Every week ex-Reading goalkeeper Steve Mautone will be delivering
his word on the Royals exclusively on Hob Nob Anyone?
Steve, who now plays for Ryman Premier side Slough Town, will be remembered
as Reading's popular first choice 'keeper after signing from West Ham for £250,000
in March 1997. Mauts went on to make 34 first team appearances for the Royals
before suffering from a knee injury which hampered his career in the football
league.
25 April 2001
"Touch And Go!"What an end to the season this is turning out to be.
It is nail-biting stuff.
One week Reading are 2nd and the next week they are 3rd.
It is touch and go.It has been a big ask for Reading to stay in the hunt for automatic promotion, in fact it is a big ask for any team to win each game under the sort of pressure that Reading have been under.
Colchester and Bournemouth to go. One away and one at home. And that’s all that the lads can do. Win these last 2 games and they give themselves a chance of that automatic spot. Regardless of what Rotherham do, if Reading don’t win these games then it’s the play-offs that they must go through to be playing in Division One next season.
I would put my money on Reading to beat any of the teams in contention for the play-off position. So if reading don’t get that all important second spot, then we all must remember that it is not all over because play-offs can be a very exciting way to get promoted.
I know that everyone must be thinking of the last time Reading were in the play-offs, and I can understand why everyone I speak to is so nervous if we have to go that route, but Reading must be very confident that if the play-offs are the way to get promotion then that is what they will have to do.I was involved with Gillingham last season when they went into the first division via the play-offs and I can tell you that it was one of the most exciting times of my career, and one of the most exciting times for all the fans and people involved with the club.
As they say, “one game at a time”, and Colchester is the only game that everyone should be thinking about. So, lets hope that Cureton and Butler are on form and Reading can keep a clean sheet, to set up a great finale of what has been a great season.
My prediction for Saturday is that Reading will win the game 2-0.
Lets get behind the lads and hope that they can do it.
Come on you Royals!
Mauts.
Steve Mautone
(ex. Reading Player & avid supporter)
Previous Columns
