By Jon Murray JAMIE Lambert's not the only one who reckons he's got something to prove in Sunday's first Thames Valley derby at the Madejski Stadium.

So too does Reading's new No 1 Phil Whitehead, who kept goal 238 times for Oxford United.

Whitehead, a recent £300,000 signing from West Brom, admits he is unsure how the United followers will take to him in the eagerly-anticipated Division 2 game . . . as someone they used to like - he won the Supporters' Player of the Year award one season - or as a traitor for leaving a sinking ship last season when he moved to The Hawthorns for £250,000.

"I haven't a clue what reception I'll get from the Oxford fans," he said. "It wasn't a case of leaving under a cloud or anything, it was because they desperately needed the money.

"I got on very well with the supporters, but whether they see me as a traitor or otherwise we'll have to wait and see." Like United, The Royals dropped two important league points after taking the lead in midweek, with the game at Brentford also finishing 1-1.

And Whitehead held up his hand to accept the blame for substitute Tony Folan's late equaliser.

He said: "I tried to read the player's mind, I thought he would cross it, so I moved over to the left, but I left too much space at the near post and he took full advantage.

"I hope there won't be too many mistakes like that on Sunday, and I want to put it right.

"We won't need much motivating for a game like this. Our fans will be really up for it and so will we.

"There's always a bit more spark in derby games and everybody in the town will be talking about it."

There was the same offer on the table from Bristol City, but Whitehead chose to join Reading because they have a full-time goalkeeping coach in Nicky Hammond, who is also No 3 to the new management team of Alan Pardew and John Gorman. Hammond spied on Oxford United against Colchester on Tuesday, and he was impressed by Lambert, the former Reading star who stated in yesterday's Oxford Mail how much it would mean to him to put one over his old club.

"When Tommy Burns came to Reading, Jamie Lambert clearly didn't fit into his plans, so off he went," Hammond said. "He did drift for a while and got a bit jaded with the game, but has got back into it.

"He's a very talented lad, with great technical ability, and he finds playing at this level no problem.

"He loves the big stage and, with a large crowd at the stadium, he'll be out to prove people wrong."

Story date: Friday 05 November

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