BEN GIBSON wants his latest trip to the Etihad Stadium to be a memorable one – just like it was a decade ago when he was a schoolboy following his beloved Middlesbrough.

Gibson was born and bred on Teesside and will never forget the experience of seeing Boro dramatically clinch a UEFA Cup spot through the Premier League route for the very first time at the home of Manchester City.

He was just 12 in May 2005 when Mark Schwarzer’s stoppage-time penalty to deny Robbie Fowler earned Steve McClaren’s side the point which secured a second consecutive campaign in Europe; it proved the starting point for the charge to the UEFA Cup final the following year.

“That was one of the best days of my childhood,” said Gibson. “It was unbelievable. I was there. It was the last game of the season, my mam and dad told me we were going to York shopping. Me and my little brother were devastated.

“Then, from nowhere, they pulled out these tickets, I couldn’t believe it. We had a fantastic day. Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink’s free-kick, City scored (through Kiki Musampa) and then I remember, as a fan, Schwarzer saving the penalty in the last minute. It was unbelievable, brilliant to be there.”

Gibson returns to Manchester today as a Middlesbrough first team player, knowing the City team they will face will be a different proposition all together. Having been overlooked for the Capital One Cup tie at Liverpool in September, he hopes to keep his place against Sergio Aguero, if selected.

“As a player we can’t think of it too much like it’s a big deal. We have to take the game for what it is,” said Gibson. “It is a fantastic opportunity for us all, like it was at Anfield. The gaffer will pick 11 players like he always does.

“We have all bought in to team spirit and we will keep doing that, whoever plays. The lads who do get an opportunity to play will have a chance to showcase their ability against one of the best teams in the world. We will not focus on them; we will make it about us.”

Gibson has worked his way in to the Middlesbrough starting line-up under Aitor Karanka and has effectively become part of the Spaniard’s first choice central defensive partnership along with Daniel Ayala.

If the England Under-21 international does appear against Manchester City then he will not be wearing the scrum cap which has been a familiar sight since mid-December. In the build up to the 2-0 victory over Derby County, Gibson suffered a head injury in training and has worn the protective head gear for matches ever since.

“I didn’t need it after a few weeks but every game I had it on we had a clean sheet, so it kept going,” said Gibson. “So it will not be there anymore now. I needed 22 stitches. I was almost in tears every time I went for a header! But that’s the end of the scrum cap now, we have conceded.

“We are disappointed as a unit to concede like we did against Cardiff and when we did. It was inevitable we would concede at some stage, but Dimi Konstantopoulos said to me ‘it felt like we lost’ after the game and it did. We feel we should never concede as players. It comes down to concentration.”

Regardless of Kenwyne Jones’ goal in midweek, Middlesbrough still boast the best defensive record in the Championship. A run of five clean sheets might have come to an end, but there remains a confidence that they can maintain such miserly form – even at Manchester City.

“It is important to concentrate on ourselves,” said Gibson. “Whatever team I have played in, we have always wanted to win here at Middlesbrough, but there is a real winning mentality about every single ball, even the second balls, that we go for.

“There can be grouches after poor results or performances, but that’s what we need because we all want to keep winning. I’m pretty sure that we will feel the same at Manchester City. We are not going there for a day out, we want to put on a show and surprise them.”