (since relegation). Now we are here we are looking to follow that through.

“The pressure is on the top three. If we beat Norwich we go two points ahead of them and you hope Bournemouth and Watford slip up.”