In a flashback to the days of yore on Fantasy Football Scout (read through the comments to reminisce/have a chuckle), Roy Hodgson is now the man looking to Shorey up his defence. The Aston Villa left-back has been signed on loan from Aston Villa until the end of the season.

With Paul Konchesky currently injured (for an as of yet undetermined time), Fulham are short of options in the left-back position. Chris Baird has recently covered in that role, while Toni Kallio appears to be nothing but a last resort.

That should lead us to believe that Nicky Shorey will go straight into the startling line-up in the absence of the aforementioned Konchesky. Coming in at only £4.4m he will join Baird as as a cheap alternative in the Fulham defence, and with a sharp left foot he might even offer some assist potential from open play and set pieces – his record at Reading was in fact rather good. Shorey returned 10 assists and 3 goals in the 2007-08 season.

The fixture list falls nicely for Shorey and Fulham, with three home games in the next five against kind opponents. That could see immediate returns for Shorey if Hodgson’s men can stop the rot that has seen them slump to five straight defeats. Fulham host Portsmouth in their second fixture of gameweek 24 on Wednesday. Shorey would seem likely to be handed his debut in that one.