Morrison hails Downing efforts

Middlesbrough midfielder James Morrison believes team-mate Stewart Downing has blazed a trail for the club's youngsters.

The 20-year-old is one of a number of players to have come through Boro's highly-rated youth academy, having scored the club's only goal in last Saturday's 1-1 draw at Arsenal.

Morrison has seen fellow winger Downing come through the ranks at The Riverside to earn full England honours - including selection for Sven Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad this past summer.

Morrison believes Downing is an example for all of Boro's young players, as he aims to emulate the midfielder's achievements in the future.

"I think it has got to be everybody's dream at the club to follow Stewart Downing into the England squad," Morrison said in the Daily Star. "He is a marker for the rest of us.

"Stewart's now a regular and it's given all of us a lift. He's shown the way and we're now thinking to ourselves 'If he can do it, why not us?'

"We are all striving to get where he is and the fact that so many players at Boro have represented England at youth levels shows there could be more.

"We must be doing something right because there are England internationals all over the club."