Home is where the heart is for Downing
It has been a long time coming for Stewart Downing, but seven years on and the Middlesbrough-born winger feels like his hometown club are back where they belong.
Downing is the only survivor of Boro’s last stint in the Premier League and though he has since had spells at Aston Villa, West Ham and Liverpool, the 32-year-old is back home and back among England’s best.
Their return wasn’t all milk and honey, but an 11th minute Alvaro Negredo goal was enough to earn Aitor Karanka’s side a draw against Stoke at The Riverside.
(Photo by Daniel Smith/Getty Images)
Former England winger Downing admitted emotions were running high in the North-East.
“It was an emotional day for everyone, the first day back in the Premier League. For the fans and the players, everyone,” Downing said.
“I’m going to be biased, I’m from Middlesbrough, but I think this is a Premier League club, with a great chairman who has backed his manager.
“We have a good manager, good players and a squad that is united. I think we can look forward to a good season, we have the quality to do well.”
Xherdan Shaqiri’s exceptional free-kick cancelled out Negredo’s bright start for Karanka’s men, but Downing feels they could ruffle a few feathers among the Premier League’s elite.
“Give Premier League teams time and space you’ll get punished. Saturday was good, but we’re disappointed not to have won,” he said.
“We played some nice stuff and it was a good test for us. I think we maybe surprised a few people on Saturday.”
