Alex McCarthy is convinced he will return to Reading a better goalkeeper after the experience of playing for Leeds and Ipswich on loan this season.
McCarthy, 22 and capped three times by England at U21 level, is no stranger to temporary stints away from the Madejski Stadium, having also been at Woking, Cambridge United, Team Bath, Aldershot, Yeovil and Brentford in the past five years. The Guildford-born keeper's current spell is due to end on April 11th.
He said: "My time at Leeds and Ipswich has helped me, no doubt about that. It is far better to go out and play, rather than sit on the bench, and I will feel the same even if Reading are playing in the Premiership next season. You can train all week but if you are not playing in games it isn’t going to benefit you the same.”
McCarthy, who at 6ft 4ins is comfortably the tallest of Town’s three first team squad keepers, is determined to carry on improving.
He added: "I am still young and on a learning curve. That’s why I am here on loan, to get games under my belt and look to get better with every one I play.
"You are never the finished article and there are areas of my game where I need to keep improving if I am going to become the best keeper I can be.”