England winger Stewart Downing fears he could be driven out of his home-town club by his critics.

The 23-year-old Middlesbrough midfielder has revealed he has spoken to manager Gareth Southgate and intimated that he may have to consider leaving the Riverside Stadium.

Downing told the Northern Echo: "I do remain committed and would love nothing more than to bring success to this club.

"But in the last couple of weeks, I have been to see the manager and I did express at one point I wanted to go.

"The manager has been good to me. Why let these people who get on your back get the better of you? They have done it before to me and I have come through it.

"They were cheering me after that, it's strange.

"The manager has backed me and I am close to the manager. When I spoke to him about it, he has tried to assure me that times will change. He doesn't want me to leave on that note."