Despite his side lying perilously close to the Championship, five points away from the Premier League safety zone, Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has no regrets about taking over in the hot seat and is sure he can become successful in the role.

 

His third season of management has presented the former England man with his toughest challenge so far. Whilst the backing of chairman Steve Gibson was never in doubt - Gibson is known to be one of the most loyal men in football - the recent public support from the Boro chief was still welcomed by the only Boro skipper ever to lift a trophy.

“It helps because there will always be speculation, it is the nature of football management,” he added. “I think internally I know the support is there so it is not essential the statements are made public.

It seems that the fight to survive during the current season may have convinced Southgate he made the right decision. “It is strange because in some respects the first six months to a year I was assessing whether it was something I wanted to do, but through what has been a far more difficult period I know it is what I want to do,” he said.