Former Reading captain Ady Williams has labelled Middlesbrough goalkeeper Joe Lumley his 'Player of the Season' and  admits he would re-sign the shot stopper.

Lumley kept seven clean sheets in 41 Championship appearances for the club on loan last season, first-choice over Australian Dean Bouzanis.

Enjoying a mixed season, the popular figure has endured some difficult afternoons but has also pulled off some superb saves to keep the Royals in matches.

He was awarded Players' Player of the Year at the end of season awards night.

Returning to the Riverside, the 28-year-old is currently set to be a free agent next month as his contract is due to expire.

Speaking on the BBC Radio Berkshire podcast, Williams put forward his view on the former QPR favourite.

"I would try and sign Joe Lumley. I thought he was outstanding," he told Tim Dellor. "I thought he was Player of the Season, Tom Ince I’d have given second, but Lumley has been outstanding for Reading. If only he didn’t time-waste, but that’s another ball game. I would try and sign Joe Lumley, but how can you sign for Reading if you’ve played 46 games in the Championship and 44 ½ of them or 45 of them were decent games? You want to still play in the Championship, you don’t want to be going to Fleetwood, Northampton and Lincoln."

He is one of six loanees returning to their parent clubs, as well as the likes of Lucas Joao and Shane Long who depart the club after their permanent contracts expired.

Academy graduate Luke Southwood, who started the 2021/22 season as number one, has been released after spending last season as a regular for Cheltenham Town.

Jokull Andresson and Coniah Boyce-Clarke remain under contract in Berkshire, as does Bouzanis.