LAST week brought an end to Stewart Downing’s second spell as a Middlesbrough player, paving the way for him to start a one-year deal at Blackburn Rovers.

The homegrown talent has enjoyed highs and lows throughout his time at the Riverside Stadium, and he will cherish some of the memories of his playing days for ever.

He was named captain for the trip to Swansea City in April when he made his 400th appearance for the club where it all started at the academy, and went on to make four more outings.

The Northern Echo has spoken to the winger about his time at Middlesbrough, and the special memories he will take with him. In his own words he has described …

DEBUT AT IPSWICH IN 2002.

“The worst thing about that night was I thought I would be sat in the stands, I totally didn’t expect to be in the team – and I was.

“I had not been given any heads up by Steve McClaren because he didn’t want me to think about it too much. I didn’t tell my dad to come so he was fuming he missed it.

“We got beat 1-0 that night, I hit the post in the last minute. I remember Darren Bent coming on for his debut as well and scoring for Ipswich. That was the start really, and it arrived during a season when I went on loan at Sunderland and returned to form part of McClaren’s team.”

CARLING CUP RUN AND 2004 FINAL

“Winning it has to be one of the most special times because I was on the bench at 18-19. I had been on loan at Sunderland earlier in the season. A lot of the lads who played in the earlier rounds didn’t even get on the bench for the final, so I was lucky just to be getting involved.

It would have been nice to get on the pitch in Cardiff. It was still unbelievable for me though. When I look back I think it was easy for me to take things for granted, but it was incredible to be part of.

I remember the celebrations, the fans lining the streets, the parade on the bus. It was actually probably my highlight, you know, even though I didn’t play in the final. The memory, the sights along Linthorpe Road, going along there, is still strong.”

CALLED UP FOR ENGLAND

“I was prouder to have been called up because Boro players aren’t supposed to be picked. It was weird because I remember it being me, Andy Johnson and Glenn Johnson at the time, the rest of the England squad was from Liverpool and Man United. It was the golden generation.

“That England team was unbelievable, I still can’t believe it never won anything, and it was nice to be part of that group when I wasn’t at one of the big clubs.

“It was my Holland debut in 2005 at Villa Park I remember when I turned up with those lads. I then got injured before the World Cup, only had one cap, and Southgate went and I hoped I would. I didn’t think I would get in. I’d heard rumours but I think those UEFA Cup comebacks helped me and I made it.”

UEFA CUP FINAL DEFEAT IN 2006

“We knew it would be tough against Sevilla. They had Luis Fabiano, Dani Alves, all quality players in their squad. We were on a crest of a wave thinking we would win whoever we faced.

“And with more luck we might have won. We kept attacking and it shouldn’t have been a four-goal defeat. With a bit of luck things might have been different because we had that penalty shout when Mark Viduka was denied one and then he had a volley somehow saved.

“But those comebacks before the final. Wow. We had already done one two weeks before against Basel and then gone to Steaua Bucharest and lost 1-0. We then went two more goals down at home, so it was a disastrous start at the Riverside in the second leg.

“At half-time it was like, what’s to lose it was the UEFA Cup after all. Steve McClaren, renowned for being a negative manager in many respects, just went for it. We had two at the back, five strikers, wing-backs, and you could see when we got the first back Steaua just went.

“It was attack after attack. I crossed the ball for Viduka’s goal, Chris Riggott bundled one in and then another for Massimo (Maccarone). When he scored it went mental. I remember we just went to the Corner House on Linthorpe Road late at night to celebrate after the game. It was unreal.”

NAMED CAPTAIN UNDER SOUTHGATE

“I remember Gareth Southgate pulled me in and told me I was going to be captain after Tottenham had wanted me. He wanted to make me captain to show everyone how much I meant to the club – and it had been passed around a bit before that.

“Gareth wanted it to be someone solid, I was buzzing. I have had it a few times since then, like I had it for my 400th appearance, but it was fantastic to be given it back then when there were times I thought I would be leaving.”

PROMOTION IN 2016

“Promotion was what I went back to do, that was why I returned from West Ham, with that target in mind. We did that in my first year. It was unreal. Everything was off the cuff how we celebrated and I will never forget it.

“We went to Rockliffe Hall for a do, then on to the Dickens Inn the following day when we were on the roof, all singing, the scenes were unbelievable. We had three days of celebrating but they all seemed to just roll into one.

“There were disappointing things that went on with the manager (Aitor Karanka) during that season, which I have spoken about before. I even had a feeling he wasn’t going to play with me for the final game against Brighton even though I had played the last eight or nine – and he didn’t start me. It would have been nice to play but I played the last half hour and I will still never forget it. That was what I wanted.”

PASSING 400 APPEARANCES IN APRIL

“I thought I would have left a few times during my second spell so I didn’t think I would reach that milestone. It was George Friend who told me that I was hitting 400 against Swansea and it was nice to be named captain.

“I had forgot about it. It had been in the back of my mind for a while but that afternoon I had actually forgot about it. I wasn’t sure where it would put me in the appearances list but I was just proud to get it.

“I don’t look back with regret. There are things that I would have liked to have been smoother, different, at times, but no regrets. We got promoted and the chairman Steve Gibson wanted that when he got me back. My sole aim was to get promoted and we achieved that.”