Reading have been given a boost with the news that Wayne Bridge has returned to first team action after a spell on the sidelines, but manager Nigel Adkins confirmed that the player is still not 100% fit enough to play the full 90 minutes.
Hence, he will be managing the 33-year-old over the remaining games of the season in order to get the best out of him. The former Chelsea and Manchester City defender will provide Reading with a vast amount of experience in the last four matches of the season, as the club target a play-off place.
They currently occupy the final play-off place, but it is under threat from the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion and Ipswich Town. All these clubs are level on points and Reading could very well slip out at the last moment.
However, the presence of experienced players like Bridge, who have played at the very top level including international matches, could be the difference. Bridge had to undergo a knee surgery back in November in order to rectify a problem. He is just returning to fitness. Reading will be looking to regain the lost momentum after the team has managed just one win in the last five matches.
“Wayne is going to travel with us. He’s not at a position to play a 90-minute game of football and that’s something we’re going to have to manage from now through to the end of the season. But he’s such an experienced, talented player that it’s important we can get him involved in some description. We’ve got a talented player that we want to, if we can, have available now as much as possible. Moving forward he can be a very progressive, attack-minded left sided player,” said the Reading manager, who will be hoping for a return to the top flight once again.