Young Royals ready to star - Tabb

Tabb says at 25 he feels like a veteran in the team

Reading midfielder Jay Tabb believes the young stars at the club are ready to make the step up to the first team.

Royals' manager Brendan Rodgers looks set to include several products of the club's academy in his squad for Saturday's season opener.

Tabb told BBC Berkshire: "Reading fans can be assured that any young players coming in will do a good job.

"Since I stepped in here for the first day of training, you could tell the young players are really talented."

Reading begin their Championship season with the visit of Nottingham Forest to the Madejski Stadium.

I've just got to get my head down in training and keep on scoring and hopefully my chance will come

Reading striker Simon Church

"It's such a young squad - the other day in training we did young v old and I was in the old side which says something," added Tabb.

One of the former academy players who hopes to graduate to regular first-team football this year is 20-year-old Hal Robson-Kanu.

"The young players here have worked hard for the last couple of years and we believe it's our time - we really believe that," he said.

"I've been on loan three times now to two different clubs and I've played nearly 50 league games. So I've had a taste of first-team football and I want more of it now at Reading."

Another 20-year-old, striker Simon Church, made his senior debut for the club in the second-leg of their play-off semi-final against Burnley last season."

Robson-Kanu had loan spells at Swindon Town and Southend United

Although he too is aiming for a regular first-team spot, he acknowledged there is strong competition in his position.

"I'm looking for that number-one spot, but obviously we've got some quality strikers here already in Shane Long, Noel Hunt and Dave Mooney," Church said.

"So there's good competition between us lot. I've just got to get my head down in training and keep on scoring and hopefully my chance will come."

Reading versus Nottingham Forest kicks off at 1500 BST on Saturday, 8 August and is live on BBC Radio Berkshire.