Tabb set to sign new deal but Howard on verge of loan move

Anthony Smith • Published 17 Mar 2011 15:30 0 Comments

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JAY Tabb is set to sign a new two year deal - with fellow midfielder Brian Howard on the verge of a loan move to Southampton.

Tabb, 27, has been in talks for weeks with his current contract due to expire this summer.

But the £300,000 Coventry City signing is determined to set down roots in Berkshire and play a big part in Brian McDermott's future plans.

"Hopefully it will be signed any day now," said Tabb. "My agent and Nick Hammond are talking it through and an offer of a two-year deal is on the table.

"I'm so happy and settled at Reading that I don't want to move. If I leave in the summer it means I would have been at both Coventry and Reading for two-and-a-half years.

"It's good to stay at a club for a long period sometimes, I'm extremely happy here."

And he added: "I get on well with the management staff and players.

"Some people forget Brian has only been in the job for just over a year. He's the type of manager who will build something and I think Reading has a good future. I want to be part of that."

But Brian Howard could be heading for a loan move to League One promotion-chasers Southampton.

The Winchester-born midfielder, 28, has been in and out of the first-team this season and is now attracting interest from the Saints, having launched his career with their Academy.

Reports suggest Saints boss Nigel Adkins made an approach last week, and McDermott is now willing to let go of the former Sheffield United and Barnsley man.

Meanwhile, Tabb believes Royals can quickly recover from the disappointment of their FA Cup quarter-final exit and push for the play-off over the final 10 games of the Championship season.

"If we can play like we did at Manchester City over the remaining 10 games of the season, there is no reason why we can't achieve something special.

"But we've got to take it one game at time starting with Barnsley. We will go there expecting to win and that's what we've got to do over those 10 games.

"I believe we're good enough to win, we've got a great squad which showed on Sunday, despite having five injuries in defence. So we've got to go into every game expecting to win."

And Tabb believes the pressure will be on the teams above Reading during the run in.

"It's good coming from a position like ours or Burnley's or Leicester's. Teams like Norwich, Swansea and Cardiff are so close and they know if they win six or seven games they will be in the Premier League.

"They're good sides but there's a lot of pressure on them. We're quietly confident but we don't want to give too much away.

"But you'd like to think we have a so-called easier run-in than a lot of other teams.

"However, Barnsley are a good side and it's all we will concentrate on for now."

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 17 Mar 11

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