Howard: I was close to Saints switch

Reading midfielder Brian Howard has confirmed he was close to joining hometown club Southampton on loan at the weekend.Howard was back in the Royals' starting line-up on Saturday in a win at his former club Barnsley and revealed afterwards that the Saints had been in contact.He said: "There was an interest in taking me."The manager knows me and he knows that I want to play football but he said he was happy with my performances and I was unlucky not to be in the team."He didn't want to let me go but said to me that if I really wanted to go I could."But I said if I was going to be involved I was happy to stay and as far as I am concerned I am a Reading player."