Reading FC will be without three key players for the rest of the season, according to manager Paul Ince.

Securing safety in the Championship despite losing 3-0 to Hull City last weekend, it should be a party atmosphere at the SCL Stadium on Saturday against West Brom, but key stars Tom Ince, Tom Holmes and Femi Azeez will be missing for the remainder.

Speaking to the media ahead of the match with the Baggies, interim manager Ince confirmed that the players, including his son, will not play another minute for Reading this season.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Ince said: “He [Tom Ince] had a big tackle on the right-hand side [against Hull] and he’s done his ligaments. He’s had a scan in Stoke and it’s going to be six weeks. It’s a shame as Thomas played under Brucey at Hull and he was at Luton with Nathan Jones, so he was looking forward to those two games, especially without any pressure, so he’s devastated.

“Tom Holmes is still struggling with a viral thing. It’s unlike him because he was awesome against Sheff United, and he was getting better every game. When you get a cold you straight away think Covid and it’s just got longer and he’s still not better, he’s actually worse. It’s a viral thing and it’ll be three or four weeks.”

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

This news comes on top of the fact that star players John Swift and Andy Rinohmota are out for the rest of the season too, with both out of contract with the Royals over the summer.

In more positive news, Academy graduate Dejan Tetek is back from injury, and Ince hinted that he will play a part in the final two matches.

He continued: "You want to win at home and get the right result for the fans but also you want to look at players, like Tetek and see what they’re like.

"It’s nice when you can go three or four up and start changing things, but I don’t think that’s going to be us this year.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

"There will be one or two who get the opportunity to show me what they can do. It’s always tough, these players are buzzing to show me how well they can do but because we’ve come in and done so well you can’t really change the team too much. The next two games allow us to look at one or two for 20 minutes."