Former Reading FC defender Tom McIntyre has opened up on a ‘frustrating’ end to his spell at the club.
The 25-year-old defender made the switch last January to join Portsmouth, who were promoted to the Championship as League One winners.
Boyhood Reading fan McIntyre came through the ranks at the club’s academy before he made more than 100 first-team appearances.
He played 10 times for Ruben Selles’ side last season and managed just one appearance for Pompey following his move after being sent off on his League One debut, while also picking up an injury which ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Speaking on BBC Berkshire Radio about his exit from the club, McIntyre said: “I wasn’t playing at Reading and I was frustrated at that because I felt like I should have been.
“You always have to back yourself and I backed myself that I should have been playing.
“I picked up an injury having not been playing for a few weeks and there were a few things that went on that contributed to the injury and it was one of those things where I was frustrated and the opportunity came up to go to Portsmouth.
“They (Portsmouth) were doing really well and I thought my chances of playing at Reading for the next half of the season were pretty slim with what was going on.
“It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down, to be honest.
“I loved playing for Reading and it was an honour, but at the same time does someone go their whole career with the same club? Not generally, so it was time to move on.”
McIntyre will be back in the Championship from the 2024/25 campaign as Pompey returned to the second tier of English football for the first time in more than a decade.
