Town have confirmed that Reading keeper Alex McCarthy is joining on a three-month loan. The 22-year-old, who has also signed a new deal at the Madejski Stadium, is joining up with the squad this morning while the paperwork is finalised and is expected to make his debut at Birmingham on Wednesday, wearing the number 32 shirt.

While joining the Blues for the short-term, McCarthy has also reaffirmed his longer term commitment to Reading, putting pen to paper on a contract until 2015, something he says he was delighted to do: "This is excellent for me, it's a nice secure feeling to know that you have years behind you and I'm really looking forward to the future.

"I had a good spell in the team last season and this is a great club to be at, great lads, great staff, a great manager. I've got great respect for [manager] Brian [McDermott] - he's done wonders for me.

"Leeds are a rival club in terms of going up this season, and he didn't have to do let me go on loan there, but he knew I wanted to go out and play and he had my best interests at heart. So I have to thank him for letting me do that.

"Everyone always comments about the goalkeepers here [at Reading] because we've got such a great group. All of us want to be playing of course, and being a goalkeeper that's not possible - and that's why I've taken more time out to go on loan. But eventually I do want to be playing my football here."

Guildford-born 6ft 4in-tall England U21 cap McCarthy came through the Royals’ youth system and has had prior loan spells at Woking, Cambridge United, Team Bath, Aldershot Town, Yeovil Town and Brentford, in addition to a six-game spell at Leeds in November and December last year.

McCarthy’s spell runs until April 11th, while Reading will have a 24-hour emergency recall option after the first month, as is usual with short-term loans.

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

parkinshair added 11:16 - Jan 9 Pointless loan of a player who is clearly only interested in progressing at Reading. If I was ALB I would feel like incredably pi@@ed off with Jewell right now.
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higgistockwell added 11:28 - Jan 9 im almost lost for words,what is going on at our club
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Woodbridgian added 11:30 - Jan 9 Good luck to the lad but a complete waste of time, Casillias or Buffon would let in 3 goals a game with our CB's and RB surely these are the priority. JEWELL OUT
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UsualSuspect added 11:32 - Jan 9 Firstly, welcome Alex I wish you all the best while you are here. I don't agree with some posters comments about another keeper being pointless as 3 is the usual requirement, although It's obvious to everyone that additions to the back 4 should and must be a priority, have to feel for ALB if McCarthy starts on Wednesday. OMG we're in such a mess.
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8ashblue added 11:44 - Jan 9 the only conclusion we can draw from this is that the current keepers arent good enough! in which case they'll be pretty pissed off as there cant be any other message. i'm not convinced that PJ has got a real grip of situation so unless results improve soon he'll be gone pdq. Not a good situ as new manager should use window to review squad!! Clegg/Evans dont know what to do next.

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Hermann_eats_puffin added 11:46 - Jan 9 I've nothing against Alex McCarthy but agree with many of the in wondering what on earth is the point of this signing? Regardless of whatever your own personal opinion of ALB it was Jewell who deemed him good enough to be rewarded with a new contract and Jewell who has picked him as either our back up on the bench or our first choice keeper, as in the last few games. Then it was Jewell who deemed that Wright was good enough to be given a contract having been training with the team. At the same time we have Cropper who is a good young prospect as a back up to the first two. Then in the event of injury or bans following a red card to either Wright or ALB surely we could get a loan keeper at a later date prior to the close of the transfer window for loans. Now we sign a young and relatively inexperienced keeper who has just signed a new contract with Reading. Therefore we have no hope of signing him on a permanent basis and will be just be doing Reading a favour if we play him to give him some first team experience. If this was deemed necessary by Jewell then presumably he does not see either Wright or ALB as good enough and if that is the case what on earth was the point in giving them contracts in the first place. I'm sick to death of these loans and the short termism being expressed by the club. These are extremely depressing times to be a Town fan because the club seems completely directionless from top to bottom and seems to make it up as they go along on a daily basis whilst wasting money right left & centre on loan after loan to add to the money being thrown and the over 30's brigade.

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MooseJuice added 11:51 - Jan 9 Hermann - good post. cornishnick - You're right, I think 'bizarre' is definitely the word to describe this one.
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BtreeBlueBlood added 11:53 - Jan 9 OMG - yet another 1 - his heart isnt going to be here and wont care if we stay up or go down. Cant we see the similarities to nawrich when they went down. Loads of over loanee and over the hill players collecting there pension . 1 thing they had when they went down was 22,000 crowds we dont get that now. 14k next year if we stay up. Very sad situation for this club to be in!!!

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Bergholtblue added 12:02 - Jan 9 That's the 'keeper situation sorted well done. Now lets concentrate on the mnagerial problem. Get Warnock now!
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blrmy added 12:08 - Jan 9 Agree with bluelady. A quick bit of business to give ALB competition/cover. Richard Wright (bless him) is obviously 3rd choice keeper. ALB is good but not great, wouldn't be helped by no competition. The important point is that a loan keeps the money available for spending on defence, rather than using it to buy a GK. Still waiting with baited breath for news on defensive players... GK can be sorted out more patiently.

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righty added 12:08 - Jan 9 Oh my god here we go again pointless loan ALB has saved us on a number of times how must he feel Jewell has no idea how to treat players I have supported ITFC since 1959 never had 2 players walk out in 3 months this he must go now
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Mark added 12:31 - Jan 9 Best of luck to McCarthy of course, but I can never remember a less exciting signing. A 3 month loan for a goalkeeper without (it seems) any view for a permanent move...where is our 5 year plan?! Could we not even borrow him until the end of the season? He will miss the last four games, four which could be crucial for our Championship survival. A 24-hour recall clause too! We put up with that for a keeper of Stockdale's quality, but a Reading reserve?! I am very worried about what is happening at ITFC, as we could be looking at relegation and/or a collapse in season ticket numbers this season if Jewell is left in post and not given any money to spend. Back him or sack him, but don't leave him in limbo relying on loans to keep us in this division please! Regardless of who is manager, there are two important things the club needs to do to win fans over: 1) Public announcement of a Grade One academy; 2) Purchase of some younger players on permanent contracts to fill the gaps in the team. Both cost money, but how much will a season ticket collapse or relegation cost? What is your plan Marcus Evans?!

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MrCool added 12:52 - Jan 9 Can we pleas have some DEFENDERS. Another 'keeper is not the answer.
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kipper added 13:07 - Jan 9 This really does appear the work of someone who has lost the plot. Another keeper on a 24 hour recall who is clearly very much committed to Reading, what a laughing stock we are. The real test of Evans resolve to keep Jewell will be if he lets him spend any serious money this week. As I posted on Saturday though given all the people on here that want Jewell out I have still not heard any protests at matches, interesting.

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SouperJim added 13:23 - Jan 9 Yes, but can he play center half?
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jonwillpott added 13:37 - Jan 9 One minute PJ is saying that he is happy with ALB & RW until he can find the 'long term' prospect he seeks then next minute he does this!!! No wonder there is no confidence or desire in the squad - just imagine what this has done to ALB & RW!! What this also sais is that PJ has no or little scouting skills - he has been seeking a long-term 'young prospect' since he came - surely there has to be at least one in the lower leagues who we could develop for the future or there is something seriously wrong with football in this country?? There is no real point in this deal and it is yet more money down the drain for no real gain that could have been used in more important areas of the pitch. Please tell me what managerial skills PJ is supposed to have - no motivation/passion in team, poor in transfer market (of his own omission!!), constant changing of tactics/personnel (surely a year is long enough to at least have established his best formation?), clearly cannot communicate effectively with Clegg (contracts) after what he said last year!! I could go on and on.......

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HARRY10 added 13:41 - Jan 9 Much as I have said previously. Any signings since the end of last season have been no more than stop gap. Patching up the holes and stumbling along on a week to week basis. Clearly the intent is to cut the wage bill dramatically. Admirable in itself if it meant clearing out a lot of overpaid failing slackers, but it has led to the squad being cluttered up with players who know they have no interest of involvement with the club beyond next June and that is showing in their performances. I doubt there will be any long term signings merely a few more loanees to hopefully keep us from relegation. Then what ? At the moment we will have at best a half a dozen senior players to build a whole new squad around. Great if the money is there but this drastic cost cutting suggests otherwise, as does the lack of £8m from the sale of Wickham and an almost certain drop in season ticket sales. I'm not sure now how much of this is due to incompetence on the part of Jewell and how much is down to the cost cutting being even more savage than any of us knows. It doesn't look good which ever way it is. Very worrying times.

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davnunn added 13:46 - Jan 9 I agree with KenDubZ, we have been coping with Barrett and have Wright as backup. Yet another loan, and one that does really seem to muddy the waters as far as selection goes. Having a really good stopper (Stockdale) has not stopped us losing a hatful of games. We should be focusing on sorting out the CB/RB problem.
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Armine6 added 13:53 - Jan 9 Embarrassing that we creep cap in hand to a championship rival and ask for a lone of their bench warming keeper. I do not doubt the boys ability but when he has penned his allegiance to Reading why waste our time? ALB made one mistake in the last match with a very very dubious defence and is know left to feel humiliated. I am quite an admirer of Neil Warnock but let me make this clear… he is an excellent character in football and one in which the English game needs but not Ipswich town FC, I would rather see the guy doing punditry. We have been down the route of ex successful manager who made the premiership with some club at some point and in short it has not worked out. If a manager change is going to made lets appoint a fresh one, Huddersfield, Swindon or even Brighton or alike. I would like to ask a final question that I cannot quite fathom…Has anyone watch last week's interview with Andy Dury? He had some very strange responses to questions relating to when he spoke to PJ before and after his game or rather he hadn't even spoken to PJ much at all. After his performance one would hope his manager would have a few complimentary words with the guy or maybe PJ passed him in the dressing room and failed to recognise him? This typifies the problems I see at ITFC Thoughts anyone?

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wrightyblue added 14:10 - Jan 9 Why oh why?!?
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wherescounago added 14:16 - Jan 9 If I put on here what I really thought about this signing and others things coming out of the club at present I'd been severely censored!!!! I bet this really fills ALB with lots of confidence. Then again he is 6ft 4 maybe there is a cunning plan to keep ALB in goal and play this young man at Centre Half!!!!!!!!!!
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alfromcol added 14:46 - Jan 9 PJ has already put down ALB once when he put RW in ahead of him, now he does it again with a bench warmer from another club. If ALB has any pride he will be off at the first opportunity. If it had been a long term signing then he could have told ALB to fight for his place but not a 3 month deal and 24 hour recall. Its another slap in the face for ALB. The other option is to try ALB at CH or RB!

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babyblueman added 15:38 - Jan 9 we wil still make playoffs
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Ipswich24 added 15:45 - Jan 9 I dont get this at all!!!! As has been stated be good signing if view to permanent move but just the same as Stockdale+ has 24 hour recall option too. This will make our other two keepers even more against PJ. The goalkeeper is not so much the problem here is it? The guy has even signed new contract we are just helping out a rival get more experience for the future
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BlueFinn added 15:47 - Jan 9 There's a lesson to learned from Reading.They've been loaning out lots of players for years and when they are ready they given them a proper chance.
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