Boro defender Jonathan Woodgate can feel buzz around Boro

Woody can feel the Buzz growing around the town.

And the Nunthorpe lad, a life-long fan, believes Boro are set to go to infinity and beyond.

Veteran stopper Jonathan Woodgate scored the crucial opener as Boro won 2-1 at Blackpool in midweek to go top of the Championship table.

And on the whistle the club captain was quickly over to celebrate with the travelling fans who had just before been declaring that he “is a red.”

“You’ve got to celebrate a bit when you go top of the league haven’t you?” he asked

“I always celebrate as a fan anyway so I would have been like that with a late winner even if we were fifth in the league. “

And Woodgate, who turned 35 last month, says there is no escaping the feelgood factor among the fans right now.

“You can feel there is a real around the town and the club right now,” he said.

“It’s great to feel that, especially with me being from Middlesbrough. It’s fantastic.

“And especially when you see the fans celebrating like that. The Boro away fans are tremendous and they are the best in the country by far.

“This club needs to get to the top league again quickly and we’d have a lot more of that

- but there’s still a long way to go,” he warned.

Middlesbrough's Jonathan Woodgate is congratulated on scoring his team's 1st goal

“Let’s not be getting carried away and too excited yet because there’s we’ve got so many games to come.

“We are pushing in the right direction and we’re doing really well, but we can still improve and get better.

“We are top and that’s great and that’s where we want to stay, but there’s a long way to go. We are top now but it means absolutely nothing.

“I don’t even think we will look at the table. I know many people will. Maybe towards the end we will have a little glimpse, but for me I won’t even look at it or think we are top.

“There’s no pressure. We’ll just keep playing like we have been and plough on.”

Woodgate was making his first start since a 3-0 Capital One Cup win at Oldham at the end of August and getting his first pitch minutes all season.

But he insists that far from being frustrated he is delighted that good display by other players are keeping him out.

“No one likes not playing but I am at the age now where I look at the bigger picture,” he said. “It’s not all about me, it’s about the team. The young lads – Ben, Ken, Dani – whoever is playing at the back is doing fantastic.

“I don’t deserve to play when they are playing that well so I’ve got no complaints.

“They are doing their job and if Middlesbrough get in the Premier League, job done. If I don’t play, I don’t play.

“Just because I’ve played at this club or that club or wherever it doesn’t mean that I demand a start. No way. And I wouldn’t expect that. I’m 35 now. The young lads are doing great and I hope it continues.

“You get disappointed, of course, But it’s all about the bigger picture. I just want the team to go up, whoever plays. And they’ve been playing well

“I understand that. We’ve all on the same wavelength. And it’s just good to be part of the team and the club.”