Gareth Southgate has expressed his delighted at the prospect of returning to his old stomping ground, The Riverside, when the England U21 side square off against Germany on Monday night.
Southgate shares a special bond with Middlesbrough after spending almost a decade at the club both as a player and a manager.
The former central defender did exit Boro under controversial circumstances back in 2009 but his relation with the fans remains strong and the 44-year old has now gone on to express his excitement at making a return to Teesside for the first time since his departure.
Ahead of the clash against Germany, Southgate said: "It is great to be back and the players are in great spirits. I'm really looking forward to the game. There will be a super crowd to watch us and that certainly helps the players. I hope we can perform in the way we have recently and it will be fascinating to see how we cope with another top team.
"A combination of things, including sensible tickets prices, has helped because a lot of youngsters don't get the chance to go to Wembley so this is a great opportunity for them to see England on the road and to watch some high profile players.
"The area is passionate about football and I think people have seen us play and want to come and watch our best young players."
