Pearce: 'Keeping Le Fondre was vital'

Alex Pearce has congratulated Reading for dismissing interest in Adam Le Fondre during the January transfer window.

Le Fondre was repeatedly linked with a move away from the Madejski Stadium, with a reported £3m bid from Cardiff City being rejected by the club, and Pearce admits that they deserve credit for keeping the forward.

"A few of us were going to tie him down to his bed," the defender told reporters. "Credit has to go to the board and everyone involved for getting the body armour on and staying strong.

"It's massive news that we've kept everyone together. It would have been a blow if we'd lost players."

Le Fondre was awarded the Championship Player of the Month for his form in January.