Reading legend Adam Le Fondre has learned to appreciate his hattrick over Saturday's opponents Bolton Wanderers even more, almost a decade down the line.

A goal-scoring machine for the Royals between 2011 and 2014, 'Alfie' scored six goals in two matches during an incredible 10-day period in January 2014.

Hitting three in a 5-1 rout over Blackpool, the Trotters were hit for seven just a week previously, with Le Fondre scoring hattricks in both.

"It’s a weird one because it is two clubs where I have great relationships with the fans," he told the Reading Chronicle. "Whenever that game comes up on Twitter I have the Bolton fans saying ‘how dare you’ and the Reading fans loving it. It’s a nice thing for me to have because it means I’ve done something right with both clubs. Scoring a hattrick in that game was amazing. When I was 26-27 you see Ronaldo scoring hattricks every week and you think you may get a few more but after the Blackpool hattrick and the Bolton hattrick I didn’t score another one for six or seven years. It makes me appreciate it even more looking back on it now."

Ultimately it was to be his final season in a Reading shirt, moving to Cardiff in the summer of 2014, but it was a year later when his love affair with the Wanderers kickstarted.

Scoring eight goals in 17 appearances while on loan in Lancashire in 2015, he would go on to have two further spells at the-then University of Bolton Stadium.

As he has in Berkshire, he would go on to earn legend status with the Trotters.

One game stands out though, his only return to RG2 since his departure.

And in true Le Fondre fashion, he marked it with a goal.

"I should have had a hattrick that day too," he joked. "It was probably one of my best all-round performances when I came back to the Madejski. I think it was the first time I actually played there because when I went to Cardiff, I didn’t do the away game, Wigan I didn’t do the away game, at Wolves the manager sat me on the bench for the whole game. It was four or five years coming really."

On a bitterly cold evening in 2018, only 8,600 were in attendance for the latest basement battle between the two sides.

Modou Barrow put the Royals ahead, but Le Fondre found the back of the net in first half stoppage-time, and was greeted with applause from all four sides of the-then Madejski Stadium.

"The reception I got was amazing- I can remember it to this day. I can’t thank the fans enough because they really did show a keen level of respect that not many players get going back to their former clubs. We’ve shared a lot of special moments."

Still scoring goals under iconic Reading boss Brian McDermott at 36 years old, Le Fondre is back on UK soil with Scottish Premiership side Hibernian.