Jonathan Simon Woodgate was a young man with the world at its feet. A tall, commanding defender, much in the mould of another Teesside favourite, Gary Pallister, he was tipped for the top.

A glittering career beckoned with his club, Leeds United, and also England, most pundits predicted.

Despite spending two years with home town club, Middlesbrough, as a schoolboy, Woodgate chose Leeds United and signed professional terms with the Yorkshire club in 1997.

Ironically, that same year he would appear as a ball boy at Elland Road in a game that saw Middlesbrough relegated.

It was not long before Woodgate was regularly appearing at England under-21 level, having been thrust into the limelight by new Leeds United boss David O'Leary in his second match in charge at Elland Road.

A full England appearance followed in a 1-1 European Championship draw in Bulgaria in June 1999.

The match itself was instantly forgettable, but Woodgate drew praise for his performance, which, unbeknown at the time, would arguably be his last.

So impressive was his performance that The Northern Echo was moved to write how a "Teesside star" had been born.

The paper's report stated: "Amid the gloom, there was distinctly one bright spot. That was the performance of Middlesbrough lad Jonathan Woodgate, making his international debut at the heart of the England defence.

"He was one of the few stars of a dreadful night and he has done himself, his family and former schoolmates back on Teesside, proud.

"Could Teesside be on the verge of producing another footballing superstar in the mould of Mannion and Hardwick?

"The evidence of last night suggests there are great grounds for optimism."

Six months later, Woodgate's world came crashing down around him.

A late-night fracas in Leeds town centre led to his arrest, with charges of grievous bodily harm, affray and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice following.

Woodgate and teammate Lee Bowyer were overlooked by England, who clearly felt it inappropriate to select the pair for international duty while the charges hung over them.

Their club, though, stood by them, and both continued to be selected for first team duty.

Woodgate's first appearance back in the North-East in a match against Sunderland resulted in demonstrations outside the Stadium of Light by supporters of the Anti-Nazi League.

From then, his performances were patchy as he and Bowyer became the targets of terrace chants.

This season an injury lay-off kept Woodgate out of the first team for a number of months.

He was then lambasted by O'Leary for a poor performance in a defeat at Leicester, but showed his mettle the following match with possibly his best ever display, against Italian champions Lazio, in the Champions League.

Now. his future in football is surrounded by doubt - his name muddied forever