When : Saturday November 2 2024, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161
Cup time and the magic is looming. It’s cup weekend and Reading have the chance to earn some money, yes £45000 is what it is about, pocket that and you get a chance to shoot for £75000 and the all too common draw of a visit to Man Utd. Reading won’t win the competition so maximising the prize money (see winnings table below) is what it is about and hopefully Reading are actually equipped to do something other than match the inexcusably pathetic showings of recent years that have seen the club done over by 2 non league sides in the last 3 years.
First round proper winners (40) £45,000
First round proper losers (40) £15,000
Second round proper winners (20) £75,000
Second round proper losers (20) £20,000
Third round proper winners (32) £115,000
Third round proper losers (32) £25,000
Fourth round proper winners (16) £120,000
Fifth round proper winners (8) £225,000
Quarter-final winners (4) £450,000
Semi-final winners (2) £1,000,000
Semi-final losers (2) £500,000
Final runners-up (1) £1,000,000
Final winners (1) £2,000,000
Visitors to the SCL are Fleetwood Town from Division 4 (league 2) so Reading will be favourites which is something they haven’t handled at all well in recent seasons. The cod army are 15th in their division so haven’t started brilliantly and are on a run of 0 wins in their last 5 league games. Their last win was a 6-2 victory at Walsall back at the beginning of October though so have capabilities if there’s any hint of Reading having AFC Charity in town.
Fleetwood have, though, won 3 of their 8 away games in all competitions and lost just twice so perform rather better on the road than Reading. Ronan Coughlan is averaging a goal every other game with 5 strikes from 10 games, midfielder Marty Virtue is next highest scorer with 3. Fleetwood did draw 1-1 away at Stoke in the league cup earlier in the season which is a probable marker of what to expect from them on Saturday. Charlie Adam is now manager at the club so provides the “former royal” connection, let’s hope he is left not wanting to return any time soon.
Finally, the game has to be decided on the day thanks to the FA giving in to elite clubs and banning replays instead of doing what they should have and just telling them to go and get stuffed, so expect penalties if it’s all square at the final whistle.
Reading are starting to build quite an injury list as Yiadom, Dorsett, Clarke, Ryan and Abrefa have been joined by Sam Smith (who has a “big foot” and is likely out for several weeks) and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan who picked up a knock in the dismal showing at Stockport and faces a scan on his hip later this week. Mbengue and Knibbs also received knocks by the look of things but they may well be scheduled to be “rotated” anyway.
Referee
Paul Howard
Previously
06 Feb 24 > Stevenage 0-1 Reading
Historically
No cup games against the cod army, just the one abysmal home league showing from about a year ago to get revenge on.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel to the game
- 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)
Whatever happened to Tamworth Royal?
