Royals lose at Bristol
Full report! (16th Aug. 1998)


Wrexham Wreck Royals
Full report! (11th Aug. 1998)

Peterborough get Royal's best side
Tommy Burns will field his strongest possible side in the Worthington Cup at Peterborough.
Burns is anxious for a quick morale-boosting victory after Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Wrexham.
The Royals will have to do without Liberian striker Mass Sarr who is on international duty.
James Lambert (ankle) and Jimmy Crawford (knee) are doubtful but there may be starting places for Jason Bowen and Phil Parkinson. (11th August 1998)

Crossing the pond
I am glad to be able to say that I will be able to make my way to Elm Park and Wrexham next month as I will be over in the land of UK in the next couple of weeks.

Unfortunatly this means I will not be able to update my pages but I will be able to give a full report of the Wrexham game on the Tuesday 11th August. Hope to see you all there!

Royals reject bid
Reading have rejected an Ł800,000 bid from Gillingham for striker Carl Asaba, but Reading's chief executive Nigel Howe indicated that they would consider a higher offer.

He said: "It's below our valuation of Carl and they will not get him unless they come back with an improved offer."

Carl joined the Royals from Brentford last summer for Ł800,000, and in an injury-troubled season made 41 appearances, scoring 11 goals.

Royals beat Wednesday
Burns praised his players after they produced a good performance to beat FA Carling Premiership Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 in their first pre-season friendly.

Two goals from Jason Bowen and another from Linvoy Primus were enough to see the Royals secure a win ahead of their second division promotion challenge.

Burns said: "It may be early stages but it is always nice to get a good result like this in the pre-season. Now we have to build on this to make sure we are ready for the start of the season." (18th July 1998)

A Royal chance
Farnborough Town's highly-rated young midfield player Martin Rowlands has been invited to sepnd a week's trial at Football League side Reading.

Rowlands, 19, will train at Griffin Park after a recommendation from new Brentford coach Terry Bullivant who took the Conference player on trial while in charge at Reading.

The former Wycombe trainee spent a brief period on trial at Southampton last season.

The low down on Murty

Graeme Murty
Position: Midfield
Date of birth: 13/11/74
Height: 5ft 10ins
Weight: 11st 12lbs

1997/98 Season
Appearances: 39
Mins on pitch: 3398
Goals: 2
Yellow cards: 1
Red cards: 0

Murty was voted third in the club supporters' annual poll for Clubman of the Season. He was picked Player of the Year by the supporters' club's junior division. He also came third in the annual Player of the Year poll by subscribers to the email newsletter of which I am the moderator.

Looking through our subscriber's comments over the season, they see Murty as:

* The most enthusiastic member of York's squad, always giving his best.
* Versatile - he covered five different positions, often in trying circumstances when injuries best regular players.
* Rises to the big occasion - he played in our Coca Cola Cup victories over Manchester United in 1995 (3-0 away, 1-3 at home, won on aggregate) and over Everton 3-2 in 1996 (Murty scored the winner).
* Possibly starting to look injury prone. He struggled to overcome a hernia problem in the latter half of the season, returning to the park in April after a five-week lay off (just what we need!).

More injury problems
Andy Bernal will probably be not fit for the new season as he underwent surgery to get rid of a hernia problem he was having at the start of the summer.

He is currenlty being forced to do rehabilitation work with Bary Hunter and it is looking unlikely that he will play for the Royals at Wrexham.

Starting 11

So with all these new players who do you think will in the team next Wednesday? 


New players brought since the end of the season
Mark Reilly - Defender / Midfielder
John Polston - Defender
Grant Breber - Midfield
Graeme Murty - Forward / Winger
Massar - Forward


Micheal O'Neill - still trying to agree deals
Patrick Kelly - still trying to agree deals
Who do you think will play? Make your suggustion on the Royal Web Board

Steve still kneeds more surgery
Steve Mautone has had another operation to try to repair knee ligament damage which ruled him out for most of last season.

He is currently relaxing at home in Melbourne after surgery to tighten lateral knee ligaments which have slackened since he sustained the injury last October.

Hopefuly he is expected to return to training during August and could make hs first team return by late Autumn.

Massar Succuss
Tommy Burns believes new Liberian international signing Mas Sar will become a bit hit after agreeing to a move to the Madejski Stadium.

Burns splashed out Ł158,000 to bring the former Monaco striker to the club from Hadjuk Split and he is sure he will prove a big success.

He said: "He's a powerfully built left-sided striker and while everything's a gamble in football, when you're bringing in players of such quality it's worth that gamble."

$$$$$$$$$Money money money$$$$$$$$$

Murty completed his Ł700,000 switch to the Royals on a four-year-deal, while former Monaco star Mas Sar, 24, has agreed a three-year-contract.

But Burns is likely to carry on making changes and is still trying to agree permanent deals for Coventry's Michael O'Neill and Newcastle striker Patrick Kelly.

Growing new wings
Reading are expected to sign York City winger Graeme Murty for Ł750,000 next week.

The two clubs have agreed the fee and Murty is now discussing personal terms.

The 23 year old has made 115 league appearances for York, but scored only seven goals.

Reading also hope to sign Liberian international Massar, who previously played for Monaco and has been recommended to Reading by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

Brighton want Lovell
Brighton manager Brian Horton is holding talks with Reading striker Stuart Lovell as he bids to strengthen his squad before the start of the new season.

Lovell, was given a free transfer by Reading at the end of last season and Horton is keen to sign a striker before the players return to pre-season training next week.

The Albion manager has already signed three players this summer but has said he would like to add three more to his squad before the opening game at Carlisle on August 8th.

Bibbo on trial
Sal Bibbo is to have a two-week trial with Bristol Rovers with a view to joining the side.

Bibbo has already held talks with Rovers manager Ian Holloway over the summer and will spend 2 weeks on trial at the Memorial Ground when pre-season training begins later this month.

Sal was given a free transfer by Tommy Burns at the end of last season two years after joining them from Sheffield United.

Royals back from injury
Tommy Burns has been given a lift with the news five players are expected to be fit for pre-season training next month.

Martyn Booty (groin), Lee Hodges (knee), Jimmy Crawford (groin), Keith McPherson (pelvis) and Carl Asaba (calf) were all forced to miss the end of last season through injury.

But they have made good progress throughout the summer and are well on the road to recovery to return with the rest of the players on July 7.



If you wish to contact me drop me a line @ jon.castell@sympatico.ca.

Last updated: August 16th, 1998

These pages hosted by GeoCities Get your own Free Home Page