The goalposts kept moving ... but now it's just great to be here

BORO MOVE WAS FAR FROM SMOOTH, SAYS BRITTAIN AS HE SETTLES ON TEESSIDE

- By CRAIG JOHNS

CALLUM Brittain has opened up on his frustrating summer as he waited for his move to Middlesbrough from Blackburn Rovers to be completed.

Brittain says the ‘goalposts changed’ and insists untrue things were said about him.

The defender joined Boro on the eve of the new Championship season, but the move had been heavily touted for a number of weeks before that.

Brittain even missed Blackburn's first preseason friendly of the summer as a move appeared close.

With Blackburn demanding a fee Boro were unwilling to pay, however, patience was required on all sides before the deal could be resurrected and completed. It meant Brittain, while making clear his desire to make the move, had to continue training and playing friendlies with Rovers, despite being assured he could leave.

“It was difficult,’ he admitted. “I think there were a lot of things put out in the media about me that weren't actually true.

“You get told you're close to a move and then the goalposts move. So it was a different outcome. I tried to deal with it as professionally and positively as I could do.

“I was very close to a lot of players and staff at Blackburn which meant it wasn’t as hard as I first thought it might be. But you've just got to get your head down.

“With things like that I have the attitude that if something is going to happen for you, it will happen, so you've just got to stay patient and keep myself as fit as possible. Luckily, I'm here now.