STEPHEN Quinn described Reading FC as a 'middle of the road' team and stressed the importance of this summer's recruitment policy.

Royals ended the Championship season with a whimper after crashing to a sixth defeat in seven matches following Saturday's 3-1 loss at Blackburn.

And Quinn refused to dress up his side's worrying finish to the campaign that saw Reading pick up a mere one point from their last seven fixtures to finish a lowly 17th in the table.

“Performances haven't been great and results haven't been great,” confessed the Republic of Ireland international.

“We wanted to send fans home with a bit of positivity for next season, but it really is disappointing.

“I've been a player who over the last few years has always been battling for something like promotion or to stay in the Premier League with Hull City last season.

“So it's very disappointing to be a middle of the road team.

“It's hard to accept.”

McDermott has been tasked with rebuilding the Royals squad over the summer.

A host of loan players have departed while Hal Robson-Kanu, Anton Ferdinand and Simon Cox have been released.

Quinn added: “We just need to regroup and hope that we recruit well in the summer and go again next season.

“A lot of the loan players won't be with us so it's a chance to blood some young players who have been knocking on the door like Josh Barrett.

“It's time for them to step up now and grasp their chance.”

Meanwhile, Quinn and Royals captain Paul McShane have been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for a friendly against Netherlands on May 27.

Right-back Chris Gunter has been included in Chris Coleman’s Wales squad of 29 players for a pre-UEFA Euro 2016 training camp in Portugal, which begins on 23rd May.

Hal Robson-Kanu has also made into Coleman's squad in a week when the 26-year-old winger was one of three players released by Reading along with Simon Cox and Anton Ferdinand.