Middlesbrough defender David Wheater is looking at his central defensive partnership with Matthew Bates as a firm foundation for the club. The two 23-year-olds played together in the Boro side which lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2004 and have been reunited in the first team in the wake of Stephen McManus' ankle ligament injury.

Wheater told the Evening Gazette: "Me and Batesy have been playing together since we were kids, so to be alongside him again is great.

"We may not have played in the first team together very often but we have come through the youth and reserve teams alongside each other and I know we can have a fantastic partnership."

With Tony McMahon, who was the youth team captain, also playing, there is a familiar look about things for Wheater.

He added: "We are all really good mates. We all know how each other play, we know each other's games, each other's strengths and weaknesses and that has got to be a good thing."