Why ex-Middlesbrough coach believes there are reasons to be positive about this season despite league standings

Paul Jenkins (right) spent two decades at Middlesbrough and worked as one of the club's first-team coaches in 2017.

Boro sit 19th in the Championship and won just nine of their 37 league games before the season was suspended earlier this month.

Yet Jenkins, who spent two decades at Boro working with the academy and first team, says people should look at the bigger picture when assessing Jonathan Woodgate’s first year in charge.

“I’m sure, having spoken to him quite regularly, he’d have wanted to be further up the table than where they are at the moment,” Jenkins told the Mail when asked about Woodgate.

“It’s his first season, he’s had a number of challenges thrown at him that he’s had to deal with, none more so than the injures he’s had to senior players.

“But out of adversity comes good, he ended up having to play some of the young players and more young players probably got an opportunity to play in the first team this season.

“You only need to look at Aynsley Pears and the amount of games that Aynsley has played this season, absolutely fantastic and I’m delighted for him.”

Pears, 21, is one of seven players to make their Championship debuts for Boro this season, along with Hayden Coulson (21), Djed Spence (19), Stephen Walker (19), Ben Liddle (21), Tyrone O’Neill (20) and Nathan Wood (17).

In addition, Marcus Tavernier (21), Lewis Wing (24) and Dael Fry (22) have become first-team regulars this term, and Jenkins, who worked with many of the aforementioned players, says promoting the youth is one of Woodgate’s main principles.

“I’m pleased for Jonathan that he’s been able to stick to his remit that young players will get an opportunity at Middlesbrough,” Jenkins added.

“It’s tough at the moment for the Middlesbrough fans, it’s tough for Jonathan but you also have to look there have been positives that have come out of this season.

“I know the promotion of young players through the academy to the first team is something Jonathan spoke to the chairman and Neil Bausor about when he was applying for the job and it’s something that he strongly believes in.”