Boro boys boost for boss
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate wants to build a promotion challenge around local boys David Wheater and Matthew Bates.
Boro have indicated they will fend off Aston Villa's interest in Wheater - with the Midlands club rumoured to be preparing a 9million cash-plus-player offer - while Bates yesterday ended speculation over his future by signing a three-year contract extension.
That news came as a major boost to Southgate, who is confident the two Academy graduates are ready to take on the responsibility of dragging the club back into the Barclays Premier League at the first attempt.
He said: "Throughout the club, people have to realise that we have got a huge challenge on our hands if we want to win promotion this season.
"It's not going to be a case of just turning up and getting straight back up.
"It's going to be a scrap and we need people with a winning mentality who will embrace that challenge. I know Matthew has that mentality.
"We want the heartbeat of the club to be local boys and we feel that the likes of Matthew and David Wheater can be the backbone of the side, along with others like Brad Jones, who also came through the club's Academy.
"We have got other local lads too, of course, who will play a big part, though they might have to be patient in their development."
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Weather for Hartlepool
Monday 13 February 2012
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