About the Third Tier

[Sutekh]

Just a brief summary of the rivals we'll have to deal with next season.

1. BARNSLEY



Founded: 1887
Ground: Oakwell, Grove Street, Barnsley, S71 1ET
Distance from SCL: 190 miles
Capacity: 23,287
Nickname: The Tykes
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £1,500,000 each for Georgi Hristov in 1997 and for Mike Sheron in 1999
Last Season: 4th (lost in play offs)
Manager: Michael Duff
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Devante Cole 15 from 40 (5)
Last 6 League game form: WDWLDL
Last Fixture v Reading: 2 Apr 2022, Barnsley 1-1 Reading (Tier 2)

2. BLACKPOOL



Founded: 1887
Ground: Bloomfield Road, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, FY1 6JJ
Distance from SCL: 238 miles
Capacity: 16,616
Nicknames: The Tangerines and The Seasiders
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £1,250,000 for Dudley Junior Campbell in 2010
Last Season: 23rd (relegated)
Manager: Stephen Dobbie (caretaker)
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Jerry Yates - 14 from 39 (2)
Last 6 League game form: LWLWLW
Last Fixture v Reading: 25 Feb 2023, Reading 3-1 Blackpool (Tier 2)

3. BOLTON WANDERERS



Founded: 1874 (as Christ Church FC)
Ground: University of Bolton Stadium, Burnden Way, Horwich, BL6 6JW
Distance from SCL: 213 miles
Capacity: 28,723
Nicknames: The Trotters, The Whites and The Wanderers
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £8,200,000 for Johan Elmander in 2008
Last Season: 5th (lost in play offs)
Manager: Ian Evatt
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Dion Charles - 16 from 38 (4)
Last 6 League game form: WDWLWW
Last Fixture v Reading: 29 Jan 2019, Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Reading (Tier 2)

4. BRISTOL ROVERS



Founded: 1883 (as Black Arabs FC)
Ground: Memorial Stadium, Filton Avenue, Horfield, BS7 0AQ
Distance from SCL: 78 miles
Capacity: 12,011
Nicknames: The Gas and The Pirates
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £370,000 for Andy Tillson in 1992
Last Season: 17th
Manager: Joey Barton
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Aaron Collins - 16 from 44 (2)
Last 6 League game form: LLLDLL
Last Fixture v Reading: 20 Jan 2001, Reading 1-0 Bristol Rovers (Tier 3)

5. BURTON ALBION



Founded: 1950
Ground: Pirelli Stadium, Princess Way, Burton upon Trent, DE13 0BH
Distance from SCL: 136 miles
Capacity: 6,912
Nickname: The Brewers and The Yellow and Black Army
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £513,000 for Liam Boyce in 2017
Last Season: 15th
Manager: Noureddine Maamria
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Victor Adeboyejo - 11 from 24 (2)
Last 6 League game form: DLWLWD
Last Fixture v Reading: 30 Jan 2018, Burton Albion 1-3 Reading (Tier 2)

6. CAMBRIDGE UNITED



Founded: 1912 (as Abbey United)
Ground: Abbey Stadium, Newmarket Road, Cambridge, CB5 8LN
Distance from SCL: 94 miles
Capacity: 8,127
Nickname: United
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £252,000 for Steve Claridge in 1992
Last Season: 20th
Manager: Mark Bonner
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Sam Smith - 13 from 41 (4)
Last 6 League game form: WLLWLW
Last Fixture v Reading: 10 Sep 2002, Cambridge United 3-1 Reading (League Cup 2)

7. CARLISLE UNITED



Founded: 1896 (as Shaddongate United)
Ground: Brunton Park, Warwick Road, Carlisle, CA1 1LL
Distance from SCL: 308 miles
Capacity: 17,949
Nickname: The Cumbrians
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £140,000 for Joe Garner in 2007
Last Season: 4th (won play off)
Manager: Paul Simpson
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Kristian Dennis - 20 from 35 (9)
Last 6 League game form: DDDWLD
Last Fixture v Reading: 8 May 1982, Reading 2-2 Carlisle United (Tier 3)

8. CHARLTON ATHLETIC



Founded: 1905
Ground: The Valley, Charlton, London, SE7 8BL
Distance from SCL: 51 miles
Capacity: 27,111
Nicknames: Addicks and The Valiants and Red Robins
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £6,750,000 for Jason Euell in 2001
Last Season: 10th
Manager: Dean Holden
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Jesurun Rak-Sakyi - 15 from 40 (3) - on loan from Crystal Palace
Last 6 League game form: WLWLWD
Last Fixture v Reading: 11 Jun 2020, Charlton Athletic 0-1 Reading (Tier 2)

9. CHELTENHAM TOWN



Founded: 1887
Ground: Whaddon Road, Cheltenham, GL52 5NA
Distance from SCL: 72 miles
Capacity: 6,700
Nickname:{/b] The Robins
[b]Record Transfer Fee Paid: £50,000 each for Jermaine McGlashan, for Brian Wilson and for Grant MCann in 2012
Last Season: 16th
Manager: Wade Elliott
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Alfie May - 20 from 37 (2)
Last 6 League game form: DDWLWD
Last Fixture v Reading: 15 Jan 1998, Reading 2-1 Cheltenham Town (FA Cup 3 Replay)

10. DERBY COUNTY



Founded: 1884
Ground: Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8XL
Distance from SCL: 140 miles
Capacity: 33,597
Nickname: The Rams
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £8,460,000 for Matej Vydra in 2016
Last Season: 7th
Manager: Paul Warne
2022/23 Leading Scorer: David McGoldrick - 22 from 29 (10)
Last 6 League game form: DDWWDL
Last Fixture v Reading: 3 Jan 2022, Reading 2-2 Derby County (Tier 2)

11. EXETER CITY



Founded: 1901 (merged from Exeter United and St Sidwell's United)
Ground: St James Park, Stadium Way, Exeter, EX4 6PX
Distance from SCL: 138 miles
Capacity: 8,197
Nickname: The Grecians
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £100,000 for Jayden Stockley in 2017
Last Season: 14th
Manager: Gary Caldwell
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Sam Nombe - 15 from 34 (9)
Last 6 League game form: LLLLLW
Last Fixture v Reading: 22 Jan 1994, Reading 1-0 Exeter City (Tier 3)

12. FLEETWOOD TOWN



Founded: 1908
Ground: Highbury, Park Avenue, Fleetwood, FY7 6TX
Distance from SCL: 244 miles
Capacity: 5,327
Nicknames: The Fishermen and Cod Army
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £410,000 for Kyle Dempsey in 2017
Last Season: 13th
Manager: Scott Brown
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Jack Marriott - 8 from 16 (3)
Last 6 League game form: LWDWLD
Last Fixture v Reading: no games ever played between the two clubs

13. LEYTON ORIENT



Founded: 1881
Ground: Brisbane Road, Leyton, London, E10 5NF
Distance from SCL: 56 miles
Capacity: 9,271
Nickname: The Os
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £286,000 for Justin Channing in 1996
Last Season: 1st (promoted)
Manager: Richie Wellens
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Paul Smyth - 10 from 34 (4)
Last 6 League game form: WLWWLD
Last Fixture v Reading: 5 Sep 2000, Reading 0-2 Leyton Orient (League Cup 2)

14. LINCOLN CITY



Founded: 1884
Ground: Sincil Bank, Lincoln, LN5 8LD
Distance from SCL: 167 miles
Capacity: 10,780
Nickname: The Imps
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £338,000 for Dany N'Guessan in 2006
Last Season: 11th
Manager: Mark Kennedy
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Ben House - 12 from 35 (3)
Last 6 League game form: WDWLLW
Last Fixture v Reading: 13 Apr 1999, Lincoln City 2-2 Reading (Tier 3)

15. NORTHAMPTON TOWN



Founded: 1897
Ground: Sixfields, Upton Way, Northampton, NN5 5QA
Distance from SCL: 81 miles
Capacity: 7,798
Nickname: The Cobblers
Last Season: 3rd (promoted)
Manager: Jon Brady
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Sam Hoskins - 22 from 40 (1)
Last 6 League game form: WDWWLW
Last Fixture v Reading: 24 Aug 2010, Reading 3-3 Northampton Town (League Cup 2)
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £165,000 for Josh Low in 2003

16. OXFORD UNITED



Founded: 1893 (as Headington United)
Ground: Kassam Stadium, Grenoble Road, Littlemore, Oxford, OX4 4XP
Distance from SCL: 26 miles
Capacity: 12,500
Nicknames: The Us and Yellows
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £680,000 for Marvin Johnson in 2016
Last Season: 19th
Manager: Liam Manning
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Kyle Joseph - 9 from 31 (6) and Cameron Brannagan - 9 from 44 (0)
Last 6 League game form: LDLWWL
Last Fixture v Reading: 25 Aug 2004, Oxford United 0-2 Reading (League Cup 2)

17. PETERBOROUGH UNITED



Founded: 1934
Ground: London Road, Peterborough, PE2 8AL
Distance from SCL: 115 miles
Capacity: 15,314
Nickname: The Posh
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £1,250,000 for Britt Assombalonga in 2013
[b]Last Season: 6th (lost in play offs)
Manager: officially TBC but probably Darren Ferguson as usual
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Johnson Clarke-Harris - 26 from 45 (1)
Last 6 League game form: WLWLDW
Last Fixture v Reading: 16 Feb 2022 Peterborough United 0-0 Reading (Tier 2)

18. PORT VALE



Founded: 1879
Ground: Vale Park, Hamil Road, Burslem, Stoke on Trent, ST6 1AW
Distance from SCL: 162 miles
Capacity: 15,036
Nickname: The Valiants
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £500,000 for Gareth Ainsworth in 1997
Last Season: 18th
Manager: Darrell Clarke
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Ellis Harrison - 11 from 27 (6)
Last 6 League game form: DLLWLL
Last Fixture v Reading: 1 Jan 2002, Reading 2-0 Port Vale (Tier 3)

19. PORTSMOUTH



Founded: 1898
Ground: Fratton Park, Frogmore Road, Milton, PO4 8RA
Distance from SCL: 52 miles
Capacity: 20,899
Nickname: Pompey
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £11,000,000 for Peter Crouch in 2008
[b]Last Season: 8th
Manager: John Mousinho
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Colby Bishop - 20 from 45 (1)
Last 6 League game form: DDDWDD
Last Fixture v Reading: 25 Aug 2015, Portsmouth 1-2 Reading (League Cup 2)

20. SHREWSBURY TOWN



Founded: 1886
Ground: New Meadow, Oteley Road, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ST
Distance from SCL: 143 miles
Capacity: 9,875
Nickname: The Shrews
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £370,000 for Lionel Ainsworth in 2011
Last Season: 12th
Manager: Steve Cotterill
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Luke Leahy - 9 from 46 (0)
Last 6 League game form: DLLLWL
Last Fixture v Reading: 8 Feb 1992, Reading 2-1 Shrewsbury Town (Tier 3)

21. STEVENAGE



Founded: 1976 (as Stevenage Borough)
Ground: Lamex Stadium, Broadhall Way, Stevenage, SG2 8RH
Distance from SCL: 62 miles
Capacity: 7,800
[Nickname:[/b] The Boro
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £100,000 for Scott Laird in 2007
Last Season: 2nd (promoted)
Manager: Steve Evans
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Luke Norris 10 from 31 (7), Jordan Roberts 10 from 36 (6) & Jamie Reid - 10 from 25 (20)
Last 6 League game form: WWLWWW
Last Fixture v Reading: 9 Aug 2022, Reading 1-2 Stevenage (League Cup 1)

22. WIGAN ATHLETIC



Founded: 1932
Ground: DW Stadium, Loire Drive, Robin Park, Wigan, WN5 0UH
Distance from SCL: 202 miles
Capacity: 25,138,
Nickname: Latics and The Tics
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £6,500,000 for Emile Heskey in 2006
Last Season: 24th (relegated)
Manager: Shaun Maloney
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Will Keane 12 from 38 (5)
Last 6 League game form: LLWWDD
Last Fixture v Reading: 29 Apr 2023, Reading 1-1 Wigan Athletic (Tier 2)

23. WYCOMBE WANDERERS



Founded: 1887
Ground: Adams Park, Hillbottom Road, Sands Industrial Estate, High Wycombe, HP12 4HJ
Distance from SCL: 21 miles
Capacity: 9,448
Nickname: The Chairboys
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £270,000 for Darren Currie in 2001
Last Season: 9th
Manager: Matt Bloomfield
2022/23 Leading Scorer: Anis Mehmeti - 9 from 26 (1) & Lewis Wing - 9 from 41 (3)
Last 6 League game form: WLWLLD
Last Fixture v Reading: 23 Feb 2021, Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 Reading (Tier 2)

[From Despair To Where?]

1 slight update. From July 1st, Bolton's ground will be called the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

[Stranded]

5 teams beginning with B - may win a few midweek games then (depending on scheduling).

[Sutekh]

1 slight update. From July 1st, Bolton's ground will be called the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Seriously

[NathStPaul]

The young lads with not many loyalty points better start getting less excited about their away days next season. No chance they are getting tickets for the smaller grounds.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Good amount of games for me to go to next season. Barnsley, Bolton, Blackpool, Fleetwood and Wigan are all well within reason. Aiming to go to Derby next season if I can. Carlisle, Lincoln, Shrewsbury, Port Vale and Burton aren't unreasonable but probably won't bother with those journeys to be honest.

Would have preferred it if Barnsley went up, jut sick of going to Oakwell which is in desperate need of an upgrade. Wednesday's isn't much better though, but still better than what Barnsley have.

[NathStPaul]

Oakwell is a class ground for an away day, ridiculous opinion.

They also play the theme from the Hitman and Her as their walkout music, doesn't get better than that.

[Dirk Gently]

Carlisle is an absolutely brilliant ground - proper old school, with a standing paddock in front of the main stand and the largest standing area left in the football league behind the goal.

Sadly, those are for home fans. Unless there's a massive attendance, away fans are in the newish stand down the side.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Not for me, Barnsley's shite.

Carlisle's a weird one. Quite like it although it seems like it's not big enough to hold 17,000. Then again, haven't been past it in a few years and might be because one end behind the goal isn't seated I don't think.

[NathStPaul]

Carlisle is an absolutely brilliant ground - proper old school, with a standing paddock in front of the main stand and the largest standing area left in the football league behind the goal.

Sadly, those are for home fans. Unless there's a massive attendance, away fans are in the newish stand down the side.

I was surprised to see it was a 17,000 capacity, always had it down as under 10k.

[From Despair To Where?]

1 slight update. From July 1st, Bolton's ground will be called the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Seriously

Yes, seriously. It made the national news and everything.

[Jackson Corner]

Interesting seeing the record transfer fees paid. Cambridge £50,000 majority under a million.

[NathStPaul]

1 slight update. From July 1st, Bolton's ground will be called the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Seriously

Yes, seriously. It made the national news and everything.

Great work from the sponsor tbf. You certainly won't forget the name.

[Clyde1998]

Interesting seeing the record transfer fees paid. Cambridge £50,000 majority under a million.

Ipswich spent around £2m gross last season (according to TransferMarkt), with the next highest spending around £500k gross. Total spending is very low at this level - I believe only on seven occasions have there been a gross spend over £1m in any season since the 2019-20 season (and four of those occasions saw the club make a net transfer profit); 67 seasons saw no gross transfer spend.

The vast majority of clubs simply don't have the finances to spend much on transfers; most of what clubs spend on players goes on wages.

[kirkrich]

Tough shit stadium

[Royalwaster]

How long have Charlton been in League 1? Seems like ages ...

[YorkshireRoyal99]

How long have Charlton been in League 1? Seems like ages ...

They were relegated from the Championship in the 2019/20 season. So this will be their 4th consecutive season in League One. They have been in League One for 6 out of the last 7 seasons.

[One8Seven1*]

Some cracking local away days next season, Carlisle can do one though. I'm not travelling that far for football. Those days are long gone.

[Loafer]

oxf*rd depressing, glad im not longer a supporter of Reading. Carlisle ffs

[blythspartan]

A good thread, my aim is to go to every home and away game. I just hope next year there’s not a new one called “About the Fourth Tier”.