And the Boro defender has credited Darlington with helping him win his first call-up to the senior England squad for next week's friendly against France.
We Backed The Wrong Horse!
And the Boro defender has credited Darlington with helping him win his first call-up to the senior England squad for next week's friendly against France.
It caps a remarkable rise for the 21-year-old Middlesbrough defender, who has made only 40 appearances for Boro's first team after coming through their youth system.
Wheater: "It has capped off a good year for me and hopefully I can keep playing well and get in the full squad when it gets cut down.
"I was at Darlo this time last year but that's what you need - go in low and you get the experience and the confidence with it and I've come into the Premier League and done well.
"I was at Darlo this time last year but that's what you need - go in low and you get the experience and the confidence with it and I've come into the Premier League and done well.
"I didn't think I'd be in the first team here. I thought I might go back to Darlo or something. But there were a few injuries at the start and I took my chance and it's just gone on from there."
Squad: James (Portsmouth), Carson (Aston Villa), Kirkland (Wigan); Bridge (Chelsea), A Cole (Chelsea), Johnson (Portsmouth), Terry (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Lescott (Everton), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Wheater (Middlesbrough), Woodgate (Tottenham), Upson (West Ham); Barry (Aston Villa), Young (Aston Villa), Bentley (Blackburn), J Cole (Chelsea), Lampard (Chelsea), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Man Utd), Downing (Middlesbrough), Jenas (Tottenham); Walcott (Arsenal), Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Crouch (Liverpool), Rooney (Man Utd), Owen (Newcastle), Defoe (Portsmouth).