Boro stand firm on Downing decision

8th January 2009

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has warned Tottenham against hoping for a late U-turn on their decision not to sell winger Stewart Downing.

The north London club are understood to have turned to alternative targets after having two official offers for Downing rejected by the Teessiders, with Southgate denying claims that a third bid amounting to £14.5million had been received.

However, if they are harbouring any hopes of a change of heart at the Riverside Stadium as the transfer window runs down, they have been told to forget it. That is exactly what happened with striker Ayegbeni Yakubu two summers ago when, after fending off Everton's interest for several weeks, Boro eventually accepted their £11.25million bid with just days of the window to run.

However, that left the Teessiders no time in which to find a replacement, and the lessons have been learnt with Southgate, chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb united in their stance. Asked if there was any possibility of a repeat of the Yakubu saga, the manager replied: "No.

"That's the relationship we have got. If people phone one of us, they phone all three because we share everything in terms of information. We decide on the route we are going to go collectively, and our beliefs on what is right for the club at this moment in time are the statements we have made this week.

"If we weren't united in that, we would have come out with different statements. It's a period of the season that's a nonsense, but we feel we have got to deal with it as we are. We are more fortunate than some in that we haven't got to sell - other clubs have had to sell. Okay, we may not be in a position to buy, but we all understand that and we work with what we have got, which should be a boost for the players who are here because it gives them an opportunity to play first-team football."

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