LEE Cattermole's first memories of a Tyne-Tees derby were significant for all the wrong reasons - he had to sit with the opposition supporters.

Nine months before Cattermole made his Premier League debut for Middlesbrough against Newcastle in the white-hot atmosphere of St James' Park on January 2, 2005, he and his father were spectators surrounded by the Geordie faithful as the clubs played out a drab goalless draw.

Little did he know he would soon be making his top-flight debut for Boro against their rivals in front of 52,000 supporters.

"I turned to my dad and said that if I want to play in a game then it would be here," revealed Cattermole, who also made it known he has no friends who are Newcastle fans.

"My agent got me tickets from (former United defender) Titus Bramble so we sat below the Middlesbrough supporters (in the Newcastle end).

"We were on the edge of our seats when we were on the attack.

"We were with all of these Geordies, it was horrible to be fair - I'll not do that again!"

The following season the combative midfielder's wish came true and he made his league debut for Boro at Newcastle, giving a performance of maturity which belied his tender 16 years. He was unlucky not to mark his first league outing with a win as Boro were on the verge of tasting victory only for another local hero, Lee Clark, to rescue a point for the Magpies in injury-time.

The 19-year-old midfielder acknowledged the game is as big as any fixture the Teessiders will play this season and is fully aware of what a win would mean to the Riverside faithful.

Cattermole also revealed how manager Gareth Southgate pulled him to one side before Boro's 1-0 home victory last year and told him to make his teammates aware of how important a win was.

He said: "It's a big game. All the local and English lads know what a derby is all about and hopefully we will come out on top.

"People were even talking about it before the Fulham game (last weekend) and how we had better beat the Geordies. It is a massive game for us, but then every one is massive.

"I can remember the gaffer and his team talk the last time. He singled me out and said to the others 'ask Cats how much this means'. It means a lot to the fans and they will be over the moon if we win the game.

"I think it is as big a game as Manchester United.

"When you get the fixture list you look for the big four of Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea and then you look at the two derbys against Newcastle and Sunderland.

"The games are class and you always get a big crowd and we need the fans behind us to roar us on.''