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Fans Want Pearce As Captain

Last week we gave you your chance to vote on who you wanted to succeed Jobi McAnuff as Reading's skipper and you've made your voice clear, you want Alex Pearce.

Michael Regan

Pearce took 30% of the vote, ahead of injured midfielder Jem Karacan (23%) and Welsh full-back Chris Gunter (14%). Current vice-captain Sean Morrison recieved 12% of the vote, Danny Williams 11% while Danny Guthrie and , Royston Drenthe split the remaining clicks.

Pearce has long been touted as a future Reading captain, even though his first spell in the role in 2009 didn't quite go to plan due largely to the squad around him and the overall circumstances at the club.

After a magnificent 2011/12 campaign the Oxford born defender's popularity and role at the club took a massive dent due to a contract dispute that seemed to spell the end of his time at the Madejski Stadium. Pearce was dropped repeatedly by Brian McDermott and in the meantime Sean Morrison was allowed to get vital experience and playing time that seemed to move him above Pearce in the pecking order.

Thankfully Pearce managed to settle his contract dispute last summer and with a new two-year deal behind him, slowly started to find his form again, to the point where he was voted runner-up in our April Player of the Month vote behind Garath McCleary.

Pearce's leadership qualities are clear when you watch him organising the defence on the pitch, while his passion has never been in question (just look back at some of his goal celebrations over the years!).

Whether Nigel Adkins sees him as a captain is another question though.....

Sean Morrison was the defacto vice-captain last season and the former Swindon man is contracted until 2016, while Pearce will again be a free agent next summer. Danny Guthrie and Chris Gunter were also picked as captain ahead of Pearce last season so it's possible Nigel could turn to them as well.

Personally I'd love to see Pearcey get the armband and remain at the club to the point where he's mentioned in the same breath as Martin Hicks or Ady Williams. However with the club's finances all over the place, there's sadly no guarentee he'll even be at the club come August 2014, yet alone beyond July 2015.