Reading defender Tom Holmes has become just the seventh Academy graduate to make 100 starts for the club when playing the whole game against Oxford United.

23-year-old Holmes returned from the start in the Thames Valley Derby, his first league start since August.

First making his debut back in 2018, the lifelong supporter and former season ticket holder has been a regular for his boyhood club since the Covid-19 pandemic.

With 125 club appearances to his name, 100 of these have come from the off over the last five years.

An exclusive club, particularly for youth players, only six other players have achieved this.

Shane Long; Alex Pearce; Jem Karacan; Hal Robson-Kanu; Jordan Obita and Andy Rinomhota are the only other Academy stars to have hit the landmark since 1999.

Six players from the youth system started against the U's on Tuesday, the first derby for over 20 years.

Speaking on Holmes' introduction, manager Ruben Selles said: "I always say that my reward is for the players working hard and wanting to play as a team. Tom has been outstanding in the last four weeks. He has earned his right to be back in the squad and line-up. I think he is showing the good player that he is and can be. I am very happy for him."