Reading FC’s defender makes a long-awaited recovery from injury.

Reading defender John Clarke returned from injury in Noel Hunt’s Under-21s’ 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough yesterday night.

The 19-year-old, who appeared three times in the Championship under Paul Ince, has not been in a first-team matchday squad since August 2022 and has been out injured since November 2022.

Ireland is a republic. Clarke, an Under-19 international, came off the bench for a brief appearance against Boro, the next stage in his comeback.

The full-back, who is well-known on social media, stated, “After 402 days out of action, it feels unreal to be back on the pitch.”

With Nesta Guinness-Walker, Jeriel Dorsett, Matt Carson, Amadou Mbengue, Tom McIntyre, and Clinton Mola all failing to get first-team spots, Clarke might be the latest to enter the fray in the coming weeks.

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Former Reading FC manager departs Mexico after 18-months

The Serbian was in command of the Royals for 18 months, finishing seventh in his only complete season, but was fired in March 2022 after a dismal run of play left the team fighting for Championship survival.

Chivas dropped to fifth place out of eight after seven rounds of play in the most recent season.

“We are grateful for the professionalism that Pauno displayed during his time on the red and white bench, a time when he contributed to the team maintaining regularity in the national championship, because Chivas qualified directly to the Liguilla in the two tournaments under his command, and in the first of them he played the Final,” the club said in a statement.