Ex Royals (No not prince Andrew)

[Sutekh]

Chelsea have now completed sacking their entire medical department since their take over. John Fearn left in January and now works for GoPerform with other former Reading physios Luke Anthony and Dan Buchanan.

[Snowflake Royal]

Toms Holmes and McIntyre celebrate both having 100 appearances by doing a sporcle quiz to name every Reading player to make 100+ appearances since the club moved to the Madejski stadium. And they got 47/54.

I expect a lot of you should get 100%. A typo and time running out halfway through typing a 9 letter surname saw me get about 45, so a biscuit from matching them. Although tbf, I think I'd seen all of them play and Holmes wasn't born when some of them made their Madejski debuts. So I probably should have done better.

https://www.sporcle.com/games/ReadingFC ... tadium-era

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFbB9IEkjGU - here's the Toms having a go.

[From Despair To Where?]

47

[JedMaxwell]

Just seen Danny Loader got five minutes in the Champions League for Porto last night. Happy to see an academy player doing well.

[Mr Angry]

Former Wales defender Chris Gunter has joined manager Robert Page's coaching staff for the March internationals.

Gunter, 33, won 109 caps during a 15-year Wales career before announcing his retirement from international football on 9 March.

The full-back became the first male player to win a century of Wales caps for his country in March 2021.

Gunter continues to play at club level for AFC Wimbledon in League Two.

The Football Association of Wales say Gunter's role with the senior team this week is "seen as part of a transition into future coaching work".

[Franchise FC]

Former Wales defender Chris Gunter has joined manager Robert Page's coaching staff for the March internationals.

Gunter, 33, won 109 caps during a 15-year Wales career before announcing his retirement from international football on 9 March.

The full-back became the first male player to win a century of Wales caps for his country in March 2021.

Gunter continues to play at club level for AFC Wimbledon in League Two.

The Football Association of Wales say Gunter's role with the senior team this week is "seen as part of a transition into future coaching work".

I've no idea why I thought it, but I thought Gunts was much older

[Sutekh]

Nigel Atkins in running to be new boss at Tranmere

Former young keeper Stuart Moore (now at Blackpool) had a bit of a ‘mare on his loan debut for Doncaster last Saturday.

[NathStPaul]

Nigel Atkins in running to be new boss at Tranmere

Former young keeper Stuart Moore (now at Blackpool) had a bit of a ‘mare on his loan debut for Doncaster last Saturday.

Who?

[Sutekh]

Adrian Mariappa is now a Bradford City player (joining 2 ex-Reading youngsters (Thierry Nevers and Ryan East) already there).

[Sutekh]

Princewill Ehibhatiomhan has now signed for Southampton on a 2 year deal.

[SpaghettiHoop]

What sort of compensation will we get for him?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Is this an ‘end of season’ thing?

On the bench for us Saturday

[Hendo]

Is this an ‘end of season’ thing?

On the bench for us Saturday

Sure that wasn’t his brother?

[AthleticoSpizz]

“they all look the same these days” ..obviously came the response

[Sutekh]

I presume that Namaso is Portuguese for Loader

http://sportwitness.co.uk/young-naive-i ... departure/

[muirinho]

I presume that Namaso is Portuguese for Loader

http://sportwitness.co.uk/young-naive-i ... departure/

Pretty common for Portuguese players to drop their surnames - and his twitter profile is @dannynamaso, so he probably uses that form now.

Cristiano Ronaldo is actually Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro for example

[Orion1871]

Royston Drenthe back in Holland working in healthcare alongside his family.

From nos.nl

Royston Drenthe played for Feyenoord, Real Madrid and once got to wear the shirt of the Dutch national team. Now he is back in the Netherlands, training with amateur club Kozakken Boys in Werkendam.

But the 35-year-old left-winger is certainly not only busy with soccer. In fact, Drenthe now also works in healthcare, as a self-employed worker. "My whole family has always been in care," he explains his choice.

"Aunt Helen is a nurse. My mother and aunt work in care. A few years back, I was already thinking, 'Why don't I also do training and courses and see what that does to me?'"

It didn't stop at training and courses. The football player also wanted to "go and see what it's like on the work floor." Most recently, Drenthe was working on a ward for people with dementia. "There was an old lady who was scaring the fellow clients. She was a little aggressive. That's where I supervise."

Better person And Drenthe likes that workplace. "Because I see a whole other side of the world. It helps me with becoming a better person in this society."

"I've always been used to the glamour in football," Drenthe looks back on his long career. He then answers confidently with "definitely" when asked if it enriches him as a person.

"And that's what I was looking for. I struggled a lot at the end of my career," he acknowledges. "The fact that you know what you want to do, but the moment you start something, you wonder if this is really what you like. I think that's because you can't quite let go of football yet. That comes with steps."

Drenthe began his professional career at Feyenoord. In 2007, he left for Real Madrid. Then followed a long adventure along more than ten professional clubs. He played for Vladikavkaz, Everton and Sparta, among others. The last years he spent in Murcia with smaller professional clubs.

Drenthe has not completely let go. He regained his fitness at Kozakken Boys and has resolved to join the amateur club next season. "I still feel like having a blast for another year," he said.

[From Despair To Where?]

Was he really only 26 when he joined us?

[JedMaxwell]

I presume that Namaso is Portuguese for Loader

http://sportwitness.co.uk/young-naive-i ... departure/

Always happy to see an Academy player doing well, especially Namaso as he's now playing in the Champions League and seems to be flourishing. Can only be a good thing for the club if we're looking to attract players into the youth set up.

[Hound]

Hattrick of assists for Olise today at Leeds

Great player and star still rising