SQUADWATCH - Summer 2026

[Linden Jones' Tash]

The official JK interview doesn't imply that this has been a long running situation, so moving down the (AI generated/JJ's contacts) list of targets?....

I'd feel more comfortable if we had a better striker & ideally left back to come in (as most ppl concur)...

[Gordzilla]

We’ve actually accrued a decent squad for this level.

You’re always going to have to deal with potential vs actual capability, as well as decent players with historical injury issues.
Some players are a bit of a gamble, either bringing them in from lower leagues or from higher league teams with minimal playing time over past season or two.

We have decent CBs now, good RB options, and a more balanced midfield with more attacking options.

Overall we are more versatile and balanced but still need that additional striker to cover the inevitable absence of Jack Marriott at different points of the season.

A LB is less of a priority than a CF.

[Hound]

Roberts is a perfectly capable LB and cost us a fair bit of money from the sound of things. Dorsett ok as a back up

Striker is urgently needed now but I’d say we’ve covered every position if we do get one in

[South Coast Royal]

Knightrider teaser for 9:30

Load of knight gif replies from the club twitter too, not seen us linked with any Knights...

Googled for footballers called Knight.

Jason Knight, midfielder for Bristol City, regular starter and we don't need a midfielder so surely not
Ben Knight, striker for Cambridge, decent enough record to be a squad/backup option, so maybe?

Josh Knight? Centre-back from Portsmouth.

He spent most of last season injured, so will fit in nicely.

That would just leave the striker out of the positions we were trying to fill.

Josh Knight fits based on 4 Reading Fc criteria:-

Has had significant injuries
Once voted Player of the season at an earlier club
Associated with Wigan, Rotherham or Pompey (see also Ritchie, Lane and Brown)
Won't cost anything.

For all of that let's hope he does ok.
BTW we have had 3 other Knights in our past-none have been very good but it's time for one to be our man in shining armour.

[windermereROYAL]

I`m confident work is going on behind the scenes for the final part of the jig-saw.

[South Coast Royal]

We’ve actually accrued a decent squad for this level.

You’re always going to have to deal with potential vs actual capability, as well as decent players with historical injury issues.
Some players are a bit of a gamble, either bringing them in from lower leagues or from higher league teams with minimal playing time over past season or two.

We have decent CBs now, good RB options, and a more balanced midfield with more attacking options.

Overall we are more versatile and balanced but still need that additional striker to cover the inevitable absence of Jack Marriott at different points of the season.

A LB is less of a priority than a CF.

As you say, a decent squad for this level.
Not one to get us promoted, not one to get us relegated.
Another treading water season?

[Sutekh]

Load of knight gif replies from the club twitter too, not seen us linked with any Knights...

Googled for footballers called Knight.

Jason Knight, midfielder for Bristol City, regular starter and we don't need a midfielder so surely not
Ben Knight, striker for Cambridge, decent enough record to be a squad/backup option, so maybe?

Josh Knight? Centre-back from Portsmouth.

He spent most of last season injured, so will fit in nicely.

That would just leave the striker out of the positions we were trying to fill.

Josh Knight fits based on 4 Reading Fc criteria:-

Has had significant injuries
Once voted Player of the season at an earlier club
Associated with Wigan, Rotherham or Pompey (see also Ritchie, Lane and Brown)
Won't cost anything.

For all of that let's hope he does ok.
BTW we have had 3 other Knights in our past-none have been very good but it's time for one to be our man in shining armour.

He will cost something, Reading will pay a loan fee and he will cost the club further if they then want him permanently next season as he’s contracted at Pompey until 2028.

[South Coast Royal]

Josh Knight? Centre-back from Portsmouth.

He spent most of last season injured, so will fit in nicely.

That would just leave the striker out of the positions we were trying to fill.

Josh Knight fits based on 4 Reading Fc criteria:-

Has had significant injuries
Once voted Player of the season at an earlier club
Associated with Wigan, Rotherham or Pompey (see also Ritchie, Lane and Brown)
Won't cost anything.

For all of that let's hope he does ok.
BTW we have had 3 other Knights in our past-none have been very good but it's time for one to be our man in shining armour.

He will cost something, Reading will pay a loan fee and he will cost the club further if they then want him permanently next season as he’s contracted at Pompey until 2028.

Ok-correction, he won't cost much.

[royals6719]

Load of knight gif replies from the club twitter too, not seen us linked with any Knights...

Googled for footballers called Knight.

Jason Knight, midfielder for Bristol City, regular starter and we don't need a midfielder so surely not
Ben Knight, striker for Cambridge, decent enough record to be a squad/backup option, so maybe?

Josh Knight? Centre-back from Portsmouth.

He spent most of last season injured, so will fit in nicely.

That would just leave the striker out of the positions we were trying to fill.

Josh Knight fits based on 4 Reading Fc criteria:-

Has had significant injuries
Once voted Player of the season at an earlier club
Associated with Wigan, Rotherham or Pompey (see also Ritchie, Lane and Brown)
Won't cost anything.

For all of that let's hope he does ok.
BTW we have had 3 other Knights in our past-none have been very good but it's time for one to be our man in shining armour.

Keith Knight was ok in Division Four season - think he scored eight goals in 40 odd appearances 1:5 good ratio .

[linkenholtroyal]

We’ve actually accrued a decent squad for this level.

You’re always going to have to deal with potential vs actual capability, as well as decent players with historical injury issues.
Some players are a bit of a gamble, either bringing them in from lower leagues or from higher league teams with minimal playing time over past season or two.

We have decent CBs now, good RB options, and a more balanced midfield with more attacking options.

Overall we are more versatile and balanced but still need that additional striker to cover the inevitable absence of Jack Marriott at different points of the season.

A LB is less of a priority than a CF.

As you say, a decent squad for this level.
Not one to get us promoted, not one to get us relegated.
Another treading water season?

I actually think if the squad clicks there is a play off push there. Most of the starting 11 would walk into another league 1 squad on there day.
I would consider Joel, Robert’s, Knight, Ward, Dokes, Rhino, Wing, Lane, Lisbie, Earthy and Marriott as higher league 1 or lower championship squad players amongst others in the squad. On Paper it is a very balanced and capable squad if they can gel with a pedigree. A lot of them have also been promoted out of this division. That second choice striker may well be the missing piece.

No info on this and I know he has been mentioned numerous times before but I wonder if Clarke Harris might be a player they are looking at. Is of the age where he would probably be happy with first team cover for a couple of years and would be a Richardson style signing.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Josh Knight? Centre-back from Portsmouth.

He spent most of last season injured, so will fit in nicely.

That would just leave the striker out of the positions we were trying to fill.

Josh Knight fits based on 4 Reading Fc criteria:-

Has had significant injuries
Once voted Player of the season at an earlier club
Associated with Wigan, Rotherham or Pompey (see also Ritchie, Lane and Brown)
Won't cost anything.

For all of that let's hope he does ok.
BTW we have had 3 other Knights in our past-none have been very good but it's time for one to be our man in shining armour.

Keith Knight was ok in Division Four season - think he scored eight goals in 40 odd appearances 1:5 good ratio .

Pretty sure he was third tier....think he signed the season after we won the Simod and got relegated.

[South Coast Royal]

We’ve actually accrued a decent squad for this level.

You’re always going to have to deal with potential vs actual capability, as well as decent players with historical injury issues.
Some players are a bit of a gamble, either bringing them in from lower leagues or from higher league teams with minimal playing time over past season or two.

We have decent CBs now, good RB options, and a more balanced midfield with more attacking options.

Overall we are more versatile and balanced but still need that additional striker to cover the inevitable absence of Jack Marriott at different points of the season.

A LB is less of a priority than a CF.

As you say, a decent squad for this level.
Not one to get us promoted, not one to get us relegated.
Another treading water season?

I actually think if the squad clicks there is a play off push there. Most of the starting 11 would walk into another league 1 squad on there day.
I would consider Joel, Robert’s, Knight, Ward, Dokes, Rhino, Wing, Lane, Lisbie, Earthy and Marriott as higher league 1 or lower championship squad players amongst others in the squad. On Paper it is a very balanced and capable squad if they can gel with a pedigree. A lot of them have also been promoted out of this division. That second choice striker may well be the missing piece.

No info on this and I know he has been mentioned numerous times before but I wonder if Clarke Harris might be a player they are looking at. Is of the age where he would probably be happy with first team cover for a couple of years and would be a Richardson style signing.

I can't agree with you about players like Roberts, Knight, Lane and Rino getting into other League 1 sides and Ward, Lisbie and Earthy are very much unproven but football is a game of opinions and I have generally (except under McGhee and Coppell) mostly been a glass half empty person when it comes to our club.

I will be surprised but delighted if we are good enough to get promotion this season.

[The Royal Forester]

Josh Knight fits based on 4 Reading Fc criteria:-

Has had significant injuries
Once voted Player of the season at an earlier club
Associated with Wigan, Rotherham or Pompey (see also Ritchie, Lane and Brown)
Won't cost anything.

For all of that let's hope he does ok.
BTW we have had 3 other Knights in our past-none have been very good but it's time for one to be our man in shining armour.

Keith Knight was ok in Division Four season - think he scored eight goals in 40 odd appearances 1:5 good ratio .

Pretty sure he was third tier....think he signed the season after we won the Simod and got relegated.

Keith Knight joined us from Cheltenham Town, fee £7000 in September 1988 left us for Gloucester City in 1988, sorry, don't know month (or fee, if there was one). so would have been Division 3 all his time here.

[Sutekh]

Keith Knight was ok in Division Four season - think he scored eight goals in 40 odd appearances 1:5 good ratio .

Pretty sure he was third tier....think he signed the season after we won the Simod and got relegated.

Keith Knight joined us from Cheltenham Town, fee £7000 in September 1988 left us for Gloucester City in 1988, sorry, don't know month (or fee, if there was one). so would have been Division 3 all his time here.

Yes, he never played in division 4, only division 3. Decent midfielder who, while never spectacular, worked hard and you could generally be sure he’d be decent week in, week out. There was talk of Sunderland or someone far up north being interested before he left but nothing developed so probably just an uncorroborated rumour. Don’t really understand why he left for Gloucester rather than stay for another season but then Reading were totally brassic by then so probably couldn’t afford to turn down any offer.

[stealthpapes]

The difference between a good and great season is about 1 win in 5. The rest is vibes.

[Crowbar6753]

The squad is coming together rather nicely and the depth (Other than up front) is now in place. This squad is much better than last season already and the style and flair is slowly getting there. The past two seasons we have just missed out on the play-offs so things bode well for a play-off push.
There are good teams in this league and Leicester were meant to be the next Wrexham/Birmingham however that may not prove the case. I would put us in the pot of 8 teams who could do well especially if we can get a decent striker in before Tuesdays deadline.
If we can win our next two games (Both at home) then confidence should start building and who knows then
Regarding the LB position, pretty sure Ward can play there so he would be my go to back up especially now as we have ample CB's in the squad. I would be inclined to either loan Dorsett out or move on this window.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Roberts is a perfectly capable LB and cost us a fair bit of money from the sound of things. Dorsett ok as a back up

Striker is urgently needed now but I’d say we’ve covered every position if we do get one in

Yeh this. Roberts is decent and we have Dorsett and Ward who can fill in. We'd only be bringing in a LB for back-up, so can't see many options being available for that.

[Clyde1998]

Roberts is a perfectly capable LB and cost us a fair bit of money from the sound of things. Dorsett ok as a back up

Striker is urgently needed now but I’d say we’ve covered every position if we do get one in

Yeh this. Roberts is decent and we have Dorsett and Ward who can fill in. We'd only be bringing in a LB for back-up, so can't see many options being available for that.

Abrefa was playing as an inverted left-back for the U21s last season, so he'd be an option too. With Lane playing there during pre-season, I can't imagine we'll go out an sign a left-back before the close of the window.

[From Despair To Where?]

Pretty sure he was third tier....think he signed the season after we won the Simod and got relegated.

Keith Knight joined us from Cheltenham Town, fee £7000 in September 1988 left us for Gloucester City in 1988, sorry, don't know month (or fee, if there was one). so would have been Division 3 all his time here.

Yes, he never played in division 4, only division 3. Decent midfielder who, while never spectacular, worked hard and you could generally be sure he’d be decent week in, week out. There was talk of Sunderland or someone far up north being interested before he left but nothing developed so probably just an uncorroborated rumour. Don’t really understand why he left for Gloucester rather than stay for another season but then Reading were totally brassic by then so probably couldn’t afford to turn down any offer.

Keith Knight was a more than adequate Div 3 player and was an excellent signing for £7,000.

Given that he signed from a club in Gloucestershire and moved back to a club in Gloucestershire, In all likelihood he never moved down to Reading so the rigours of commuting plus the undoubtedly shit pay he was on probably meant he was better off playing part time and holding down a career outside football.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Keith Knight joined us from Cheltenham Town, fee £7000 in September 1988 left us for Gloucester City in 1988, sorry, don't know month (or fee, if there was one). so would have been Division 3 all his time here.

Yes, he never played in division 4, only division 3. Decent midfielder who, while never spectacular, worked hard and you could generally be sure he’d be decent week in, week out. There was talk of Sunderland or someone far up north being interested before he left but nothing developed so probably just an uncorroborated rumour. Don’t really understand why he left for Gloucester rather than stay for another season but then Reading were totally brassic by then so probably couldn’t afford to turn down any offer.

Keith Knight was a more than adequate Div 3 player and was an excellent signing for £7,000.

Given that he signed from a club in Gloucestershire and moved back to a club in Gloucestershire, In all likelihood he never moved down to Reading so the rigours of commuting plus the undoubtedly shit pay he was on probably meant he was better off playing part time and holding down a career outside football.

Pretty sure he ended up back at Cheltenham (when they were still non league) and played against us years later in the cup - terry the taxi days.