Reading boss Paul Ince labelled the summer transfer window as 'frustrating' as the club navigated another summer without being able to spend money on transfer fees.

11 players came through the door at Bearwood but key stars such as John Swift, Andy Rinomhota and Josh Laurent departed at the end of their contracts.

Despite a lack of financial power, the Royals have started well and sit third in the Championship.

Reading Chronicle: PA and JasonPIXPA and JasonPIX (Image: PA and JasonPIX)

Looking back over the window ahead of a trip to Vicarage Road to face Watford, he mused: "The most important was keeping the core together as much as possible, and trying to add to it.

"Would I be saying, if we didn't have an embargo, would we be fishing in a different pond, we would.

"But we've managed to get players who want to fight for the team, have that desire and make sacrifices to try and keep this team in the league. It has been tough and yes it has been disappointing because you're spotting players, trying to get business done but then you mention the financial package and they go somewhere else.

"You do all this work - me, Mark Bowen, Brian Carey, Alex Rae- the whole team - to try and get these players and when you think you've got one, someone jumps and you can't afford to keep them so it has been disappointing and frustrating, but now we go with what we've got."

The club have three spaces in their first team squad available to be filled with free agents, with two trialists still training with the club.

Adding comment on the opportunity to bring more in, he said: "We've still got three players who can still come in which is tough because when you're looking at players on a free and no one has snapped them up, there's obviously an issue.

"If they are on a free, you bring them in, it takes four or five weeks to get them up to scratch, do they break down, do they do what I want them to do...so it's been a frustrating window for us, it really has. But I am glad with what we've got. The ones we have brought in have done really really well.

"I am happy with my first 14/15 but I'd like to get some more senior players in."