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Reading FC Loan Round-Up: March 25th

There are currently 17 different Reading players out on loan, how have they all got on in the last month?

By TalkMurtyToMe
Jake Cooper in FA Cup action against Tottenham
Jake Cooper in FA Cup action against Tottenham
Julian Finney/Getty Images

George Legg - Hungerford Town (National League South) Appearances: 37 Clean Sheets: 14

Legg played three times this month, in defeats to Ebbsfleet and Hampton & Richmond Borough, and a draw with Maidenhead, in which he saved a penalty. He was recalled by Reading due to injuries to Anssi Jaakkola and Jonathan Bond, and appeared on the bench in Reading's game with Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night.

And speaking in an exclusive interview with Royals fan, Jacob Potter, Legg had much to say on his time at Hungerford.

"My time at Hungerford was brilliant, I was welcomed to the club by staff , players and fans. It’s a fantastic club  to be at and I’m glad I was part of it.

"I really think the loan turned me from a boy to a man.

"I don’t know how to describe how I am feeling about (being re-called by Reading). I am upset that I won’t be playing every week with Hungerford.

"But I’m happy on the other hand because it’s a new journey for me. So I will keep working hard and see what happens."

You can read the full interview here on Jacob's wordpress site.

Paolo Hurtado - Vitoria de Guimaraes (Liga NOS) Appearances: 32 Goals: 6

Hurtado has become a regular at Vitoria, and continued his fine form back in Portugal this month with 90 minutes against Belenenses and Moreirense, 72 minutes against Sporting and 75 against Chaves. He also scored the winner in the 1-0 win over Moreirense, as well as grabbing an assist in the 3-3 draw with Estoril.

Speaking to getreading, Jaap Stam had this to say on a potential Hurtado return:

"From what I’ve heard he can’t come over here yet. I need to talk to Brian Tevreden to find out the situation. He was out on loan last season so there was already something going on with him.

"So if it was possible to bring him back we would have done that. But it isn’t at the moment so that is why he’s still out there."

Sean Long - Lincoln City (National League) Appearances: 11

Long played 90 minutes against North Ferriby, Boreham Wood, 15 minutes against York (picking up an injury and having to be replaced) and 90 minutes on his return against Boreham Wood - having missed games against Aldershot, Braintree, Arsenal and York.

Craig Tanner - Plymouth Argyle (Football League Two) Appearances: 33 Goals: 6

This season Tanner has added goals to his game, something that Plymouth fans felt were missing during his loan spell last year. He scored his sixth of the season in the 1-1 draw against Luton with a 25th minute leveller, before playing just 90 more minutes throughout the month (45 minutes against both Notts County and Blackpool).

There have been a lot of fans calling for Tanner to get more game time, especially this month with his notable absences including games against Hartlepool, Mansfield and Wycombe. Tanner spoke to the Plymouth Herald about his lack of consistent game time.

"You have got to be patient. It's a long season and it's a team game. I have been doing my extra work, on and off the pitch, and just waiting for my opportunity.

"It came on Saturday and thankfully I managed to get a goal."

Jack Stacey - Exeter (Football League Two) Appearances: 32

Stacey has become a regular at Exeter, playing the full 90 minutes in six of seven games this month. He grabbed an assist for Ollie Watkins' goal in a 3-1 defeat to Hartlepool, and another just two weeks later, this time for Jake Taylor's equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Luton.

He's been playing predominantly at right back for Exeter, and fans of the club are pretty happy with his contributions.

Tariqe Fosu - Colchester United (Football League Two) Appearances: 27 Goals: 2

Fosu has been a bit-part player for Colchester, and it's clear his game is better suited to a 'super-sub' type role, certainly for the time being. He appeared off the bench late on in games against Wycombe, Hartlepool and Portsmouth this month, and played the full 90 minutes on only one occasion, against Grimsby.

Axel Andresson - Bath (National League South) Appearances: 11 Goals: 4

Andresson missed three games at the beginning of this month, but returned in spectacular fashion, scoring a free kick and a penalty in a 6-0 thrashing of Hemel Hempstead, before a week later, scoring another penalty, this time against Weston-Super-Mare. He also played 90 minutes against Eastbourne, before missing out the game against Gosport Borough after being called up on international duty with Iceland's U21s.

Zak Jules - Motherwell (SPL) Appearances: 6

Jules began the month on Motherwell's bench, not featuring in defeats to Aberdeen and Celtic, but he did get a start against Dundee, only to put through his own net in a 5-1 drubbing. A week later though, he redeemed himself, scoring a late winner in a 2-1 win over Kilmarnock. Since then, he's played 90 minutes in both games against Aberdeen and St Johnstone.

Speaking to the Scottish Herald, Jules said:

"I didn't speak to anyone after the Dundee game. I think my phone was off all week. It's about not getting too high and not getting too low.

"I need to try and do that for the whole of my career. You need to be thick-skinned and strong-minded."

Jake Cooper - Millwall (Football League One) Appearances: 12 Goals: 1

Cooper has *almost* been an ever-present for Millwall this month, missing just one game from eight. He was sent off during his side's 1-0 FA Cup victory against Leicester for a second bookable offence. Fortunately, he was bailed out by former Royal Shaun Cummings' last minute winner which sent Millwall through despite Cooper's dismissal.

As a result, he missed the following week's game against Chesterfield, but returned to complete 90 minutes in games against Oldham, Peterborough, MK Dons, Bury, Rochdale, and Spurs' 6-0 thrashing of the London club.

Dominic Samuel - Ipswich Town (Football League Championship) First Team Appearances: 0

Samuel has just returned from a toe injury that had kept him out for 6 weeks. He appeared in Ipswich's latest U23 game, but has thus far failed to feature in the first team picture since joining.

Niall Keown - Partick Thistle (SPL) Appearances: 8

Keown began the month on the Thistle bench, featuring as an unused substitute against Hamilton, before playing the full 90 minutes in games against Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Kilmarnock.

Speaking to the Scottish Herald, Keown talked about his ambitions for the remainder of the season.

"(Getting into) Europe would be huge. I know how important it would be for the club. And we want to do everything we can to make that possible.

"It would be fantastic if we can achieve that. When I got here in January, the manager made it clear that our goal was to finish top six.

"Now we are there it's about staying there. It's important for us to put distance between us and the teams below us and Saturday is a good chance to do that."

"The pace (of the football in Scotland) can be quicker and it can be frantic but I am feeling more confident as the weeks go by. The manager has shown a lot of faith in me.

"I've had a lot of bad luck with injury and I hadn't played a lot of football so I’m just delighted to be playing. I'm developing as a player and feeling more positive."

Jake Sheppard - Dagenham & Redbridge (National League) Appearances: 9 Goals: 2

Sheppard has quickly established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet for Dagenham, playing in all six of their games this month, including playing 90 minutes in five of those matches. He also scored an 88th minute winner against Bromley to cap off an excellent month for the youngster.

Stuart Moore - Luton Town (Football League Two) Appearances: 2

The deadline day arrival of Matt Macey just hours after Moore had secured his own loan move to the club has pushed him down the pecking order, and he has appeared on the bench in every game this month, without making an appearance for the club. It seems that Stuart is entrenched as Luton's number two.

Lewis Ward & Harrison Bennett - Margate (Isthmian Premier Division) Appearances: 6 & 3

Ward and Bennett both joined Margate on month-long loans in mid-February. During that time, Ward played 90 minutes in all six of their games, while Bennett played the first three before presumably returning to the Royals during March. Ward has since gone on loan to Hungerford Town following fellow keeper George Legg's departure from the National League South club.

Terence van Cooten - Basingstoke Town (Southern League Premier - Tier 7) Appearances: 2

Van Cooten started two of three games this month, playing the full 90 minutes against both Dunstable Town and Kings Lynn.

Dom Hyam - Aldershot Town (National League Prem) Appearances: 0

Hyam joined the National League side for the remainder of the season on March 23rd.

LOAN PLAYER OF THE MONTH:

Axel Andresson played just three games, and scored three goals in the process, including two penalties and one wonderful free-kick. He was also called up to Iceland U21s over the international break.

Special mentions to George Legg who was recalled to start on the Reading bench last week, as well as Paolo Hurtado, Craig Tanner, Zak Jules and Jake Sheppard, who all scored goals this month.

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