Back in August, big things were predicted of five North-East starlets. An almost-complete football season later how did the hopefuls, selected in The Northern Echo's pre-season football supplement, Kick Off, shape up?

Stewart Downing

THE season when Stewart Downing broke into the England set-up and became Middlesbrough's player of the year at the age of 21 could have been so different.

Had Gaizka Mendieta avoided a serious knee injury then Downing's breakthrough year may not have been as fruitful.

After all it was the Spaniard's misfortune that opened the door for the young winger to become such a household name.

With Mendieta out, Bolo Zenden moved inside from the left and Ray Parlour switched to the right from the centre.

That meant manager Steve McClaren was forced into handing Downing a bigger role in Boro's assault on the Premiership and UEFA Cup - a challenge the Teessider accepted and overcame with flying colours.

As one of The Northern Echo's five to watch last season his ability was never going to be called into question, it was just whether he would have been such an integral part of McClaren's team.

And, to the player's credit, Downing not only showed the attacking flair everyone knew he possessed but made it extremely difficult for his boss to take him out of the starting XI.

He scored six goals and boasted eight Premiership assists from the 49 games that he had a part to play in - a record that saw him worshipped by Boro's supporters.

The bags of pace he has is well complimented by the sweetest of sweet left foots - an attribute that has not gone unnoticed by Sven-Goran Eriksson.

And what looks promising for Boro, providing they can retain his services, is that he is a level-headed youngster who looks destined to keep improving.

Downing was not a bad name to put forward for the five to watch last August - a similar 2005/06 campaign and he could well be on his way to the World Cup.

Paul Fraser

Steven Taylor

STEVEN Taylor was being realistic when before the season began he said: "I want to get as many reserve games under my belt as I can."

His half-time substitute appearance in the final game of the season at home to Chelsea, however, was his 22nd of the campaign.

Those included 13 in the Premier League, and appearances in both the UEFA Cup quarter-final and the semi-final of the FA Cup.

He also managed a sending-off in the game against Aston Villa, which included an attempt to cover his tracks that would have made Jude Law proud. That game, however, would be better remembered for two of Taylor's team-mates trading blows with each other late on.

Reserve games were a luxury manager Graeme Souness could ill-afford to offer the defender who turned 19 in January.

The departure of Jonathan Woodgate and numerous defensive injuries throughout the campaign forced Souness' hand to a certain extent, but the London-born defender proved one of the few pluses in a season to forget on Tyneside.

He came of age when he was still 18 in the 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal on December 29. He managed to ruffle the feathers of two World Cup winners in Thierry Henry and Robert Pires.

The Gunners' French duo were less than happy with the teenager's physical presence, and he is unlikely to receive a better reference.

Souness has discovered a defensive gem who can play at centre-back or full-back and whose confidence and presence belie his age.

If he continues to progress at his present rate it can only be a matter of time before Sven-Goran Eriksson becomes aware of his qualities.

Adam Murray

Mark Lynch

IN a season when Sunderland's young players have consistently hit the headlines, it takes a particularly poor tipster to pick out the one person whose career has stalled in the last nine months. I'll get my coat.

Mark Lynch started the season on one of the most prestigious roll calls in the North-East - The Northern Echo's five to watch - but he ended it on a far less reputable register - the transfer list.

In mitigation, Lynch looked to have the most cast-iron credentials of all Sunderland's youngsters when he arrived from Manchester United last summer.

He had impressed in the Red Devils' Academy - normally one of the most fertile breeding grounds in the country - and Sir Alex Ferguson had thought enough of him to hand him a debut in the most exalted arena of them all, the Champions League.

Stephen Wright was ahead of him in the pecking order, but the former Liverpool full-back looked like the kind of player who might have struggled to suppress a talented novice.

As it was, Wright was his normal reliable self and, while the likes of Stephen Elliott, Dean Whitehead and Liam Lawrence came on in leaps and bounds, Lynch made just five Championship starts all term. He won't make any Premiership appearances next season as he is on his way out of the Stadium of Light.

Still, at least there's some of my other pre-season predictions to dig me out of a hole.

I seem to remember tipping Everton to go down - how did they get on again?

Scott Wilson

Anthony Sweeney

THERE'S little doubt that the last 12 months have become the making of Antony Sweeney.

In a run of games towards the end of last season, the strong-running midfielder did enough to suggest he had a big role to play in Hartlepool United's season - little did he know just how big.

He's now one of the first names on the Pool team-sheet and, after bagging a healthy 13 goals, has become one of the most free scoring midfielders in the Football League.

Given a licence to perform by Martin Scott and Neale Cooper, level-headed Sweeney has grabbed the chance as he repaid their faith with interest.

A sending-off at MK Dons after needlessly getting involved in a petty spat was soon put to bed - because he bagged a hat-trick in his return to the side against Chesterfield last October.

But nodding in the goal on the final day of the season that earned Pool a play-off spot - and ultimately a place in the play-off final with Sheffield Wednesday - would take some beating.

Few midfielders have his energy, Sweeney is a genuine box to box midfielder. With Mark Tinkler or Gavin Strachan holding in midfield, Sweeney has the freedom to forage all over the park.

The season has been a memorable one for the Stockton-born 21-year-old, next Sunday could see it become even better at the Millennium Stadium.

Nick Loughlin

Brian Close

'THE next Craig Liddle' was how manager David Hodgson heralded the arrival of Brian Close from Middlesbrough 14 months ago.

As Liddle ends his seven-year association with Darlington this summer, there has been enough evidence to suggest this season that Close's no-nonsense approach can reap equal endearment.

While Close - sent off twice this season - may not possess the defensive eloquence of Joey Hutchinson, nor the midfield panache of Craig Hignett, the Irishman gets a job done in his own distinctive way.

Darlington's Mr Versatile, Close did exactly what it said on the tin during the 2004/05 campaign, utilising his rugged determination between both the defensive and midfield cause.

He also allayed doubts over his fitness after manager David Hodgson voiced his only concern last summer.

Deceivingly quick, Close swept up attacks at the back, provided the bite in Quakers' midfield, while unlocking defences with eye-of-the-needle accuracy.

But, despite last summer's arrival of Curtis Fleming, Close's midfield place was only brief following Hutchinson's season-long injury in September.

It was alongside Fleming and Matt Clarke that Close formed the back-bone to a campaign, which was ultimately decided by Quakers' early-season lack of fire power.

Lee Hall