Reading FC legendary defender Ibrahima Sonko said that Saturday's legends match was a "special" ocassion for the football club.

Affectionately known as Superman, the powerful centre-back spent four years with the Royals and was an ever-present as the club stormed to the Championship in record-breaking style in 2006.

 

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In a race around the world, Sonko arrived just half an hour ahead of kick off travelling from Senegal to Berkshire.

His team lost 8-5 on Saturday against a side made up of Brian McDermott's 2012 title winners, but speaking to the 1871 podcast alongside teammate Simon Cox, the Stoke City and Hull City defender felt it was nice that the two sets of players had common ground. 

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

"They were quality players in their time," he started. "And they can still play. Jimmy Kebe was running, and I was thinking ‘are you 26 or 36?’ He still had full speed and good technique. I always played against Jason [Roberts] when he was at Wigan, West Brom and Blackburn and I always had a s**t game against him and even on Saturday he managed to score. It was nice to see everyone and play against people you consider as friends.

 

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"We share Reading Football Club. Even the likes of Kaspars Gorkss, I don’t really know him but the fact he was at the club when I was watching the club and supporting the club and him knowing the history of the 106 team brought us closer. We all had something in common and that was special."