GARETH SOUTHGATE has singled out Middlesbrough's Academy as one of the major reasons why manager Steve McClaren has been able to keep the Teessiders within touching distance of a UEFA Cup place.

The reputation of the club's youth system has reached new heights after teenagers James Morrison and Tony McMahon burst onto the Premiership scene, along with Stewart Downing.

Both Morrison and McMahon have never looked back since outstanding debuts at Old Trafford in October, when they made the most of injury problems to big name players.

The latest Boro youngster to be tipped for greatness, Adam Johnson, signed his first professional contract yesterday.

Southgate believes the ever-growing list of home-grown talent will be one of the long-standing memories of the season.

Boro face a two game schedule - against rival European contenders Tottenham and Manchester City - to bring an end to the campaign and those results will decide whether McClaren's men avoid an Intertoto Cup battle this summer.

But Southgate, aiming to do everything in his power to book seventh place, insists failure to do so would still not detract from a campaign of progression largely down to the burgeoning teenage talent now at the club's disposal.

Southgate said: "If the last two games don't go well then at least we can look at the positives and one of those has been the emergence of the younger players.

"Tony McMahon, James Morrison, goalkeeper Brad Jones and Stewart Downing to a degree have all shown they can have a big impact in the league. Next year will be good for the club because the manager knows he has a lot of options with them.

"We have missed them while they have been injured and that shows how influential they are and how well they have done when they have played."

Johnson, one of 11 players developed by the academy to have played for the first team this season, made his debut in the UEFA Cup defeat at Sporting Lisbon.

Despite being just 17, he has already attracted interest from Champions League finalists Liverpool and Boro hope his new deal will have gone a long way to putting off the Reds.

Sunderland-born Johnson plays on the same wing as Downing - named Player of the Year by his team-mates yesterday - and has been tipped in some quarters to become an even bigger name.

Johnson has signed a two-year deal and delighted boss McClaren has urged the player to follow in Downing's footsteps.

"It's good news for the club because he is a talented young player who shows a lot of promise," said McClaren. "He must keep improving and learning if he wants to win a place in the first team squad by right. Stewart Downing is the perfect example of what he can achieve if his attitude is right."

Downing, meanwhile, has rubbished rumours that he is set to move to Newcastle in the summer in a swap deal that would see controversial striker Craig Bellamy go the other way.

The Magpies are looking to offload Bellamy and McClaren is known to have inquired about a loan deal for the player in January.

But Downing said: "I heard the rumours but it was just talk.

"No-one's said anything to me. Boro are happy with me and there's no reason why I should leave.

"It's quite flattering when you're linked with clubs but you cannot let it go to your head. First and foremost I've got a job to do and that's playing for Boro."

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