Jem: My performances weren’t up to scratch

Reading midfielder Jem Karacan has shown his delight in winning his place back in the Reading side over the past few weeks and is intent on keeping it that way.

The Reading academy graduate lost his place in the team to Jay Tabb around a month ago but an injury to the former Coventry player at Burnley gave Karacan his chance again and has not disappointed.

The Turkish U21 international told the official RFC site: ‘When you get the shirt back you have to keep it and that’s what I want to do. There’s no worse feeling than not being in the team, watching the boys, even though you want them to do well.’

‘To come back into the team, unfortunately Tabby got knocked out, you have to take chances when they come. When I lost my place in the team my performances weren’t up to scratch.’

Despite this tender age of 22, he managed to appear in a Royals shirt almost 100 times and scored 5 goals along the way, with a superb 20-yard volley against Preston last year the pick of them.

Jem is expected to start in midfield on Saturday alongside in-form Mikele Leigertwood as they take on Cardiff City at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday.