PLAYER PROFILE

Shane Long

Position: Forward

Height: 5'10

Weight: 11st 2lbs

Date of Birth: 1987-01-22 Gortnahoe, Republic Of Ireland

Shane Long

Shane Long moved to Reading in July 2005, signing from Cork City for an undisclosed fee.

He is a strong and skilful striker who only began his professional career in the summer of 2004 after signing for Cork from St Michael's.

His impact on the Cork Under-21s was immediate as he scored on his debut before bagging a hat-trick in the following game.

He finished the season with eight goals in eight appearances and also made one appearance in the full league for his side.

He also found success on international level, earning himself four Irish under-19 caps. It was, therefore, no surprise when he signed for Reading.

He spent most of his time in the 2005/06 season in the Royals academy. However, he did make a handful of appearances later in the season, scoring three times in the league, and once in the FA Cup, in a 1-1 draw with Birmingham.

This steady progress continued in 2006/07 as he scored four goals in 25 games. He is a vital player for Reading's future.