Reading Football Club News: June 2015
Quinn Becomes Second Summer Signing
30 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Midfielder Stephen Quinn became Reading's second confirmed signing in two days this afternoon as he completed his move from just relegated Hull City. Quinn's contract had
finished with the Tigers so he joins on a free transfer and signs a three year contract with the Royals. Quinn's arrival coincides the imminent deperature of Jem Karacan who is set to join
Galatasaray as his contract expires with Reading.
Quinn comes to Reading with plenty of experience having spent seven years with Sheffield United before a move to Hull City where he has been for the past three seasons. He also spent
loan spells at MK Dons and Rotherham in his early career while with Sheffield United. Quinn, 29 years old, has already clocked up 371 professional appearances and scored 27 goals. Quinn has
also regularly featured for Ireland and has 12 caps.
Last season he made 34 appearances for club and country, picking up a single red card against Leicester and scoring once in a 1-3 home defeat to Arsenal.
Like Sa, Quinn has been a Reading FC transfer target for some time and had been expected to sign over the past few weeks before the club eventually confirmed the move.
With Hull reported to be trying to secure a new deal with the player, Clarke was clearly pleased to confirm Reading's latest capture:
"When I knew Stephen was available, I targeted him quite early in the summer. His performances are always of a good standard and he is a talented, industrious, aggressive
midfielder who can be influential in games."
Orlando Sa Confirmed As Three Year Contract
29 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Striker Orlando Sa's transfer from Polish side Legia Warsaw to Reading FC has finally been officially confirmed. The transfer had been known for some time as a certainty, with the player confirming he was on the move last week, but there was quite a wait for the club to announce he'd signed his contract. He joins Reading on a three year deal to keep him at the club until the summer of 2018. As usual the transfer fee is "undisclosed" but is thought to be 750K pounds rising up to 1 million depending on his time at the club.
The former Limassol and Fulham player becomes Reading's first signing since the close of the season, and he joins at a time when several long-term players have already left the club. Jem Karacan is expected to soon complete his move to Turkish side Galatasaray as he follows players Alex Pearce and Federici outwards, after they also turned down new contract offers. Although money is clearly very tight at the club, the Royals will have to source further players before the new season starts. Orlando Sa should be the first of several signings, which will also have to include a new goalkeeper.
The Royals also are set to complete the transfer of Hull City and Ireland midfielder Stephen Quinn this week. Quinn is out of contract with Hull City but appears set to move to Reading rather than sign a new deal with The Tigers. His contract status means he will be available on a free transfer. Quinn will also be offered a three year contract with Reading.
Quinn has spent most of his career with Sheffield United where we clocked up 236 appearances over a seven year spell beginning in 2005. He moved on to Hull City in 2012 where he also became a regular fixture in the side and featured heavily in last season's Premier League campaign giving him plenty of experience at the top level of the English game. Hull were narrowly relegated at the end of the season so Quinn will get to play his old side this season.
While Reading fans wait for official confirmation of Quinn, Sa is expected to travel with his new team mates on next week's short tour of Thailand. It's possible that both new players could play in the friendly against a Thai Premier League XI side.
Orlando Sa Arrives At Reading FC
26 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading FC are set to finally unveil new signing Orlando Sa, as the player arrives into the UK to sign his new contract with the club. He has already completed his medical, and should follow that by completing his transfer. Orlando Sa will be Reading's first incoming player of the summer and is expected to join for a transfer fee rising to 1 million pounds from current club, Polish side Legia Warsaw.
The 27 year old striker has had a limited number of appearances at the highest level, and is known to English fans for a short spell at then Premier League side Fulham during the 2011/2012 season. Last season was by far his most successful hitting 15 goals in 39 appearances for Legia Warsaw, although nearly half of those appearances were from the bench. He began his career in his home country of Portugal at Braga before moving to Porto. His potential back then saw him earn his single senior International cap after impressing in the Portuguese under-21s. However, he only managed a single competitive appearance for Porto before moving on to join Nacional. That was followed with his season at Fulham before a year and a half at AEL Limassol.
After finding the net just once while at Fulham in 12 games, he finally broke through while at Limassol. His year at Legia Warsaw has finally seen himself establish himself as a regular player for a side - and he finished as top scorer and earned himself a good reputation - and obviously the attention of the Royals.
One of the big mysteries around the player is why Legia Warsaw are happy to let their top scorer go, and why he spent so much of the season on the bench despite his obvious goal scoring ability. In his first three games at Legia Warsaw he hit five goals, yet still struggled to hold a starting place in the side. One reviews from Poland are glowing: "He has everything. Technical abilities, positioning, physicality, strength, first touch, he is good in the air."
Have your say:
Will Orlando Sa be a good signing for Reading FC?
Will Reading complete the signing successfully?
Beasant Joins As Clarke Assembles Backroom Staff
26 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Dave Beasant has been revealed as Reading FC's new goalkeeping coach after the dismissal of former coach Sal Bibbo earlier this summer. Last season Beasant was at League Two Stevenage - where he was also registered as a player. Despite being 56 years old and last playing a Football League match 12 years ago, Beasant was named on the bench more than once after Stevenage found themselves without a back-up keeper. Beasant joins at a time when Reading have a similar crisis.
Goalkeepers Federici, Andersen, Lincoln and Henly have all left the club in the summer - so Beasant's first priority will be to assist in finding a goalkeeper that he can coach. Reading's only professional goalkeeper left is 20 year old Stuart Moore whose professional career is lower league appearances and two FA Cup games while on loan at Basingstoke last season. With Reading off to Thailand to begin their pre-season schedule they are now desperate to find a new number 1. Moore was highly rated while at Basingstoke and could find himself cast into the spotlight under Beasant's guidance - at least in the short-term.
Although no incoming players have yet been officially confirmed, it has been a busy week for the club. The club confirmed a friendly against Spanish club Espanyol will be staged at the Madejski Stadium on 1 August. Espanyol are at Southampton the next day, so it is likely their squad will be split in half - and you'd have to expect the stronger side to be at St.Mary's. Despite that it will be a useful friendly to end the pre-season schedule before league action begins at Birmingham City on 8 August. Beasant is also one of a number of new back-room staff that Steve Clarke has brought in.
Beasant is of course a friend of manager Steve Clarke as they played together at Chelsea. Other shufflings off the pitch are also to replace the old guard and swap them with staff known to Clarke. Steven Reid is the new first team coach and he comes to Reading after playing under Clarke at West Brom. Jonathan Urwin is Reading's new head physiotherapist with previous links to Clarke and even the new kitman has worked with Reading's manager before. Stewart Bannister was with Clarke back at Chelsea when Clarke was the youth team coach.
Putting the FA Cup run aside, Steve Clarke has had a poor half season at Reading and followed that up by a summer in which a big chunk of the first team have been allowed to leave. Off the pitch Clarke has sacked a number of popular members of staff and replaced them with his own team. Reading fans wanted big changes of course - so if this all pays off then Clarke will deserve huge credit for being brave enough to do it. However, if Reading are struggling at the bottom of the table early next season then the pressure on Clarke will surely be unbearable.
Espanyol Added To Pre-Season Friendlies
25 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading have added Spanish top tier side Espanyol to their pre-season friendly schedule. The La Liga side, who finished 10th last season, will visit the Madejski Stadium immediately before the new season kicks off, facing the Royals on Saturday 1 August. The friendly is Reading's only home fixture and follows four away friendlies in July that have already been confirmed.
Barcelona based Espanyol are not expected to field a full strength side for the fixture as they will face a tougher test against Premier League Southampton at St.Mary's the following day.
Reading's Pre-Season Schedule
- Wed 8 July: Thailand Premier League XI (Away)
- Tue 21 July: Bristol Rovers (Away)
- Fri 24 July: Swansea City (Away - Wycombe)
- Mon 27 July: Crawley Town (Away)
- Sat 1 August: Espanyol (Home)
Federici And Hector Pick Up Awards
25 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Adam Federici and Michael Hector are the winners in the annual Hob Nob Anyone? End of Season Awards. The voting, the longest running annual on-line voting for the club, saw some interesting results. Federici was named as 2014/2015 Player of the Season in a category where only two out of the top six players remain at the club. Michael Hector was runner-up in that category but was a clear winner for the Most Improved Player of the Season. Hector won the vote by a massive 57% from runner-up Jake Cooper. Both players enjoyed real break through season's in the centre of the Reading defence.
If you take the FA Cup run out of the 2014/2015 season then you're left with a very forgettable period in Reading's history. Reading's history semi-final appearance against Arsenal at Wembley takes the top spot for the Best Performance of the Season by a clear margin. Our quarter-final win over League One Bradford City at the Madejski is third in the final vote count. League matches made up less than 30% of the total voting.
There was plenty to choose from the the Worst Performance of the Season category! As a result the voting was very widespread with so many disappointing Championship showing to take your pick from. The resounding winner was the game that Nigel Adkins will remember so well. The 1-6 hammering at Birmingham City saw Adkins given his marching orders. Things didn't improve at all in the League under new manager Steve Clarke though. Despite Adkins taking charge of half of the season, Clarke see's three games under his charge in the top four. Those three games were all home defeats to nil. Very poor times at the Madejski Stadium.
If you're a regular reader of the Hob Nob Anyone? forums you'd think all Reading FC supporters expect the worst - but it appears not. Last season 60% of the vote thought we'd be midtable which was roughly right - although only 11% thought we'd be "safe - just". This time around the figures are similar but definitely a shift towards less expectations. However only 7% think we'll go down - while 12% think promotion of play-offs are on the agenda - madness! If the pattern follows through expect Reading to be hovering around that magical 21st in the table position.
Full results of all the categories are now available.
Karacan Hunts New Deal and Fixture Updates
24 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Jem Karacan's agent will be working hard to secure a contract elsewhere for the midfielder as the club wait for his response to his new contract offer. Karacan's contract ends at the end of June,
at which point he will become a free agent if he fails to accept the contract offered by Reading FC. The Royals have already seen Adam Federici and Alex Pearce reject contract offers and opt to continue their careers elsewhere on better deals. Karacan has been sitting on his contract offer for some time now which has caused various rumours to circulate about his next club - including speculation about a move
to Turkish club Galatasaray. Whatever Karacan's destination it does seem a strong possibility that Karacan will be following others out of the door as he makes himself open to offers.
Reading's squad continues to dwindle as they have also failed to secure
a single new signing over the summer. The club look set to rely on what remains of the Under-21 squad merging with the remnants of the first team squad for the pre-season campaign.
Reading shortly jet off to Thailand for a pre-season tour - and there will
probably be spare seats on the plane for anyone who wants to tag along.
The dedication, and funds, of Reading's new Thai owners remains something of a mystery as supporters grow concerned
about the future of the club. The summer has also seen key backroom staff depart the club as Clarke looks to bring in his own team while reducing staff numbers.
Of course a few signings will do plenty to stem the panic and ease the worry, but there still seems little convincing news from the club that any incoming transfers are truly in the pipeline.
Excluding the final day victory at Derby County, the Royals finished the season looking very much like relegation material.
Since then several key players have departed and Steve Clarke's interviews
already sound like a man fully expecting his slimline squad to be battling against relegation.
"The league fixtures are the bread and butter, the grind.
You start to look at them and you start to think which ones are we going to get our points from? Points from that game, points from that game, every game looks difficult.
The Championship is a league that I learned a lot about last year.
Every game you can look at and it will be a difficult game...
The size of the job, when I came in, I probably underestimated a little bit. It's a big challenge to turn the club around and get us going in the right direction again."
Considering the club are publishing these Clarke quotes on their own website it seems there is a bit of expectation setting going on from the club PR machine.
A 21st place finish in the new season will obviously be seen as great success. But what about the longer term aims of Reading Football Club? The Premier League already seems an unobtainable
step away for little Reading.
Meanwhile, Reading's first home match of the season has been pushed onto the Sunday to accommodate Leeds United playing on Thursday evening.
The change means the game will kick-off at 3pm on Sunday 16 August at the Madejski. The change also means that Reading have had to move their Tuesday night fixture. Rather than play two games with only a day inbetween Reading will now make the long trip to Sheffield Wednesday on the following Wednesday.
Reading FC's start to the 2015/2016 Season:
- Sat 08 Aug: Birmingham City - Championship (Away)
- Tue 11 Aug: Colchester United - League Cup Round 1 (Away)
- Sun 16 Aug: Leeds United - Championship (Home)
- Wed 19 Aug: Sheffield Wednesday - Championship (Away)
Reading FC 2015-2016 Fixtures In Full
17 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading's fixtures for the new 2015/2016 Championship season have been released this morning and are available in full just here.
Reading will kick-off the new season with a trip to Birmingham City on Saturday 8 August 2015. Our first home league match is against Leeds United on Saturday 15 August 2015 at the Madejski Stadium. Between those two fixtures is the League Cup fixture which was confirmed as an away trip to Colchester United in yesterday's draw.
As well as starting the season away from home, the Royals finish the season away as well - with a trip to Blackburn Rovers as the season wraps up on Saturday 7 May. The Boxing Day fixture is also an away trip when Reading will have to play at Wolves.
Away games on Tuesday nights include long trips to Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Hull, Derby and Huddersfield.
To view the new season fixture list in full please use the link below:
Royals To Visit Colchester In League Cup
16 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading will travel to League One Colchester United in the first round of the League Cup.
The draw was made this morning ahead of the release of the full League fixture list tomorrow. Fixtures will be published in full on release on our fixtures page.
The game will take place at Colchester's Weston Homes Community Stadium on Tuesday 11 August 2015.
A Division seperates the teams - while Reading finished 19th in the Championship, Colchester finished 19th in League One and missed out on relegation by just two points.
United looked doomed but won two and draw two out of their last four games to achieve safety. A home win on the last day of the season against Preston North End was enough to keep them up.
Reading haven't played Colchester for over 13 years, with our last meeting in Division Two back in January 2002. On that day
Nicky Forster scored two and Andy Hughes scored the other as Reading were 3-0 winners
at the Madejski Stadium. Earlier that season we lost 0-2 at Colchester but also secured another 2-1 home win in the LDV Vans trophy - that game was watched by just 2,725 fans.
Alex Pearce Completes Move To Derby
08 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Alex Pearce has completed his expected move to Championship side Derby County, after failing to agree a new contract to keep him at Reading. As Pearce is out of contract he moves to Derby on a free transfer and Reading will fail to get any transfer fee. As previously reported there appears to be no money available to negotiate favourable contracts to players at the end of existing deals. The club had offered both Pearce and Federici, who has already gone to Bournemouth, new contracts but they were able to negotiate better deals elsewhere.
The last time Alex Pearce approached the end of his contract he was widely expected to move, but the club managed to retain his services. This time his agent was obviously able to secure him a good deal to move and he departs after spending his entire professional career on Reading's books. After confirming his move Pearce said "I have been at Reading since I was 12 years old. But there is always a time in your life when you have to move on with certain things and this is the time for me"
"It's a big thing for me to get this deal over the line and I'm really delighted that everything has been finalised. I found out about it quite early doors after the season finished and after we had got in contact with each other, everything escalated really quickly. It's been a smooth transition and it is very pleasing that I'm going to be part of such a great club going forward. The ambition of the club was a huge pull for me. I spoke to certain people within the club and it was clear to see that there is a clear vision here at Derby to not only get into the Premier League, but stay there and that is something that you want to be part of as a player."
Reading's contract negotiations look a bit of mess after a set of players were not offered new contracts. Those that were out of contract and were offered new deals included Federici, Pearce, Kelly, Karacan and Samuel. Two of those players have already left and there is no news to confirm that Kelly and Karacan will be staying put. Samuel, having had a successful loan spell at League One Coventry City last season, will remain a Reading player. However a large chunk of Reading's first team squad from last season will not be at the club next season and Reading are yet to bring anyone in to replace them.
No Money For Contracts
04 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Michael Hector remains the exception to the rule as Reading's on-going contract negotiations fail to secure either existing or new players. Hector renewed his contract for a further three years this week as Steve Clarke looks to tie down what's left of his core squad. Reading have released a string of players over the summer already as they look to reduce their squad size and so reduce costs.
The Royals were looking to retain the services of both goalkeeper Adam Federici and defender Alex Pearce but have been unable to match offers elsewhere for the out-of-contract players. It has already been confirmed that Federici has accepted a new contract offer from new Premier League side Bournemouth, and now Alex Pearce looks set to leave on a free transfer with Reading unable to meet his contract demands.
Championship side Derby County missed out on the play-offs on the last day of the season thanks to Reading's shock 3-0 win and are now looking to complete the signing of Pearce who must have impressed someone at Derby that day. Federici had been at Reading for ten years before his departure, and Alex Pearce has had nine years as a professional at Reading. Pearce has 240 appearances against his name at Reading as well as 15 goals. If Pearce completes his move it will be another familiar face out of the door as Reading continue a mass restructuring for the new season.
The biggest problem is that Reading are yet to secure any new recruits as out of contract players continue to leave. Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham is out of contract at League One Swindon Town and was widely rumoured to be the likely replacement for Adam Federici, however he now looks set to join Birmingham City - a move that surely suggests more contract discussions where where Reading are unable or unwilling to meet player salary demands. With Anderson, Henly and Lincoln all leaving the club over the summer a new goalkeeper is obviously top priority and Reading may need to find some funds to get their man or be set for a very difficult new season.
Currently Reading continue to be linked with out-of-contract players only, and it seems unlikely that any incoming players will attract transfer fees to existing clubs. Paul McShane, a defender who would be a swap for Alex Pearce, is the current rumour after being released by Hull City. McShane made 23 appearances for Hull last season - his eighth club (including loan spells) after turning professional with Manchester United in 2004. Sunderland paid 2.5 million pounds for his services in 2007.
Our Thai owners still remain something of a mystery but after paying off our debts to secure ownership, and the future of Reading Football Club, they are not set to make new money available for players. The departure of players on decent wages should allow the club to bring in some new faces and still reduce overall costs. The Royals head of to Thailand in July for a brief pre-season tour. That tour includes a televised game against a Thai Premier League XI side. Our Thai owners will be looking for show off the club in their home country - so they will need to sort out some incoming players quickly if they are looking to avoid embarrassment.
Pre-Season Plans Revealed
03 June 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Thanks to Reading's new Thai based owners, the club are planning a short tour of Thailand this summer ahead of the new Championship season. The Royals head out in early July and will face a team made up of players from the Thailand Premier League. The friendly match will take place at Bangkok's National Stadium and is scheduled for Wednesday 8 July with a 7pm kick-off. The game is also set to be shown on TV in Thailand as Reading look to make the most of their Thai links and earn some new supporters overseas. The Royals are also visiting Ko Samui and it is possible a second lower key game will be arranged.
English teams traveling to Thailand haven't exactly left a good impression recently and the club are selling the trip as both training for the new season and a chance to improve the reputation of Championship football. Reading manager Steve Clarke hopes the trip will be a good opportunity: "As well as being an integral part of our pre-season training, this trip will allow us to represent our owners in their homeland. We look forward to the opportunity of being good ambassadors for Reading FC and hopefully extending our popularity in Thailand."
When Reading return from their travels they also have three games lined up against English League opposition away from home. The club also hope to arrange an additional game at the Madejski Stadium on the 1st of August before the new season gets underway.
The current schedule sees Reading at newly promoted Bristol Rovers on Tuesday 21 July before traveling to Wycombe on Friday 24 July. Bristol Rovers were victorious in their play-off campaign to return to the football league after a one season leave. The game at Wycombe's Adams Park won't see Reading facing Wycombe Wanderers - they'll be playing Premier League Swansea City. Swansea should provide a tough test after they finished a very impressive eighth place in the Premier League last season. Crawley Town, freshly relegated from League One, will see Reading visit on Monday 27 July. All games are set to kick-off at 7:45pm.
Reading's Pre-Season Schedule
- Wed 8 July: Thailand Premier League XI (Away)
- Tue 21 July: Bristol Rovers (Away)
- Fri 24 July: Swansea City (Away - Wycombe)
- Mon 27 July: Crawley Town (Away)