Reading Start Pre-Season With Win

03 July 2022
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading started their pre-season with a 2-0 victory over Colchester United in a warm up fixture at the Royals' training ground this weekend. Despite having a much depleted squad over the summer with so many players leaving at the end of their contracts, the Royals were still able to play 23 players as they took the opportunity to give the whole first team squad a run out. Reading were two goals up after just twenty minutes. An own goal was followed up by a Yakou Meite penalty to double the lead after Lucas Joao was fouled inside the box. Both Joe Lumley and Dean Bouzanis appeared in goal after recently joining the club.

Meanwhile the club have confirmed that Femi Azeez has extended his contract with the club and will now remain a Royal until the summer of 2024. Striker Nahum Melvin-Lambert, who signed a first professional contract last year, has also signed a new contract.

There remain strong rumours about the return of former Reading striker Shane Long. Thirty-five year old Long is out of contract after 11 years at Southampton and is currently looking for a new club after only getting limited action for the past couple of seasons. Long, a previous player of the season at Reading, would probably be more than happy to drop down a division as his career reaches it's later stages and would expect to be taking a pay cut - so there could be some truth to the reports.

Share this article: