MIDFIELD enforcer Steven Reid reckons his goal-of-the-season contender against Wigan Athletic in December was the moment when he finally convinced Blackburn fans he was capable of becoming a major force in the Premier League.

The 25-year-old, who was recently linked with a summer move to Manchester United, had only shown brief glimpses of his shooting ability until he scored that screamer in Rovers' 3-0 win at the JJB Stadium on New Year's Eve.

The quality of Reid's breathtaking strike had Alan Hansen and his Match of the Day colleagues drooling with appreciation when it was screened on the BBC's highlights programme.

And it was later voted the Premiership's goal of the month for December by Match of the Day viewers, edging out a strike by Morten Gamst Pedersen from the same game.

Reid will never grow tired of watching footage of a goal he considers to be among his best.

But it's not just the aesthetic value which makes it so special; it's also cherished because that was the moment he came of age as a Premiership player, and Rovers confirmed their status as serious contenders for a European place.

"That goal is right up there with my best," said Reid, the scorer of another cracker against Sunderland last weekend.

"There was a couple at Millwall which were equally as good. But, in terms of its importance at that time of the year, it was an important one for me - and a great result for us."

Goals like that one became something of a trademark for Reid at Millwall, where he was considered to be one of the top midfielders in the country outside the Premier League before Graeme Souness signed him for Blackburn in the summer of 2003.

Big things were expected when he first arrived at Ewood but, by his own admission, it took Reid time to make a mark as he struggled for form and fitness, and it was only during the latter stages of last season when he began performing to anywhere near his full potential.

The turning point came at Everton last March. With Rovers fighting a desperate battle against relegation, they headed to Goodison needing a win and Hughes' decision to use Reid in the centre, rather than out on the right where he had made most of his previous appearances, proved to be an inspired move.

"That was a massive game for me. It gave me massive self belief," said Reid. "Since then, I've been pretty pleased with my form and I feel as though I belong here now.

"Coming from the lower leagues, it was always going to take time to adapt to Premiership football.

"That was the case for me and the injuries weren't a help at all. I was on the sidelines quite a lot but since Mark Hughes has come in, I've been pretty much injury free, I've had a decent run of games, and I'm starting to show the form I always knew I was capable of."

If further confirmation of Reid's undoubted ability was needed then it came in the most emphatic style imaginable at the JJB.

His stunning 25-yarder, which nearly burst the net, came on an afternoon when Rovers stepped impressively into the top half of the Premiership table - and they've remained there ever since.

"We were winning frequently at that time but we never seemed to move up the table as a result," recalls Reid.

"After that, though, we did jump up a few places and really started to kick on, and I think that's carried on in the main throughout the year."