HAYDEN Hackney is recalling the moment things changed. The moment Leo Percovich pulled him to one side and told him he was going to start against Birmingham City. The moment Middlesbrough found a star who'd spent the months previous in the shadows.

It was October 5 when Hackney was handed his first Boro start of last season and his first league start for his hometown club. The first 10 minutes, he said, was "erratic". It certainly didn't look that way. From the moment Hackney burst onto the scene last term, the Redcar lad looked like he belonged - evidence provided in the form of two contract extensions and a Championship Young Player of the Year nomination in the months that followed.

Last season ended in devastation for Boro but it was a "dream" for Hackney. And his dad.

"He goes to every game, he loves it," says the 21-year-old.

"He used to take me to games when I was younger. His favourite player back then was Mark Viduka.

"He gets more nervous than me now. He is a critic and a fan. He tells me what he thinks, whether I've played bad or good, he will tell me honestly."

There can't have been too much criticism aimed Hackney's way last season. Such was his form, Premier League clubs were showing an interest at the start of this summer. Hackney didn't give it a thought. Instead, he jumped at the chance to extend his stay at his hometown club and sign a new long-term deal.

He says: "That was easy to do. I wanted to stay here. It's where I want to be.

I want to play football for Boro. I really enjoyed it last season and want to do the same again.

"The hometown thing is a big pull for me. Being a fan, seeing the Riverside packed, and then getting to play in it, it’s a dream, it really is a dream."

Never did Hackney imagine that dream would come true 12 months ago. Having spent time on loan at League Two's bottom club Scunthorpe the season previous, the young midfielder wasn't part of Chris Wilder's first team plans and was preparing for another stint away. Before he was harshly sacked, Graeme Lee had shown an interest in taking Hackney to Hartlepool United.

"This time last year I probably saw myself being on loan again if I'm being honest," admits Hackney.

"I would have gone to Hartlepool on loan. Last season I hoped for a few cup games then probably go on loan and get some more experience playing first team football. But obviously things have changed!"

It was after Wilder's exit that Hackney suddenly became part of the first team picture.

"It was the Birmingham game," he says.

"I trained the week before and Leo pulled me the day before the game and told me he's going to start me. He said 'I just want you to be confident and just show me what you do in training every day'. I was buzzing.

"As he told me it didn't really sink in. The first ten minutes I was like, this is erratic, but then I settled in and played quite well. I was really happy."

He'll always be grateful to Leo and Craig Liddle for the opportunity but plenty of other coaches helped put him on the path to the first team.

"There's a lot," he says.

"Paul Crager, he was there when I was nine or 10, Mark Tinkler from the Under-21s, Graeme Lee, who was going to take me on loan last summer. There's a lot. Everyone has helped me."

Then Michael Carrick walked into the building.

"I have watched him so much on TV. As a midfielder it is perfect to learn from him every day," says Hackney.

"I don’t really get starstruck but you just respect him because of what he has done and rightly so. It's the same with everyone on the coaching staff though: Danksy, Woody, Grant."

Carrick has made little tweaks that have had a big difference.

"My body position," says Hackney.

"My first touch now is forward so my pass can go straight through whereas if I am not in the right position the pass might not be on first time."

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Hackney's Boro form led to international honours with call-ups for Scotland's Under-21s. A move up to the senior side can't be too far away but England coaches are aware of his progress and talent and a decision might have to be made down the line. For now, it's not in Hackney's thoughts.

"We'll have to see what happens," he says.

"The main focus for me is Boro and the Championship. We'll have to see."

Hackney's memorable breakthrough season didn't have the happy ending that at one stage seemed likely and the immediate aftermath of the defeat to Coventry City was difficult for the midfielder.

"It took me a week or so to get over it," he says.

"I didn’t really speak to people. None of the conversations we had in the house were about football. I tried to take my mind off it. It did take a week or so.

"My mates are Boro fans as well so that makes the hurt worse. It did hurt when we didn’t get to Wembley. But now it is a motivation. It gives us the urge to go again this season and really give it a good go. It gives us that energy and motivation."