January transfer window

[blythspartan]

A mate of mine who is a Cheltenham Town regular said we were interested in Ben Williams last summer. I think he’s a LB and only left them because they got relegated. I know very little about him apart from he was on loan at Carlisle so probably not a good sign

[Snowflake Royal]

Transfermarkt showing these ex Royals as free agents:

Sean Morrison
Michael Hector
Tyler Blackett


As always I'd love to see Big Hec back, and say what you like about Blackett, he wouldn't be a bad option at LB this level in our circumstances, unless he's really declined or been broken by injury. Not that old.

Left backs Scott Malone and Ivan Inzoudine are LBs who are only recently free agents.

[stealthpapes]

Reading have the option of a free agent but won't rush anything

(Earnshaw via Hunt on Twitter https://x.com/james_e1871/status/188754 ... 96I7g&s=19 )

That's huge......it has to be either a LB or CB for me. With Yids and Abrefa gaining fitness then the RB spot is covered. Midfield is fine with plenty of options and the wide positions and now attack is just about covered.
LB has been our Achilles heel all season.
Really don't know who is out there though, need one of the experts to do some diggin.

Guess it also depends on how free a free agent is.
Could it count a player near end of contract released and we pick him up on short term contract?

I mentioned him elsewhere, on paper you'd be looking at e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_W ... footballer)

except there's a few solid reasons why he's unattached at the age he is ,,,

[stealthpapes]

Transfermarkt showing these ex Royals as free agents:

Sean Morrison
Michael Hector
Tyler Blackett


As always I'd love to see Big Hec back, and say what you like about Blackett, he wouldn't be a bad option at LB this level in our circumstances, unless he's really declined or been broken by injury. Not that old.

Left backs Scott Malone and Ivan Inzoudine are LBs who are only recently free agents.

recent MEN interview

Addressing his current situation, Blackett said: "How I've been? Okay. It's not been easy by any means, it's something which I've not had to deal with in my career before. Some days better than others.

"But I'm just getting through – staying fit and training. Just keeping on top of things and doing what I can do to be ready when the right opportunity comes.

"It's about waiting for the right fit now. There's been some interest at different times, but it's not really been right for me."

Not turning 31 until April, Blackett is at an age where he should be in the prime of his career. To have gone more than 12 months without playing is a sad and eye-opening scenario for a player held in such high esteem by United a decade ago.

...

Blackett was often excellent for Reading but it has been a challenging period since. The 30-year-old will be hoping he can revive his career again at some point in the not too distant future and put a difficult period behind him.

[Snowflake Royal]

I don't care how shit he is, can we sign Joe Starbuck please

[morganb]

I don't care how shit he is, can we sign Joe Starbuck please

Diego Costa is also available

[Snowflake Royal]

I don't care how shit he is, can we sign Joe Starbuck please

Diego Costa is also available

Just need to dig up Nero for a themed back three.

[traff]

Latte Lath?

[Sutekh]

Club has not ruled out a free agent move should they feel there is someone who can add value to the squad.

[Hound]

You’d think Blackett could do a job - long time out of the game now though - I thought he was at Rotherham or some last year

I think reading the interview the answer to us getting a free agent sounded more theoretical than likely

[morganb]

Our friend Huang:

#ReadingFC are considering taking Brandon Williams on a free till the summer. I understand the LB position is the main focus of priority at the moment. However the club is still waiting for EFL approval on whether you can.

https://x.com/HuangKad/status/189359024 ... sYhuA&s=19

[WestYorksRoyal]

Believable. He's used to bigger wages, but presumably he'd view this as a chance to put himself in the window ahead of the summer, so probably quite cheap.

Fitness is obviously a concern having been in the cold for so long. There must also be some sort of wider issue going on for him to be unattached. Man Utd academy product who played a fringe role in Ipswich's promotion last season. You'd think he'd have been capable of finding a club before now.

[Sutekh]

Believable. He's used to bigger wages, but presumably he'd view this as a chance to put himself in the window ahead of the summer, so probably quite cheap.

Fitness is obviously a concern having been in the cold for so long. There must also be some sort of wider issue going on for him to be unattached. Man Utd academy product who played a fringe role in Ipswich's promotion last season. You'd think he'd have been capable of finding a club before now.

He's probably unattached as he's banned from driving - he had almost as many points on his licence as Reading have got this season.