Connolly Handed Chance

MARK Hughes has insisted that Matt Connolly will be given a chance to prove his worth as pre-season continues.

The former Arsenal man was given an opportunity to spend time on loan with Reading last season, where he built a formidable partnership with Kaspars Gorkss that saw the pairing pick up their second Championship title in succession.

Connolly has been used across the back four in recent years with stints at full-back – but predominantly utilitied as a central defender with bags of potential.

He had a handful of starts last term but was expected to depart Loftus Road in the summer with Reading a party keen to tie up his signature. He is however firmly in Mark Hughes’ thoughts during pre-season.

Hughes is quoted on West London Sport: ‘Matt`s done really well. He will get more game time.

‘It was difficult for him when I first came to the club because I hadn`t seen a great deal of him before that so I felt his best option was to go out on loan.

‘But I always said that I wanted to see him in the summer and would give him the chance.’

Rangers influx of defenders has maybe not been as high as anticipated given the disastrous nature of their away form last term. Fabio da Silva and Ryan Nelsen are the only inclusions at the back with Taye Taiwo not returning and Armand Traoré rumoured to be bound for pastures new.

It could be a chance for the versatile Connolly to work his way back into the squad, after a period of uncertainty away from W12.