Bobby Convey fears he is being frozen out of Reading’s relegation scrap.

The United States winger has battled back from a knee injury that has restricted him to just 11 starts and eight substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.

But he is now over his problems and last week declared he was the fittest he’s been for more than a year.

However, Convey failed even to make the bench for Saturday’s dismal 2-0 defeat at home to Fulham.

And he fumed: “It sucks. I could not get back in the team even though I was doing well in the reserves.

“You have to be patient and I felt I have been for two-and-a-half months. I’ve not had the stage to prove myself.

“It is good to have competition but we lost 3-0 to Newcastle and you are only as good as your last game. The manager knows what I can do, but I’m tired of sitting around not doing much.”

— JOHN HALLS has had his loan spell at Championship side Sheffield United extended until the end of the season, while League 1 side Millwall are hoping to keep 19-year-old Royals midfielder Jem Karacan until the end of the season.

— READING are taking a look at Inter Milan and Italy Under-17 star Renato Ricci during a week-long trial.

Ricci, whose style of play has been likened to AC Milan ace Andrea Pirlo, scored five goals this season as he helped Inter’s youth side to the national league title.

— RUSHDEN and Diamonds have signed Royals keeper Mikkel Andersen on a seven-day emergency loan following injuries to Martyn Margarson and Paul Nicholls.

Andersen played three times for Diamonds’ Blue Square rivals Torquay in a recent loan spell.