Tanner Joins AFC Wimbledon

22 January 2015
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading youngster Craig Tanner has joined AFC Wimbledon on loan until the end of the season. The twenty year old striker made his Reading debut earlier this season, when he came off the bench with a couple of minutes left on the clock during the League Cup game against Newport County at the Madejski. Tanner had an immediate impact that night as he scored Reading's third goal just a minute later as the Royals won 3-1.

Tanner then went on to make his first, and only, start for Reading in the next round of the competition as Reading won 1-0 at Scunthorpe. He has also made three Championship appearances off the bench to bring his career total up to five appearances in a Reading shirt. All those appearances came back in August of last year, and he is likely to welcome the chance to get some further first team football at the mid-table League Two side. Tanner looks like an excellent prospect for the future and could make an impact in League Two.

AFC Wimbledon manager Neal Ardley had plenty of positive things to say when confirming Tanner's arrival on loan: "This is when your recruitment list comes into its own. Last season we covered 250 games and during this campaign so far we've covered around half that number. After speaking to our scouts that cover games for us and looking at the reports again, there was one player who kept coming up and that was Craig. According to those reports he is one of the best young talents around. We look at different types of players and a young lad is always going to be a bit of a gamble at League 2 level. However, with the qualities and talent that Craig has, we believe he could be an exciting player who can cope with the demands at this level."

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