Reading sign Lincoln skipper O'Connor

Paudie O'Connor has captained Lincoln for the past two seasons in League One.

Reading have signed defender Paudie O'Connor on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Lincoln City.

The 27-year-old has penned a four-year deal through until the summer of 2029 and is the the first player arrival under the new ownership of Rob Couhig.

During his time with the Imps, O'Connor made 142 appearances, scoring eight goals, having previously played 129 games for Bradford City.

"Paudie is a fantastic lad and will be a big character in the dressing room," Reading boss Noel Hunt said.

"He's exactly the type of person we want at our football club for our rebuild, he's been a huge part of Lincoln's success over the past three years.

"We've had our eyes on him for a while and I've been a big admirer of his for some time.

"I knew about him when he was in the Leeds set-up, and I can't wait to work with him on a day to day basis."

The centre-back's arrival is the latest good news for Reading fans after recent new contracts signed by Lewis Wing and Joel Pereira.

"Paudie was always the person we expected to sign at this point," owner Couhig said.

"It was important for us to get Lewis, Joel, and now Paudie, because it demonstrates to the lads in the club our commitment, it demonstrates to our fans our commitment, and lets the league at large know that we're here to play.

"We want guys of strong character who bring more to the dressing room than simply the ability to kick a ball - and he does that in spades.

"He's a heck of a player, so the combination of the two equates to the ideal Reading player."