DAVID made a meteoric rise to stardom and the full England squad after establishing himself in Boro team in the 2007/08 season.

A star of Boro's FA Youth Cup-winning side in 2004, he played all eight games in the competition, scoring three goals. He had also played in the previous year's final, against Manchester United, while still a schoolboy.

He has also represented England at U16, U17, U18, U19 and U21 levels, helping the U17s to fourth place in the European Championships in France in 2004.

Born in Redcar, he has developed rapidly and grown into a tall, commanding central defender, moving up from the U17s and U19s to become a regular for the Reserves and a valuable member of the first team in quick time.

He loves to get forward for set pieces and after weighing in with more than his fair share of goals at Academy and Reserve team level, he continued that form after stepping up to the first team.

His breakthrough came when he was named on the bench for Boro's historic first game away in a major European competition, against Banik Ostrava in September 2004.

He then made first team debut when going on as replacement for Stuart Parnaby a couple of minutes from the end of the UEFA Cup last 16 game away to Sporting Lisbon in March 2005. 

He then made a number of impressive appearances for the first team in the latter stages of the 2005/06 season as Steve McClaren rested his senior stars and experimented with some of his younger players.

Went on loan to Doncaster Rovers in the 2005-06 season playing seven games, scoring once. Made just one appearance when on loan with Wolves for a month early in the 2006-07 season. Later that campaign he went on loan to Darlington making 16 appearances and scoring twice.

He returned to Boro and started in the final game of the 2006-07 season, scoring his first goal for the club in a 3-1 win over Fulham.

The following season a rash of injuries to senior pros led to Wheater being plunged into the first team once again, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

His form was sufficient to earn him a regular place in the team and Gareth Southgate even allowed England star Jonathan Woodgate to move on as David became one of the first names on the teamsheet.

He was used to front an iconic video campaign to help sell season tickets and ended speculation about his future when he signed a new three-and-a-half year contract in February 2008, having just turned 21 on Valentine's Day.

Fabio Capello has already noted Wheater's potential and named him in the preliminary squad for his second game in charge of England, against France in March 2008.

Only Tuncay and Stewart Downing made more appearances than David as he continued his progress throughout the 2008-09 season, when he showed his versatility by occasionally playing at right-back.

But it was a season with a bitter end as Boro were relegated and he missed out on selection for the England U21 team contesting the UEFA European Championships in Sweden in June 2009 as he underwent knee surgery to repair a torn cartilage. 

Following the transfer of Robert Huth to Stoke City early in the 2009-10 season, David was named captain, though his first game ended in the first defeat of the season 2-1 away to Bristol City.

He established an impressive partnership with Stephen McManus under incoming manager Gordon Strachan.