[mikiz]

On 25 March 2006, Reading won promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history. A 1-1 draw away at Leicester, coupled with Watford's defeat against Millwall, and Leeds Utd only drawing with Stoke City, secured Reading one of the top two automatic promotion places in the Championship. MPs congratulated Reading's successful season with two early day motions shortly after Reading finally secured promotion. The following week, they celebrated winning the Championship after defeating Derby County 5-0, while Stoke City held Sheffield Utd 1-1. This sparked a pitch invasion and the players celebrated in front of the fans from the safety of the directors' box.

The 2006-07 season saw Reading make their first ever appearance in the top flight of English football. In the club's first Premiership game, Reading found themselves down 2-0 inside the first twenty minutes to Middlesbrough, but in a stunning turnaround the Royals netted home their first Premiership goals and won 3-2.Striker Dave Kitson became the first player to score for Reading in the top flight of football. While it is commonplace for teams who get promoted to the Premiership to experience a one-and-done season before being relegated, Reading have distanced themselves from that curse thus far (rather like fellow promoted clubs in the past, e.g. Wigan Athletic and Portsmouth), proving themselves more than worthy opposition for any team in the division.

Reading notched up some impressive results during the early stages of the season, including a draw against Manchester United and a narrow defeat to defending champions Chelsea, leading many commentators to change their opinion of the Premiership's newest member.

Perhaps the highlight of the season so far came on 1 January 2007, when Reading beat West Ham United 6-0. It represents the club's first ever 'double' in the top flight, as Reading had won at Upton Park 1-0 previously in the season. The 2-0 victory over Manchester City on 3 February took Reading to 40 points in the Premiership, the total usually required to avoid relegation. Reading currently hold 6th place with 43 points.

Reading's top scorer in the league is Kevin Doyle, with ten goals so far this season, while the top scorer overall is Leroy Lita with 13.

credit to wikipedia


General Info in FM 2007

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">Nation :EnglandYear Founded :1871Status rofessionalReputation :NationalChairman Status :Enjoying life at the clubStar Players :Leroy Lita, Kevin Doyle, Steve Sidwell, Dave Kitson, Bobby ConveyFavoured Personnel hil Parkinson, Jimmy QuinnFierce Rivals :Oxford, SwindonOther Rivals :Wycombe, West Ham, Bristol CityFinances :OkayEstimated Value :£21.5M (Loan Debt: £23M)Balance: £4.8MTransfer Budget:£5MWage Budget:£250KStadium :The Madejski Stadium, ReadingStadium Capacity :24225 all seater with under-soil heatingTraining Facilities :Good training facilitiesYouth Facilities :Average youth facilities + Youth AcademyContinental Competition :NoneMedia Prediction :20thSquad Average Age :23Squad Personality rofessional</pre>


The team in the game is looking quite strong despite few weak spots.

Big credits due to Reading Researcher and SI.

Current Squad

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">As of 9 February 2007:No. Position Name1 GK Marcus Hahnemann2 DF Graeme Murty (captain)3 DF Nicky Shorey4 MF Steve Sidwell5 DF Ibrahima Sonko6 MF Brynjar Gunnarsson7 MF Glen Little8 FW Leroy Lita9 FW Kevin Doyle10 MF Stephen Hunt11 MF John Oster12 FW Dave Kitson14 DF John Halls15 MF James Harper16 DF Ívar Ingimarsson17 MF Bobby Convey18 DF Sam Sodje19 MF Seol Ki-Hyeon22 DF André Bikey (on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow)23 DF Ulises de la Cruz24 FW Shane Long25 DF Alan Bennett27 DF Aaron Brown28 DF Greg Halford29 DF Michael Duberry31 FW Simon Cox32 GK Adam Federici34 MF James Henry47 DF Péter Máté (on loan from Debreceni VSC)— GK Mikkel Andersen— MF Oliver Bozanic</pre>

A pretty strong squad, you should be able to survive the EPL with the default squad IMO, Although improvements always comes in
handy.

Space for improvement;

GK - as usually Hahnemann leaves after first season. Recommendation: Vincent Enyeama, Kenneth Stenild, Lukasz Fabianski or even for the future investment, Kenneth Stenild, Benoit Costil, Vincent Degre

DR - Ulises De la Cruz is decent, but to be quite frank his age is on the wrong side of 30. John Halls is not too bad but you would want a better DR. Sign Vedran Corluka if you can., or Nicolas Frey. both are cheap and good. Once the update is out they would have Greg Halford a very versatile player, sign him too.

DL - This side is decent with Nicky Shorey on post, but a future investment or better player surely won't hurt. I signed Gareth Bale.

DC - Ibrahima Sonko is good, make sure you make the Peter Mate's deal permanent. also signed Jack Hobbs for future.

MC - with 5M as budget it is quite hard to find decent midfielder. Loan Denilson from Arsenal, also Sherman Cardenas on compensation, Balasz Dszudszak (sp) on a cheap, as Sidwell has 2.5M release clause and most likely will attract other bigger clubs.

AMR/AML - Bobby Convey in AML and Seol in AMR is very good, however I decided to let Convey go for 9M so I signed Vyacheslav Hleb and shifted Seol to AML, although you could try Chinedu Ogbuke or Edu from Lyn for 1M, Peter Halmosi on a cheap, Kevin Larsen, Guardado all for AML - AMR you could try Vyacheslav Hleb, Edu can also play on this side, and if you signed Cardenas he can cover too. and Doyle are able to play AMR.

FC - with Leroy Lita, Kev Doyle, Dave Kitson you should be fine to have a combo of big man - fast man striker. maybe another striker to cover, as Shane Long is still young. Try Anderson from Dinamo, Charles Andre Doudin, Steven Naismith (can cover the wings too)

Recommended starting line up (default squad)

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> HahnemannDe la Cruz Sonko Mate ShoreySeol Sidwell Harper Convey Kitson Lita</pre>

with the partnership upfront its personal reference. in friendlies Kitson scores more as target man, set to mixed, rather than Doyle.

The challenge with Reading FC is clear. survive the jungle of EPL, and be a premier surprise package, like they are atm in real life!


PS: I know theres a Reading thread already, however it is said by mod that the thread has to be up to standard, benchmark is the other club thread such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcaste and Man Utd and others listed in the Club Guide thread.

[mikiz]

Some friendlies result I've got:




Playing 4-2-2-2

this is my team:



Transfers In:



Transfer Out:

Bobby Convey - 9M - Aston Villa

[Balthazars]

Good job mikiz...one day I might just join you in here if I can't stay away from my soft-spot Reading team. ^_^

In my previous FM experience, Shorey, Sonko, Sidwell, Convey and Kitson are all decent enough quality in this division (in my last game, Shorey was my first-choice LB even in Europe!)

Doyle I'm expecting to be quality, along with Seol and Lita. GK is definately a strengthening requirement along with CM because Harper's not really up to it IMO.

Personally, I believe Reading plays well with a centrally-based formation as opposed to wingers, although with Seol in this game it might be worth it to play wide men. A 4-1-3-2 worked very well for me in staying alive in the Prem with 1 DM, 1 more defensive-minded CM and 2 very attacking CM supporting strikers, with hard tackling and long-ball to the target man.

Still, seeing as how I haven't tried Reading in FM07 yet I might be well off. Still I got Reading to the Prem and kept them there with half of their original Championship squad (from FM05) and won the league inside 5 years (due to a very, very aggressive scouting system...and the benefit of previous 'know-how' as to who the good players were on the cheap )

Good luck!

[Hom3r]

don't be scared to play Shane Long, he scores more than Dave Kitson and as much as Doyle in past experience.

[mikiz]

Balthazars :cool:

I am using the same tactic I use in Arsenal save, which is narrow and playing short passing, and focus passing is through the middle, and it fares me ok so far, though can't say much yet, as I'm just in the season.

Come and join :cool:

[Balthazars]

Hahaha, no I'm not too bored of my Arsenal game yet to start a new FM game...just yet.

I also originally tried to transport my Arsenal tactic to Reading...unfortunately, I found that the mid-to-top ranked teams usually tore me up trying to use short or mixed passing. Long seemed to work nicely until I could build up enough players with the skill to keep the ball on the deck! :p

[Hom3r]

Actually, will start as Reading to rotate with Bolton, i'm using the FM Down Under update so i have Greg Halford etc.

&lt;3 Reading for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZiBilFCYoU

[mikiz]

10 games into the EPL



My set of first 10 games lists



Got hammered away to Goodison 5-1, due to miscalculation

so now out of Carling Cup /o\

some special wins:






we only need 10 men, we only need 10 men to beat the scumbag \o/ \o/

[Joey-B]

That songs got a ring to it

[real_betis]

Great opening post Mik :thup: and two good wins against Arsenal and Chelsea. Some good transfers too, Dzsudsak is fb!