Kenny Jackett ready to end Boro nightmare

Kenny Jackett has urged Wolves to smash their 64-year Middlesbrough hoodoo at the Riverside Stadium tonight.

Wolves are seeking to win on Teesside for the first time in 23 visits since Roy Swinbourne's double in a 2-1 victory on April 11, 1951.

In that time they have scored just 11 goals and lost 13 times under 13 different managers.

But the Molineux head coach believes it is high time that miserable run in the North East ended as they seek to return to the top six with games against promotion rivals Boro and Ipswich this week.

"It's about time that stat was broken and there will be no better time to do it than this week with such a crucial game for us," said Jackett. "It's a big opportunity. I don't know why or what the reasons are we've had such a poor run up there, but it's a great time to change it.

"If you persevere enough then you get there.

"We want to bounce back from that and if we want to be a force in the Championship then these are the types of weeks and types of games which we need to rise to.

"We've had vital games and vital weeks over the last few months where two, three or four bad results on the trot would have seen us not keep pace with the top of the division.

"I'm pleased to say we've been able to keep fighting and then every week seems to have been a great chance and opportunity. We want to be chasing that Premier League spot for as long as we possibly can."

Meanwhile, Jackett has responded to Birmingham's former Wolves midfielder David Davis's #nonoisefromthedingleboys Tweet by dismissing it as 'banter'.

Davis is a good friend of Wolves captain Danny Batth and Jackett said: "My first reaction is David is a really good lad, a good professional and we wish him well there. I hope he continues doing well in his career."