Reading's Stephen Hunt intends to stop worrying about the drop and concentrate on enjoying life in the Premier League for as long as it lasts.The Royals travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday in desperate need of the victory which could take them out of the bottom three.

Steve Coppell's side have lost their last eight league games - a club record sequence of reverses - and have yet to record even a point in 2008.

Hunt admitted he had been feeling the pressure for weeks but has now decided there is no point moping.

He explained: "For the last four or five weeks, I had been beating myself up about it but this week I just said "no" and tried to focus my mind on different things until three o'clock on Saturday.

"I have tried to have a normal week, be more calm around the place and not be so bitchy by taking things out on everybody else.

"I also took the golf clubs out of the bag for the first time in six months but after the way I played they might be staying in there. I was all over the shop."

In any case, battling against relegation from the top flight with Reading was far preferable to struggling in League One with Brentford, the club he left in 2005 to join the Royals.

He said: "This kind of thing is not new to me for sure.

"It is one of those things that make you tougher and I can assure you it is a lot tougher playing for Brentford down the leagues than it is playing for Reading in the Premier League.

"You would be surprised how many other of our players have been in similar scraps. There aren't that many Champions League players here at the moment.

"But we are only training for a couple of hours a day so it's not really a tough job - it is a great job to be involved in, that's the way I look at it.

"You are under more scrutiny for sure. You are under the spotlight but it is a joy to come in and work. Everything here is improving and we need to stay in this league to progress again."

Coppell has vowed to make changes for the Riverside clash but Hunt is unlikely to be one of those dropped as he is one of only a handful player of the season candidates and has just signed a new deal.

He continued: "I have done okay I suppose. It is difficult sometimes.

"You have to assess your own individual performance and the team's performance.

"You are always thinking "could I have done better?" and there have been occasions when I could have done but generally I'm not too disappointed with my form.

"I could probably have got more crosses in the box as it is my job to do that as a winger, and score goals. I have seven so far, which is not a bad return from midfield."

But should he find himself on the bench Hunt promised he would not sulk, adding: "Whatever the manager decides to do will have to be backed by the team.

"It is not about individuals, it is about Reading Football Club and staying in the Premier League.

"Any player who comes to a club will expect to spend a little time on the bench and it is how you react to being left out that will help the club in the long run.

"And it will help you because the manager will be watching to see if you are sulking or getting behind the team."

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