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Reading were formed in 1871. They were originally nicknamed the The Biscuitmen after one of the main trades in the town, Huntley & Palmers biscuits, but changed to the Royals in the 1970s, when the company closed their factory.
Reading were elected to the Third Division of the Football League in 1920, and have spent the majority of the time since then in the third tier of the league, with occasional flirtations with the second and fourth tiers.
On 25 March 2006, Reading won promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history. The Club also secured a record amount of points for the second tier — 106 — and fell only one short of scoring 100 goals. Reading lost only two games during the season.
Club Information
Name: Reading FC
Founded: 1871
Ground: The Madejski Stadium, Reading (24161 capacity, under-soil heating and planned expansion due to be completed on 1.7.2009)
Chairman: John Madejski
League: English Premier League
Fierce Rivals: Oxford, Swindon
Other Rivals: Wycombe, West Ham, Bristol City
Value: £43m (Loan Debt: £20m)
Training Facilities: Top Training Facilities
Youth Facilities: Good youth facilities + academy
Media Predication: 13th
Transfer Budget: £8m (based on Safe Mid-Table target)
Squad
GK Marcus Hahnemann
D/WB R Graeme Murty
D/WB L Nicky Shorey
D C Khalife Cissé
D C Ibrahima Sonko
D C, DM Brynjar Gunnarsson
AM R Glen Little
ST Leroy Lita
ST Kevin Doyle
AM L Stephen Hunt
AM RC John Oster
ST Dave Kitson
D/WB R John Halls
DM James Harper
D C Ivar Ingimarsson
AM L Bobby Convey
D RL, WB R Liam Rosenior
DM, M RC Emerse Faé
D RC, DM André Bikey
D/WB R Ulises de la Cruz
ST Shane Long
D C Aaron Brown
D C Michael Duberry
GK Adam Federici
D/WB/AM L Scott Golbourne
AM RC James Henry
D C Alex Pearce
GK Mikkel Andersen
AM RL Hal Robson-Kanu
D C Adam Bygrave
ST Simon Church
M C Jem Karacan
M C Oliver Bozanic
ST Viktor Illugason
D C Peter Máté
Analysis
Nicky Shorey is without doubt the star player, and expect plenty of offers for him from "bigger" clubs. The probable midfield quartet of Hunt-Gunnarsson-Harper-Little is fairly weak, so some investment is needed. Glen Little will probably be good enough for the time being. Kevin Doyle and Dave Kitson make a pretty good forward line, and of course Leroy Lita can be rotated with them.
In terms of potential coming through the ranks, there isn't any.. which will make a career with Reading hard. Simon Church may well become a good striker with the right nurturing. Thomas Lyskov in the U18s could also be an ok left-back.
So to summarise, definite investment needed and if you can be shrewd enough, get players who will stick around and grow in stature.. since you won't find many of those in the current Reading squad. Keep Nicky Shorey... or if you sell him, be merciless in driving up that demanded transfer fee.
12-20-2007, 10:19 AM
Reading FC: The Queen's favourite ex-Biscuit Factory. Post #2
OK. Image obviously didn't work. That's what I get for trying to be fancy.
Hopefully this will spark off a wonderful debate on playing with Reading (since I notice the forums are kind of bare). Not the most glamorous challenge, but one for all those who like gritty determination and two-footed tackles on goalkeepers.
To start with, I have not much clue at who I'm going to lure to Berkshire to make this team better. If you have ideas, let them flow below.
12-20-2007, 05:59 PM
Reading FC: The Queen's favourite ex-Biscuit Factory. Post #3
Now why didn't I think of Sidders?! Transfer deadline has just passed and this is a summary of what has gone on:
Transfers In
Anthony Stokes - Sunderland - 4.8M
Sergio Tejera - Chelsea - 425K
Nathan Porritt - Middlesbrough - 3.9M
Transfers Out
Scott Golbourne - Watford - 1.5M
Steve Brown - Redditch - Loan
Nicky Shorey - Wigan - 5.5M
I spent the entire window trying to get a replacement for Shorey, and in the end couldn't get one that was better than Rosenior. So it looks like Rosenior will fill in until January. Managed to keep onto Kevin Doyle as well despite him moaning like a baby about the joys of Aston Villa.
Results so far have been pretty poor as well:
F: Guiseley 0 - 3 Reading
Scorers: Lita, Oster, Long
F: Shelbourne 2 - 0 Reading
F: Derry City 2 - 3 Reading
Scorers: Lita, Doyle, Long
F: Hereford 0 - 2 Reading
Scorers: Lita, Hunt
F: Burton 0 - 2 Reading
Scorers: Máté, Karacan
F: Huddersfield 0 - 3 Reading
Scorers: Harper, Church (2)
Reading FC: The Queen's favourite ex-Biscuit Factory. 
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