Reading striker David Mooney signed for Colchester United on a six-month loan deal yesterday – and U’s manager John Ward says he might not be finished there.

READING striker David Mooney signed for Colchester United on a six-month loan deal yesterday – and U’s manager John Ward says he might not be finished there.

Mooney, a 25-year-old former Republic of Ireland U23 international, arrived at the Weston Homes Community Stadium yesterday lunchtime to finalise the deal and goes straight into the U’s squad for their League One opener at Exeter City on Saturday.

His arrival acts as a timely reinforcement to Colchester’s dwindling striking options ahead of the new season following the summer departures of Clive Platt, Kevin Lisbie, Scott Vernon and Joel Thomas.

And Ward – having handed Mooney the No.19 shirt rather than the vacant No.9 – refuses to rule out the possibility of bringing in another forward before the transfer window closes on September 1.

“That’s something we need to look at,” admitted the U’s boss. “The loan market is an area that we might be able to utilise over the coming weeks. There will be players that might not make their club’s 25-man squads and they will be starting to look for moves to the likes of Colchester United.”

Speaking of his new addition – who started his career in Irish football and has spent time on loan at both Norwich and Charlton in recent years – Ward said: “David has experience around the Championship and he’s been around the top of our league too so he very much fits the bill. He is a player I saw at Cork City when I was at Carlisle and I actually made a bid for him then before getting gazumped by Reading.”

Despite being 6ft 2in tall, Ward was quick to say that fans should not expect Mooney to take on the role of target man recently vacated by Clive Platt.

He said: “I’d say he’s more in the mould of a Steven Gillespie rather than a ‘big’ striker like Kayode Odejayi or Clive Platt. I haven’t gone out specifically to find someone the same as Clive, I’ve gone for someone who can give us variation. David can lead the line, play off the front player or pretty much anywhere at the top end of the pitch.

“He’s done all his pre-season training at Reading so I don’t think it will be a problem for him to be involved on Saturday, whether that be from the start or from the bench.”

– Full Exeter City v Colchester United match preview in tomorrow’s EADT – includes news on the captaincy situation and John Ward’s thoughts on the Aidy Boothroyd regime.

FACTFILE

DAVID MOONEY

Position: Striker

Age: 25

Born: Dublin, Ireland

Height: 6ft 2in

– Started out at Irish side Shamrock Rovers where he won the All Ireland U17 title

– Moved to Longford Town where his impressive goal-scoring record saw him linked with Leeds and Blackburn.

– Instead chose to follow manager Alan Matthews to Cork City where he netted 15 times in just 22 appearances.

– Snapped up by Championship club Reading for 260,000 Euros at the start of the 2008/9 season.

– After a loan spell at League One Stockport is quickly cut short by injury, Mooney joins Norwich on loan and scores three times in nine appearances as club are relegated from the Championship.

– Spent all of 2009/10 on loan at Charlton, scoring five times in 28 appearances as The Addicks lose to Swindon on penalties in League One play-off semis.

– Has made just four League Cup appearances at Reading in two seasons.