Published: Tuesday, 6th January, 2009 10:00am

Murty to help out old pal Parkinson

by Anthony Smith

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Valley bound: Graeme Murty has joined Charlton on loan for a month to improve his match fitness.

ROYALS skipper Graeme Murty has joined Championship strugglers Charlton Athletic on a one-month loan deal.

The 33-year-old full-back recovered from a long-term calf injury to make his first appearance of the season in Reading's 2-0 defeat at Cardiff City last Saturday in the FA Cup third round.

But he was the first to admit he struggled to keep up with the pace of the game and that he was desperately short of match fitness.

With Liam Rosenior the club's current first-choice in his position, Murty will now enjoy a spell working under Addicks boss and ex-Royals legend Phil Parkinson.

Charlton are currently bottom of the table and Murty is expected to make his debut for them in their relegation six-pointer against Nottingham Forest at the Valley this Saturday.

Murty admitted: "To be perfectly honest it felt exactly like my first competitive game for six months. I fell short in mental and physical sharpness.

"And I got the worst case of cramp I have ever had in my life, but I am just pleased to get 90 minutes. However, I was disappointed with the way it turned out."

Parkinson knows Murty's game inside out after spending five years in the same Reading team before he left in 2003.

And "Parky' explained: "I felt we needed to get one or two players in the building with a winning mentality.

"Graeme certainly has that from his time at Reading and he has been promoted from this league before.

"I played with him at Reading and he's a good player, but most of all he is a strong character and he will add a lot to this group of players.

"He has a strong mentality and a lot of experience. I feel we are in a situation where we need players who can make an immediate impact, and Graeme gives us that."

Royals' diirector of Football Nick Hammond added: "Murts has just come back to fitness after six months out and needs to get some games under his belt, so hopefully this loan move will give him that opportunity."