`READING FC captain Paul McShane says he is determined to put his injury scares behind him and help his side bounce back from a disappointing 2017/18 season.

The Royals avoided relegation from the Championship last season on the final day after a poor campaign.

McShane missed the last four months of the campaign having been forced off injured in his sides’ 0-0 draw against former club Hull in January.

The defender returned to action in time for Reading’s final game of the season away to Cardiff.

Now the Irishman wants to put all of his injury problems behind him and concentrate on having an improved season.

He said: “It was very frustrating for me at the end of last season but I just want to look forward. I don’t really want to dwell on last season with the injury.

“The body feels good at the minute.”

In an interview with the Reading Chronicle last year, McShane insisted that promotion had to be last season's target after Royals' third-placed finish the year before.

But the former Manchester United schoolboy refused to set any such targets this time around.

He said: “Last year there were targets set and expectations and we didn’t quite match them.

“So I’m trying to sort of ease off a little bit, to say that I’m prepared for everything and I’m not going to expect anything."

The bookies have predicted doom and gloom at the Madejski Stadium with the Royals being listed as fourth favourites to be relegated.

But McShane dismissed the suggestion that the Royals should be fearful this campaign.

He said: “Who knows, who could have said last year and the year before when it was the other way round.

“Let’s just see what happens, each game as it comes as they say."

McShane is likely to keep his place in the squad but could be partnered in defence by the returning Liam Moore.

Moore is likely to return to the fray, having missed the Championship opener against Derby due to transfer speculation.