Roberts: They’re the best people I’ve worked with

Reading striker Jason Roberts has admitted that the current squad of players is the best he has worked with in his entire 15-year career.

The 34-year old has settled into the Royals squad fantastically since he joined in January, scoring six goals and forming a formidable partnership with Irishman Noel Hunt. Roberts has also been at the forefront of Reading’s superb run in recent months, having won thirteen games and only witnessing one loss.

Roberts told the official RFC site: ‘I was very proud to be part of that performance tonight, and it’s another step to where we want to be – but we’re not where we want to be yet, there were no wild celebrations in there. I was sat in the dressing room after the game, contemplating if I’ve ever played with a better bunch of people.’

‘It’s the character of the people in there, you look around and you know you’re dealing with a proper bunch of people. Even when they got a goal back, which we’re not used to, we’re used to keeping clean sheets, we all looked around and there was no negativity, no pointing fingers – it was just a realisation that we had to go again.’

The former Blackburn striker is believed to be carrying a groin injury, which forced him off against Southampton on Friday night. This could pave the way for a first start in four months for Adam Le Fondre, who was the hero at St Mary’s on Friday night as he scored two goals in the last 15 minutes to win Reading the game.