Hayden Hackney interview: The night that changed everything, his Premier League 'dream' and Michael Carrick effect

"I think I'm ready," says Hayden Hackney, his voice caught with emotion. "To be able to play in the Premier League would mean everything. It’s a dream. I would be so proud of myself for getting there."

Born and raised in Redcar, a small seaside town on the North East coast, this lifelong Middlesbrough fan turned club captain is within touching distance of achieving a goal that once seemed out of reach.

With just 10 Championship games left to play, Kim Hellberg's side are on course to make a long-awaited return to the top flight of English football.

Hackney was 13 years old when Boro last celebrated promotion. He remembers being on ballboy duties that day, when thousands of fans invaded the Riverside pitch at full-time as they chanted 'We are Premier League'.

Almost a decade later, those levels of euphoria have rarely been seen since. That could all change come the end of the season. “To get there with Middlesbrough would be unbelievable after everything we’ve been through," Hackney tells SPORTbible.

It is difficult to convey the enormity of Hackney's influence in recent months.

As well as winning possession more times than any other midfielder in the Championship, he has flourished going forward this season, recording more carries and progressive carries than anyone else in the league.

Hackney also ranks top for most chances created and, perhaps more impressively, has completed the third most take-ons in England's second tier this season. "I’ve had different managers who have all helped me grow," he says.

"Michael Carrick helped me massively in possession. Rob Edwards helped me a lot out of possession without me even realising — because he’s big on duels — and the new manager goes into so much detail about positioning and brings out everyone’s strengths. That has all added up.”

There has been growing talk of a summer move after another superb individual campaign, with several Premier League clubs being linked, including Manchester United. A smile appears on his face when I bring up the previously mentioned club.

“I don’t know what will happen in the future, but we’ll see,” Hackney says, a glint in his eye.

For those who have had the pleasure of watching Hackney this season, the transfer speculation will come as little surprise. Many have seen what he is truly capable of, especially in big games, but not everyone was convinced in those early years.

In fact, if it hadn't been for caretaker manager Leo Percovich, who took charge of three Middlesbrough games in October 2022, his career could, and probably would, have played out very differently.

Hackney wants to play in the Premier League next season. Image credit: Getty

Hackney has been instrumental for Middlesbrough this season. Image credit: Getty

From the age of eight, after he was spotted playing for local side Redcar Town, Hayden Hackney has played for his beloved Middlesbrough Football Club.

Around 50 per cent of academy players leave the system before they turn 16, and of those who remain and secure a scholarship, nearly 98 per cent are playing outside the top five tiers of English football by 18.

Did Hackney rate his chances of making it pro? “I don’t think I was the best," he says. "I wasn’t the one everyone said would have a great chance of making it. I was probably middle of the road. But I always believed in myself, especially as I got older."

That belief and undoubted quality led to Hackney signing his first professional contract at 17.

Two years later, he was loaned out to League Two side Scunthorpe, a spell he describes as a "life lesson". The box-to-box midfielder made 32 appearances across all competitions but played a part in just two wins all season as they were relegated to the fifth tier.

Upon returning to the Riverside in 2022, Hackney struggled to see how he could work his way into Boro's plans. In his own words, he was "just making up the numbers" in first-team training.

"I was just a number for when we did set pieces on the day before games," Hackney says. "I was trying to get back out on loan at the time but didn’t have much of a chance. I was struggling to get a League Two move, to be honest. And that was the week that I made my first start.”

Two wins from their opening 11 league games left Middlesbrough in the Championship relegation zone, which prompted the interim appointment of Leo Percovich following Chris Wilder’s departure.

Percovich, a cult hero who first arrived at the club in 2013 – when he joined as a goalkeeper coach under Aitor Karanka – was a huge admirer of Hackney from their time working together in the academy.

Sometimes in football, all it takes is one person to believe in you and change the course of your career. For Hackney, that person was Percovich.

“I went from thinking, ‘I’m in trouble here. I can’t get a League Two loan and I’ll be stuck playing in the Under-21s for a year,’ to suddenly making my first league start," he smiles.

“Leo believed in me. He pulled me over to one side before matchday and said, ‘I’m going to put you in. Where do you want to play? Middle, left or right in a 4-3-3?’. He told me to pick a position and I’d get my chance."

"I was nervous," Hackney admits. "From not getting a League Two loan to starting meant I had to play well. I don’t know what would have happened if I didn’t, but I was so mentally ready for it. There was no way I wasn’t going to perform. I knew if I didn’t, that might have been it for me at Middlesbrough.”

Following a much-needed 1-0 win over Birmingham, Percovich said the academy product deserved his chance to shine that night.

"Hayden Hackney is from Middlesbrough. He is from our academy. He is one of us," the Uruguayan said in an emotional interview. "That’s a message for the people of the city, too. Anybody can be there. We’re representing them too. Hayden represents to kids that they can live their dreams."

Hackney was handed his first league start by Leo Percovich in October 2022. Image credit: Getty

Soon, another major influence on Hackney's career would walk through the door at Rockliffe – a man now flourishing at Manchester United.

Michael Carrick transformed the club from top to bottom after replacing Wilder, taking a team devoid of confidence and 21st in the Championship to their first play-off spot in five years.

“I made three appearances before he was appointed," Hackney recalls. "I remember thinking, ‘Will I carry on being picked?’ He almost didn’t make a big deal out of it, which helped me. I started the next game, and he didn’t really say an awful lot. He just let me get on with it, which was perfect."

Instead of overcomplicating matters, Carrick encouraged Hackney to do what he does best – progress the ball in central areas and turn defence into attack. He allowed him to make mistakes and learn.

"Michael just let me play," the midfielder says. “You could also speak to him about anything. You’d never know he had won a Champions League. He played in the same position and improved my all-round game. He helped me so much."

As well as being an excellent man-manager, Carrick helped refine the tactical side of Hackney’s game.

“He’d always talk about your first touch, and that stuck with me,” says Hackney.

“He wanted the ball almost stuck under your body so you could make a quick pass without moving or rearranging your feet. It catches defenders off guard. Even if they predict it, the ball has already gone too quickly."

“He also wanted the two centre-mids to play really close together, which was weird at first, because as a kid, and growing up through the academy, you wouldn’t stand close to each other as a rule of thumb," added Hackney.

"But he’d say, ‘Whenever you’re being pressed, there are always two of you.’ It makes it almost impossible to press. In the games, you’d think, ‘This is actually working really well, they can’t get close to us’."

Carrick would sometimes join in training sessions, too.

“When we’d ping longer balls from behind, he’d stop the drill and say, ‘No, keep the ball nice and flat'. He would then jump in and perform the pass. They were perfect every time," Hackney laughs. “But we didn’t have the quality to pull off a pass like that every time!”

Since leaving Middlesbrough last year, Carrick has proved his capabilities on the world stage after succeeding Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. In fact, he recently equalled the Premier League record for most points by a manager in their first nine games in the competition.

Is Hackney surprised by Carrick’s impact at United? “No, not really. I see a lot of similarities in the way he tried to have us playing at Boro," he says.

"He’s so attack-minded. He used to say, ‘The best form of defence is attack.’ When you were in a tight game, he would bring another forward on to finish the game off. That would give you confidence. I’m not surprised at how he’s doing. He’s really good.”

Hackney credits Carrick with improving his all-round game. Image credit: Instagram/haydenhackney

As previously noted, Manchester United have emerged as potential suitors for Hackney, who is also attracting interest from several other clubs in England.

How does he feel about his future? “I’m pretty relaxed about it, to be honest," he says. "The manager (Kim Hellberg) plays the perfect type of football for me, the kind of football that shows off my best qualities. My dream is to play in the Premier League, but again, we’ll see.”

In the fickle world of modern football, where more and more players are choosing a lucrative paycheck over their roots, Hackney's unwavering loyalty to his boyhood club is admirable.

Last summer, Middlesbrough accepted a bid from Ipswich Town but after travelling down the country for talks, he decided against the move. Nottingham Forest also made a late bid in January but again, he wanted to stay put.

"It would have to be the perfect move for me to leave Middlesbrough," says Hackney. "It has to feel like the right one. That urge to leave just wasn’t there.”

There is no rush to leave, especially given how this season has played out. Hackney speaks highly of the unassuming Hellberg, who replaced Rob Edwards in late November and has taken the club to second in the Championship.

Hellberg recently described his captain as the best player in the Championship and commented on his decision to stay put. "It wasn’t about the club doing the right thing and keeping him, it was about the player wanting to be here so badly," he told The Telegraph.

Hackney is thoroughly enjoying life under the Swede, who worked as a primary school teacher for three-and-a-half years before making his way up the coaching ranks.

“Kim is intense and loves video analysis," he says. "We’ll watch videos every day. He’s very honest and will tell you straight if you’re not doing what he wants. But he knows everyone’s strengths and puts you in positions to show those strengths.

"We were defensively great when he came in, but going forward, we’ve improved massively. He’s not fixed on a formation. It doesn’t matter where you end up as long as someone’s in the right area.”

Hellberg has also credited Middlesbrough's captain for his growing influence on the training ground, as well as his ability to drive standards.

After I read out a quote from Hellberg, which mentions him "helping everyone in the group", Hackney smiles and takes a few seconds to reflect. From experience, he knows how those on the periphery of the first-team squad feel. He wants to use his experience to make a difference.

“I want to try and help those who aren't playing as much," says Hackney. "I know what it's like when you think your chance is never going to come."