Terry Venables thanked Middlesbrough last night for granting him the chance to rebuild his managerial career.

Venables won plaudits throughout the game for keeping Boro in the Premiership last year when he was called in by Bryan Robson in December 2000. Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson was desperate to keep the former England coach at the Riverside but he honoured his contract with ITV in the first season of their Premiership coverage.

Venables was last week allowed to sever his connections with the channel to become Leeds' new manager - ironically after the Elland Road club came close to appointing Boro boss Steve McClaren as David O'Leary's replacement.

Venables, 59, said: "I thank Middlesbrough because they gave me a good opportunity to get stuck into a job when they needed a lot of treatment very quickly. I wouldn't have missed that for the world. I think I did a good job at Middlesbrough when asked by Bryan Robson, Keith Lamb and Steve Gibson.

"And I could have stayed there. I only came out of football because I had a contract with ITV and I kept my word."

Venables has been linked with a move for Robson, who has been out of the game since he was sacked by Middlesbrough last June. But Venables has decided to retain the Leeds backroom staff of Brian Kidd, Eddie Gray and Roy Aitken.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.