Get the latest Boro stories straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter Enter your email Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

George Friend has hailed the Riverside roar for their key role in Boro’s big Premier League return.

Aitor Karanka’s side took a first half lead but Stoke levelled after the break and there was a close fought final phase in which Boro were forced to work hard to hold on.

And the popular full-back has praise the sell-out crowd for also digging deep to help the team.

“Credit to the fans. They pulled us through when it was a bit tight towards the end,” he said.

“It was an incredible atmosphere and that really spurred us on when we were under a bit of pressure.

“It was always going to be a sell-out for the first game back in the Premier League and it is always great when the Riverside is full.

“The last game here, against Brighton, was probably the best atmosphere I’ve ever witnessed and we will want to recreate that as much as we can this season and make the Riverside a real fortress.”

Friend, who has just signed a contract extension to take his deal up to 2020 , admitted some frustration at being pegged back but said their were plenty of positives.

“When you have the lead and they equalise it is always disappointing no matter who you are playing and it really feels like a loss at the time,” he explained.

“But on reflection we can take great heart from the game. We have held our own against a very good side that finished ninth and last year and to come away a bit disappointed at not winning tells it’s own story.

“We played very well in the first half and took them by surprise but they stepped up a bit in the second half and we have to learn from that.

“They were good in the second half and made it hard for us and we maybe gave away too many free kicks in dangerous areas and we have to learn from that.

“We will have to take the lessons from every game this season and improve every week. It will be a steep learning curve.”

But despite the positive start Friend is wary of branding himself a Premier League player just yet.

“We’ve still got a lot to prove and I won’t be calling myself that until we’ve done it week in, week out and stayed up,” he said cautiously.

“As a team we have to earn the right to call ourselves that through our results over the season.

“Yes, we are Premier League. That is what the fans chant and I don’t want to take anything away from them on what was a great occasion for the town.

“But we have along way to go to really be a Premier League club. We can’t get ahead of ourselves.

“It is about staying up and stabilising the club in this division. The chairman has put all the ground work there, he’s invested in the stadium, the training ground and of course the squad. The club has done everything we can in those terms - now it is down to us.

“But we’ve got that first point which is important. Some teams come up and struggle to get off the mark and the pressure builds.

“We have got something on the board now and that is a relief but now we must build on it.”