When : Tuesday October 29 2024, 7.45pm
Where : Edgeley Park, Hardcastle Road, Stockport, SK3 9DD
Capacity : 10,852
Reading are off on their travels again and thanks to the total cr@p that is “international breaks” the club is very likely going to face an unrelenting slog of 4 successive league games away from the apparent “safety” of the SCL. Given the club has struggled badly on league travels over the last two or three years this run is going to be a real challenge and if Reading do manage to maintain their position around the play offs then the current on the field positivity will prove well placed and the team ready to face anything.
First up in this awful run is a long trip north to play a very useful Stockport County who have proven themselves to be a handful in this division and it will take something special to come out on top in this one. The Hatters, as they are known, are themselves starting a run of 4 successive home games in the league (and 6 successive games in all competitions). They are extremely difficult to beat, having lost just twice in the league, but are on a bit of a dip in form with 3 draws and a defeat to show from their last 4 games. Hopefully, following Exeter last week, Reading can start to establish a more “normal” away midweek league record but a record of 7 away wins in the last 59 midweek away league games is quite astonishingly awful and difficult to make any worse.
Stockport brought in 8 signings and 4 loans over the summer and they’ve largely carried on where they left off in earning promotion last season. Dave Challinor is an excellent manager for this level and has built a tough well organised side. Danger man is one of the new boys, former Villa youngster Louie Barry, who has bagged 7 goals already but if he’s kept quiet Reading will still have to watch his strike partner, Kyle Wootton, who’s knocked in 4. Other useful names include Lewis Fiorini, Callum Camps and one time Reading favourite, now 33, Oliver Norwood.
Reading are still without Yiadom and Abrefa so, unless there’s a few reactions from Saturday, Selles should find himself selecting from within the same squad. Don’t actually think there will be much in the way of changes as I think any “rotation” and will occur in the Fleetwood cup game next week and then the subsequent visit to Cheltenham.
Referee
Not yet appointed
Historically
Reading have visited Stockport on 16 occasions and won just twice compared to 6 wins for Stockport. Edgeley Park is a fairly miserable place for Reading usually though as the club have not won there since August 1971 (12 games ago) and the club’s last visit was that pathetic 5-1 stuffing, coincidentally also on a Tuesday night, back in March 1998.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and go
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalsTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
