Reading FC release four players- will the club miss them?

Amid all the hubbub of seeing Femi Azeez remain with Reading following the announcement of the club’s released and retained list, four contracted players will quickly fall by the wayside as Ruben Selles looks to mould a team for his second season in charge at the SCL Stadium.

Sam Hutchinson, Nesta Guinness-Walker, Clinton Mola and Matt Carson, all four of which featured in Selles’ plans upon arrival, have been deemed surplus to requirements.

Take a look below as we assess whether the club will come to miss any of this summer’s departures.

Sam Hutchinson

The vastly experienced midfielder, who battled back from the brink of losing his career altogether as a youngster to make more than 250 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday, arrived back in his home county of Berkshire in the summer of 2023.

Signed under Paul Ince, many had expected the combative operator to play a large part in building the culture in what was a very young dressing room at the start of both full seasons with the club.

Old school and a tough tackler, early signs were promising as supporters enjoyed his strong presence in the middle of the park.

Ultimately, purely injury disrupted his campaign last season which ended in relegation, managing just 12 appearances, but that cannot be said for this season.

Starting the first 11 League One matches, which returned just three wins, it comes as no surprise that his final bow in a Royals shirt came on that fateful afternoon in Shropshire.

Two goals to the good and cruising, and personally having a good game, Reading buckled and lost 3-2, with two goals coming in additional time.

Supporters, staff, players and even the media were frustrated with the manner of the defeat at Croud Meadow, but Hutchinson’s decision to come out swinging in his post-match interview, questioning his teammates and boss, did irreversible damage. His race was run in the Royal County, and the 33-year-old never featured again.

Did injuries limit Hutchinson’s impact on the field? Absolutely. But in the eyes of supporters, he was done on that day at Shrewsbury.

Nesta Guinness-Walker

Another signed in the summer of 2023, coinciding with the arrival of former manager Mark Bowen as Director of Football, the young and promising full-back looked like a clever bit of business from the embargo-hit Royals.

Making the step up to the Championship for the first time in his career, the attacking full-back made 28 appearances and left supporters generally wanting more- even if it was just for his attacking output alone.

The great-grandson of Star Wars great Sir Alec Guinness, the 24-year-old was not the defender Selles was looking for and was quickly cast aside after just eight League One appearances.

Sent out on loan to Steve Evans’ Stevenage in January and making 14 appearances across the second half of the campaign, he passed the eye test when given a freer role out wide- showcasing his undoubted potential as an attacking force.

Now under the management of former assistant boss Alex Revell, it would not surprise anyone to see Guinness-Walker return to the Lamex Stadium on a full-time contract.

For Reading and Selles, he simply doesn’t fit the mould required.

Clinton Mola

A very difficult call to make, Mola arrived with a strong reputation from German outfit Stuttgart and had impressed for the England youth sides. Playing just six times for Blackburn Rovers, and out of position for large swathes of that, he needed time to adapt to the rough and tumble of EFL football.

Enduring a hideous start at the club, roughly limited to cameos in a team regularly beaten heavy, many supporters would have danced for joy at the news of his release in the bleak midwinter.

So, it is full credit to him and his hard work that come a warm, May morning, there was a general feel of bemusement and disappointment that he was not sticking around for a longer spell.

Barring the odd hairy moment, which most third-tier players will have on occasion, he had become a solid component of the very impressive hotch-potch defence which had four inexperienced performers.

Will Reading miss Mola? Potentially. At 23 and with his pedigree, there is no reason why he cannot push on to bigger things. But is there better value for money out there, for a side that are still in the midst of an ownership crisis? Almost certainly.

Matty Carson

21-year-old Carson was given opportunities in Selles’ first team in the early knockings of the season, his first involvement with senior football, and caught the eye with his crossing ability.

Unfortunately, he also caught the eye for some for his defensive work, and not necessarily purely positive.

The North-West native is young, hungry and has an infectious personality, making himself a popular figure around the club, but it is too early to say whether he could go on to make Reading regret their decision.

For every youth prospect who makes the Premier League, such as Jack Stacey or Gabe Osho, there are many many more who carve out strong lower league careers, or some with no career at all.

One to keep an eye on for sure, though.