Josh: I'll Handle It No Boro

Feb 24 2008 By Gavin Berry

ON-LOAN teenager Josh Walker has gone from playing in front of a few hundred people at rundown English reserve grounds this season to starring for Aberdeen against Bayern Munich at a packed Allianz Arena.

Now the Middlesbrough midfielder insists nothing he could face in the Premiership would ever faze him.

Walker, who was 19 on Thursday, got the perfect birthday present as he ran out in front of 66,000 fans in one of the world's finest stadiums.

And not even a 5-1 drubbing could dampen his spirits. It was exactly the kind of experience that lured him to Pittodrie and is ideal preparation if Boro manager Gareth Southgate (below) ever throws him in to the cauldron of Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge.

And the excited youngster, who scored against Bayern in the first leg, said: "This season I've played in front of crowds of 100 or 200 so imagine what it was like to go on in front of nearly 70,000 in Europe.

"Boro play reserve games at non-league side Billingham Synthonia's ground and when you're playing you can hear anything that's said.

"But in Bayern the crowd was so loud that if I was shouting 'man on' my teammate wouldn't hear it and wonder why I didn't warn him. It was surreal.

"The worst reserve ground I played at this season was Bolton's. They basically use a school pitch and that was pretty unglamorous.

"It was a huge step up to play in the Allianz Arena.

"It is massive and whenwe walked out and saw it full you thought to yourself 'Oh my God'.

"I might not get a bigger game in my career and to have it so young and on my birthday was fantastic.

Hopefully it will stand me in good stead if I get into the Boro team in the Premiership which is where I ultimately want to be."

Boro have been impressed with Walker since he moved north but he is shutting out all thoughts of a return while he focuses on helping Aberdeen push up the SPL table.

They can start to do that today at Kilmarnock and Walker, on loan until May, said: "Every game we play now is huge.

"We must finish in the top six and make a push for third spot to get into Europe again.

"Going to Rugby Park will be a test of character as sometimes you're not as focused after a big game but all the lads want back in Europe so we know we have to win.

"I've had feedback from Boro from most of my games and Gareth is pleased with my performances so far.

"It's good to hear that but I'm not too worried about Boro at the moment.

"My only concern is keeping my place in the Aberdeen team because if I'm not playing here there's no way I will be playing at Middlesbrough next season."