West Bromwich Albion new-boy Nicky Shorey calls for repeat of Reading spirit

Aug 14 2010 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Mail

NICKY Shorey knows a thing or two about keeping afloat in the Premier League.

When Reading were promoted in 2006, the pundits were queuing up to knock them back down to the Championship.

Certainties for relegation, they sniffed. Cannon-fodder for the big clubs, they said.

Reading, guided by Steve Coppell, finished eighth, narrowly missing out on Europe.

Shorey played a major role in that campaign, going on to earn himself two England caps and ending up at Villa.

Even though the story didn’t have the happiest of endings – Reading were relegated at the end of the following campaign – Shorey revealed the reasons for that impressive first season.

“There was no secret,” he explained.

“It was just that we were coming off the back of the Championship win and we were on a high.

“We got off to a decent start and you just have to work hard and put in performances and hopefully you get the results.

“That’s what we’ve got to do this year.