Four former Reading FC players are among a group of experienced free agents using the Professional Footballers’ Association's summer training programme to find new clubs. The 12-week PFA initiative, which began in June, provides regular training, friendly matches and access to scouts for players without a contract.
Tom McIntyre, who captained Reading and made 117 appearances before joining Portsmouth in January 2024, is one of the participants. The 27-year-old defender, who came through the club's academy, told reporters that the environment has been beneficial. "Being surrounded by other players in the same situation helped me deal with the uncertainty of being a free agent," McIntyre said.
The quartet seeking moves
Tennai Watson is another academy graduate looking for his next opportunity. The right-back made his first-team debut for Reading in 2016 and has since played for MK Dons, Charlton Athletic and Barnsley. His one-year deal with Barnsley expired at the end of last season.
Forward Billy Bodin, who scored twice in 16 appearances during a loan spell from Burton Albion in early 2025, is also on the programme. Bodin returned to Swindon Town permanently last summer and featured 27 times in League Two before becoming a free agent. His father, Paul, made 41 appearances for Reading between 1996 and 1998.
Will Keane completes the quartet of former Royals. The striker joined on loan from Preston North End in January to reunite with manager Leam Richardson, but his temporary deal concluded at the end of the campaign, leaving him without a club.
Wider context and a proven path
The players are part of a broader group of seasoned professionals still seeking employment after the summer window shut. Other notable participants in the PFA scheme include Fernando Forestieri, Daniel Johnson and Freddie Ladapo. The programme has a track record of success; former Reading midfielder John Swift signed for Portsmouth last summer after benefiting from its structure.
While these former players plot their next moves, the current Reading side sits 14th in League One with 7 points from their opening five matches. Their recent form shows three wins and two defeats from the last five games, a sequence you can review on our standings page. The team's next challenge is a home fixture against 16th-placed Notts County this Saturday.
The PFA training camp runs for one final week, offering the quartet a final platform to impress before the domestic schedule intensifies. Jack Marriott leads the scoring charts for the current Reading side with six goals, a tally the free agents will hope to emulate wherever they land next.
The report in full is at rdg.today
