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Manager:
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Brenden Rodgers |
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Ground
Name:
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Madejski
Stadium |
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Capacity:
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24,200 |
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Last
Season Prediction:
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3rd in the Championship |
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Last
Season Position
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4th in the Championship |
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Official
Web Site:
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Readingfc.co.uk |
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Unofficial
Site:
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Off
at Eleven |
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| To Win
the League |
12/1
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| To Get
Promoted |
4/1
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N/A
Reading came down from the Premiership
most people's favourites to make an instant return to the Premiership
especially with the firepower they boasted up front.
Steve Coppell's side when in full
flow were a joy to watch and got off to a great start with a draw
at Notts Forest before wins over Plymouth and Crystal Palace before
a six goal win against Sheffield Wednesday.
At home they were a very tough
side to beat winning their first eight home games of the season
to put them in a great position. Away from home they were not so
strong though and won just once before November.
The performances of the Hunt brothers
kept them in contention for promotion with them both banging goals
in whilst Kevin Doyle was also impressing up front.
They kind of hit a wall after
Christmas though and failed to really put a run of wins together
to trouble the top two although a late run meant a final day win
over Birmingham could see them promoted. It
was not to be though as they lost 2-1 and had to settle for the
playoffs.
Those playoffs ended in disappointment
as they were thrashed 3-0 on aggregate against Burnley.
Steve Coppell left Reading at the end
of last season and it really was the end of an era at Reading as
they looked for a new manager. They opted for Brendan Rodgers who
did well at Watford last year and is certainly highly rated.
It's going to be a tough job to follow
in Coppell's footsteps but he takes over a well run club with a
decent squad.
They have lost Kevin Doyle and Leroy
Lita this summer along with plenty of experience with Hahnemann
and Murty both leaving but that gives Rodgers a clean slate to work
with and a fresh start.
He'll look to keep Stephen Hunt at the
club who will be a key player if he can be kept happy but it's the
young players coming through that will give cause for optimism.
They still have a good squad with Jay
Tabb an excellent Championship player whilst Marek Matejovsky looked
a good player last season. Rodgers also has good links with his
former club Chelsea so they could have the pick of the best youngsters
from Stamford Bridge.
I can see them doing well but I think
they'll miss the goals of Doyle and will struggle to repeat last
season's efforts. A mid table finish for Brendan Rodgers may be
seen as a disappointment but I think he'll sow the seeds of a promising
new team by the end of the season.
Prediction:
11th in the Championship
Jamie Cureton is the most famous player to have played
for both clubs.
Cureton scored the goal that won reading promotion
in 2002 and had a good season in the Championship before he moved
abroad to Korea. His time at QPR was pretty forgettable as injuries
and a loss of form affected him.
Simon Osborn joined QPR from Reading in 1995 as a
replacement for Ray Wilkins. Osborn never really settled at QPR
and was dropped in favour of Wilkins after a poor start. Osborn
was sold within a few months to Wolves in what was a troubled stay
at Loftus Road.
Tony Witter and Paul Barron both had loan spells
at Reading whilst on the books at QPR whilst wing wizard Michael
Meaker also played for both clubs.
The battle of the hoops or the hoops
v white backs as it be next season hasn't gone our way in recent
years. We haven't beaten Reading since August 1997 when John Spencer
got among the goals in a 2-1 win.
IN 2001 Rangers drew 0-0 at home with
Reading in division two and the return game was our first ever visit
to the Madjeski stadium and saw us lose 1-0. Reading were promoted
that year so we didn't face them again until 2004 when Jamie Cureton
got himself sent off and we lost 1-0. The return game was another
0-0 bore draw.
In Reading's record breaking promotion
season they beat us twice by a single goal. Lee Cook scored at Loftus
Road to draw us level but we conceded from a set piece to lose the
game 2-1. On the final day of the season Reading needed to win by
three goals to break all records but Paul Furlong spoilt the part
equalising in the second half before a dodgy late penalty gave Graham
Murty his first ever goal for the club.
Last Season both games ended 0-0 with
Gareth Ainsworth taking charge of his first game at the Madejski
Stadium. At Loftus Road it was the same story with neither side
able to break the deadlock.
Click on the match for a report of
the game from this web site.
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