O'Neil Pledge To Boro

Last updated : 03 March 2009 By Boro Mad

The 25-year-old was the subject of a transfer window bid from former club Portsmouth in January and was reportedly keen to return to Fratton Park.

It's no secret that London-born O'Neil's family have found it hard to settle in the North, with speculation emerging towards the tail end of last season that he wanted to return to the South.

Gary O'Neil (talking to the Evening Gazette): "There's no situation. I'm desperate to keep Middlesbrough in this league.

"I'll play for this club as long as I'm asked to. The whole time I've been here the fans have been fantastic with me.

"I'm just desperate to do well for myself and the club, so hopefully we can finish as high up the table as possible.

"I'm disappointed because I've had a lot of niggles and a six-week hamstring injury which came about in the Bolton game and that was the last time I had a run in the team.

"I scored at Everton and played well at Aston Villa and we were on a good run and since then my season has been broken up a bit with niggles and I feel I'm just getting back into the swing of things now. I'm just going to play as hard as I can."