GRANT Leadbitter insists the Middlesbrough dressing room is fully behind Aitor Karanka and the midfielder is confident Craig Hignett’s departure will not have an effect on the team’s form.

Hignett left his position as assistant manager on Tuesday in a move that surprised supporters.

Reports have suggested Karanka and Hignett were involved in a bust-up following Saturday’s controversial draw with Blackburn Rovers at the Riverside Stadium.

Karanka has since cited a difference in opinion as the reason behind the move, but concerns have grown that the departure of a popular figure around the club could have an adverse affect on the squad. Leadbitter, however, insists that will not be the case.

“The manager makes all the decisions at the club so regardless of who is here, the manager does all the training and everyone buys into the manager,” the midfielder said.

“One thing I do know is everyone is behind the manager.

“Everyone is buying into his philosophy and that’s what you need to be a successful team. At the moment we are doing okay in the league.

“We need to keep winning games and get this club fighting at the top end of the league.”

Leadbitter committed his future to Middlesbrough on Thursday by signing a new three-and-a-half year contract.

The 28-year-old’s form in the first half of the season has caught the eye of a number of clubs, and with his existing deal due to expire in the summer Leadbitter would have been free to talk to other clubs in January.

However, the Fencehouses midfielder, who is desperate to play Premier League football again, is confident he has made the right move to stay on Teesside.

He said: “It’s not a decision I took lightly and you never know what happens in football, but I believe in this club and I believe in the chairman.

“He’s one of the best in the country. I’ve spoken to him a few times and I’ve bought into his philosophy and the manager’s philosophy.

“It’s a good place to be. I think players that have left this club over the years thought the grass was greener, but it’s not. This is a great football club. You come to Rockliffe everyday with great training facilities.

“I want Premier League football and I believe this club is capable of that with the squad we’ve got. We’ve got some good players and characters in the dressing room and I’m looking forward to the next few months ahead.

“The manager’s plan for the club was one of the big points when I made my decision. I’ve always felt since the manager came in that he’s shrewd with his ideas. He gets his points across and players in the dressing room buy into it.

“He makes all the big decisions and he makes all the right ones in my opinion. Everything at a football club revolves around the manager. Everyone wants the same thing and that’s what we all want to see at this football club. We want to see the team win games.”

Leadbitter is Boro’s top scorer with nine goals in 20 appearances this season and is it clear the midfielder is enjoying playing under the Spanish boss.

Having squandered opportunities to go top of the table, the Teessiders sit two points behind leaders Derby in fifth place, and after three successive draws, Leadbitter says it is crucial the team gets back to winning ways at Millwall this afternoon.

“We’ve got to win football games. It’s plain and simple as that,” he said. “It’s hard to do that but we have to and hopefully we’ll start on Saturday.

“This club is going in the right direction, but we can’t take our feet off the gas. We haven’t won for three games and we have to fight to be at the top end.

“I’d like to thank the previous managing staff, because they fought long and hard to get me to the football club. I’ve continued on and I love playing here.

“I think I’ve been consistent since I joined and I think this year I’ve got the rewards with scoring goals, but we’re only 20 games into the season so no-one is blowing trumpets yet.”

Middlesbrough were moments away from securing three points against last weekend, but Mark Clattenburg failed to see two fouls in the run up to Rudy Gestede’s stoppage-time equaliser.

Karanka’s reaction could earn the Boro boss a touchline ban after he was charged for misconduct by the Football Association, but Leadbitter will not be using the controversy as an excuse.

He said: “This is football. 24 hours is a long time in football and decisions are made.

“Things go against you and then they go for you. I don’t want the club, the fans or the town moping about because of the referee’s decision last week.

“That’s gone. We can’t let it affect our season. I don’t want people to turn around at the end of the season and say Mark Clattenburg’s decision was a turning point.

“We’ve got a game on Saturday and we have to win.”