STEWART DOWNING has earmarked teenager Connor Malley as one to watch for Middlesbrough next season following the appointment of Jonathan Woodgate.

Malley only turned 19 in March and he was often included as the 19th man when Tony Pulis took the first team squad to Championship games in the second half of last season. He was also on the bench in the Carabao Cup.

The midfielder was handed a three-year deal and is someone Woodgate knows all about, having worked closely with the Under-23s and Under-18s squads.

Downing thinks the Newcastle-born youngster has every chance of being given a chance under Woodgate, with Middlesbrough looking to turn to the academy set-up more than they have in recent years.

The departed Downing, who has moved to Blackburn as a free agent after the end of his contract, opted not to name too many young guns to keep an eye on, but he was happy to suggest Malley is well liked by the new Middlesbrough boss.

“Maybe because of society, and the need to get results quickly these days, maybe managers have been more frightened to get results so have been reluctant to give academy players a chance as much as before,” said Downing.

“When we came through at Middlesbrough, Steve McClaren wasn’t afraid to put us in and that was how we all came through.

“Woody has good players available to him and if I was a young player at the Boro academy now then I would be thinking I have a chance because he will play them.

“Lewis Wing, Marcus Tavernier and Dael Fry … I’d expect all of those to have big parts to play under him. Even the ones below those can feel positive about the situation.

“Maybe one player like Connor Malley, who I think could be the surprise one because Woody likes him. I know that. He will fill a hole in midfield, definitely, particularly if it was a three in there because Connor is good with the ball.”

Downing is the biggest success story to have emerged from the Middlesbrough academy in the last 20 years and he agreed a one-year deal with Blackburn last week.