Reading FC defender Tom McIntyre explained that keeping the Royals in the Championship "means everything to me."

The Academy graduate broke through into the first team in 2018, having been at the club since he was eight years old.

A season ticket holder at the club, McIntyre has been crucial under Ince, especially over the Easter weekend.

Playing out of position on Friday at Bramall Lane, the Scotland youth international scored a 92nd minute winner in the Steel City to down Sheffield United, and scored a 95th minute equaliser against Swansea City in Monday's 4-4 draw with the Swans.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Speaking to the media after his late strike at the SCL Stadium, McIntyre beamed: "I thought Friday couldn’t be topped but I think that’s just about done it.

"It means the world to me to play for Reading, so to get these two goals I’m lost for words. It’s a dream come true."

The Wokingham-raised hero's late strike against the Welsh outfit, twinned with Derby County's 1-0 defeat to QPR, relegated the Rams after a valiant effort to overturn a 21 point deduction.

The point lift's Paul Ince's men to within touching distance of safety in the Championship with three matches remaining.

The Royals haven't played in the third tier since 2002, and this second division status is crucial "to everyone in the club."

McIntyre continued: "It’s a shame for them but football is dog eat dog, it was us or them so I’m not feeling any type of way about it.

"It means everything to me. I know how important it is to everyone in the club, and everyone in the town. The club is a big part of the town. We’ve struggled a bit in recent years, and we haven’t had as big a crowd as we used to be the club is the heart of the town.

"There’s so many that lean on the club at the weekend and love the club to bits. There’s so many of the staff at the club that would lose their job if we went down and that weighs on you too because I’ve got a lot of friends at the club, and you don’t want to see anyone lose their job.

"It’s a big responsibility but its been a club effort to get us to this stage and we need to put it to bed."