ADAM LE FONDRE hopes his cameo role in Reading's astonishing comeback will make Brian McDermott realise that he is worthy of a starting spot.
A frantic final eight minutes that yielded three goals, including Le Fondre's penalty to level after Jimmy Kebe had been fouled, turned the game on its head as Albion led by two goals The former Rotherham marksman signed a new three-year contract in October but has started just eight Premier League games this season.
He scored twice in Reading's first league win of the season, against Everton, and after these latest heroics, the 26-year-old is keen to play down the super-sub tag. "I'm not too fond about coming off the bench – I would prefer to start. But it's just a role I've got for the time being," he said.
I'm not too fond about coming off the bench – I would prefer to start.
The Royals began this match bottom after QPR's lunchtime draw against Tottenham. And with Romelu Lukaku striking in each half, the home supporters must have found it hard to see how that would change.
Kebe pulled one back with eight minutes left, to spark a siege on the West Brom goal. Le Fondre struck before Pavel Pogrebnyak's late winner bagged all the points.
Reading's win, their second in a row at home, could be a turning point for them. But manager McDermott knows there will be plenty more twists and turns ahead.
He said: "I have learned a lot about this division in the last four months. It is an incredible division. Sometimes you can't be gung-ho, you can't go for it like a boxer because you'll get knocked out. Since I got the job, we have always been written off so it is irrelevant to me. A day like today makes everything worthwhile.
"Our fans stayed with us and it wasn't easy because for the first 70 minutes it wasn't great. But we got that first goal and you saw a side that showed real belief and character.
Lukaku has told Chelsea hewants to stay on loan at West Brom for another season if he will not get regular football with the Blues.
The Belgian teenager's double here took his total for the season to nine, two more than £50million Fernando Torres. But after being frustrated with only one Chelsea league start last year after his £18million Anderlecht move, Lukaku said talks about extending his Hawthorns stay could begin next month.
He said: "We will see. Hopefully, after the January window, we will be able to start talking about that," he said. "The next two years will be very important to play. We have a manager who is very good, we've very good players who can help him every day and hopefully, if I continue like this, I will get more regular football.
"At this time I'm just looking at my own life and also looking at West Brom. I don't really care about what Chelsea are doing at the moment.