Stewart Downing has hailed his upbringing on Teesside.

Downing grew up on an estate less than 10 minutes walk from the Riverside Stadium where the Middlesbrough veteran faces Watford on Sunday.

"You're talking 20 kids on a field until late at night. The only reason I had to go was my Dad shouting me in," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"We used to play against different estates, 11-a-side, you can imagine the tackles that flew in.

"It does feel different for me playing for Middlesbrough than other clubs.

"There are a lot of family and friends in that crowd. Local people, and that means local players can get it tougher."