Reading striker Shaun Goater has told Royals' boss Steve Coppell that he is unwilling to go out on loan. Meanwhile unwanted keeper Andy Marshall could be on his way to Millwall.

Town boss Joe Royle enquired about taking his former Manchester City player for three months earlier in the week but admits he is now going to have to look elsewhere: “I spoke to Steve Coppell this morning and Shaun is reluctant to go on loan anywhere at the moment, so that won't happen.

“I've made three enquiries, two serious ones, so there's still another opportunity. If Shaun changes his mind then, we'll see, but at this moment Shaun has told Steve that he doesn't want to go on loan anywhere.

Royle's interest in another striker surprised many fans who were expecting a more defensive target. The Town manager says he has a number of capable defensive players returning from injury at present: “We have defenders here getting fit, Drissa coming back, Chris Makin coming back.

“But I still say it isn't just defenders. You must accept that when your side goes forward as often as we do, sometimes there is a slight downside to it in that we can be caught.

“We had the same thing at Oldham where our consistent score used to be 4-3 or 3-2, and as long as we're on the best side that's OK.

“I get frustrated at times that we don't individually defend better but we've got so many forward thinking players in the team that we must accept that sometimes that will happen. It only really comes to bear when we don't score the goals that we should up front.

Royle says that he has had no Premieship bosses on the phone since the transfer window opened: “I've had no enquiries at all for any of my players. I don't expect any as it's a very quiet market. There are a couple of things going on at other clubs but nobody's even mentioned anything to me. I would be surprised of there were any departures, very surprised.”

The Town boss confirmed that he is aware that, as reported by TWTD yesterday, Millwall assistant manager Ray Wilkins watched the Town reserves on Wednesday, keeping a particular eye on Andy Marshall. Despite this he has no yet been contacted.

Millwall are set to lose keeper Tony Warner, a former Town trialist, ironically to Wolves, the club where Marshall recently spent two months on loan.

Marshall turned down a third month at Molineux but with no interest in him from other Premiership clubs during the transfer window, would probably accept a loan spell at the Den.

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