Reading manager Brian McDermott was delighted to end a week full of speculation by watching his team record their fifth consecutive Championship victory.
The 50-year-old was temporarily a front-runner to replace Mick McCarthy as Wolverhampton Wanderers manager, before he committed his long-term future to the Royals by signing a new contract on Wednesday.
Speaking to Reading FC Player after his side won 2-0 at Middlesbrough, McDermott said: "It was important, after all the fuss, that we got back to what we're paid to do, winning football games, a good result and performance as well.
"The contract was done and dusted this week and credit to the club for that. I wanted to go in to training on Thursday with it all done."
The Royals made a slow start to the season by losing five of their first seven games, however they have now won 12 in 14 and are hot on the tails of Southampton and West Ham United in the race for automatic promotion.
McDermott added: "We have to be delighted with how bright and clever the players are and how they carry out a gameplan. We tweak every game and today was very, very good.
"The performance was key. If we do what we are capable of then the results will come."
McDermott became manager at the Madejski Stadium in 2009, following spells in charge of Woking and Slough Town.
Robert Summerscales
