FanPost

Irish influence at Reading

With Alex Pearce picking up another international cap and producing an impressive display at the heart of the defence once again, we look at the influence the Irish have had on Reading F.C over the last decade. The premier league years off 2006-07 and 2007-08 were arguably the best performances we have seen of the ‘boys in green’ in a royal’s jersey ever. The names off Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Shane long go hand in hand with the Club at this stage and I’m going to talk a bit about them, along with some other players who only spent a short time with the club and some who are here now! Kevin Doyle played for the royals for four years scoring 55 goals in 157 games after signing from League of Ireland club Cork City. He scored 19 goals in his first season for the club and then continued this form into the top flight hitting the net 13 times even though he picked up an injury keeping him out for the final two months but it wasn't only these goals that made Doyle a fan favourite, it was also that he didn't jump ship when they were relegated to the second tier of English football. He stayed on for another two years and pushed for promotions that never materialized and then left the club to further his career in the summer of 2009. Stephen Hunt, I could write a book on this man. The long curly locks, the never say die attitude and the flare he plays with make him a complete fan favourite. Hunt played at Reading during the same years as Doyle and was part of the side that had those two great years back in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Stephen collided with Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech back in October 2006 and resulted in the keeper having to undergo surgery for a depressed fracture of the skull, this was a major talking point with all the top pundits giving their opinion off Stephen. It really got the Royals fans backing Hunt to succeed throughoutthe rest off his tenure at the Madjeski Stadium. Stephen’s younger brother, Noel Hunt, has also been on the books of Reading, he joined from Dundee United back in 2008 and scored 33 goals for the club before moving to Leeds United in the summer off 2013. Noel wasn't one of the clubs most prolific goal scorers ever but the grit and determination he plays with made him loved by the Reading faithful. Shane Long linked up with Reading at the same time as Cork City club-mate Kevin Doyle. He began life in London well down the pecking order but as time went on he established himself as a crucial first team player and was dubbed "world class" by John Madjeski, who also said that Shane would be worth 20 million. Shane has since played for West Brom and is now enjoying life at Hull City after signing for an undisclosed fee. Ian Harte joined Reading in an attempt to salvage his career and it worked. He was named in the championship team of the year and got the experience off top-flight football once again. He played for 3 years for the club before securing a move to Bournemouth AFC in the summer of 2013 and will continue to play for the Cherries until June of 2015. We now come to our last Irishman who is no longer with the club, Jay Tabb. Jay was signed by Steve Coppell in January 2009 and spent four years at the club. Despite playing 89 times for the club Jay always struggled to make a starting position his own for a long period of time. After making an impressive Premier League debut in October 2012, he got a run of consecutive starts but by the time the mid-season transfer window came round he was told he could leave. A move didn’t materialise until March when he was sent out on loan to Ipswich where he currently plays his trade. To be fair to Tabb his time at Reading probably wasn’t the best of his career but will always be remembered for giving 100% in all his games and his no-nonsense attitude. Alex Pearce our first current Royal we have come to talk to. Alex came through the academy at Hogwood Park and since then has gone on four loan spells and stole a starting spot at the heart of Nigel Adkins’ defence. After such an impressive season last term Alex looks set to continue his great run of form in a Reading jersey next year as the team looks to push for promotion once again after coming so close this time round. Stephen Kelly was signed in the January transfer window last year and is our last Emerald Exile. Stephen was brought to the club by Brian McDermott as a player with top-flight experience, it wasn’t a successful exercise as the club went back to the second tier of English football. Kelly wasn't a big part player this year but his experience was very valuable and he will continue to use this to help the players around him. The current Reading academy and u21 side is full of young Irish lads looking to make the big step into the first team at club level and also hoping to represent their country at senior level. The link between this country and this club has already had massive benefits for both parties and with the current crop of talent playing under Eamonn Dolan and Martin Kuhl this trend looks set to continue.

All views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Tilehurst End or SB Nation.

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