Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate says defender Andrew Taylor has a big future on Teesside.
And now the dust has settled, Southgate has explained the reasons behind his decision and also revealed how Taylor played through the pain barrier as the season drew to a close.
The manager told the Evening Gazette: "It was a tough call on Andrew at the time because I love him to bits.
"He's going to be a top player, his mentality is brilliant and for him to be out of the team for a big game hurts.
"Andrew understood and he was disappointed because he always wants to play.
"But the biggest thing for us is Andrew had been playing with cracked ribs, he'd been in an enormous amount of pain and he'd put himself on the line.
"As a group of staff we think a tremendous amount of him because of what he's been prepared to do and it makes it harder when you have to leave him out in those circumstances, but he's got a big future at this club and he'll come back from that."
