Reading FC

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Halford set for Royals debut

16 Mar 2007 - 07:19:23

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Reading boss Steve Coppell is poised to hand club record signing Greg Halford a long-awaited debut against Portsmouth on Saturday.

The England Under-21 international arrived at the Madejski Stadium for an undisclosed fee believed to be around the £2million mark in January, but has yet to make an appearance for the Royals.

But with skipper Graeme Murty struggling with a toe injury ahead of the visit of Pompey, Coppell has admitted he could hand a bow to the former Colchester United defender.

"He is in contention if Murty doesn't make it but right-back is probably the healthiest position I have got," said the Royals boss.

"I'm sure Greg is desperate to make his debut but when he signed I said he wasn't a 14-game signing, he was a three or four-year prospect.

"We defend in a certain way and it is hard just to drop in there.

"You need to do the groundwork to become part of the group and he is obviously getting very close to that point.

"He was bought to play, not sit on the sidelines but sometimes you have got to be patient."

Meanwhile, Reading have revealed that Bobby Coney has undergone surgery in America on the knee injury which will keep the winger on the sidelines until next season.