Stewart Downing and Ben Gibson talk to Patrick Davison about being back in the Premier League with Middlesbrough Stewart Downing and Ben Gibson talk to Patrick Davison about being back in the Premier League with Middlesbrough

On the outskirts of Middlesbrough is a suburb called Marton which, unless you're local, you've probably never heard of.

If you're into your history, maybe you'd know it as the birthplace of the famous explorer, Captain Cook.

As a football fan, there's another reason why it's important.

Watch highlights from Middlesbrough's victory over Sunderland last weekend Watch highlights from Middlesbrough's victory over Sunderland last weekend

The place is also home to a football club that has helped discover more than 60 professional footballers, 16 of them Premier League players who have so far amassed more than 1,500 top-flight appearances between them.

Jonathan Woodgate - once of Real Madrid - is perhaps the club's most famous graduate. Others, like Sunderland's Lee Cattermole and Michael Brown, who went onto Tottenham and Manchester City among others, came through here too.

Some of the 16, from the early part of the Premier League era, are the sorts of players who might now appear in the picture round of a quiz - Jamie Pollock (who was part of the first Middlesbrough team promoted to the Premier League and who later in his career scored an infamous own goal for Manchester City), his team-mate Phil Stamp, who made 93 big-league appearances and goalkeeper Andy Collett, who turned out twice at the top level for Boro, among them.

Most of the Marton lads who made it have done so at Middlesbrough. Two of them are still there.

This week, while kids from today's Marton teams trained, played and, once they saw two of their heroes, scrambled for pictures and autographs - Stewart Downing and Ben Gibson returned to the place where it all began.

With 380 Premier League appearances and 35 caps for his country, Downing is Marton's most decorated son. Gibson, nephew of Middlesbrough chairman Steve, is at the start of his Premier League journey. It may be that neither would be where they are today without the help of their junior team.

Stewart Downing has been a key player for Aitor Karanka

"It's a special place for both of us. Though he is obviously substantially older than me," jokes Gibson, who, at 23 to Downing's 32, is the latest from the production line to play in the Premier League.

"For Middlesbrough as an area to produce so many players, that would be an achievement. For one boys' club to do it is ridiculous."

At most age groups Marton swept all before them. One year Downing's team won the treble - though back then his aims in the game were very simple.

"For me, as a centre forward it was about Hotshots, which is what they called the race to be top scorer and beating Cleveland Juniors.

"They were the local rivals and some of my mates played there as well, so we had to beat them."

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Inside the clubhouse is a tuck shop where Gibson's dad would buy him a bacon sandwich and a Bovril if they won. Also there waiting for us are two men - founder Keith Sykes and chairman Ronnie Gordon - who've seen many a youngster, Gibson and Downing among them, transformed into professional footballers.

"I remember Stewart would come down here on the crossbar of his Dad's bike, that's how he'd get to games," says Sykes.

"When he was about seven, I remember him on a full size pitch banging a corner into the penalty box and I thought then he was special."

"With Ben it was his leadership," says Ronnie. "The same thing you see from him now. To talk like he does in the Premier League to more experienced players shows he's a natural leader."

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka says he is hopeful they will add to their squad before the end of the transfer window Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka says he is hopeful they will add to their squad before the end of the transfer window

Of course, it's not just Marton where Middlesbrough's promotion back to the Premier League after a seven-year absence mattered. It was huge for the whole town, which has been hit hard by the recent closure of the steelworks in nearby Redcar and the consequent job losses.

"People don't realise how big the steelworks closing was for us," says Gibson.

"People are not blessed with a lot of money in this area. Whatever struggles there are with jobs or paying the bills, us doing well is a release. It's huge."

Middlesbrough striker Alvaro Negredo celebrates his goal against Stoke on the opening weekend

And the team are doing well. The likes of Alvaro Negredo and Victor Valdes, added to the local lads, has restored a bit of the magic from the days of Juninho, Ravanelli, Emerson and the exciting times that followed.

On the pitch it's four points from six which, at this early stage, is the club's best Premier League start.

As the players prepare to leave, a group of kids crowd around. All of them are Boro fans desperate to follow their visiting heroes. One of them is taught by Downing's old teacher and says the winger is his favourite player.

Middlesbrough secured a big win over rivals Sunderland last Sunday

"It's good to see that the production line goes on," says Downing, who left Marton for Boro's academy nearly 20 years ago.

"Let's hope the name of Marton can become strong again and we can keep getting one over on Cleveland Juniors."