A SKILFULL and talented central defender, Matthew's early years with Boro have been hampered by a series of injuries.

An integral member of Boro's 2004 FA Youth Cup-winning team, he had also played in the previous year's final, against Manchester United, while still a schoolboy.

Teesside born and bred, Matthew has been with the club since he was 12 years old.

Has represented England at U18 level and was called up for first team duty as 17-year-old when he was named on the bench for the games against Bolton, Chelsea and Southampton in April 2004.

He was again a substitute for the historic UEFA Cup game against Banik Ostrava in September 2004.

At youth team and Reserve level Matthew developed a formidable central defensive partnership with David Wheater.

He made his senior debut when playing for just over two minutes as he replaced Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in a game against Manchester City at the Riverside on December 6 2004.

He signed a four-and-a-half year contract in January 2005.

Started a Premiership game for the first time on August 20 2005 against Spurs at White Hart Lane and continued to make his mark on the first team throughout the 2005/06 season, playing at both right-back and his more usual positon of centre-back. 

He produced a Man of the Match display in Boro's UEFA Cup semi-final first leg against Steua Bucharest.

But a cruciate knee ligament injury picked up against Barnsley during a loan spell at Ipswich during the 2006/7 season forced him to miss the rest of that season.

And he was hit by another cruel blow when he injured the other knee during a pre-season friendly at Darlington in July 2007.

He battled back but he received another setback when he injured the original knee playing against Hull City during a loan spell at Norwich in February 2008 and after surgery, he set off on the long road to recovery once again.