SQUADWATCH - Summer 2026

[katweslowski]

Are people really wanting Kelvin to stay? He represents a lot of the general frustrations I see in general with this team. Inconsistent, lazy, unreliable, sometimes sulky.

[West F]

Are people really wanting Kelvin to stay? He represents a lot of the general frustrations I see in general with this team. Inconsistent, lazy, unreliable, sometimes sulky.

Kelvin has everything that is needed to be an elite striker at any level bar one thing. The one thing that cannot be coached. Brain architecture. Marriot for instance, has the ability to anticipate what will happen and the imagination to decide where and when he will act. He doesn’t need to make decisions when he gets the ball, that decision is made before he gets it. For Kelvin, his first task is always to try and get the ball under control, then decide what to do with it. In a game of fractions of seconds and inches, like competitive professional football, such time does not exist. You can have all of the physical characteristics required to be an elite player, fitness, strength, stamina and such. Without the operating system hardware up top, running at lightning clock speed, you will not level up.

[stealthpapes]

I do believe, to some extent, what you’re describing is coachable. But I also think that we’ve had to play Kelv through an age where he should have been developing and working on these elements.

He has had his best season for us in terms of league goals, goals per game and individual awards. This tells us he can probably make it, its just if he can make up for a bit of lost time.

[stealthpapes]

When is the released list announced?

Last five seasons:

• 2020-21 - Tue 11 May (final game Sat 8 May; 3 days after)
• 2021-22 - Fri 20 May (Sat 7 May; 13 days)
• 2022-23 - Wed 17 May (Mon 8 May; 9 days)
• 2023-24 - Wed 8 May (Sat 27 Apr; 11 days)
• 2024-25 - Fri 16 May (Sat 3 May; 13 days)

I'd expect an official announcement at some point between Monday 11th and Friday 15th.

Cheers.

[Pepe the Horseman]

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2026/m ... list-2026/

Dorsett one year extension triggered. Rinomhota and Abrefa offered a new contract. Everyone else released.

[Uke]

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2026/m ... list-2026/

Dorsett one year extension triggered. Rinomhota and Abrefa offered a new contract. Everyone else released.

Under contract 15 players, who are presumably for sale at the right price...

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan

Liam Fraser

Daniel Kyerewaa

Matt Ritchie

Charlie Savage

Jack Stevens

Derrick Williams

Randell Williams

Paddy Lane

Jack Marriott

Joel Pereira

Haydon Roberts

Lewis Wing

Paudie O’Connor

Benn Ward

[Hound]

Are people really wanting Kelvin to stay? He represents a lot of the general frustrations I see in general with this team. Inconsistent, lazy, unreliable, sometimes sulky.

Lazy is very harsh. He works as hard as anyone. Unreliable? He played just about every game this year

Inconsistent yes - but then he’s just gone 23. Still had a half decent season

Suffered at the end the same as Marriott - by being played 90m game after game and being expected to be the one to do something out of nothing. Marriotts hamstring went, Kelvins form went.

[Orion1871]

Are people really wanting Kelvin to stay? He represents a lot of the general frustrations I see in general with this team. Inconsistent, lazy, unreliable, sometimes sulky.

Lazy is very harsh. He works as hard as anyone. Unreliable? He played just about every game this year

Inconsistent yes - but then he’s just gone 23. Still had a half decent season

Suffered at the end the same as Marriott - by being played 90m game after game and being expected to be the one to do something out of nothing. Marriotts hamstring went, Kelvins form went.

People are very harsh on him. He did pretty well in Marriott's absence at the back end of the season, Kelvin is just not a natural finisher like Marriott, and I think people got a bit spoiled by Jack putting the ball in the net every time he saw it.

We don't create nearly enough chances, as seen when Kelvin was in the box on Saturday whilst DK got 1v1 and then turned back instead of crossing. So it stands to reason that a non-natural finisher would struggle more than a natural one with the lack of consistent delivery.

[katweslowski]

Are people really wanting Kelvin to stay? He represents a lot of the general frustrations I see in general with this team. Inconsistent, lazy, unreliable, sometimes sulky.

Lazy is very harsh. He works as hard as anyone. Unreliable? He played just about every game this year

Inconsistent yes - but then he’s just gone 23. Still had a half decent season

Suffered at the end the same as Marriott - by being played 90m game after game and being expected to be the one to do something out of nothing. Marriotts hamstring went, Kelvins form went.

It may be harsh but I just notice he often doesn't run, move or seem to try as hard as I would expect. By unreliable, I don't mean games played, I just mean that so often he squanders the chances he does get.

I know - to be fair - that strikers depend on being served the balls, the opportunities. Maybe I am unfairly focussing on him

[Clyde1998]

Based on the retained list, our first team squad going in to next season is:

Goalkeepers

1. Joel Pereira - 3,870 mins
2. Jack Stevens - 270

Right-Backs

1. Kelvin Abrefa - 1,135

Left-Backs

1. Haydon Roberts - 770

Centre-Backs

1. Paudie O’Connor - 3,214
2. Jeriel Dorsett - 2,845
3. Derrick Williams - 2,037
4. Benn Ward - 633

Central Midfielders

1. Lewis Wing - 4,076
2. Charlie Savage - 3,479
3. Liam Fraser - 1,667
4. Andy Rinomhota - 117

Attacking Midfielders

Wingers

1. Daniel Kyerewaa - 2,535
2. Paddy Lane - 1,871
3. Randell Williams - 987
4. Matt Ritchie - 862

Strikers

1. Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan - 2,240
2. Jack Marriott - 1,770

Certainly looks like a much better base to be working with than last season.

Clearly need a right-back; left-back; centre-back; two attacking midfielders; and a striker at the minimum to come into the first team squad and a replacement for anyone who is sold.

EDIT: Missed Dorsett.

[stealthpapes]

Missed Dorsett, Clyde?

[Clyde1998]

Missed Dorsett, Clyde?

Good spot, thank you.

[Esteban]

Are people really wanting Kelvin to stay? He represents a lot of the general frustrations I see in general with this team. Inconsistent, lazy, unreliable, sometimes sulky.

Lazy is very harsh. He works as hard as anyone. Unreliable? He played just about every game this year

Inconsistent yes - but then he’s just gone 23. Still had a half decent season

Suffered at the end the same as Marriott - by being played 90m game after game and being expected to be the one to do something out of nothing. Marriotts hamstring went, Kelvins form went.

It may be harsh but I just notice he often doesn't run, move or seem to try as hard as I would expect. By unreliable, I don't mean games played, I just mean that so often he squanders the chances he does get.

I know - to be fair - that strikers depend on being served the balls, the opportunities. Maybe I am unfairly focussing on him

Compared with Marriott this season and Smith/Wareham last season, he's nowhere near clinical enough and he doesn't hold the ball up well enough to outweigh that.

Compared to our wide players, when he's played off the left he's done ok in an attacking sense, but defensively he leaves his full back exposed too often.

Lazy is harsh for me, but maybe his problem is that he doesn't really know if he's a striker or a wide forward - and LR doesn't use him in a way that's going to get the best out of him. I don't think you're unfairly focussing on him though, we've definitely not seen enough from him.

[Clyde1998]

Lazy is very harsh. He works as hard as anyone. Unreliable? He played just about every game this year

Inconsistent yes - but then he’s just gone 23. Still had a half decent season

Suffered at the end the same as Marriott - by being played 90m game after game and being expected to be the one to do something out of nothing. Marriotts hamstring went, Kelvins form went.

It may be harsh but I just notice he often doesn't run, move or seem to try as hard as I would expect. By unreliable, I don't mean games played, I just mean that so often he squanders the chances he does get.

I know - to be fair - that strikers depend on being served the balls, the opportunities. Maybe I am unfairly focussing on him

Compared with Marriott this season and Smith/Wareham last season, he's nowhere near clinical enough and he doesn't hold the ball up well enough to outweigh that.

Compared to our wide players, when he's played off the left he's done ok in an attacking sense, but defensively he leaves his full back exposed too often.

Lazy is harsh for me, but maybe his problem is that he doesn't really know if he's a striker or a wide forward - and LR doesn't use him in a way that's going to get the best out of him. I don't think you're unfairly focussing on him though, we've definitely not seen enough from him.

He's a very different sort of player to Marriott or Smith/Wareham and shouldn't be treated as such. We need the diversity.

I don't think it's a coincidence the period when he looked consistently at the best level for us was when he was playing alongside someone. A 5-3-2/3-5-2 and playing with Marriott may benefit him if he's going to be used as a striker going forward.

I don't think he's all too good playing as a lone striker, but he's often left heavily isolated. I remember he was winning headers and flick-ons at Bradford, but there was never anyone within thirty yards of him. He ended up just giving up.

He's also spent a lot of his time in the first team switching between being a striker and coming in off the left. It shouldn't be surprising he's not really developed into being one or the other.

I do think he's improved his striking game since James Beattie has come in though. Given the summer and some consistent football playing as a striker, I still think he's got potential to improve.

[Hound]

It may be harsh but I just notice he often doesn't run, move or seem to try as hard as I would expect. By unreliable, I don't mean games played, I just mean that so often he squanders the chances he does get.

I know - to be fair - that strikers depend on being served the balls, the opportunities. Maybe I am unfairly focussing on him

Compared with Marriott this season and Smith/Wareham last season, he's nowhere near clinical enough and he doesn't hold the ball up well enough to outweigh that.

Compared to our wide players, when he's played off the left he's done ok in an attacking sense, but defensively he leaves his full back exposed too often.

Lazy is harsh for me, but maybe his problem is that he doesn't really know if he's a striker or a wide forward - and LR doesn't use him in a way that's going to get the best out of him. I don't think you're unfairly focussing on him though, we've definitely not seen enough from him.

He's a very different sort of player to Marriott or Smith/Wareham and shouldn't be treated as such. We need the diversity.

I don't think it's a coincidence the period when he looked consistently at the best level for us was when he was playing alongside someone. A 5-3-2/3-5-2 and playing with Marriott may benefit him if he's going to be used as a striker going forward.

I don't think he's all too good playing as a lone striker, but he's often left heavily isolated. I remember he was winning headers and flick-ons at Bradford, but there was never anyone within thirty yards of him. He ended up just giving up.

He's also spent a lot of his time in the first team switching between being a striker and coming in off the left. It shouldn't be surprising he's not really developed into being one or the other.

I do think he's improved his striking game since James Beattie has come in though. Given the summer and some consistent football playing as a striker, I still think he's got potential to improve.

I think him and Marriott up top could work but needs a change of formation.

The main issue for me is the management of both. Kelvin was doing alright, Marriott came straight back in after injury and then suddenly KE’s getting 10 mins a game whilst we’re flogging Marriott to injury.

Marriott gets injured then we’re flogging Kelvin for 90m every game

Granted with Keane being useless we didn’t have too many options but I’d have liked to have seen KE and Marriott rotated a lot more if not played together. I’m not sure either is a 90m player. At least not yet with Kelvin

[Clyde1998]

Following the culmination of the 2025/26 League One season earlier in the week, Reading Football Club can now confirm their Retained list for Peter Scott’s Under-21s.

OPTION ACTIVATED:
The club have activated one-year options to the following players’ contract, meaning they will be signed on with the Royals for a further season:

• Carter Bowdery
• Phil Duah
• Sam Harrison
• David Hicks
• Luke Howard
• Abraham Kanu
• Harrison Rhone
• John Ryan
• Shay Spencer

CONTRACT OFFERED:
The following players are currently in talks regarding new contracts with the club that will see them extend their stays in RG2.

• Boyd Beacroft
• Tom Norcott
• Emmanuel Osho
• Matt Rowley
• Tyler Sackey
• Joe Barough

RELEASED
The following players will depart the club upon the expiration of their contracts this summer. We would like to formally communicate our sincere thanks to all players for their commitment during their time with us.

• Jacob Borgnis
• John Clarke
• Miles Obodo
• Jeremiah Okine-Peters
• Basil Tuma
• Jay Williams

UNDER CONTRACT
The following players remain under contract heading into the new season.

• Ashqar Ahmed
• Kiyan Coke-Miles-Smith
• Reece Evans
• Jerae Jones
• Sean Patton
• Josh Wellend

EDIT: Formatting

[traff]

Looks like being loaned out to Farnborough is the football equivalent of the family dog "retiring to a farm."

[Pepe the Horseman]

Following the culmination of the 2025/26 League One season earlier in the week, Reading Football Club can now confirm their Retained list for Peter Scott’s Under-21s.

OPTION ACTIVATED:
The club have activated one-year options to the following players’ contract, meaning they will be signed on with the Royals for a further season:

• Carter Bowdery
• Phil Duah
• Sam Harrison
• David Hicks
• Luke Howard
• Abraham Kanu
• Harrison Rhone
• John Ryan
• Shay Spencer

CONTRACT OFFERED:
The following players are currently in talks regarding new contracts with the club that will see them extend their stays in RG2.

• Boyd Beacroft
• Tom Norcott
• Emmanuel Osho
• Matt Rowley
• Tyler Sackey
• Joe Barough

RELEASED
The following players will depart the club upon the expiration of their contracts this summer. We would like to formally communicate our sincere thanks to all players for their commitment during their time with us.

• Jacob Borgnis
• John Clarke
• Miles Obodo
• Jeremiah Okine-Peters
• Basil Tuma
• Jay Williams

UNDER CONTRACT
The following players remain under contract heading into the new season.

• Ashqar Ahmed
• Kiyan Coke-Miles-Smith
• Reece Evans
• Jerae Jones
• Sean Patton
• Josh Wellend

EDIT: Formatting

Any surprises in there? Who are the ones to keep an eye on for next season?

[Clyde1998]

The starting point for our professional players for next season will be:

Goalkeepers

1. Joel Pereira - 3,870 league minutes
2. Jack Stevens - 270
3. Tom Norcott
4. Harrison Rhone
5. Matt Rowley
6. Josh Wellend

Right-Backs

1. Kelvin Abrefa - 1,135
2. Ashqar Ahmed - 551
3. Emmanuel Osho - 17
4. Boyd Beacroft

Left-Backs

1. Haydon Roberts - 770
2. John Ryan

Centre-Backs

1. Paudie O’Connor - 3,214
2. Jeriel Dorsett - 2,845
3. Derrick Williams - 2,037
4. Benn Ward - 633
5. Phil Duah
6. Sam Harrison
7. Abraham Kanu

Central Midfielders

1. Lewis Wing - 4,076
2. Charlie Savage - 3,479
3. Liam Fraser - 1,667
4. Andy Rinomhota - 117
5. Luke Howard - 3
6. Carter Bowdery
7. David Hicks
8. Tyler Sackey
9. Shay Spencer

Wingers

1. Daniel Kyerewaa - 2,535
2. Paddy Lane - 1,871
3. Randell Williams - 987
4. Matt Ritchie - 862
5. Joe Barough
6. Kiyan Coke-Miles-Smith
7. Jerae Jones

Strikers

1. Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan - 2,240
2. Jack Marriott - 1,770
3. Sean Patton - 125
4. Reece Evans

[Clyde1998]

Any surprises in there? Who are the ones to keep an eye on for next season?

Surprised we decided to keep John Ryan, but given it was an option being triggered it's less of a shock. He looked good prior to his injures, so hopefully he gets some game time in the cups or a good loan next season.

I reckon Duah will get an opportunity in the EFL Trophy to begin with, unless he goes out on loan. I'd put Sackey and Spencer in the same boat. I'd like to see at least one of Barough; Coke-Miles-Smith; or Jones have a chance too.

Obviously Kanu and Patton had good loans to the National League, so hopefully they'll either be involved with the first team squad or go out on loan to League Two minimum.