BY his own admission, Matt Crooks was "hopeless" when he first played at centre-forward.

But that was eight years ago at the start of his career when he was playing for Accrington in League Two.

Now is an all together different story and although Crooks was slightly taken aback when Michael Carrick first told him he was going to play up-top for Middlesbrough, the likeable 28-year-old was boosted by the faith shown in him from the head coach.

And he repaid that faith with a fine second half brace in Monday's victory at Birmingham City.

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After a difficult start to the season in which Crooks played through the pain of a hernia, the former Rotherham man is now delighted to be in the team, injury free and, of course, winning games.

Crooks had surgery on the hernia very early in Carrick's tenure so had to be patient in his battle to force his way into the side. He featured regularly as a substitute but his first start didn't come until last week at Blackburn, when Crooks was tasked with leading the line. He impressed his head coach and kept his spot up-top at Birmingham, where he scored two goals and created the other in the impressive 3-1 win.

"Playing up-front is new territory for me," he told BBC Tees.

"I did do it for Accrington in League Two for the first 25 games of my career and I was hopeless so when he (Carrick) first said it I thought 'ohhh'! But I'm trying to adapt to it and doing my best for the team.

"The gaffer wants me there, he has confidence in me and if he has the confidence in me I'm happy to do that."

Humble Crooks was reluctant to take too much credit despite his matchwinning contribution.

"It's one game. It's a funny old game football and I don't want to jump the gun too early, but it's nice to get two goals."

Jordan Sinnott, Crooks' best friend who was tragically killed when he was attacked three years ago, is always in the thoughts of Boro's forward, but even more so in January, the month of his death.

"January is Sinn's month," said Crooks.

"I always seem to do well in this month and he's sorted me out again it seems."

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With his injury problems from earlier in the season now behind him, Crooks is relishing the run-in and echoed the head coach in talking about the feel-good factor in the Boro camp.

"It's been up and down for me this season but that's football and life, you just have to ride with it and take it as it comes," he said.

"I wanted to play through injury, it was my own choice. The lads were fantastic when I was out and I had to stay patient and wait for my chance.

"The lads have been brilliant. As the gaffer has said, there's a real bond and unity within the squad, I think you can see that.

We're heading in the right direction but we know this is just the start and we can't get ahead of ourselves.

"The fans are giving us real belief but we have to give them belief as well. The support we're getting is fantastic and we're thriving off it."