Tony Pulis set to leave Middlesbrough this week after promotion disappointment and fan backlash

TONY PULIS is poised to leave Middlesbrough this week after disappointingly missing out on promotion.

The Welshman’s 18-month contract is up and will not be renewed by Steve Gibson following the failure to secure a Championship play-off spot.

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Initial claims suggested the experienced manager had a one-year option that he could exercise to stay.

However, Teesside Live claim senior Boro officials have dismissed those reports as they prepare to confirm his departure.

Pulis, 61, is believed currently at his home in Bournemouth taking a break but is due to meet with chairman Gibson later this week.

And that is where he will be informed his deal will not be renewed following a tepid end to the season.

Boro looked certain for a top six finish until a miserable run of six consecutive defeats in March and April ultimately led to them being piped by Derby County for the promotion play-off lottery.

But fans have been unhappy for months, branding him a dinosaur, after a series of cautious home displays and negative tactics on the road and have been vocal over wanting a change in the dug-out.

And they were infuriated further when Pulis claimed this season’s seventh place finish was better than the previous year’s fifth.

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The ex-Stoke and West Brom boss has overseen a cost-cutting exercise at The Riverside, selling star men Ben Gibson, Adama Traore and Patrick Bamford last summer.

But he spent £20m of that income on bolstering his side and ultimately finished way-off the likes of Norwich and Sheff United, who both had a far smaller budget.

Neither Pulis or the club have commented on his future over the past week with Boro officials believed to be waiting to let the dust settle on the campaign before making a decision.

Speaking after last Sunday’s 2-1 win at Rotherham, Pulis revealed he was due to meet Gibson, but remained vague on the details.

He said: “I’m hoping Steve is going to buy me a nice bottle of red wine and then we can sit down and have a chat about things.

“I’ll speak to Steve. I don’t think I should be saying anything without speaking to him first. That’s the respect I’ve got for the fella.

“I’m not saying anything until I’ve spoken to Steve. The most important thing, and I think he knows it, is that I’ve given it everything I’ve got.

“Let’s talk about it, and see how things go. I’m not really putting a timescale on things, I’ll wait for Steve to give me a ring.

“He’s a wonderful man. I’ve got great respect for him, and a great relationship with him.”

Several names have already been linked with replacing him, with current first-team coach and local lad Jonathan Woodgate among the favourites.