Reading Academy star Ethan Bristow joined Tranmere Rovers on a two-year deal following his release from the Royals.

We look at four other links with the Birkenhead-based side down the years.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Steve Coppell

Liverpool-born midfielder Coppell played almost 40 times for Tranmere in the early 1970s until making a big move to giants Manchester United, where he played over 300 times and racked up more than 40 England caps.

Injury-hit and forced to retire before his 30th birthday, he embarked on a long and successful managerial career- most notably with Crystal Palace and Reading.

Four separate stints at Selhurst Park, including a 1990 FA Cup appearance, and his six years in Berkshire in which he broke the points record and led the Royals to the top-flight for the first time in more than 130 years, has earned the nickname ‘Sir Steve Coppell.'

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Nigel Adkins

Joining his local side in 1983, Adkins played almost 9p times for Rovers until 1986 before moving to Wigan Athletic and Bangor City before early retirement due to injury. It was as a coach and manager that he made his name, particularly taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League in three seasons.

After his departure from the Saints in 2013, within two months he had moved to Reading to replace Brian McDermott at the club who had beaten Southampton to the Championship title in 2012.

Narrowly missing out on the play-offs in 2014, he was sacked that December after a shocking 6-1 defeat to Birmingham City.

Since then, he has had less successful stints with Sheffield United, Hull City and Charlton Athletic.

Phil Whitehead

Popular goalkeeper Whitehead played more than 100 times for Reading between 1999 and 2003, coming shortly after a six-year spell with Oxford United in which he played more than 200 times. He was sent out on loan to third tier Rovers in 2002 where he started twice before returning to the Madejski Stadium before his release and 2004 retirement.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Bas Savage

Joining Reading from non-league Walton and Hersham, the striker was incredibly unlucky with injuries and failed to fight his way back into contention. He left Berkshire in 2005 having played just 16 times, failing to score. Short term spells with the likes of Bristol City and Brighton, he arrived at Prenton Park in 2008. Scoring on his debut, he would find the net nine times in more than 50 appearances before joining Dagenham and Redbridge at the end of his contract.