MICAH HAMILTON has made a surprise departure from Middlesbrough, joining League One side Stockport County on loan to the end of the season.

Hamilton joined Boro from Manchester City in the summer, signing a four-year deal, but has struggled to make much of an impression in his first season on Teesside.

He has made just two Championship starts under Michael Carrick, with 11 more appearances in the league coming off the substitutes’ bench.

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The 21-year-old failed to impress when handed a rare starting opportunity in the FA Cup defeat to Blackburn Rovers earlier this month, and was an unused substitute in Tuesday’s league win over West Brom.

It was felt by that stage that a loan move could help him develop in the second half of the season, and Boro have sanctioned his departure to Stockport, who are battling for promotion in League One.

Stockport currently sit in sixth position in the third tier, and having trained with his new team-mates for the first time earlier today, Hamilton could make his County debut in Saturday’s game against Crawley Town.

Stockport boss Dave Challinor said: “Micah is a player with huge potential and quality, as seen from the glimpses in Manchester City’s first team.

“His move to Middlesbrough hasn’t quite turned out as everyone would have hoped, but they have belief in what he can achieve there. Both he and they feel that a move and a platform at our level can catapult him closer to that.

“He’s an exciting forward player that can give us real quality at the top end of the pitch and we’re really looking forward to seeing and working with him.”