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Manager:
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Steve Coppell |
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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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N/A |
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Last
Season Position
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Relegated from
Premiership |
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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 |
8/1 |
| To Get
Promoted |
9/4 |
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N/A
| Date |
Opponents |
Score
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| 12th July |
Didcot
Town |
9-0
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| 15th July |
Forest
Green |
2-0
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| 16th July |
Havant
& Waterlooville |
1-0
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| 19th July |
MK Dons |
2-1
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| 24th July |
FC Trollhattan |
4-1
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| 26th July |
Lerkils |
1-0
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| 29th July |
Halmstads |
3-1
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| 2nd August |
Aston Villa |
1-1
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Reading suffered from second season
syndrome last time out after almost qualifying for the UEFA cup
first time out in the Premiership.
They got off to a good start drawing 0-0 at Old Trafford but the
tight defence went missing throughout the season as they shipped
seven goals at Portsmouth in an embarrassing defeat and six at Spurs
in a 6-4 thriller.
Steve Coppell looked like he had
got an extra gear out of his die after Christmas as they moved away
from trouble after some hard fought wins. The just as Fulham found
form the half hoops half blue patch hit the wall and collapsed losing
to Fulham and Aston Villa at home and despite thrashing Derby on
the last day of the season it was too late and they were relegated
from the premiership.
Reading will be expecting to walk the
division again much as they did last time but they may find the
division a little tougher this time.
Steve Coppell did some soul searching
at the end of last season and after much thought decided to stay
on rather than leave after relegation. That decision will certainly
help them as they are unlikely to get a better manager than Coppell
especially at this level.
Coppell has lost some of his squad with
Dave Kitson moving on along with Glenn Little. Apart from that they
have kept most of their squad and how many of them they keep will
determine how they do this season.
I'll base this prediction on them keeping
Kevin Doyle, Nicky Shorey, Ingarmasson and Hunt. If they do keep
those they have plenty of quality to do very well in this division
and push for automatic promotion.
In Kevin Doyle they have the 20 goal
a season man that most clubs can only dream of having and at the
back they look a very solid unit that won't concede many goals.
The start of the season will be crucial
to them and a bad start could be the final push out of the door
that the bigger names are looking for. Reading are a tough side
to predict and I've changed my mind on them a few times. If they
keep Doyle and co I think they'll push hard for promotion and finish
in the playoffs but I have a nagging feeling that it might all go
tits up for them and they'll be similar to Charlton last season.
I'll go with a good season for them
though based mostly on the defence and a top three finish.
Prediction:
3rd in the Championship
I asked fans on the Rivals message board
for views on the new season and here is what they had
to say.
How do you think
Reading will fare this season?
Champions again
Who
are your players to watch out for?
So many
to choose from kevin Doyle, Grham Murty, James Harper, need I go
on?
Is
your Manager the right man for the job?
Yes, he;s
the best manager we've ever had and will get us back where we belong
Which
three teams will be promoted this season?
Reading,
Birmingham and Sheffield United
Which
teams will be relegated?
Blackpool,
Barnsley and Doncaster
How
do you think QPR will fare this season?
You'll
try and buy the division but fail and be mid table.
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.
Click on the match for a report of
the game from this web site.
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Queen's Park Rangers wins
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draws
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Reading Wins
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| League Game |
23
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15
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34
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| Cup Games |
1
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0
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1
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| Total |
24
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15
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35
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