Graeme Murty has made over 300 appearances for the Royals

Reading captain Graeme Murty will play his first game of the season on Wednesday for the reserve team after recovering from a calf injury.

And after more than two months out, Murty told BBC Radio Berkshire that he is itching to make his return.

He said: "Sitting on the sidelines and being positive for you team-mates is all well and good.

"But nothing quite compares to getting out there on the pitch and influencing the game."

He added: "It's so frustrating when you can't get onto the field to do what you're paid to do.

"My body is my thing I use to work, it's like a welder going out and his blowtorch not working, it's like a plumber going out and not having his tools to do his job with."

Having sat out Reading's first four league games of the campaign, as well as the pre-season trip to Sweden, Murty is undergoing a punishing fitness regime in order to regain fitness.

"I've eventually got back into training this week. I trained on Saturday with the reserves and it's been fantastic because Jon Fern [Reading's physio] has absolutely run me into the deck," he said.

"Every single day this week I've just been sprinting and running, sweating, lifting weights, and throwing everything around.

It feels like a new beginning because there are so many fresh faces in there, and there are so many people trying to prove themselves at this level Graeme Murty

"I've been leaving the training ground at 4pm rather than 1pm like the rest of the boys.

"They find it a source of massive hilarity because they're doing training and passing the ball around - I haven't seen a football for six weeks."

In spite of his efforts, Murty admits it could be some time before he is fully match-fit.

"Training is so hard, and the depressing thing is, I've got a game on Wednesday for the reserves, and no matter how hard you train, it's not the same as games," he added.

"It's going to absolutely kill me."

Murty's return is a timely boost for Reading, who this week lost defenders Michael Duberry (out for at least three weeks with a calf strain) and Ibrahima Sonko (sold to Stoke).

He insists, however, that the mood within the squad is buoyant.

He said: "It feels like a new team, it feels like a new beginning because there are so many fresh faces in there and there are so many people trying to prove themselves at this level.

"It's quite refreshing, it's good for the squad, it's good for the senior players because that energy coming into the squad has to be married with experience.

"We have a very important role in moulding the young players."