IT was fitting that Tony McMahon kept Ryan Giggs under wraps during his first-team debut on Sunday because, just eight years earlier, the roles had been reversed in the youngster's Evenwood home.

Despite being born and raised in the Teesdale village, McMahon grew up with something of a soft spot for Manchester United.

His affinities changed when he joined Middlesbrough's youth set-up at the age of 12 but, before that, his dreams of becoming a professional footballer centred on Old Trafford.

He would go to sleep conjuring up visions of the Red Devils and, as he drifted away, he would be watched over by the portrait of a certain Welsh winger.

"It was so fitting that Tony made his debut against Manchester United," revealed McMahon's mother, Tracey.

"And especially against Ryan Giggs. That really was his dream come true.

"He was a bit of a Man U supporter as a kid and he used to talk about what it would be like to play at Old Trafford.

"Funnily enough, I was talking to a few of the other mams at the weekend and I was telling them that Tony used to have a Ryan Giggs quilt cover when he was younger.

"Now he can say that he's marked him. It's incredible really and we're all so proud of what Tony's achieved."

Tracey travelled to Old Trafford on Sunday with her husband, Tony, but neither expected their son to be in the starting line-up when they got there.

Franck Queudrue was all set to start at left-back until he failed a late fitness test and, at ten past one, McMahon's parents received the call they had been waiting for.

"We were just getting towards Manchester when the phone started to ring," said Tracey.

"It was Tony and he told us that he was going to be starting that afternoon.

"I started crying straight away and - he won't like me admitting it - but so did his dad.

"I was no good for the rest of the day after that.

"I was all fingers and thumbs and I was shaking so much when I watched him warming up with the rest of the team.

"I was so excited for him, but I was nervous too because everyone knows how good Manchester United are.

"But I thought he did brilliantly, and so did the rest of the young lads.

"I've watched Tony play football since he was about six, and now I've seen him play at Old Trafford - it's what every mother dreams of."

McMahon's formative years were spent playing youth football in Evenwood, school football for Staindrop, and Sunday League games in Byers Green. Then Boro came calling.

"We're his biggest fans and we've followed him all over the world. We've seen him play for England Under-19s in Italy and France and we've watched him up and down this country.

"We were actually devastated when we weren't able to get out to the Czech Republic this week. Tony was on the bench against Banik Ostrava and, if he'd played, it would have been the first game of his that we'd missed.

"But, in the end, we couldn't have imagined how well things would have turned out.

"Now we're just hoping that Sunday is just the start and, hopefully, I'll be able to see a bit more of his next match, because I won't have quite so many tears in my eye."

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