Jonathan Hogg wants both Huddersfield Town and Middlesbrough to climb the Championship table over the final seven games of the season.

The high-energy midfielder started his career with hometown Boro, and still lives among the red and white faithful on Teesside.

Aitor Karanka’s side are third after losing vital ground in the race for one of the two automatic promotion slots as they slumped 3-0 at new leaders Bournemouth.

On the same 72-point mark as Hogg’s former club Watford and one behind Bournemouth, Boro aim to get back on track, and do Town a favour, by beating Wigan Athletic today.

It’s six seasons since the club last played in the Premier League, and 26-year old Hogg said: “I’d love them to get back there.

“Boro are my hometown club, I supported them as a boy and I had six years there as a kid, when they were brilliant to me.

“They have the stadium, the training ground and the support to be a decent Premier League club, and they should be up there.

“Losing at Bournemouth was a setback for them, but there are still plenty of points to play for and it’d very tight at the top.”

Watford, who sold Hogg to Town for £400,000 in July 2013 with the former Aston Villa man keen to move closer to his family, are at fifth-placed Derby County on Good Friday.

Watford and Middlesbrough then meet at Vicarage Road on Easter Monday.

Bournemouth go to Ipswich Town on Good Friday before hosting Birmingham City, where they won 8-0 in October, on Easter Monday.