WATFORD have today signed Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Johnson on a three month loan deal.

The 20 year old terrorised Watford at the Riverside last season and will be a welcome addition to Aidy Boothroyd's midfield.

And the gaffer was only too pleased to have him on board: "He's a young livewire I enquired about last season. Gareth Southgate then called me recently to see if I was still interested.

"I'm thrilled to have him here as he'll push Jobi McAnuff and Tommy Smith and will give us further options out wide."

The gifted left-winger, who is eligible for Sunday's game, shot to prominence when he was thrown on for his first team debut in the away leg of Middlesbrough's UEFA Cup defeat at Sporting Lisbon in 2005.

Far from being overawed by the occasion the youngster set about showing off his impressive ball skills in front of a national TV audience.

He followed that up with an eye-catching full Premiership debut in the 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Riverside in September 2005, with Stewart Downing missing through injury.

Adam was a fringe player in the 2004 FA Youth Cup-winning squad but progressed to the team the following year, scoring a wonder goal in a 3-0 win over his hometown club Sunderland at the Riverside in 2005.

Cutting in past two challenges, he unleashed a curling shot which appeared to be off target before swinging into the top corner of the goal as manager Steve McClaren watched in the stands.

Johnson then made his England U19 debut in a 3-2 win over Belgium at Darlington's Football Stadium, setting up two goals in a Man of the Match display.

The 2005/06 season saw Johnson used increasingly in the first team and he claimed his first goal in a 1-1 draw at Bolton.

His progress was rewarded with an improved four-year contract in the summer of 2006 but struggled to make regular inroads in the first team, only making three Premiership starts.

A previous loan spell at Leeds saw him return to produce a Man of the Match performance during Boro's dramatic FA Cup fourth round replay win over Bristol City.

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