MARTIN O'NEILL has re-emerged as the front-runner for the Middlesbrough manager's job after spending yesterday afternoon in talks on Teesside.

O'Neill, who boarded the delayed 16.20 train heading North out of Darlington station following discussions with chairman Steve Gibson, had already overtaken Terry Venables in the race for the job before the former England coach last night rejected the chance to move to Teesside.

Representatives of O'Neill have indicated that yesterday's talks at Boro's Rockcliffe Park training headquarters were very productive.

After news filtered through that the Northern Irishman had been in the North-East, he was backed throughout the day at the bookmakers.

So much so that leading North-East bookmakers Pagebet were forced to close their book on the market yesterday evening after O'Neill's odds tumbled from 16/1 at the start of the day.

Nevertheless, it is by no means certain that the former Celtic manager will be the man who succeeds Steve McClaren at the Riverside Stadium.

And, in an incredible twist, it has emerged that O'Neill is still in the frame to take the vacant job at Sunderland.

Appearing to make the most of his stay in the region, there are suggestions he is meeting with Niall Quinn today, who has put together a consortium looking to take control on Wearside.

Quinn is said to be still confident of landing his man, despite the Boro talks.

Boro moved quickly to hold a second round of discussions with O'Neill after becoming increasingly frustrated with Venables' failure to arrive at a quick decision, two weeks after initially sounded out about the job.

Venables, who has been working all week for television as one of the managers in the Soccer Aid celebrity match, had delayed giving Gibson a decision after also learning of a possibility of working alongside McClaren with England.

The dilemma the former national team coach was facing was whether to take on a dual role and juggle the two jobs or accept one and decline the other.

That proved a difficult choice for Venables while also being involved in the high-profile charity match.

The 63-year-old, though, delivered his verdict last night, telling the Boro chairman that he had firmly decided against a return to Teesside.

Gibson and chief executive Lamb, who have also held talks with ex-Charlton boss Alan Curbishley, had pinpointed Venables as the man they wanted after learning he was the only one willing to work with the current coaching set up at the club.

O'Neill, after his first round of negotiations some weeks ago, was less keen and wanted to draft his own staff in. That caused problems for Gibson, who has been looking at ways of giving Gareth Southgate and Colin Cooper coaching roles.

Regardless of whether or not he ends up at the Riverside, O'Neill looks destined to be in management in the region next season.

After guiding Celtic to Scottish Premier League titles he opted to quit his post at Parkhead last summer to look after his wife, Geraldine, who was seriously ill.

Now, though, it looks as if he has decided it is the right time to return to front-line club management and Teesside or Wearside looks to be the destination.

Quinn is confident O'Neill, who has also been mentioned in connection with jobs at Newcastle, Fulham and the national side in recent months, will choose Wearside.

Sources close to the former Republic of Ireland international claim O'Neill has reassured him the only position he intends to take this summer is Sunderland.

And with the consortium he leads coming towards the end of a lengthy process of due diligence, Quinn is beginning to switch his attention from boardroom matters to football affairs.

He still faces a battle to land his No 1 target. Boro, aware that another option, Iain Dowie, is set to be unveiled as the next Charlton manager on Tuesday, are unlikely to give up easily.

Meanwhile, Boro winger Stewart Downing believes he performed well in his World Cup warm-up match with Belarus on Wednesday night.

All the talk has centred around the display of Tottenham star Aaron Lennon but Downing, on the opposite flank, did his job.

"I thought things went well," said the 21-year-old, after a game England ended up losing 2-1. "There were a lot of new faces in that side and we had not played together before, but it went well.

"It's all about building confidence and keeping fit."