SEAN Morrison is confident he can make the leap into the Championship with Reading - after rejecting a promising career in athletics.

Royals signed the giant 6ft 4ins defender from rivals Swindon Town on Tuesday for around £300,000.

And after signing a three-and-a-half year deal at Madejski Stadium, Morrison, 20, revealed how close he came to choosing another path.

Speaking exclusively to the Chronicle, the Plymouth-born stopper said: "My dad tried to get me into rugby, but that's a proper mans' sport.

"But I used to do a lot of athletics and I wasn't too bad. Long jump was my strongest discipline and I was in the county and the south-west of England teams. People wanted me to carry on so I continued throughout school.

"When I was 14-year-old I had to choose between that and football. But having football training three times a week then athletics another three times became a bit difficult at that young age so I had to make a choice.

"I really used to enjoy the athletics but the travelling was too much whereas football was quite local down there so I chose football in the end. It was a tough decision but I definitely made the right one."

** For the full interview and pictures pick up a copy of the Reading Chronicle **