Riggott boosted by display

Middlesbrough defender pleased to be back

Last updated: 6th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Riggott boosted by display

Riggott: Pleased with performance

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Chris Riggott is pleased to be back playing first-team football with Middlesbrough.

The 28-year-old was once labelled as a future England international and strongly linked with a move to Liverpool.

Boro snapped him up from Derby in a deal which also saw Malcolm Christie arrive at the Riverside

Neither player made the impact expected of them, but while Christie has left Riggott is still at the club and is looking to cement his place in the side.

He was outstanding in Boro's away win at Wigan in the Premier League on Saturday and he hopes he can now build on that display.

Riggott helped keep in-form Amr Zaki and Emile Heskey quiet as he produced an assured performance in the absence of the injured Robert Huth.

Difficult

"The Liverpool stuff seems like a distant memory now," confessed Riggott.

"But things did come together for me very quickly when I started off.

"It seemed to come easy and you think it will always be like that. But I've had a difficult couple of years, and now I'm looking ahead to better times. I aim to make the most of every opportunity I get.

"The last two years have been frustrating - I've had a few different injuries and I've been unable to hold down a regular place.

"So it was good to keep a clean sheet against two strikers who have been making headlines this year. They didn't get too many chances between them.

"Our keeper had to make a couple of good saves, but the chances seemed to fall elsewhere. It's a big step in the right direction for me and the club."