Michael Duberry is looking forward to the start of pre-season training - once the gruelling running sessions are out of the way!

The Royals return to training tomorrow (Thursday) and the central defender told readingfc.co.uk, "I can't lie and say that I'll enjoy the running, but I suppose we'll have to do it to get rid of the summer bellies!

"But I'm looking forward to getting back and being with everyone again. After enjoying the initial break when the season finishes, you start to get itchy feet and want to start playing."

Doobs insists the miserable memories of last season's relegation have been banished, saying, "We know we're not in the Premier League anymore and we have to deal with that.

"We can't let the disappointment linger for too long, we just have to prove that we're good enough to go straight back up.

"We can't keep going over what happened in the past - we have to look forward."