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Former England Under-19 international defender Rob Dickie has today joined the club on a six-month loan deal from SkyBet Championship club Reading.

Danny Cowley said: "It's something we've been trying to do all window. I'm really delighted to be able to bring Rob into the squad, he's a really gifted centre-half.

"The idea is hopefully that it's with a view to a permanent deal at the end of the loan."

The 21-year-old first joined Reading at the age of eight.

He then made his first loan spell away from the club at Basingstoke during the 2014/15 season as the club finished third and secured a play-off place in the National League South.

The following season, Dickie made the move to Cheltenham Town, making 27 league appearances as The Robins secured the National League title.  

The central defender also scored a hat-trick during that loan spell away to Chelmsford City in the FA Trophy.

Dickie spent the 2015/16 season with Reading and made his first team debut in the final game of the season away to Blackburn Rovers as a substitute.

Last season, he spent a short period back on loan at Cheltenham Town, but he spent most of the campaign skippering Reading to the Under-23 Premier League Cup Final against Swansea City.

See Danny's interview regarding his latest signing on iFollow.