MIDDLESBROUGH'S academy boss Craig Liddle has outlined the club's plan for highly-rated teenage duo Law McCabe and Harley Hunt, with Boro keen to ensure the pair continue their impressive development in the months ahead.

McCabe enjoyed a first team breakthrough last season and has a big fan in boss Michael Carrick, while Hunt, who only turned 17 in August, wasted no time at all in catching the eye at Rockliffe after joining from Swindon Town in the summer.

McCabe has been in the first team squad on three occasions in the Championship this season and played in the Carabao Cup defeat to Stoke, as did Hunt.

McCabe has now made a full-time move into the first team dressing room at Rockliffe but with Carrick not short of options in the centre of midfield - where Hayden Hackney, Aidan Morris, Jonny Howson and Dan Barlaser are all jostling for position - the 18-year-old will still play some Under-21s games to ensure he's not lacking any match sharpness.

He's already featured twice this season for Mark Tinkler's youngsters.

As for Hunt, despite the fact he was just 16 when he joined, the centre-half bypassed the Under-18s side and joined up with the Under-21s and has been a regular in first team training.

Liddle says first team staff and the academy coaches are on the same wavelength when it comes to the best course of action for both McCabe and Hunt.

"Law has moved into the first team dressing room, he trains with the first team on a daily basis," Liddle told the Northern Echo.

"He's still young and has to play games. He's training with the first team but when he can he's played Under-21s football as well.

"Match fitness is completely different to being fit. When players get the opportunity at first team level, they need to be ready and up to scratch, and if they're not playing games it can be quite tough for them.

"Again, the decisions amongst ourselves are all about making sure the minutes are topped up but keeping them training with the first team as much as they can."

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Boro will be patient with Hunt and won't rush the younger's progression but have been hugely impressed by the defender - who was wanted by Aston Villa and Manchester City in the summer before deciding on a move to the Riverside.

"He's been fantastic," said Liddle.

"I didn't know much about Harley. Kieran (Scott) flagged him up. We had James Wilson in the building and thought them two had a chance, like many others. They're similar ages but slightly different characteristics and players.

"Harley has come in and he's a really quiet boy but confident in his own ability in a good way.

"He's done fantastic. In the 21s he's been a real leader for someone so young. He's bypassed the 18s and gone straight in with the 21s. He's obviously trained with the first team, looked comfortable but there are still areas of his game we need to work on to help him hopefully become a regular in our first team.

"As long as he's getting the correct training environment and enough match minutes to get him topped up and ready, it's whether we think a loan is better in January or is he better off developing here and getting match minutes. Kieran and Michael will make that call."