Contracts 16/17

[George_]

As always, a number of players are set to leave the Reading ranks and the club can confirm that first team professionals Simon Cox, Anton Ferdinand and Hal Robson-Kanu are due to depart Madejski Stadium after the expiration of their current contracts.

Academy graduate Cox, now 29, rejoined the Royals back in the summer of 2014 and has made 9(+7) appearances for the club this season, scoring once in the defeat at Middlesbrough in April.

Ferdinand, 31, signed in the same summer two seasons ago and the former West Ham, Sunderland and QPR defender bounced back from injury troubles in his first season at the club to make a total of 23(+1) appearances at the back this season.

Hal Robson-Kanu made his Reading debut back in August 2009 and, during seven seasons as a professional as Madejski Stadium, Hal scored 30 goals in 136(+91) appearances for the club – the most recent of which came in a brace bagged at home to Fulham at the start of March.

The Welsh international will be in France this summer, representing his country in the European Championships – capping what has been quite a journey for the Academy product who, at the age of 27, is now set to take his career away from RG2 for the first time since loan spells at Southend and Swindon Town early in his career.

The club would like to take this opportunity to thank the six loan players who have been part of our squad this season – upon their return to their parent clubs, we send Michael Hector, Andrew Taylor, Ola John, Lucas Piazon, Alex Fernandez and Matej Vydra our best wishes going forward.

And a number of young professionals will be also leaving the club this summer - Pierce Sweeney, Noor Husin, Hammad Lawal, Nana Owusu, Lewis Collins, Sammi Fridjonsson, Conor Shaughnessy and Bogdan Vastsuk will all now continue their careers elsewhere.
Reading Football Club would like to place on record our sincere gratitude for all the hard work and commitment given by all of the players who are departing, and wish them all the luck in the future.

[Maneki Neko]

surprised with Sweeney
thought he was well thought of

Hal scored 30 goals in 136(+91) appearances for the club

take those sub appearances away and that's actually a pretty good return for an inconsitent winger

[Sutekh]

So that's our released list then. No shocks there really and quite probably no one's sorry to see any of the more senior players leave.

So I think that just leaves the following players as being out of contract but who have been offered new deals; Aaron Kuhl, Sean Long, Shane Griffin, Liam Kelly, Rob Dickie and Dominic Hyam.

Professional deals have been offered to the youngsters; Omar Richards, Harrison Bennett, Ryan East, Sam Smith, Luke Southward, Billy Collings and Joe Tupper.

The next question is which players are about to enter the last season of their contract (expiring summer 2017). Think that applies to :

- Ali Al-Habsi
- Tariqe Fosu
- Yann Kermorgant
- Garath McCleary
- Oliver Norwood
- Andrija Novakovich
- Craig Tanner
- Danny Williams

[Nameless]

surprised with Sweeney
thought he was well thought of

Would have been very surprised if he had been offered a new deal.
He's a whole hearted player, never fault him for effort but he's never been talked of in terms of making the first team and I think he'll find his level lower down the leagues. Dickie, Hyam, Jules, Keown etc are way better and he'd just be blocking the progress of one of them if he stayed.
Am a bit surprised Long and Griffin have been offered deals. I'd kind of rate them alongside Sweeney to be honest.

[Royal Ginger]

So that's our released list then. No shocks there really and quite probably no one's sorry to see any of the more senior players leave.

So I think that just leaves the following players as being out of contract but who have been offered new deals; Aaron Kuhl, Sean Long, Shane Griffin, Liam Kelly, Rob Dickie and Dominic Hyam.

Professional deals have been offered to the youngsters; Omar Richards, Harrison Bennett, Ryan East, Sam Smith, Luke Southward, Billy Collings and Joe Tupper.

The next question is which players are about to enter the last season of their contract (expiring summer 2017). Think that applies to :

- Ali Al-Habsi
- Tariqe Fosu
- Yann Kermorgant
- Garath McCleary
- Oliver Norwood
- Andrija Novakovich
- Craig Tanner
- Danny Williams

Am I right in saying that Ryan East is one to watch? I thought I heard somewhere that he was potentially a bit special.

[Tommio]

surprised with Sweeney
thought he was well thought of

Would have been very surprised if he had been offered a new deal.
He's a whole hearted player, never fault him for effort but he's never been talked of in terms of making the first team and I think he'll find his level lower down the leagues. Dickie, Hyam, Jules, Keown etc are way better and he'd just be blocking the progress of one of them if he stayed.
Am a bit surprised Long and Griffin have been offered deals. I'd kind of rate them alongside Sweeney to be honest.

Griffin never got a look in, even before we had Taylor. We'd play a right back there instead, so yeah I'm also surprised he's got a new deal.

[maffff]

Am I right in saying that Ryan East is one to watch? I thought I heard somewhere that he was potentially a bit special.

Danny Loader is one to keep an eye on

[P!ssed Off]

I've heard Loader is not amazing technically, but relies mainly on strength, so not be as effective next year, playing against defenders mostly a year older.

Ryan East is too far the opposite. Another Liam Kelly. Very good technically, but too small.

U18s this season was mainly about the front 4: Davis, Barrett, Smith, Frost.

Tyler Frost should be the main man in the U18s this year, given he was the only 1st year of those 4.