Mowbray has no room for Ferguson at Boro

The former Rangers and Scotland international has been linked with a move from Bloomfield Road and Teesside had been suggested as a possible destination.

But Mowbray, hoping to crown the anniversary of his second year in charge with a home victory over Bolton today, has firmly denied any approach since expressing an earlier interest prior to the 34-year-old schemer joining the Seasiders in July of last year.

Mowbray said: “I really don’t know where that’s come from. An agent did enquire with me earlier this week and I told him ‘no, there’s no room in our midfield’.

“Barry Ferguson is a player that we enquired about last summer and it obviously didn’t happen and he went to Blackpool.

“It’s important for me to say that for the players we have got – Barry’s not a player I’m trying to bring to the club.”

Central defender Jonathan Woodgate, who missed Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Hull suffering the after-effects of his return at Brighton on Saturday, is expected to return for his home-town club today.

There could also be places in the squad for full-back Justin Hoyte and midfielder Merouane Zemmama as third-placed Boro seek a third victory in the space of a week to consolidate their status at the top end of the division.

Hoyte has missed the last two games with a hamstring problem while Zemmama has been absent from the last three with a similar injury.

Midfielder Kevin Thomson faces another week on the sidelines with a calf strain while Lukas Jutkiewicz, Muzzy Carayol and Curtis Main (all knee) and Rhys Williams (ankle ligaments) remain on the long-term casualty list.

Former Boro full-back Jimmy Phillips and joint caretaker chief Sammy Lee will pick the team for Wanderers, whose new manager, Dougie Freedman, officially takes charge on Monday.

Mowbray, assistant Mark Venus and youth-team coach Colin Cooper have been linked with managerial vacancies. Mowbray has been made an outside bet for Ipswich while Venus and Cooper are among potential candidates to take over at Hartlepool United.