Squad for 2025-2026

[morganb]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY CAN WE STOP JUST SUGGESTING WE SIGN EX-PLAYERS.

It's on the EFL Embargo page:

Reading - only allowed to sign ex-players who weren't very good when at the club but have improved in the memory over time

[WestYorksRoyal]

Stephen Hunt is O'connor's agent and admitted a few months ago we were close, only for "someone" to mess it up. Could have legs and would be a real statement of intent.

[Schmeichel the dog]

Garcia's certainly not ready to start regularly in L1. At his age he could develop a lot by August, but like in January, if you have to lose anyone, he's probably one of the most replaceable ones in the first team squad likely to be in demand. We should 100% try to keep him... I was thinking he might benefit from a loan.

Agree 100%. Not ready for first team football week in week out and not a full back and imho. Has fallen into the trap of believing his own hype from earlier in the season. Poor attitude and poor work rate. If we’re offered a decent fee from all these clubs apparently showing an interest then I’d get rid and replace with a solid dependable player with experience at this level. Remember when we signed Ian Harte and Andy griffin? Two players who everyone thought were passed it and shouldn’t be signed. They both were fantastic for a couple of seasons. We need to look for a couple of L1 equivalents to steady the ship.

[Fezza]

Wouldn't be surprise if the following all depart, either for fees or otherwise...

Garcia - OoC?
Mbengue - will go champ or overseas
Wing - surely one that will be looked at by lower champ teams
Savage - as above
Knibbs - as above

I'd obviously love to keep all of them.

Realistically, whatever happens, RC is starting with a pretty clean slate. If we can sign players early in the window we should certainly be looking to challenge towards the top of the league (even with strong teams coming down, Luton due to squad and Plymouth due to experience in yoyoing between the divisions - Cardiff may be on the EFL naughty list).

For me Craig and big Kelv are key players to retain.

[Hound]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY CAN WE STOP JUST SUGGESTING WE SIGN EX-PLAYERS.

It's on the EFL Embargo page:

Reading - only allowed to sign ex-players who weren't very good when at the club but have improved in the memory over time

It’s not quite so simple as that in some cases though - Abbey was excellent for us and came through the academy and has now lost his way. We need a CB and he knows the place back to front

Meite definitely a bit of a nostalgia trip and obvs not been nearly so good since his injury but at div1 could do a job as an experienced forward and again knows the club and would fit in seamlessly in a period where there may be a big overhaul

Vickers has apparently been good for Mansfield and may be looking for another loan

I personally wouldn’t touch McIntyre or Holmes but that’s because I don’t think they are very good

Obvs there’s plenty of good players who didn’t play for us available but at the same time we shouldn’t rule out players just because they did….

[Snowflake Royal]

One player I would 100% be looking at is little Liam Bennett at Cambridge.

He's still only 23, but experienced with it at about 100 League One starts. Decent pace, wicked cross. Obviously there's the Knibbs, Smith, Morrison connection, so he'd know a good amount about the club and facilities, he already knows Knibbs here. He certainly won't break the bank.

We definitely need fullbacks. Left back more than Right back, but I don't seee how we can plan to rely on Yids, or Abrefa and Craig is wasted there, putting too much strain on Knibbs, Savage, Wing and Elliott if he's not available for midfield.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Must say it's fun speculating about this stuff again, instead of looking at the contract situation in dread.

[6ft Kerplunk]

Think we're kidding ourselves if we think we're all of a sudden going to start chucking money about. Expect this summer to be a load of free transfers and loans.

[Sutekh]

Must say it's fun speculating about this stuff again, instead of looking at the contract situation in dread.

Boring. I’m missing the survival threads already.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Think we're kidding ourselves if we think we're all of a sudden going to start chucking money about. Expect this summer to be a load of free transfers and loans.

You can make waves in this division through effective use of frees and loans, especially if you have a productive academy too.

[Snowflake Royal]

Think we're kidding ourselves if we think we're all of a sudden going to start chucking money about. Expect this summer to be a load of free transfers and loans.

Mostly, that should be the case.

[Uke]

Chem has said goodbye on Insta

[Stranded]

Chem has said goodbye on Insta

Standard - doesn't mean he won't be back - not that I think he will be. 7 goals and 4 assists is not a bad return, not great but OK - so be may be on a list if he becomes available again.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

'If' we are allowed to strengthen, I am a little concerned at our track record when it comes to bringing in 'experienced' players to support the younger academy 'break-throughs'

I'd argue the money spent on signing on fees and wages for Hutchinson, Button, Dean, Carroll wasn't the best use of limited resources.

I understand the idea that you may need a blend of youth and experience - but given who we have (Yiadom, Wing,) I'd be happier if the investment went on different profiles.

We miss pace and power in the side IMHO.

[Hound]

Yes thanks Chem but to be honest I don’t think he is the answer for next year. Just disappeared from games far too often

[Sutekh]

'If' we are allowed to strengthen, I am a little concerned at our track record when it comes to bringing in 'experienced' players to support the younger academy 'break-throughs'

I'd argue the money spent on signing on fees and wages for Hutchinson, Button, Dean, Carroll wasn't the best use of limited resources.

I understand the idea that you may need a blend of youth and experience - but given who we have (Yiadom, Wing,) I'd be happier if the investment went on different profiles.

We miss pace and power in the side IMHO.

Hutch was generally a decent shout but fell out with the management as Selles couldn’t handle conflicting opinions, Dean just got injured, and Selles again didn’t seem to like or want older pros (probably because of their experience and not being afraid to speak up), but started to look more like a player with Hunt managing the ship. Andy Carroll was decent and he did his part for the club by accepting a low wage, could have got more out of him if he kept his head down a bit more but I think he was a decent return for the outlay. Never really saw the point in Button!

I have confidence that Brian Carey’s influence will mean that any more “golden oldies” that are turned up going forward will be worth the punt.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

'If' we are allowed to strengthen, I am a little concerned at our track record when it comes to bringing in 'experienced' players to support the younger academy 'break-throughs'

I'd argue the money spent on signing on fees and wages for Hutchinson, Button, Dean, Carroll wasn't the best use of limited resources.

I understand the idea that you may need a blend of youth and experience - but given who we have (Yiadom, Wing,) I'd be happier if the investment went on different profiles.

We miss pace and power in the side IMHO.

Hutch was generally a decent shout but fell out with the management as Selles couldn’t handle conflicting opinions, Dean just got injured, and Selles again didn’t seem to like or want older pros (probably because of their experience and not being afraid to speak up), but started to look more like a player with Hunt managing the ship. Andy Carroll was decent and he did his part for the club by accepting a low wage, could have got more out of him if he kept his head down a bit more but I think he was a decent return for the outlay. Never really saw the point in Button!

I have confidence that Brian Carey’s influence will mean that any more “golden oldies” that are turned up going forward will be worth the punt.

I should have specified - I meant Tom, not Andy Carroll...

Earlier in this saga, many dreamt of a team of young and hungry academy talents representing the club and to an extent we've had that with a sprinkling of 'better than L1' players added in.

Given the two January squad places were given to older 'journeymen' type players, I hope that isn't a pattern to be repeated.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Also, if anyone has Shane Long's number - can you pass it into Kelvin E?

I'd love for Kelvin to spend the summer learning how to bully defenders from Shane, beef up and came back the full package...

[Sutekh]

'If' we are allowed to strengthen, I am a little concerned at our track record when it comes to bringing in 'experienced' players to support the younger academy 'break-throughs'

I'd argue the money spent on signing on fees and wages for Hutchinson, Button, Dean, Carroll wasn't the best use of limited resources.

I understand the idea that you may need a blend of youth and experience - but given who we have (Yiadom, Wing,) I'd be happier if the investment went on different profiles.

We miss pace and power in the side IMHO.

Hutch was generally a decent shout but fell out with the management as Selles couldn’t handle conflicting opinions, Dean just got injured, and Selles again didn’t seem to like or want older pros (probably because of their experience and not being afraid to speak up), but started to look more like a player with Hunt managing the ship. Andy Carroll was decent and he did his part for the club by accepting a low wage, could have got more out of him if he kept his head down a bit more but I think he was a decent return for the outlay. Never really saw the point in Button!

I have confidence that Brian Carey’s influence will mean that any more “golden oldies” that are turned up going forward will be worth the punt.

I should have specified - I meant Tom, not Andy Carroll...

Earlier in this saga, many dreamt of a team of young and hungry academy talents representing the club and to an extent we've had that with a sprinkling of 'better than L1' players added in.

Given the two January squad places were given to older 'journeymen' type players, I hope that isn't a pattern to be repeated.

Felt they had to be seen to do something though and obviously had a very limited market to work with. Might well have gone for “good fits with the overall squad character” over players that might have been more impactful on the pitch.

[Stranded]

Hutch was generally a decent shout but fell out with the management as Selles couldn’t handle conflicting opinions, Dean just got injured, and Selles again didn’t seem to like or want older pros (probably because of their experience and not being afraid to speak up), but started to look more like a player with Hunt managing the ship. Andy Carroll was decent and he did his part for the club by accepting a low wage, could have got more out of him if he kept his head down a bit more but I think he was a decent return for the outlay. Never really saw the point in Button!

I have confidence that Brian Carey’s influence will mean that any more “golden oldies” that are turned up going forward will be worth the punt.

I should have specified - I meant Tom, not Andy Carroll...

Earlier in this saga, many dreamt of a team of young and hungry academy talents representing the club and to an extent we've had that with a sprinkling of 'better than L1' players added in.

Given the two January squad places were given to older 'journeymen' type players, I hope that isn't a pattern to be repeated.

Felt they had to be seen to do something though and obviously had a very limited market to work with. Might well have gone for “good fits with the overall squad character” over players that might have been more impactful on the pitch.

Whoever they brought in was only ever going to be cover in case of injury to our starting team, we had a small market and someone like Carroll who would likely have been happy playing a role from the bench was an obvious fit. If we could have recruited normally, then we would have been very unlikely to sign him and he'll move on now.

Same with Bodin, he could do a job but the key thing was bringing in someone likely to be popular with the squad and happy to mainly be coming off the bench.