HE'S only a few months away from turning 36 but the last month has proven that Jonny Howson remains as important as ever for Middlesbrough.

After suffering a knee injury in the defeat at Preston in February, Howson missed three Championship games and although Boro managed to stun leaders Leicester City in their first outing without the midfielder, the skipper's absence was sorely felt in the grim defeats to Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City.

It comes as no real surprise that Boro's turnaround and the three successive wins that have lifted them back into play-off contention have coincided with Howson's return to the team.

As has been the case for a number of years, when Howson is playing, Boro are a better team. And any uncertainty around the midfielder's future has surely disappeared in the last week.

"Things like that will get sorted out in time. There is no stress," said Carrick this week when the head coach was asked whether there was any update on Howson's contract situation, with his deal due to expire in the summer.

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Howson wants a new deal and has no intention of hanging up his boots. And why would he? The last week and a bit alone has shown how much Howson still has to offer and how crucial a player he remains on Teesside.

“Jonny is important, he’s a real team player and sets the standard with his presence and his example," said Carrick.

"His experience has helped us over the last three games, not just Jonny but throughout the whole team. How they manage the situation. Sometimes you’ve got to draw on that and make the most of it and it's certainly helped us through.

"That’s not to say that just because you’re a younger player that you’re behind the older players. There are just certain periods that the experienced boys have been through before and they can feed off it a little differently and understand how to deal with it, which they then pass on to some of the younger players and that’s definitely part of learning.

"Experience is only good if you use it in the right way and our boys have certainly done that recently. The younger players can certainly learn and develop from the experienced boys like Jonny, and learn from the ups and the downs throughout a season to come back stronger."

Howson is in the final stages of his playing career the former Leeds and Norwich midfielder remains as hungry as ever.

Carrick said: “You either have that desire or you don’t. You can’t force that. I think about when I finished, I was ready.

"I think I was 36 and time was up for me and it was the natural ending for me. You never know when that will come.

"Jonny has had an incredible career and is still going very strong. To have that burning desire to keep wanting to play is absolutely fantastic to have. Not everyone has that and at some point it will naturally go away so make the most of it when you do have it."