HECTOR COMES HOME AT LAST
IT HAS taken five years, 11 loan moves and a few bumps and bruises along the way, but Michael Hector says he’s finally settled at Reading.
The 22-year-old’s long and winding road to first-team football at the Madejski Stadium began in 2009 when he joined the academy following spells with Millwall and Thurrock.
His move to Berkshire was just the beginning, though. A brief loan spell with Bracknell in 2009 began a journey which saw the defender experience ten different leagues around the UK.
From Aldershot to Aberdeen, via Havant & Waterlooville, Hector had seen it all but done very little – in a Reading shirt at least.
However this season the 6ft 4in centre-back looks like finally living up to his billing having started all but one of the Royals’ 11 Championship games before this weekend.
To put that into context: Hector managed just five league starts for the club in the previous five years, and he’s still played more games for Barnet, 31, than his parent club.
Yet the youngster claims he’s better off for his Non-League stints – even acknowledging upping sticks to the Irish coastal town of Dundalk as a 19year-old had its benefits.
“Playing men’s football from an early age has benefitted me playing now, there’s no doubt about it,” said Hector.
“I have progressed into better leagues and hope I can now settle into the Reading side and play more games.
“I watched Alex Pearce play while I was in the youth team. Now playing alongside him, I can only learn.
Positive
“He’s a good person to work and train with every day. He sits close to me in the changing room so we speak every day. It’s a positive partnership at the moment and I hope that continues.
“Then you come up against someone like Glenn Murray in training as well every day. He’s a class striker and it’s good to train against people like that. Not many strikers in the division are as good as Muzza.”
While Hector is now snapping up his chances at club level, there seems to be higher recognition on the horizon.
During the 3-3 draw with Wolves last Sunday – in which Hector scored his first Royals’ goal – officials from the Jamaican FA were at the Madejski Stadium monitoring his performance.
Hector, whose dad Pat played firstclass cricket for Essex in the 1970s, qualifies for the Caribbean country due to his father’s background.
“I’ve heard a few things about being called up by Jamaica, but I don’t know,” he said. “It’s positive that people are watching.
“My dad will want me to play for Jamaica, but we will see what happens.”
Meanwhile, Hector’s hoping to hit the Championship for six over the coming months after Reading’s inconsistent start.
“I feel we have started off OK, we’ve had good and bad results, but that’s the Championship,” added Hector.
“We have a good team and everyone is looking in the right direction and singing from the same hymn sheet.
“Most games have been tight. Being a centre-back you want to be keeping clean sheets and if we start getting more I’m sure we can be up there at the end of the season.”