Murty`s Milestone

Reading captain Graeme Murty will make his 300th appearance for the Royals in Saturday`s fixture with Everton.

The skipper joined the club back in 1998 when a fee of £750,000 saw the then 24year old move from York City.

Reading`s Director of Football and ex-goalkeeper, Nicky Hammond, believes the player has excelled in his time at Reading; speaking to Reading`s Official Site Hammond commented:

‘He’s probably playing the best football of his career now.

‘I was here slightly before him, and since he came to the club we’ve always been developing and he’s very much part of that. ‘

Murty recently penned a deal with the club that will more then likely see him finish his career in Berkshire when the contract runs out in the summer of 2009.

Hammond confessed it is not a regular occurrence for the club to take players over the age of 30 on a long term contract, but the rule was exempt in Murty`s case:

‘In the past we’ve had something of a policy of not signing players over 30 for more than a year, but you have to take each case on it’s merits and Graeme is our captain.

‘For him to be going out of contract in the summer, given the way he’s performing, would not have been good.”

Hammond lavished the player with compliments saying:

‘He has been captain of the most successful team in this club’s history.

‘He is the consummate professional, he will look after himself and there’s a good few more years in him yet, I’m sure.’

Lets hope Murty`s milestone match is a happy memory.