Portsmouth have confirmed the signing of Reading defender Tom McIntyre on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

The 25-year-old rose through the ranks and played over 100 times for his boyhood club, but seals a £75,000 switch to Fratton Park ahead of Thursday's deadline.

Blues boss John Mousinho said: “Tom is a ball-playing left-sided centre-back with a huge amount of Championship experience.

“He has also captained Reading on numerous occasions and has the attributes to complement the players we already have at the club.

“As well as being comfortable on the ball, Tom is also an excellent and aggressive defender, so we’re delighted to add him to our ranks.”

Taking to social media, the former favourite added: "The time has come to say goodbye to the club that has been my home for over 19 years. It’s been an incredible journey for me, starting from the age of 6 in the academy and progressing through the ranks to finally make my debut and go onto make over 100 appearances. I’m immensely grateful for the support, and guidance I have received from all the academy staff, my teammates, many of the managers I worked with, physios, sports scientists, kit men and all those who work so hard behind the scenes.

"Playing for Reading has been a privilege and a dream come true for me. In one of, if not, the toughest year the club has seen, I want to thank all the fans that have continued to support us through the ups and the downs, so thank you. Nothing will quite beat hearing your name being sung by the very fans you used to sit with.

"I never imagined it ending in this way with the last few months being very frustrating for a number of reasons. While my time as a player may have come to an end, I go back to being a fan who hopes the issues at the club can be resolved and it can get back to being the club that we all fell in love with.

"Goodbye for now. Up the Ding"