Mowbray - All players will start with clean slate

New Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray insists he will have no problem working with Stephen McManus, Scott McDonald and Barry Robson despite selling them when in charge of Celtic. Mowbray was in the Celtic Park hotseat when McDonald and Robson were sold to Boro during the January transfer window, while McManus joined on loan before a permanent switch to the Riverside Stadium in the summer. Mowbray has stressed the whole squad will start with a clean slate and he is convinced McManus, McDonald, Robson, Boyd and Thomson can cut it at Championship level despite not pulling up any trees as yet. He said: "The fact is Gordon had worked with some of them and seen what professionals they are - and they are good professionals - but they weren't playing for me, the opportunity was there and it suited all parties at the time so those boys know that there was no fall-out with the manager or no animosity between us. "They were all sitting in the front row when I had a meeting with them, looking me in the eye and hopefully looking forward to it and getting an opportunity. "They will all get the same opportunities. The guy who has played one game for Middlesbrough, a young guy coming through, the seasoned professionals, it all starts level."

Source: PA

Source: PA