What Jonathan Woodgate told ex-Middlesbrough team-mate before Leeds United switch

Adam Forshaw spent three years at Middlesbrough before joining Leeds in 2018.

The 28-year-old was a key player for Boro during the Aitor Karanka era but found himself out of the side following Garry Monk’s appointment at the Riverside.

Forshaw then consulted now-Boro boss Jonathan Woodgate and former Brentford team-mate Jonathan Douglas before making the switch to Elland Road.

"When [Middlesbrough] were out of the Premier League, the club felt a little bit all over the place," Forshaw told the Talking Shutt podcast, "I just fancied something different.

"Something stuck in my mind from when I was at Brentford. Jonathan Douglas told me 'If you ever have the opportunity to play for Leeds, you wouldn't let it pass you by.'"

"I felt when I had the chance to go, a couple of years ago, it was the right time as well. It felt like Leeds were really on the up again, starting to recruit well and you could see what was happening with the owner and stuff.

"[It was] a touch lucky for me, in my career, that was the right stage for me and Leeds were the ones that came knocking.

"I remember Woody [Woodgate] saying the exact same as what Jonathan Douglas said, that you're signing for a huge club.

"'A whopper of a club' were his words. He rang me when I was coming to meet Victor [Orta] and said 'enjoy it, it's a great club.'"