When : Saturday 22nd September, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161
It’s a Saturday, Reading are at home so is there even any point in turning up? If Reading players aren’t going to do Saturday league home games then should the Reading public do them either? Bound to be other games at Maidenhead, Slough, Bracknell etc. available that will offer up the chance of a home win and probably entertainment as well.
But of course we will. The hardcore of support will always turn out for the home games even if it means yet another depressing miserable performance to endure.
If you were to trace back through history and all the days of Elm Park I find it hard to believe anything would come near to the current utterly appalling run for Saturday league home games (I now expect Strap to come up with the fact it’s been eclipsed on at least 3 or 4 previous occasions).
The record is that since the end of April 2017 Reading have played 18 league games at home on a Saturday and managed ONE solitary win - and that arrived almost year to the day after the previous Saturday home win had turned up. Of the other 17 games played in that run Reading have managed 6 draws and 11 defeats. So that means the club have racked up an amazing total of 9 points from a possible 54.
In that run Reading have scored 14 goals and conceded 30 and the best run of results they’ve had is a whole 4 games without defeat (3-3 v Derby, 2-2 v Leeds, 1-0 v Preston and 2-2 v Sunderland).
And to aid it all Reading are now on a run of 5 successive home league defeats (anyone know what is the worst record of successive home league defeats for Reading?) and in these games have scored 3 and conceded 11.
Now these sorts of runs are there to be broken and one day this one must be put to death, so please can it start this weekend as I really don’t want to have to wait until April 2019 for the next one.
So, up for the chance to start the ball roiling is Hull City, managed by one time Royals favourite Nigel Adkins. Hull complete a triumvirate of sides not having a particularly bright start to the season so the chance of 3 points on a Saturday is, in reality, about as good a chance as you’re ever going to get at this level.
Dan Batty is a doubt for Hull with a knee injury while Mr Adkins will have a selection dilemma over whether to persist with former Reading loanee Chris Martin or opt for a Nouha Dicko or Frazier Campbell. Tommy Elphick is also expected to play in defence for Hull as he continues his loan spell from Aston Villa.
Reading have Obita and Edwards out for another month or so at least but McCleary and Harriott might be able to make the bench soon. Sadly neither Gunter nor Aluko are suspended or injured.
Referee
The expected referee for this one is Jeremy Simpson
Previously
21 Apr 2018 > Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 Reading
14 Oct 2017 > Leeds United 0-1 Reading
31 Jan 2017 > Birmingham City 0-1 Reading
17 Dec 2016 > Blackburn Rovers 2-3 Reading
09 Sep 2016 > Reading 2-1 Ipswich Town (managed to book 9 players)
16 Apr 2016 > Leeds United 3-2 Reading
09 Jan 2016 > Huddersfield Town 2-2 Reading (FA Cup 3)
20 Oct 2015 > Rotherham United 1-1 Reading
Historically
There have been 24 previous league games in Reading against Hull City and it's not an especially good record either with 9 Reading wins compared to Hull's 7. On top of that Reading's recent run at home to Hull is completely pathetic with just one win and four draws to show from the last 8 attempts. Defeats tend to be close affairs with just one goal deciding it (6 of Hull's wins have been by just 1 goal) while 8 of Reading's wins have been by at least a 2 goal margin. There has only been one 0-0 in those previous 24 games.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel to the Mad Stad
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use an iFollow subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
