Andy Yiadom: Reading FC's fan favourite waves goodbye in lap of appreciation

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Ghana ace Andy Yiadom waved goodbye to Reading FC fans in a lap of appreciation after the side's final home defeat against West Brom at the weekend. 

Yiadom, 30, missed the side's 1-0 defeat to West Brom but maintained their Championship status due to a fractured foot.

The Ghana international is one of 14 players at the club who are out of contract in the summer.

Reading boss Paul Ince has heaped praise on the Ghanaian for playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks - to underline his commitment to the side.

Yiadom has built his footballing CV with a climb through the divisions in his career so far.

Having started through the youth system at Watford, he made his start in senior football at Hayes & Yeading United in the Conference Premier – with an impressive season seeing him snapped up by league rivals, Braintree Town, while still a teenager.

After scoring an impressive eight times from full-back in a standout season with Braintree, he got his first Football League move – with Barnet calling for his services.

He gradually forced his way into the first team picture at Underhill – initially in midfield and then in defence – and ultimately proved to be a key cog in the Barnet squad in his four seasons there, which included a move to their new stadium at The Hive.

Yiadom became a mainstay in the Bees’ defence that earned promotion back to League Two in 2014/15 – and in their first season back in the EFL, he would be promoted to the position of club captain.

Standout performances made the Londoner a sought-after player – so a move to Oakwell followed when Barnsley were recruiting for their return to the Championship in 2016.  Yiadom settled straight into the Tykes’ side, with his form warranting a first senior call-up to the Ghana national team in 2017!