• Premier League

Harte returns to Premier League after new Reading deal

ESPN staff
May 23, 2012
Ian Harte has signed a new one-year deal at Reading © PA Photos
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Reading full-back Ian Harte has put pen to paper on a new one-year contract at the club, which will see the Irishman make a return to the Premier League after a four-year absence.

Harte, 34, joined the Royals in August 2010 and was a key member of the side that earned promotion this season, earning a place in the official Championship team of the year.

With his contract due to expire this summer, talks began almost immediately on a new deal and the club announced on Wednesday that Harte will remain at the club until June 2013.

"It's a dream come true to go back to the Premier League,'' Harte told the club's official website. "Two years ago the manager took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to come to a fantastic club like Reading. And I've had two of the best years of my career here.

"I'm absolutely delighted. Now that it's all sorted, I can go away and enjoy the summer, thoroughly look forward to next season and come back raring to go.''

Manager Brian McDermott added: "It's a fantastic story, if you consider that two years ago Ian had been written off in certain quarters, and yet now he is a Premier League player again.

"That tells you everything you need to know about the person, the player, his resilience, his character, his determination and his quality. He still has that burning desire in training every day to play at the highest level. So I'm delighted that Ian has signed a new contract.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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