The loan right-back has done more than just plug a gap left by the injury to Richard Hinds.

His arrival has also rubbed off on the other squad members.

Boss Laws explained: "It's given a lift to the players; we were down to the bare bones; Tony's arrival has brought a bit of freshness to the place, even though we're in only the second week of the new season.

"To see a new face has given everyone a lift, and there's been a good tempo in training."

McMahon's signing is not the only thing that has helped to dispel the gloom that followed the injuries to Hinds, Akpo Sodje, Marcus Tudgay and Etienne Esajas suffered over the course of the first two Lleague games.

Tudgay, who missed the Wolves match with a thigh strain, and Esajas, who stayed off at half-time with a hamstring niggle, trained yesterday and will be fit for tomorrow's game against Preston if they suffer no reaction.

Once again, Laws will have attacking options and is able to keep the opposition guessing.

Last week he went with one central striker, Deon Burton, and with two quick wide men, Esajas and Jermaine Johnson, flanking three central midfield players.

A comeback for Tudgay, who scored two in a man-of-the- match show against Burnley, could mean a return to 4-4-2 and a switch back to his strike partnership with Deon Burton, so long as Burton is in shape after arriving back from Canada today after his Jamaica duty.

Laws said: "Marcus has come back quicker than we had thought. He was gutted to miss last week. Last week showed that we are adaptable.

Although we went with one up front, really we had three attackers and we carved Wolves open numerous times.

"The system worked very well. I'll certainly adopt it again."
But he isn't saying when.

He added: "We'll let people worry about us. They don't know what we're going to play."

Laws may lean towards fielding two strikers in a home game. He will certainly look for a tighter defensive display after last week's collapse at Molineux.

McMahon, aged 22, was a first-team regular at Middlesbrough under Steve McClaren for part of the 2004-05 season; he played in many big games, including a debut at Manchester United and UEFA Cup ties against Lazio and Sporting Lisbon.

The Bishop-Auckland-born defender also played for England Under-19s and captained Boro's Youth-Cup-winning side in 2004.

But a broken leg suffered in a reserve game, followed by a knee injury, kept out him out for most of the 2005-06 season.

He went on loan to Blackpool last November but had played only two Championship games for them when a hamstring injury forced an early return to the Riverside Stadium.

McMahon admits: "It's been a stop-start time for me in the last two seasons

"But I've had a good pre-season, I'm feeling fit and I'm looking forward to playing again."

"I was at Boro behind Luke Young. I was pushing Youngy all the way. Then he went to Villa. The gaffer (Gareth Southgate) decided he was going to bring somebody in.

"If I wasn't playing for Middlesbrough's first team, I was going to come out on loan and play some games."

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