Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has praised Dael Fry for the defender's commitment to getting back to fitness.
The 27-year-old, who joined his local club aged seven, made his first start after a 10-month injury nightmare as Boro beat Hull 3-1 at the Riverside.
Prior to Saturday's game, Fry’s last competitive start came against Bristol City on 10 February before a pelvic problem ended his 2023-24 campaign and hampered his pre-season, with further complications restricting him to a couple of run-outs with the under-21s in recent months.
Fry had been a first-team mainstay before his injury but had only played 15 minutes off the bench in the 5-1 win over Luton on 9 November before this weekend.