Reading HC men's first-team squad have lost a staggering 15 players since last season, including the three Carson brothers and Scotland's No. 1 keeper Tommy Alexander.

This has meant a lot of recruiting for the Blues and they have certainly been active with new signings coming from as far afield as Australia, Belgium, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"I think our starting 11 for our first league game might have only four or five who played last season and the rest will be new," said head coach Jason Lee as he prepares to face Hampstead & Westminster at Sonning Lane this Saturday (6pm push back).

"Some of our players had fantastic offers to go and play abroad, mainly Germany. It is a great year for the Welsh boys to go because it is between Commonwealth Games, which required them to be in the UK a lot, and the Europeans which is at the back end of next summer, so it is a good opportunity for them to go."

Dan Kyriakides, who last year became the first Welshman to be named in the GB hockey squad for 17 years, Owain Dolan Gray and Ben Francis are joining German clubs, along with Reading and Scotland goalkeeper Tommy Alexander, while Dale Hutchinson has gone to Holland.

Tom Carson, who skippered the Blues last season, has signed for Belgium club Beerschot, and both his brothers have also moved on with James going to University of Exeter and Ed to Conference East club Old Georgians.

Reading's former England star Dan Shingles has also switched to Georgians, who play at the St George's College in Weybridge, where he teaches.

Tim Atkins, Ben Boon and James Royce have all joined Premier Division rivals Surbiton, while Nick Park has switched to Beeston, Kiran Patel to Exeter University and Duncan Riddell has moved back to his native Scotland.

Blues have so far named 12 new signings, including four who are returning to Sonning Lane - keeper Chris Wyver, previously with Old Georgians, Max Cleaver and Jack Clee, from their respective universities, and Peter Scott from Team Bath Buccaneers.

Reading University undergraduate Wyver is rated England's third best keeper and won a silver medal with Great Britain’s Under 21s in the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia last year.

Josh Bretherton and Oscar Stewart are flying over from Australia to play, with Craig Falconer and Sam Hill moving down from Aberdeen club Gordonians, Matt Richards from Leuven in Belgium and Connor Roberts from Belfast-based Annadale.

Making much shorter trips to wear the Reading colours are Fred Newbold from Henley and Jamie Rawlings from Fareham.

Reading School pupil Newbold represented England under-16s last year, while Rawlings has pulled on a Wales shirt at under-16, 18 and 21 levels.

"We have signed some exciting young players," said Lee.

They also include 17-year-old Archie Sweeting, who played for the club's third-string last season. He was among the scorers when Blues defeated Wimbledon 3-1 in a friendly last weekend, with Richards and Falconer also on target.