GRANT LEADBITTER has outlined how Middlesbrough’s players are attempting to re-educate the club’s supporters with a style of football Aitor Karanka is confident will deliver long term success to the Riverside Stadium.

Just days after Karanka suggested some fans had a “small memory” by stating many must have forgotten how Boro have gone from a nervy position at the wrong end of the Championship and up in to automatic promotion contenders during his two years in charge.

Leadbitter, his loyal captain, believes nights like Friday – when his penalty deep in to stoppage-time claimed a narrow win over Queens Park Rangers – help to get more of Middlesbrough’s followers onside.

The 29-year-old, who misses this week’s trip to Huddersfield through suspension, could not hide his delight as he celebrated with his team-mates and walked off the pitch; a far cry from those afternoons when he returns to the dressing room frustrated after a defeat or draw.

Leadbitter said: “You should never keep a lid on your emotions. Any player in the 93rd minute who scores will be ecstatic. We got three points and it installs belief.

“You get days where you come off the pitch, head into the dressing room and you are frustrated. That’s football. Then you get days where you come off the pitch with three points and everyone is pleased. We all believe you get those points by dictating possession and being patient.

“Nights like Friday bring belief. We were patient and that belief goes back into the dressing room and more people buy in to it. This is the way the club want to go.”

The nature of football means there will always be sections of fans opposed to certain decisions or the way things are done at every club, but Leadbitter feels Karanka has won over most; the challenge is to keep that up and convince the others.

Leadbitter, who collected his fifth yellow card of the season for pulling back Sandro on Friday, said: “We need everyone to buy into the fact we are a possession team and if we keep playing the same way for 90 minutes then nine times out of ten you will get the reward.

“It is important everyone in the football club stays patient because the manager, since he came, has been very successful. The way he wants us to play is how we have all bought in to it.

“I believe playing that way, nine times out of ten, we will be successful, and the rest of the squad believe that too.

“You saw on Friday we had all the possession, it was hard because QPR had banks of seven at times. That’s respect to Middlesbrough, to the manager and to us as players. Teams come to us and do that.

“You learn every day in football. If you keep possession you will win games. We need everyone to buy in to that and to be patient. English football is known for kick and rush and we have to be patient to build play. We need everyone to buy in to it.”

Leadbitter was part of the Sunderland team in 2006-07 which clinched promotion to the Premier League and was sad to hear that another member of that team had died 11 days ago.

Marton Fulop, the former Black Cats and Ipswich keeper, died aged 32 after a battle with cancer. Leadbitter played with the towering Hungarian at both the Stadium of Light and Portman Road.

The Middlesbrough skipper said: “Marton was a really good person and a good goalkeeper. I was fortunate as a young boy at Sunderland to play with him. He helped the club get back to the Premier League.

“When he first came he was not in the team but he dug in. Then he went to Ipswich where I was and he was a good guy there too. I have spoken to him a couple of times since Ipswich but not much, he was a hungry goalkeeper, always wanted to do well in training every day.

“Marton came in to Sunderland and fought Darren Ward for the shirt, he played well in the Premier League when we stayed up when Craig Gordon got injured. Marton at Ipswich was a really good person in the dressing room too, he had a lovely family and it’s just sad what’s happened.”