AFTER three years on the fringe of Middlesbrough’s first-team squad, Adam Reach admits this was always going to be the season that defined whether he had a future at the Riverside.

Prior to the start of this season, Reach had made just ten league starts for the Teessiders, and while he continued to be regarded as a bright prospect, other left-sided midfielders such as Emmanuel Ledesma and Luke Williams were ahead of him in the pecking order.

The arrival of Yanic Wildschut from Heerenveen provided further competition, but after starting the opening game of the season against Birmingham City, Reach has gone from strength to strength and established himself as one of the most influential performers in Aitor Karanka’s squad.

His pace and acceleration down the left-hand side have been major factors in Boro’s counter-attacking strength, and whereas his physical attributes might previously have been questioned, he has proved himself more than capable of dealing with the cut and thrust of life in the Championship.

Loan spells at Shrewsbury Town and Bradford City have clearly hardened him to life in the Football League, but the 21-year-old, who was born in Chester-le-Street, claims his rapid progress is more a case of simply being ready to take his chance.

“I’m pleased with the way the season is going, and I think it’s a number of things that have contributed to that,” said Reach. “The loans last season gave me a lot of experience, but I also think it was just the right time for it to happen.

“I’m 21 now and I’ve gained gradual experience this season. I’d been progressing slowly up to this point, but I think this has just been the season for me to really kick on and take things to the next level.”

As the latest left-footed midfielder to roll off Middlesbrough’s Rockliffe Park production line, Reach finds himself following in the footsteps of two of the club’s most successful academy stars.

Stewart Downing and Adam Johnson have both gone on to represent their country since progressing through Boro’s youth set up, and while the pair have subsequently moved infield or switched flanks, they both started life as out-and-out left wingers during their time on Teesside.

Reach’s surging runs down the left-hand side mark him out as a fitting successor, and while he has chipped in with two useful goals of his own this season, he accepts that his primary role is to set up others.

Saturday’s 5-1 win at Millwall proved his aptitude for the task, with his first-half assists paving the way for Patrick Bamford and Jelle Vossen to find the back of the net.

“As a wide player, I regard assists as just as important as goals,” he said. “You need to make an impact on the game, and helping other people score goals does that.

“At Millwall, the gaffer asked me to stay fairly wide whenever possible, more than I had in a few previous games, and that works perfectly for me. I stayed as wide as I could and we hit them on the counter-attack. That meant I got a lot of the ball, and I’m here to put crosses in and get assists.”

His assist for Vossen’s second goal was especially impressive, as he held off two opposition defenders before rolling the ball into the Belgian striker’s path.

Vossen went on to complete his hat-trick shortly after, and like the rest of the Middlesbrough dressing room, Reach was delighted to see the summer signing open his goalscoring account in style.

“Jelle has been fantastic,” he said. “He hadn’t managed to score up until the weekend, but he’s always had confidence and the manager has put a lot of trust and faith in him to do it.

“He repaid all of that at Millwall, and that first goal was all that he’s about. It was pure technical ability and we’re all very happy for him. Hopefully, this will kick-start his season and he’ll get many more goals.”

Boro’s next game comes on Saturday lunchtime and pits them against league leaders Derby County. The promotion battle is not decided in mid-December, but Reach admits it is important that Boro retain their current position at the heart of the leading pack.

“There isn’t one team that’s broken away yet, but there are five or six that seem to be consistently up there,” he said. “We need to make sure we stay a part of that.

“It’s about consistency, and making sure you’re picking points up whenever you can. Come February or March, if you’ve put the work in and got the results, that’s the time to look at the table. Hopefully, we’ll be right up there.”