When : Saturday November 9 2024, 3pm
Where : Stadium, Broadhall Way, Stevenage, SG2 8RH
Capacity : 7,800
After 2 “meaningless” cup games and plenty of rest for the players
comes another ******* away game. Yes Reading are taking their miserably cr@p away record to deepest Hertfordshire for examination by a struggling Stevenage (though playing struggling sides doesn’t seem to make much difference, just increases the likelihood that the struggler will find itself hosting AFC Charity).Stevenage are not the Stevenage of last season that just missed the play offs, their play off ability seems to have left with their manager and gone off to Wycombe (or somewhere) over the summer leaving an awkward opponent that is still determining whether it wants to play mid table or relegation haunted football.
The Borough are now managed by former Rotherham striker Alex Revell and are not in good form with 1 win and 4 defeats in their last 5 league games, even their cup appearance last week was a real struggle, only going through on penalties after a 1-1 home draw with non leaguers Guiseley. Despite that it should be noted that the one win was away at high flying Mansfield so there is something to worry about if you let them off the hook.
It’s Stevenage’s midfield that are the worry as 8 of their 10 league goals have come from that department with Elliott List leading the way. Only 1 goal has been scored by one of their strikers (Jake Young). The summer saw them bring in 6 players plus another 4 on loan including Reading’s most pointless signing, Dean Bouzanis (who obviously won’t be allowed to play in the game). Their most well known player (and the Reading transfer that’ll never happen even though it probably should) is Jake Forster-Caskey but I believe injury has kept him sidelined so far this season.
Reading’s injury list has ballooned alarmingly with WiFi now out until February, joining Yiadom who is laid up until at least January in the long term section. Abrefa, Dorsett and Smith also remain crocked until at least after the next international break (or the Shrewsbury game next week if Reading can’t have the game postponed).
Referee
Craig Hicks
Previously
10 Feb 24 > Reading 2-0 Charlton Athletic
25 Nov 23 > Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Reading
Historically
Just last year’s 1-0 win as a previous league visit to Stevenage, but there have also been 2 FA Cup ties played there which returned Reading 1 win (2011) and 1 draw (2018) so, all in all, a bit of unbeateness going on, which would be great to maintain.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
