It seems Graham Westley had decided he wanted a new left back before the January 2020 transfer window shut – and Patrick Reading was that man. In what felt like a bit of wheeler-dealer activity, out went Chris Stokes and in came the young Scottish player. Reading was one of two permanent additions to the Boro’ squad that day; coming in at the same time as Canice Carroll. And he had his work cut out too; Reading joining us in time to boost our bid for League Two survival. The challenge was for him to make the left back spot his own.

Alas, it didn’t happen. Reading didn’t make much of a mark on the Boro’ first team by the time the 2019-20 season came to an end. Well, outside circumstances left him with a lot less time to do so. But Alex Revell was now in charge by the time his contract was up for renewal in the summer. And he’d seen enough, it seems, to make the decision that there would be no place for the left-back in his new-look squad going forward into 2020-1.

Patrick Reading: Before Boro’

From one Boro’ to another; Reading came to us from Middlesbrough, the club at which he had climbed the ranks. But he didn’t quite breakthrough into the first team. Indeed, he was shaping up for a loan move away from the club in November 2019. The National League and the Scottish leagues were both mentioned. Such a move never happened, however. Not that we should be too down about it, of course. It meant that, come the January 2020 window, there was a chance for us to come in and snap him up.

Reading has also been capped for Scotland U21s and contributes to the League Football Education blog.