AS the names of James Morrison and Tony McMahon echoed round Old Trafford when the two teams were announced, an immense feeling of pride worked its way through the two teenage Middlesbrough players' families.

The parents of both young men sat alongside each other in the away end at the Theatre of Dreams, as their sons made their first Premiership starts.

A culmination of years of hard work at junior level, it appeared fitting that both were given their chance on the same afternoon.

"It was the biggest crowd in Premiership history (67,988). A fantastic feeling to think that we were sat in among that and watching the pair of them play together," said Morrison's father Charlie, who went to the game with wife Liz, brother-in-law Ian Jackson and sister-in-law Maureen Morrison.

"James got us four tickets after being told he was in the team on Saturday after training and when we took our seats we were sat alongside Tony's mum and dad -Tracey and Tony.

"We go back a few years because Tony is from just up the road at Evenwood and during their days at Academy level they shared lifts together; with us taking turns in giving them a lift.

"To see them both playing together at Old Trafford was fantastic, a fantastic feeling. It's incredible for the pair of them."

But while McMahon ended up with Gary Neville's shirt, Morrison was left with his own after missing out on Wayne Rooney's number eight shirt.

The Darlington youngster had approached Rooney about swapping shirts after Sunday's 1-1 draw but missed out after the £27m man agreed to give it to someone else.

"He doesn't know who got it," said Charlie. "All James knows is that he hasn't.

"He also asked for Neville's but Tony had already got his hands on that.

"Now James has got another one to go with the shirt he wore in the match in Ostrava.

"He certainly wasn't going to give that one away."

It's all go for Morrison, who has only been able to speak to his family on the phone after joining up with the England Under 19s squad immediately after Sunday's game.

The under 19s play the Czech Republic at Norwich on Wednesday and the Darlington lad will be hoping to line up alongside fellow Boro youngsters Matthew Bates and Andrew Taylor.

Then it will be back to Middlesbrough's Rockliffe Park training headquarters in Hurworth and training ahead of the trip to Blackburn Rovers a week on Saturday.

The majority of Steve McClaren's walking wounded will be fit for that fixture, increasing the likelihood that Morrison will be brought down to earth after his heroics of the past few days.

"It could be back to Billingham Synthonia's Central Avenue ground and playing for the reserves next time," said Charlie, who knows all about struggling to break into a successful first team having been a Chelsea professional between 1967-73 when the Blues got their hands on the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup.

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