GIFTED left-winger who shot to prominence when he was thrown on for his first team debut in the away leg of the UEFA Cup defeat at Sporting Lisbon in 2005.

Far from being overawed by the occasion the youngster set about showing off his impressive ball skills in front of a national TV audience.

He followed that up with an eye-catching full Premiership debut in the 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Riverside in September 2005, with Stewart Downing missing through injury.  

Adam was a fringe player in the 2004 FA Youth Cup-winning squad but progressed to the team the following year, scoring a wonder goal in a 3-0 win over Sunderland at the Riverside in 2005.

Cutting in past two challenges, he unleashed a curling shot which appeared to be off target before swinging into the top corner of the goal as manager Steve McClaren watched in the stands.    

He made his England U19 debut in a 3-2 win over Belgium at Darlington's Football Stadium, setting up two goals in a Man of the Match display.

The 2005/06 season saw Adam used increasingly in the first team and he claimed his first goal in a 1-1 draw at Bolton.

His progress was rewarded with an improved four-year contract in the summer of 2006 but he struggled to make regular inroads in the first team, only making three Premiership starts.

He went on loan to Leeds and returned to produce a Man of the Match performance during Boro's dramatic FA Cup fourth round replay win over Bristol City.

England U21 honours followed and he gained further plaudits as his goalscoring and sparkling wing-play helped Watford to a healthy lead at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship during a loan spell early in the 2007/08 season.

He was recalled to the Riverside where he made regular contributions during the campaign, although mainly from the bench due to Downing's outstanding form.

It was a similar story in 2008-09 for Adam, although he made his greatest number of league appearances to date with 26, starting ten times.

Adam was a key member of the England U21 team which reached the final of the UEFA European U21 Championships in Sweden in June 2009.

He started the 2009-10 season in flying style scoring six goals in the first eight games in league and cup.