Back to being 'Royal' - A Reading story.

[KingKevinNolan]

*One day after the Championship play-off final.*

After West Hams triumph against Blackpool last night, we found out that the three teams joining the Premier League are Reading, West Ham & Southampton. They will be replacing the relegated Blackburn, Bolton & Wolves.

*West Ham, Reading & Southampton celebrate promotion*


*Bolton, Wolves & Blackburn will try to bounce back after relegation*


Reading Manager, Brian McDermott Speaks On His Teams Promotion
"We're a good side, as you've seen this season. We came out of no where & managed to win the league! That's the sign of a tremendous team. That's what we are, we have good owners, good players, good stadium & brilliant support. There is no reason why we can't go into the Premier League & upset them, stay up & who knows where we can go from there. At the start of the season we didn't cope to well, but we showed true character & true spirit & that is the sign of a great team."

[KingKevinNolan]

Pre-Season Matches!

Brian McDermott stated before the first pre-season game against Basingstoke, that all these pre-season matches was about fitness & getting players ready, seeing where his players are at. Not about the results.

Basingstoke 0-2 Reading
Pavel Pogrebnyak (49) Adam Le Fondre (90+2)

Luton 0-1 Reading
Hal Robson-Kanu (58)

FC Red Bull Salzburg 2-1 Reading
Kaspars Gorkss (28)

Union St.Florian 0-1 Reading
Leonard Kweuke (5)

Boreham Wood 0-4 Reading
Adam Le Fondre (4) Wellington Nem (9, 20) Leonard Kweuke (30)

Reading 4-2 Brighton
Wellington Nem (8) Hal Robson-Kanu (64) Simon Church (84, 86)


Pre-Season Transfers!
As you may be able to tell, Brian McDermott was a busy man in the transfer window, selling Mikkel Andersen to AaB for just short of £500k. Some of the signings however, are mouth watering for Reading fans, & even for Premier League fans!

OUT!

As mentioned, Mikkel Andersen joins AaB.

IN!

*Left to Right*
Jake Fowler joins from Middlesbrough for £725k. A player that McDermott rates as "potentially having the full package."
Wellington Nem, the young Brazilian joins from Fluminense for a fee of £3.5 million. So much potential in a player that is already amazing, says McDermott.
Leonard Kweuke. Leonard joins the Royals for £3.2 million from Sparta Prague. As you saw in pre-season, Kweuke knows where the goal is. Lot's to come from this man.
Ademilson from Sao Paulo for £5.25 million, the most expensive signing for McDermotts side, as he hope's to prove the critics wrong & see his new man smash in a few goals this season.
Adryan, another young Brazilian with bags of potential! This one is an attacking midfielder joining from Flamengo for under £1m.

[KingKevinNolan]

Brian McDermott had no real issues in pre-season, all his squad was happy to be in the Premier League & all believed that they could stay up this season. Two players who believed it more than any other was experienced striker, Jason Roberts. And Readings captain winger, Jobi McAnuff.

Jason - "I firmly believe that we have the talent & the believe to stay up, topped off with our amazing captain, Jobi...!
Jobi - "Yeah Jason's right, we have the best captain....ha! No, I think we have strengthened the squad massively with the new arrivals. & The fact we haven't sold any key players from last season, it's really vital to keep that strong team mentality."
Jason - "Yeah Jobi's right. Keeping the team as it was with a couple of inclusions is the best thing we could of done. I'm sure maybe the fans wanted a Ronaldo, or a Messi. But we got a Wellington so that's good enough for us!"
Jobi - "The new lads are looking sharp in training & we're all really excited to see how they do."

August Premier League Results!

Everton 2-2 Reading
Ademilson (54, 69)McDermott's thoughts - "To come back from 2-0 down at Goodison is a massive show of character from us, and a great result on the road."

Reading 0-1 Chelsea
McDermott's thoughts - "Obviously going to be a tough game but, we defended well, we attacked well also. Just that scoring touch we lacked against a very solid Chelsea side."

Sheff Utd 1-2 Reading (Capital One Cup 2nd round)
Leonard Kweuke (60) Nicky Shorey (118)McDermott's thoughts - "An average performance I thought, but it's always hard to go to a ground like this & truly dominate the match. So I'm just happy we're through."

Player Of The Month (Reading)
Ademilson

[KingKevinNolan]

September Results!

Fulham 1-1 Reading
Leonard Kweuke (21)
McDermott's thoughts - "Another tough away game against a side that was in the Europa League final not so long ago. So, a good point with a solid performance."

Man United 4-2 Reading
Leonard Kweuke (41, 90+3)
McDermott's thoughts - "Again, an away game against arguably the best team in England & we scored two goals there. Great effort by the lads, can't have any complaints."

Reading 1-2 Man City
Leonard Kweuke (73)
McDermott's thoughts - "We had the lead for a minute, we had i think double their amount of shots & beaten because of a 90th minute Kaka goal for the champions of England. We play like this against any other team & we'd win."

Fulham 3-2 Reading (Capital One Cup 3rd round)
Ademilson (3) Leonard Kweuke (90)
McDermott's thoughts - "Winning this competition was never on the cards so the main thing for me was a solid away performance again & Ademilson scoring his first goal.

Reading 0-1 Newcastle
McDermott's thoughts - "I won't lie, I thought we could have got a point from this game so I'm disappointed not to have gotten anything. We matched them on shots & edged it on possession, so maybe deserved something."


Player Of The Month!!
Leonard Kweuke

With 5 goals this month, Kweuke has taken well to adapting to the Premier League. Solid month for this man. Could he be the reason to success for Brian McDermott's side?

[KingKevinNolan]

October Results!

Sunderland 0-3 Reading
Ademilson (10, 45+2) Leonard Kweuke (88)
McDermott's thoughts - "A brilliant win at a very good, difficult ground to come & play. I couldn't of asked for anything else.

Tottenham 3-1 Reading
Leonard Kweuke (76)
McDermott's thoughts - "We seem to have played a lot of away games this season....this place is tough for anyone to take points from, my lads did us proud."

Reading 0-2 Arsenal
McDermott's thoughts - "Another tough game to expect anything from, but, we played well again. I strongly believe that if we play like this every week, we'll stay up."


Player Of The Month
Ademilson

This man sparked during Reading's first & only win of the season & was unlucky not to have scored against Tottenham, only for the offside flag.

[KingKevinNolan]

November Results!

Reading 1-0 Aston Villa
Ademilson (59)
McDermott's thoughts - "Another solid performance & finally another win. It was well deserved & hopefully we can push on from this."

West Brom 0-2 Reading
Ademilson (7) Adryan (56)
McDermott's thoughts - "Fantastic victory away from home against a side who have performed magnificently this season."

Reading 4-0 West Ham
Adam Le Fondre (35, 57) Jimmy Kebe (37, 45)
McDermott's thoughts - "It's funny what a little confidence can do isn't it? Brilliant performance. We performed like a team in the top 4 today."

Southampton 3-0 Reading
McDermott's thoughts - "A reality check for us today, we didn't perform well at all. Which is disappointing because I thought we could get something here."

Reading 0-2 Stoke City
McDermott's thoughts - "Again, another game where we could have gotten a result but poor performance defensively see's us fall down. What's worrying for me is the fact we haven't scored in 180 minutes."


Player Of The Month
Mikele Leigertwood

A string of solid performances in the centre of midfield see's Mikele pick up player of the month for Reading.


Brian McDermott answers your Twitter question!

Question - "After an average start to the season, how confident are you that you can stay up?"
Answer - "I'm very confident, I believe we can do, I believe we will do it. I'm relishing the challenge to prove the critics wrong.

[KingKevinNolan]

December Results!

Q.P.R 1-0 Reading
McDermott's thoughts - "A game where really we could of gotten atleast a point from. It's a big disappointment."

Reading 1-0 Wigan
Adryan (49)
McDermott's thoughts - "A great win with a brilliant clean-sheet. Top performance from the lads."

Reading 0-0 Norwich
McDermott's thoughts - "Another one of those 'winnable games'. But Norwich are a fantastic side, good point for the lads."

Swansea 2-1 Reading
Leonard Kweuke (88)
McDermott's thoughts - "A very hard place to go & get something from, but, on the plus side, we looked like we belonged in the Premier League with a strong performance on the attack. Shame about our defending."

Reading 0-4 Liverpool
McDermott's thoughts - "It's a shame actually, we had more shots, more possession, you wouldn't believe we was actually the better team out there. Their quality just shone through in the end."

Reading 2-1 Everton
Pavel Pogrebnyak (4) Adryan (66)
McDermott's thoughts - "A brilliant win against one of the leagues best, couldn't ask for much more."


Player Of The Month
Adryan


Brian McDermott Answers Your Twitter Question!

Question - "Who (out of the Adryan, Ademilson & Leonard Kweuke) has performed the best so far in your opinion?"

Answer - "They've all performed brilliantly to date but since Adryan only recently started playing, I'd have to Leonard Kweuke. He's scored, set up & just been a pain for defenders."

[KingKevinNolan]

January Results!

Reading 1-1 Fulham
Leonard Kweuke (68)McDermott's thoughts - "At the stage of the season where we need points now, this will do for us, well played by the lads."

Everton 3-4 Reading (F.A Cup 3rd Round)
Pavel Pogrebnyak (9) Mikele Leigertwood (18) Adryan (45) Kaspars Gorkss (69)
McDermott's thoughts - "I bet it was great for you neutrals to watch wasn't it? Brilliant performance from the boys."

Chelsea 5-1 Reading
Jimmy Kebe (55)
McDermott's thoughts - "Simple, we was out classed today."

Newcastle 0-2 Reading
Wellington Nem (55) Danny Guthrie (pen 71)
McDermott's thoughts - "An absolutely fantastic away day for us, one of the toughest grounds to go & we win, not only the win, but the clean sheet aswell! Fantastic."

Leyton Orient 1-2 Reading (F.A Cup 4th Round)
Mikele Leigertwood (56) Adam Le Fondre (90+2)
McDermott's thoughts - "Good show of character to come behind but we shouldn't be struggling that much against a team of such low ability in comparison to ours."

Reading 1-1 Man United
Alex Pearce (75)
McDermott's thoughts - "Fantastic point, my lads once again proving the critics wrong."


Player Of The Month
Alex Pearce

A close one between Alex Pearce & Mikele Leigertwood, but Alex edges it because he played more games & just edged it when it came to being the inspirational player.

Brian McDermott answers your Twitter question!


Question- "Why didn't you add any players in the January market?"

Answer - "Because if you look at our performances this season, it's only a matter of time before we really start to hit form. No need for new players."

[MagicalMistakes]

Look's like your doing quite well.. Can you post the league table.

[KingKevinNolan]

Look's like your doing quite well.. Can you post the league table.

I would love to, however, I started the story in January, So can't do live table until end of the season