Andy Drury is preparing to clash head-on with a player he rates very highly — former team-mate Grant Leadbitter.

The ex-Sunderland player chose to quit Town at the end of last season in favour of a return to his native North East with Middlesbrough and he will be lining up against his ex-colleagues for the first time at the Riverside tomorrow.

Drury said: “Grant is one of the best midfielders in this league, to be honest. I still speak to him and he’s a good lad. But I will just go up there and play my usual game, and I’m sure he will do the same.

“When we were together I always felt as though I learned a lot from him, whether I was out on the pitch alongside him or sitting on the bench looking at what he did.

“His movement was always good and I think he is still one of the best around at this level. But Boro have several other good players and I just hope we can do enough to come out of the game with a decent result."

The former Luton man says that the additions of 12 players including Leadbitter over the summer should ensure that the Teessiders are amongst this season's challengers: “I expect Boro to be a top-six team.

"Apart from Grant they’ve made some other good signings and they weren’t far off last season. I can see them being up there again.

"But when we play to a high tempo and we’re organised and solid we can be a match for anyone in this league.”

Photo: Action Images

BiGDonnie added 11:22 - Sep 14 What Leadbitter were you watching then Drury?
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casanovacrow added 11:27 - Sep 14 Leadbitter had about 5 brilliant games when he first came here. After that it was passing sideways and backwards when he has the ball and backing off players when he doesn't. Maybe he was different in training 8-)
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irishtim added 11:30 - Sep 14 Lool.
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Keaneish added 11:41 - Sep 14 That's not true is it Andy? That's false isn't it Andy?
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righty added 11:51 - Sep 14 Typical PR comment I suppose Jewell told him to say this
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MrCool added 11:56 - Sep 14 You are better than him Andy.
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hampstead_blue added 12:05 - Sep 14 He's having a laugh! He is hardly likely to come out and say "Grant made Ray Wilkins look forward thinking!". Still, if you can't 'bs' convincingly then don't bother.
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Tractamatt added 12:11 - Sep 14 Hope he did'nt bite his tongue putting it in his cheek.
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Kesgraveblue57 added 12:11 - Sep 14 Grant was only just above average for the Championship
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chepstowblue added 12:39 - Sep 14 He was the best midfielder at the club by a country mile,pointless having a debate about it.Its only peoples bitterness and inability to praise someone who wants to move on that triggers these remarks.His single handed rescuing of a point at Hull was the like of which id not seen since the days of Matt Holland and the calls of "f off Leadboots youre f*ing useless" week in week out at games where he actually got MOTM was more an indication of the clueless dullards with their ignorant mindset who watch the game than anything the player was doing wrong.

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bluedart added 13:07 - Sep 14 chepstowblue I am glad someone sees the same game as me!! Too many players have left this club do to fans remarks!!! How many new players have we lost after they have gone home after agreeing terms and read our so called supporters remarks and then changed their minds!!!
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Ipstones added 13:12 - Sep 14 Good at making killer passes to the opposition whilst on the break! Only bucked up in my opinion when needing to put himself in the shop window, hence a few goals scored whence before there were none or the odd penalty!
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Ipstones added 13:17 - Sep 14 However did a good job tackling, as we will see Saturday i suppose!
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MattinLondon added 13:43 - Sep 14 Leadbitter is a good Championship midfielder - when he chooses to play. Has a good pass and shot on him - his set pieces are awful through. At 2.4 million he was completly overpriced by a million and just proves to show that just because you're buying from a Premier League club you're not always buying Premier League quality. Actually most Premier League squad players are little better than Championship players.

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MattinLondon added 13:45 - Sep 14 @bluedart Too many players have left this club do to fans remarks!!! Er, like who? Thought it was mostly due to money.
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righty added 14:05 - Sep 14 @bluedart great comeback post absolute truth
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OldClactonBlue added 14:25 - Sep 14 Must have been hugely better when he was training than any game I have ever seen him in. One of the most ineffective central midfielders I have ever seen! Says it all about Keane that he signs Leadbitter and gives away Jordan. The fact that he will be playing against us tomorrow is the only thing in our favour as far as I can see.
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TimmyH added 17:20 - Sep 14 Yeah a good player when he's looking for an improved offer on his contract on when other clubs know that his contract is nearly up, other than that nowhere near Championships best!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 21:07 - Sep 14 Chepstowblue. Spot on post.
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Talbs77 added 22:08 - Sep 14 I'd rather have Drury in the middle any day of the week. Leadbetter was massively overrated in my opinion. Dont get me wrong, he was a reasonable midfielder but "change a game on its head with bursting runs and goals or crunching tackles" he wasnt.
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walberswick added 23:02 - Sep 14 Why's Drury g*y*ng up the opposition?
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Cheshire_Blue added 18:44 - Sep 16 At least someone has the knowledge to recognise a good player. Town are the poorer without him and Chepstow Blue is absolutely right.
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