Reading FC raided Watford for bargain £500k transfer | OneFootball

Jobi McAnuff was a Championship legend, and his greatest work arguably came at The Madejski Stadium

Jobi McAnuff was a consistent presence in Championship squads for the vast majority of his near 20-year professional career, making over 450 second-tier appearances.

He was a big character in a number of play-off teams at Crystal Palace and Watford, but it was at Reading where he arguably played the best in his career, and saw him play in the Premier League for the first time.

The Royals were the side he lined out for the most in his career, and McAnuff clearly had a strong connection with the club and its fanbase, even going as far as to say that he wanted to end his playing career at The Madejski Stadium in August 2013, despite performing admirably as Reading suffered relegation from the Premier League.

That wish ultimately didn't come to fruition, but Reading fans still hold McAnuff in high regard, and for £500,000, he goes down as one of the best bits of business in the club's history.

Jobi McAnuff's road to Reading

McAnuff already had nine years of second-tier experience under his belt when he signed for Reading in 2009, and had made the play-offs on two separate occasions, with Crystal Palace in 2005/06 and Watford in 2007/08.

He was incredibly reliable, playing over 35 league games in seven of those nine campaigns, and his arrival was seen as a real statement of intent by those at Reading, who were looking to kick on after 2008/09's fourth-placed finish and earn Premier League promotion.

McAnuff was managed by Brendan Rodgers during the back half of his two years at Watford. In the previous campaign, the winger picked up three goals and six assists as the Hornets finished in midtable. Rodgers was let go, and Reading picked him up. McAnuff would soon follow.

The Royals would swoop in for the then-27-year-old, bringing him in for an undisclosed fee believed to be worth around £500,000, which represented a big loss on the £1.75 million Watford paid Crystal Palace to bring him in two years prior.

McAnuff was never a winger who stuffed the stat sheet, but his five goals in 92 appearances at Vicarage Road weren't a great return, and the club were seemingly happy to let him rejoin Rodgers at The Madjeski Stadium.

Jobi McAnuff shone at Reading en route to Premier League glory

Reading could never get going under Rodgers, as the Northern Irishman lasted just six months before departing the club in December, with the club languishing in the bottom half. Brian McDermott came in and steadied the ship to a ninth-placed finish.

It resembled a step back from their previous play-off finish, but the club were ready to go again in the 2010/11 campaign. McAnuff ended his first season at Reading with two goals in his final four games.

The following season saw the Royals return to their play-off expectations, despite a poor start. Reading lost just one of their final 16 Championship matches that term, which included an eight-game winning run through March and into April, which saw them climb into the top six.

Reading fell in the final to Swansea City, but McAnuff proved himself on the Wembley stage, assisting both goals in the 4-2 defeat, after scoring in the semi-final win over Cardiff City. McDermott's side also made it to the FA Cup quarter-finals that year, and McAnuff captained the side in their eventual defeat to Manchester City.

The winger would lead his side out more often in the 2011/12 campaign, as he scored five and assisted nine en route to lifting the Championship title. Reading were ruthless that year, putting together a run of 15 wins in 17 games towards the back end of the season, and they reaped the rewards from it. Now, after 11 consecutive years of second-tier football, McAnuff was ready to make his Premier League bow.

After being made captain midway through the 2011/12 season, McAnuff would retain the captain's armband throughout their sole season back in the Premier League, as he started every league game that year.

He wasn't able to score in his first and only top-flight campaign, but he did contribute an admirable eight assists. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to keep Reading up, as the Royals suffered immediate relegation.

His time at the club didn't last too much longer following relegation, as the now 31-year-old began their return to the Championship out of new manager Nigel Adkins' plans, starting just three of the opening 17 league games.

McAnuff did work his way back into the side, but wasn't impactful enough to warrant a new deal, leaving when his contract expired at the end of the 2013/14 season.

The influential winger played 206 times for the Royals, most of which came as the club's captain. Anyone who wears the armband en route to a title is heralded as a hero by fans, but for £500,000, there arguably haven't been many better bargains in Reading history than Jobi McAnuff.