Riggs Gives It A Whirl!
SURPRISE hero Chris Riggott admits the build-up to his goalscoring return was a complete whirlwind - and he'll be cheering for Stoke on Sunday as they bid to join Boro in next season's Barclays Premier League.
The defender was given an emergency recall from his loan at the Britannia Stadium for Boro's must-win match against Portsmouth when he had been expecting to help Stoke City clinch promotion in their final Coca-Cola Championship match.
Since moving to the Potteries on loan in March, Riggott had been an integral part of the Stoke side that has reached the brink of promotion to the top flight, leaving them needing only a draw in their final match at home to Leicester on Sunday.
But Riggott's Riverside's recall pulled him from a potential promotion party into a relegation dogfight as Boro took on Portsmouth in a crucial match for Gareth Southgate's side.
Riggott rejoined Boro in time to train with the team on Friday and allayed any fears that his thoughts might still be in the Potteries when he scored the opening goal against the FA Cup finalists - it was a first Premier League goal for three years for the 28-year-old.
Asked about the experience of the shock recall, Riggott smiled before admitting: "It's been different! I wasn't expecting it, put it that way. It just shows that anything can happen in football.
"I got a call on Thursday night (from Gareth Southgate) and, at first, was a bit gutted to think I would miss out on Stoke's big match.
"It took me a few minutes to get my head around the fact that I wasn't going to play in the big game for Stoke but that's all it took. I am contracted to Boro, they pay my wages and they've always been good to me.
"I got about a million text messages off friends and family expressing their surprise but it was good to come back, as much as it was a wrench to leave Stoke."
Riggott was recalled to stop the goals going in at one end but instead scored at the other to put Boro on course for a vital win.
He admitted: "I was just trying to block David Wheater's marker, to be fair, because he is phenomenol from corners, but the ball came to me and it was a great feeling to get the header in and help the team like that."
Asked if there was an obvious difference between the atmosphere in the Stoke and Boro dressing rooms, he replied: "There is, to be honest.
"Coming from a team that's winning just about every week and a buoyant dressing room to a dressing room where results haven't been going for them, you can tell the difference in attitude. But there's a great set of lads at Boro and it was good to be back with them."
Now he plans to be at the Britannia Stadium as Stoke bid to ensure they pip Hull City to the second automatic promotion spot behind Tony Mowbray's West Brom.
"I've really enjoyed it at Stoke and I have felt a big part of it there, playing in nine games," he said. "I'll be there for the match, hoping they can do it without me.
"As for what happens next and whether I've got a future at Boro, we'll see what happens in the summer."
