Reading Roars!

So Reading lost to Man United, who scored the only goal of the game through Louis Saha. The slender scoreline was surprising, as the Royals had three players sent off (Sonko, Sidwell and Kitson) for seemingly no apparent reason (the Konami Difference, perhaps?).
Of course, it was difficult to argue with the ref when the players [...]

Steve Coppell is the calmest man in English football. While every game is ‘hyped into a four-day event’ the Reading manager quietly goes about his business - and, despite his team having not a single Premiership appearance between them at the start of the season, he is producing stunning results.
So begins Amy Lawrence’s “Big interview” [...]

With delight, I recount the prediction I made several days earlier, following Reading’s defeat of Man City:
Next up: Aston Villa at the Madejski. Reading will surely raze this Villa to the ground.
Two goals by Steve Sidwell ensured that the Royals did just that (my prediction was also more accurate than Mark Lawrenson’s, of the BBC, [...]

Leroy Lita. Again. Twice. What a magnificent forward Reading have. What a magnificent season Reading are having. The press are saying the E word (that’s “Europe”). Can it really be happening?
Lita scored twice late in the game (79, 89) to punish Man City 2-0, a great result that elevates Reading to a mind boggling 6th [...]

Sheffield failed to shine against the Royals at the Madejski this afternoon.
Reading’s Shane Long scored the opening goal (”stabbed in”, as the BBC put it - I like it), with Ecuadorian De La Cruz’ piercing run resulting in Reading’s second just six minutes later.
Knives were sharpened, however, in a gloomy second half. Keith Gillespie, who [...]

Sylvester Stallone took to the Goodison Park pitch this afternoon to show his support for the local side. Holding up an Everton scarf, Sly was cheered by the 30,000 or so Toffees supporters before the game against Reading.
And it was Reading who drew first blood: an own goal from Everton’s Lescott gave the Royals [...]

Reading FC are far from looking rocky at the moment, but Rocky will soon be looking at Reading from afar.
Celluloid action man Sylvester Stallone has been invited by Everton investor Robert Earl to watch the Toffees take on Reading this Sunday at Goodison Park.
Sly is no stranger to the national game: he played the goalie [...]

On a day when many of us were nursing headaches (myself included), Reading FC players looked “bright and breezy”, stunningly slotting six past West Ham at the Madejski. Like turkeys one week earlier, the Hammers were truly stuffed.
Brynjar Gunnarsson (12 minutes), Stephen Hunt (15), Leroy Lita (53) and Kevin Doyle (twice; 36, 78) all found [...]

We’re fast approaching the end of 2006 (the year just zipped by, didn’t it) and Reading FC have had a magnificent 12 months.  Just for fun, BBC Radio Berkshire’s Joel Hufford has compiled a quiz so that you can test your knowledge of the Royals’ year.  There are 10 questions in total (I scored a [...]

“Mourinho at a loss as Reading expose Chelsea’s fragility” (The Guardian)
“Chelsea squandered two priceless Premiership points against Reading” (BBC)
“Regal Reading show Chelsea value of class” (The Scotsman)
Reading have achieved something stupendous, drawing away to Mourinho’s giants, Chelsea, at the Bridge, a feat that not even mighty Barcelona could accomplish this season.
It was never going to [...]