SIGNED - Nicky Shorey

[specialjon]

The young Irish lad we gave them a fiver or something for him.

[TBM]

Have we paid a fee for any of our new players?

June and July is normally the time to snap up the free transfers before other clubs do.........when it gets in to July/August thats when i expect to see us buying from other clubs

[bennno]

I would have thought that Shorey signing would have been met with more excitement than this..

Its nice to see him back hes another who shouldnt have left but hey you live and learn.

Lets hope his 2nd spell is better than Kitson and Littles loan spells

Big Mike - would you expect a 'board meltdown' perhaps?

[loyalroyal4life]

I don't think we have paid a fee for any of our signings yet!!!

Be interesting to see who starts at LB for us this season

[MouldyRoyal]

Couldn't give a f*ck whether we're paying transfer fees.

No idea why it should make any difference if we're signing the right players.

As ever, it looks like Brian is doing very shrewd business. This one is, perhaps, a gamble since he has failed to replicate his form for us at other clubs, but hopefully he can win back those fans who weren't entirely impressed with the manner of his departure.

[JezD]

This is such a joke signing.

As soon as we come up against a winger with a bit of pace then we're going to be f*cked. I love Shorey, he was amazing for us a few years ago, but he's not what we need right now and he's certainly no better than Harte. Talk about signing a player just for the hell of it. I like the fact that we're getting a lot of free transfers, but this will be a complete waste of our wage budget. We need a wing back with pace.

[Michael Meaker]

Fordham seems pretty confident that this one is happening.

Personally quite happy with this if we just want someone to compete with Harte, rather than replace him with a younger player. Plus, a free transfer means that we can use funds on other (possibly more important) positions.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

This is such a joke signing.

As soon as we come up against a winger with a bit of pace then we're going to be f*cked. I love Shorey, he was amazing for us a few years ago, but he's not what we need right now and he's certainly no better than Harte. Talk about signing a player just for the hell of it. I like the fact that we're getting a lot of free transfers, but this will be a complete waste of our wage budget. We need a wing back with pace.

And, of course, pacey left-wingers happy to sit in the reserves are ten-a-penny at the moment - just whistle and they come!

[Simon's Church]

SO you think Shorey is happy to come and sit in the reserves?

[Alexander Litvinenko]

SO you think Shorey is happy to come and sit in the reserves?

No, I think he's happy to come and try to fight for his place, recognising that he's second in line and has to propve himself, and also that he'd do no better elsewhere.

As opposed to someone with an ego and who'd expect to be starting every game.

[TheVeryLoyalRoyal]

The club will not be happy! His agent has just written it on twitter. @davidskillequal

[JezD]

This is such a joke signing.

As soon as we come up against a winger with a bit of pace then we're going to be f*cked. I love Shorey, he was amazing for us a few years ago, but he's not what we need right now and he's certainly no better than Harte. Talk about signing a player just for the hell of it. I like the fact that we're getting a lot of free transfers, but this will be a complete waste of our wage budget. We need a wing back with pace.

And, of course, pacey left-wingers happy to sit in the reserves are ten-a-penny at the moment - just whistle and they come!

If we got a left back with pace then I don't think he'd be in the reserves. I think Harte would be the reserve left back and I think he'd be expecting us to sign another left back. Shorey is no better than Harte and would not be a progressive signing. I rate Harte but he's going to be exposed for pace, as will Shorey. The fact that Shorey has been released on a free by WBA says it all, if he's not good enough for WBA then he shouldn't be good enough for us, especially considering that with our 5 year plan we want to be over taking the likes of WBA.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Yes, but I was making the point that there just aren't pacey left-backs out there - those that there are are go for a premium.

If we can't find the ideal solution - and everyone is looking for it at the same time - we have to be pragmatic and go for the best available to us at the time, which we have.

[JezD]

I understand where you're coming from. But I think there are/were better options. Rather than getting Shorey for a year or 2, we could have tried to get Fabio on loan rather than letting him go to QPR. (If we did go for him but lost out than fair enough, but I didn't hear anything)

I also think Connelly from QPR would be a better option who can play either left or right back, he's got more pace and good positioning. Hopefully we'll still go in for him!

I honestly can't see BM signing Shorey as a starting left back, he must have a trick up his sleeve because if Harte and Shorey are going to be our first choice wing backs than we will get destroyed every time we come up against some one with a bit of pace. Harte got exposed for pace in the championship, let alone the prem!

[MouldyRoyal]

I also think Connelly from QPR would be a better option who can play either left or right back, he's got more pace and good positioning. Hopefully we'll still go in for him!

Connolly is a fine defender, but he always looked like a CB playing at full back. Positionally he was caught out a few times in his 6 games, and was slow for a FB.

[larry1971]

This is such a joke signing.

As soon as we come up against a winger with a bit of pace then we're going to be f*cked. I love Shorey, he was amazing for us a few years ago, but he's not what we need right now and he's certainly no better than Harte. Talk about signing a player just for the hell of it. I like the fact that we're getting a lot of free transfers, but this will be a complete waste of our wage budget. We need a wing back with pace.

despite the take over people still need to be realistic in the kind of players Reading are going to be able to attract to the club - true re-signing Shorey, might dissapoint a lot of fans but he has Premiership experience and will give Mcdermott more options in defence .

[Alexander Litvinenko]

My point exactly - when you consider the whoel squad, not every signing cane be exciting and dynamic - you also need pragmatic, functional signings too.

[Hoop Blah]

This is such a joke signing.

As soon as we come up against a winger with a bit of pace then we're going to be f*cked. I love Shorey, he was amazing for us a few years ago, but he's not what we need right now and he's certainly no better than Harte. Talk about signing a player just for the hell of it. I like the fact that we're getting a lot of free transfers, but this will be a complete waste of our wage budget. We need a wing back with pace.

And, of course, pacey left-wingers happy to sit in the reserves are ten-a-penny at the moment - just whistle and they come!

I think he probably means we should be going out and getting a full back with a bit of pace to start, so that we strengthen the team and still have Harte as back up.

I don't think that's such a bad idea to be fair.

Shorey is still decent enough, and played alright for West Brom the few times I saw them on telly. He never really struggled defending against pace when he was young and slow. He's a clever defender, more so than Harte if you ask me, and even if he's slowed a bit I'm not too fussed about his lack of pace.

Edit: I see it's already been said...must hit submit before going back to do some work!

[bracksroyal10]

Mcdermott wouldn't have got him if he didn't think he could add something to the team. Think everyone should give the guy a chance yes I would of rather of had a younger left back come in. Shorey's attitude did stink towards the end of our relegation season.

But that was one season out of his whole time at Reading. Everyone deserves a second chance Shorey is no different and I think people who are on this board slating him are not in a position to judge until he has had a run of a few games in the team.

Its just like anyone going on to another job for a bigger salary and finding that the new job has just not worked out well and as a result go back to their role that they were originally at. It happens in work all the time too

[JezD]

I agree that you need pragmatic and functional signings as well. But replacing like for like in an area of weakness is not pragmatic. That's all my point is. I think we will see some pragmatic and functional signings coming into the club this summer, but Shorey is not one of these.

I hope he proves me wrong, I just don't think Shorey is what we need right now.