Sky Bet Championship side Reading have joined fellow second tier outfit Fulham in the race for Stoke City midfielder Steve Sidwell, according to the Mirror. 

The 33-year-old, who has played for both the Royals and the Cottagers in the past, has fallen down the pecking order at the Britannia Stadium and has not featured for Mark Hughes's side since August.

He is considering a drop down into the Championship in order to play first-team football, which has alerted two of his previous clubs in Reading and Fulham.

Sidwell had a four-year spell at the Madejski Stadium, scoring 29 times in 170 appearances, and was a part of the squad that won promotion to the top flight in 2006. He scored ten goals in 40 games as the Royals won the Championship in emphatic style with 106 points.

He left Fulham for the Potteries two years ago after the West London side were relegated from the Premier League, but has only made five league starts in his time at the Britannia Stadium.

Now, new Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic is keen to bring him back to the club where he made nearly a century of appearances from 2011 to 2014.

The Cottagers are struggling this season in the Championship, sitting six points above the relegation places in 19th place.

Reading meanwhile have slipped down to 12th place despite a good start to the season, but poor form saw Steve Clarke lose his job and the club turn to former favourite Brian McDermott.

Fulham travel to Wolves on Tuesday night, while McDermott's men face high-flying Derby County at the iPro Stadium.

Fulham and Reading fans... What do you make to the news? Would you be happy to see Sidwell return? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!