CONFIMRED - John Swift

[genome]

He's younger than Jake Cooper

[maffff]

He's younger than Jake Cooper

Cooper is 4 months older than Swift.

To compare that to some of the rest of the squad:

Those older: Evans is only 2 months older, Blackett is 10 months older, Ilori is exactly two years (give or take a few days) older, and Moore is two years and a month older.

Those younger: He's 3 months older than Clement, 9 months older than Kelly, a year and a month older than Dickie, two years and eleven months older than Andresson, two years and a month older than Watson.

[muirinho]

He's younger than Jake Cooper

Cooper is 4 months older than Swift.

To compare that to some of the rest of the squad:

Those older: Evans is only 2 months older, Blackett is 10 months older, Ilori is exactly two years (give or take a few days) older, and Moore is two years and a month older.

Those younger: He's 3 months older than Clement, 9 months older than Kelly, a year and a month older than Dickie, two years and eleven months older than Andresson, two years and a month older than Watson.

I tend to forget all the time how young Watson is. Can see why they were looking to bring in another right-back. Hope we get a decent cup run or two this year, so he can get a reasonable run of games. Should we get somebody in so he can go out on loan? One of Jake Cooper's main issues I think was he was making all of his "rookie" errors in the full glare of the Championship, rather than at a L2 club where less is expected.

[MouldyRoyal]

Happy with this. Clearly has a lot of talent and potential. Was a bit inconsistent last season but that is to be expected at his age. If he continues to develop he, and others, could be the core of a young, long term Reading side:

Moore (24), Tiago (24), Blackett (23), Obita (23), Kelly (21), Evans (22), Swift (22), Clement (21), Harriot (23), Mendes (26) are all in the early stages of their careers and could potentially be the basis of the team for the next several seasons.

EDIT: Mendes is actually older than I thought at 26. So that would be gaps at GK, RB and CF in the young squad above.

[Hound]

Happy with this. Clearly has a lot of talent and potential. Was a bit inconsistent last season but that is to be expected at his age. If he continues to develop he, and others, could be the core of a young, long term Reading side:

Moore (24), Tiago (24), Blackett (23), Obita (23), Kelly (21), Evans (22), Swift (22), Clement (21), Harriot (23), Mendes (26) are all in the early stages of their careers and could potentially be the basis of the team for the next several seasons.

EDIT: Mendes is actually older than I thought at 26. So that would be gaps at GK, RB and CF in the young squad above.

I think the young keepers we have knocking about are pretty highly rated at the club. If Bond has a decent loan spell, you never know he could also be reconsidered.

Watson looked good as a RB last year, and looks like Smith and Loader will be getting some game time this year. Plus Novakovich if he has a good loan may be up to it.

But agree, identifying the best young players we have and tying them down to long contracts is a very sound policy