A RELIEVED Malcolm Christie has described how the self-belief that he could still score goals has helped him through the most difficult time of his career.

The Middlesbrough striker made a scoring return to the starting line-up at Portsmouth on Tuesday night after 15 months out through injury.

Christie suffered the incredible misfortune of breaking his leg on two separate occasions during that time as his days playing professional football were shrouded in doubt.

However, with determination and will to return to top-flight football, Christie made his long-awaited comeback to the Premiership stage at Fratton Park and scored his first goal since September, 2003, in the process.

And the 25-year-old said: "It's funny - all through the injury I thought I would score on my first game back and Lady Luck was there for me and I did.

"I'm delighted for myself that I'm back into it and it was a big shock to be starting the game. I had only played one and a half reserve games - even then I was struggling.

"But even though I have been out for months I have been looking good and I feeling sharp in training and the manager has gone with me."

And Christie has called for the fans, team-mates and coaching staff to remain patient as he works his way back to his best.

"It's going to take me a while to get back to the level I want," he said. "We have a few strikers here and Mark Viduka is expected back in a couple of weeks. All I can do is keep playing.

"But all I will say to the manager is that at the moment if there's a game in the morning I will be ready to play because I want to make up for lost time."

Christie's opening goal at Portsmouth - when he reacted first to a Ray Parlour shot that had been spilled by keeper Kostas Chalkias - proved not enough as Middlesbrough slipped to their third defeat in five league games.

And the former Derby forward said: "I might have scored but my real feeling is that I'm disappointed for the lads. The most part of me is that we have lost the three points."

* Juninho has revealed he has finally held clear-the-air talks with Celtic manager Martin O'Neill.

The out-of-favour star is determined to show the Hoops boss he is wrong to leave him out of his team.

The Brazilian World Cup-winner has been frustrated on the bench, reporting he has received no support from O'Neill since his move from Middlesbrough in August.

But the pair have begun to communicate, and Juninho has renewed confidence he can still be a success this season.

''We had a chat, and I think it was good for both of us to speak about what was happening,'' said the midfielder.

''He explained why he was doing what he was doing, and I told him how I felt. It was a nice chat, and it left us clear on where we were going."

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