Source: Northern_Echo
Lita on Reading mission
LEROY LITA persuaded Gareth Southgate to pick him on Saturday by insisting he wasnt returning to Reading just to say hello to a few old friends.
The former Royal made his sixth start for Middlesbrough, producing his best performance for the club, capped by an excellent solo strike.
After the goal Lita celebrated emphatically in front of the Boro fans apologised to the Reading supporters for his exuberance.
Southgate said: He handled coming back here extremely well. He said to me on Thursday that he wasnt going back and hoping to be friends with everyone at Reading. He was only thinking about doing well for us.
I was delighted with his overall game.
He held the ball up very well and we know that when he gets chances he will score goals. He took his chance in the second half very well.
In his 11 games before Saturday Lita had scored only once for Boro, but Southgate was always confident the 24-year-old would prove an astute signing.
In the last two seasons Lita has spent loan spells at Norwich and Charlton and Southgate admitted he has been tracking the striker since impressing for Reading in the Premier League.
He is a goalscorer and sometimes you dont always get what you want from goalscorers, said Southgate.
You have to be prepared for that if you know they will eventually score. I have been trying to bring him to the club for a couple of years so to get him on a free transfer was a great piece of business.
Lita himself admitted he felt his goal celebrations were a little over the top, which is why he felt the need to acknowledge that to the Reading crowd.
Ive always had a great relationship with the Reading fans and Im thankful for that but I was here to do a job, said Lita.
I scored, celebrated and apologised after celebrating with the Middlesbrough fans.
But this was a perfect result for us.
Weve had three disappointing results and we needed the win.
We controlled the game, the second half just showed that weve got experience, even though we are young.
We just killed the game out and we didnt give them any chances.
