Reading FC lose Wembley thriller: Where are they now?

3-0 down at half-time to Brendan Rodgers' Swansea City, the Royals pulled it back to within one but cruelly missed out 4-2 in the club's first new Wembley appearance.

A heartbreaking way to round off the season, it wouldn't linger as most of the squad won the Championship the year after.

Where are they now?

Adam Federici- Long serving Aussie joined the club in 2005 and went on to play more than 200 times in a decade of service. Famed for his kicking style and cat-like reflexes, the fan favourite was a regular from 2009 onwards and was awarded Player of the Season in 2015. Departing at the end of the season, the international goalkeeper spent five seasons at Bournemouth and Stoke City, registering just 31 appearances before heading back ‘Down Under’ to Macarthur FC. He announced his retirement in October 2021.

Andy Griffin- More well-known for his spells with Newcastle United and Stoke City, full-back Griffin played over 70 times across three seasons in Berkshire. Originally joining on loan for the second half of 2009/10, he signed permanently ahead of 2010/11 and was a regular for the next two years. Earning a winners medal with the club in 2012, he departed at the end of his deal and wound down his career with Doncaster Rovers and Chester. He now works as a coach as Newcastle-Under-Lyme College.

Matt Mills- A controversial figure at the club after his infamous gesture toward the supporters, centre-back Mills was captain during the club’s run to the play-off final and he even found the back of the net. Playing 75 times in two seasons, Mills was a key player for the club at this time but was eventually signed by Leicester City just weeks after the Wembley heartache. He went on to have long-standing associations with Bolton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest before retiring in July 2020 at Forest Green Rovers.

Zurab Khizanishvili- Spending a decade in the English game, the former Georgian international had two loan spells with the Royals at the turn of the 2010s. Playing almost 100 times in Scotland for Dundee and Rangers, he moved south of the border in 2005 and spent five years on the books at Blackburn Rovers, although he was sent out on loan three times. A temporary move to the North-East with Newcastle United saw just seven appearances but he would go on to appear 42 times for the Royals between 2009-2011. He continued to play upon his departure from Berkshire, moving to Turkey and Azerbaijan, but retired in 2017. He has since been appointed the assistant coach for the Georgia Under-21s side.

Ian Harte- Free kick specialist Harte arrived in Reading aged 33 and off the back of a season with Carlisle in League One, during which he netted 18 times from left-back. The Leeds United legend, with nearly 300 appearances to his name at Elland Road, was to become an icon of the successful Reading sides of the time, playing 99 times as they reached the Premier League. He was released in 2013 and played 35 times for Bournemouth as they won promotion to the Premier League. Retiring in 2015, he is now a football agent.

Jobi McAnuff- Vastly experienced winger McAnuff joined the club in 2009 from Watford and went on to make more than 200 appearances in Reading, most of them as captain. Picking up the armband from Mills, he is one of only two men to captain the club in the Premier League. Since being released in 2014, he played over 100 times for Leyton Orient either side of a spell with Stevenage. Retiring officially at the end of the 2020/21  campaign, he has since been elected onto the Football Association board and is a regular pundit on Sky Sports.

Jem Karacan- Scorer of one of the 13 goals at this month’s legend’s match, Karacan is still a popular figure around RG2. The Academy graduate played almost 200 times in nine years with the first team before departing to join Turkish giants Galatasaray. He has since had spells with Bolton Wanderers, Millwall, Central Coast Mariners and Scunthorpe United. Still only 33, he is hoping to remain in football and find a club.

Mikele Leigertwood- One of two players still at the club now, Leigertwood was only on loan for the 2010/11 campaign. An experienced midfielder upon arrival, he impressed and signed permanently in 2011 before making more than 100 in three years until release. Picking up an injury while on trial with Nottingham Forest, he officially announced his retirement in 2015. Since 2016 he has been in the coaching set-up with the Royals, and for the second half of 2021/22 he assisted interim manager Paul Ince with first team duties. It is still unsure as to whether he will return to his Academy role ahead of next season.

Jimmy Kebe- A true cult hero with the club, Malian Kebe played almost 200 times in six years with the club, a key star as the Royals recovered from Steve Coppell’s departure and regained Premier League status. An enigma, he would play just 15 matches in England after leaving Reading before retiring to become a poker player.

 Shane Long- Top scorer as Reading reached the play-off final, the Irishman notched 25 goals on route to the Wembley appearance. Arriving in 2005, along with Kevin Doyle from Cork City, he would play a big role in the late 2000s but would eventually move on and establish himself as a Premier League star, spending 13 seasons in the topflight with West Brom, Hull City and more famously Southampton. He is with the Saints currently, having played almost 250 times for the south-coast outfit.

Noel Hunt- Similar to Leigertwood, Hunt has gone full circle and re-joined the club in a coaching capacity. The 39-year-old spent five years as a player at the-then Madejski Stadium, playing over 150 times. Following Royals legendary manager Brian McDermott to Leeds United, he dropped down the leagues and played for Ipswich Town, Wigan Athletic, Southend United and Portsmouth. In 2018 he was named assistant manager at nearby Swindon Town and followed departing manager Richie Wellens to Doncaster Rovers. In February 2022 it was announced that he was returning to Reading, where he manages the Under-23 side.

Subs

Alex McCarthy- An unused goalkeeper on the day, McCarthy would get his chance over the next five three years and grabbed it with both hands. Graduating through the Academy, he played 15 times in the 2010/11 season before spending the club’s title-winning year on loans with Ipswich Town and Leeds United. He returned in 2012 and would make almost 60 appearances over the next two seasons, displacing Federici as number one for a spell in 2013/14. Signed by Premier League QPR in 2014, he has not been out of the top-flight since, having spent the last six years with Long at St Marys, and even won a cap for England in 2018.

Shaun Cummings- Another who would make more of an impact in the future, the right-back played 12 times as the Swans pipped Reading to promotion, but he would play more than 30 times the following campaign as the Royals won the Championship. Three seasons as a bit-part player followed before spells with Millwall, Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers. He played one last game for the club at the legends match, playing the second half.

Alex Pearce- Long-serving Academy graduate Pearce broke through in 2008 and made almost 250 appearances in nine years. Player of the Season in 2011/12 as the club won the Championship, he has had spells with Derby County and Millwall since leaving in 2015. The Republic of Ireland international has been released by the Lions this summer and is looking for a club ahead of next season.

Jay Tabb- Sent off at half-time at Wembley, despite having never set foot on the pitch, Tabb made more than 100 appearances in five years with the club. A diminutive midfielder, he left in 2013 and famously bagged a goal on his Ipswich debut, at the SCL Stadium against Reading. Since retiring he has gone on to try his hand at rugby and horse racing.

Hal Robson-Kanu- Another Academy graduate and one who would make more of an impact in later years. He still played more than 30 times on route to Wembley, scoring six goals. He would better this in just one of his next five seasons. Scoring a famous goal for Wales at Euro 2016, he spent five years with West Brom until 2021.

Brian Howard- Joining the club in 2009 from Sheffield United, Howard made almost 70 appearances in three years with the club- including 28 in 2010/11. After leaving in 2011, he spent the next five years playing for six clubs across four divisions before becoming an agent. He notched an impressive hattrick in this month's legends match.

Simon Church- Making 44 appearances, it was to be Church’s busiest campaign for the club as he missed just nine league matches. A key player the following season as the club won the league, the Welsh international departed having never got a Premier League run-out. Having spells with Charlton Athletic, MK Dons, Roda, Scunthorpe and Plymouth, he was forced to retire aged just 30 in 2018 through injury.