Where are they now? The last Reading side to beat Newport County a decade on

Reading host Newport County this evening in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy group stage in a 'winner takes all clash' to qualify for the knockout phase.

The last time the Royals hosted the Exiles came in August 2014 for a League Cup tie, which Nigel Adkins' side won 3-1.

Ahead of this evening's clash, take a look below at that side from a decade ago in front of nearly 6,500 supporters.

Alex McCarthy- Southampton

McCarthy graduated through the youth academy and racked up 75 appearances for the first-team, most of which came in the Premier League and following season in the Championship between 2012 and 2014.

The future England stopper made his final Royals appearance against Newport on this evening before joining Premier League Queens Park Rangers but making just three league appearances.

After a short spell with Crystal Palace, the 34-year-old joined Southampton in 2016 and has made over 150 appearances for the Saints in the eight years to follow- remaining at St Mays until time of writing.

Chris Gunter- Wales Under-19 manager

A club stalwart of the last decade, Gunter joined Reading in the Premier League in 2012 and made over 300 appearances in eight years with the club.

Departing alongside Garath McCleary in 2020, the Wales legend had short spells with Charlton Athletic and AFC Wimbledon before retiring in 2023.

On the coaching staff with Wales under Rob Page, the 35-year-old is now a youth coach with his nation.

Alex Pearce- Leatherhead

A club legend who rose through the academy and made nearly 250 appearances- including winning Player of the Season during the 2012 Championship-winning season.

The centre-back departed in 2015 after captaining the club at the FA Cup semi-final and remained in the Championship with Derby County, Bristol City and Millwall for another seven years.

Spending two years in League Two with AFC Wimbledon, the former Republic of Ireland international had a short spell with local side Bracknell Town this season but the 36-year-old is now in Surrey with Leatherhead.

Sean Morrison- Retired

A youngster with Swindon Town, Morrison was signed by Brian McDermott in 2011 but was unable to force his way into the first-team until 2012 and played semi-regularly until 2014, making 45 appearances.

Departing within days of the win over Newport, Morrison made a home for himself in South Wales with Cardiff City, recording 295 appearances and captaining the club into the Premier League in 2018.

The 33-year-old departed Wales in 2023 and made 32 appearances for Rotherham United before retiring this year after his release from the Millers.

Shaun Cummings- Retired

With Chelsea as a youngster, Cummings spent six years with Reading from 2009 and was a regular as the Royals won the Championship in 2012.

Finding game time hard to come by as time went on, the Jamaica international recorded 86 appearances for the club before becoming a regular with Millwall for three seasons.

The defender ended his career with two years in South Yorkshire, turning out for both Rotherham and Doncaster Rovers before hanging up his boots in 2019.

Jordan Obita- Hibernian

Another academy graduate, Obita broke through as a winger but found a home at full-back, making almost 200 appearances for the club and winning Player of the Season in 2014.

Suffering with injury at the end of his time in Berkshire, the full-back opted to join hometown club Oxford United in 2020 but quickly returned to the second tier with Wycombe Wanderers.

After almost hitting 100 appearances for the Chairboys, the 30-year-old moved to Edinburgh in 2023 and has become a regular for Hibs.

Michael Hector- Unattached

A popular defender for Reading, it took 11 loan spells before he became a first-team regular under Adkins in 2014.

Impressing mightily from 2014 until 2016, giants Chelsea signed the Jamaican but the 32-year-old would fail to register an appearance for the Blues and was sent out on another four loan spells- including a return to Berkshire.

The Londoner has remained in the capital since 2020, playing for both Fulham and Charlton Athletic in League One and the Championship, but is currently without a club since his release from the Valley.

Nick Blackman- Retired

The Mancunian moved to Reading in 2013 after impressing with League One Sheffield United in an FA Cup tie between the two sides and would go on to become a fan favourite, particularly for his hot streak at the start of 2015/16.

Derby County paid £3m for the forward in 2016 but he recorded just one goal for the Rams and has since played in Spain and Israel, as well as for the Barbados national team.

Jake Taylor- Eastleigh

A Berkshire boy and part of the youth system with Reading since the age of eight, Taylor broke through in 2013 (despite making his debut in 2011) and managed three goals in 36 first-team appearances.

2016 saw the end of his 17-year association with the club and the midfielder spent the next six years in League Two with Exeter City.

Recording another 85 appearances for Stevenage, the 32-year-old dropped into the National League with Eastleigh in 2023 and played for the Spitfires as they knocked the Royals out of the FA Cup.

Simon Cox- Retired

Tilehurst-born, Cox was a teenager as Steve Coppell's side were romping to the Premier League in record-breaking fashion and managed nine appearances before heading off to forge his career elsewhere.

Fast-forward seven years, after impressing with Swindon, Nottingham Forest and West Brom, Cox returned to his hometown club in 2015 as a seasoned striker.

Netting eight in 2014/15, the Republic of Ireland international made 60 appearances in his second spell before departing in 2016 and becoming a fan favourite at Southend United before retiring in 2021 with Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia.

Pavel Pogrebnyak- Retired

The Russian international was a big-money signing for Premier League Reading in 2012 after impressing on loan with Fulham in the previous season.

The former Zenit St Petersburg and Stuttgart forward made over 100 appearances for the Royals before departing in 2015 to return to Moscow.

Spending the final four years of his career in the Russian Premier League, Pogrebnyak retired in 2021 with Ural.