Captain Is Latest To Pen New Deal

Reading skipper, Graeme Murty has signed a new contract with Reading. The Royals captain`s new deal will see him stay with the club until summertime 2008.

The new contract could potentially see the Scottish international finish his career at the club he has played at for the past eight years.

32-year-old Murty has been a Royal since arriving from York in 1998, he is Reading`s longest serving player still at the club playing in 296 competitive games.

His contract was due to expire at the end of this, Reading`s first Premiership, season but the club responded swiftly to avoid losing the player on a free transfer next summer.

‘I’m absolutely delighted to sign another contract,’ he told the club’s website.
‘This is where I want to be, playing in the Premiership with a team who have achieved so much and grown so well together. I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.

‘It is also very pleasing to know that as much as I want to stay, the club want to keep me.’

Murty`s signing will see a few supporters and names involved with the club wipe their brows after there was rumour that Chairman John Madejski`s refusal to give the player a testimonial could result in the skipper leaving the Royals.

But Madejski and his board reviewed the club`s policy and have decided that the request will be dealt with in the future; Murty having only been at Reading eight years and testimonials generally being awarded after 10 faithful years at a club:

“In the future we will consider any requests that may be made for testimonials on an individual basis at the appropriate time.” Madejski commented.

Madejski was also keen to extend his delight that Murty has penned a new deal with the club, speaking to Reading`s official website he said this:

‘Graeme’s loyalty to Reading Football Club speaks for itself.

‘He is a tremendously popular captain who leads by example, and I am delighted to sign him for another two seasons.’

Murty`s name will join Icelandic duo Brynjar Gunnarsson, and Ivar Ingimarsson as well as Glen Little and Marcus Hahnemann on Reading`s contractual tick list; now all the club has to do is get Steve Sidwell to put pen to paper?
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