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The team stopped to greet fans on their way to the capital [BBC]
Middlesbrough received a warm send-off from fans at Teesside International Airport, as the team headed to London for the Championship play-off final.
Boro are surprise competitors in Saturday's match against Hull City for a place in the Premier League, after Southampton were earlier expelled for spying on other clubs' training sessions.
Fans gathered said there had been ups and downs on the journey there, but Middlesbrough had "come out in force, they always do, that's what Teesside's all about".
Manager Kim Hellberg also praised the "amazing" fans, thousands of whom were embarking on their own journeys to the capital, and said he knew they would "run to the game if it was possible".
The club announced all 35,984 of its allocated tickets had sold out.
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Middlesbrough travelled to London on Friday afternoon [BBC]
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Russell Willis said it felt like Boro's year [BBC]
One of the fans waving the team off said: "It's amazing, isn't it?
"The journey that they've been on, and the ups and downs, it's just great for the whole region."
Fan Russell Willis said: "The chances we've had, I feel we've had nine lives and I just think this time, is it meant to be?
"We could win, you know. I think this season, it could be our year."
Another fan added : "I lost sleep to be honest with you, I just can't wait to get it all over with.
"I just hope they can get the result done."
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Middlesbrough were last-minute competitors in the play-off finals [BBC]
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Boro's allocated tickets for the match at Wembley had sold out, the club said [BBC]
Meanwhile, former Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick said he would love to see the team promoted.
Carrick, who now manages Manchester United, said the players "gave everything for me when I was there, the ones that were there".
"So to see them have success and end up in the Premier League, I would take a lot of pride in that."
Kick-off is at 15:30 BST on Saturday.
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- Half Boro, half Hull babygrow made for play-off
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