After a tremendous first top flight season where they finished in eight place, Reading FC are now facing one of the worst things in the world of top flight football. The second season after staying up. Reading have by many been tipped as a favourite for the relegation battle this season, or at best finishing with a mid-table position come May 2008. Though, with a decent enough start to the season seen with the eyes of The Royals, they find themselves in a 12th place as they host Newcastle this Saturday. Though, what have the Royals done before they got into the top flight? What are their achievements? Just who the f*** are Reading FC?

A day in the year of 1871 the club today known as Reading FC was formed. Nicknamed after a biscuit-making factory in the town, Huntley & Palmers, Reading was known as The Biscuitmen. Though, this changed into the nickname we know them by today in the year of 1970 when the company closed their doors for the last time.

Reading went through quite a lot of different stadiums in their first years as a football club. Starting out playing at the Reading Recreation Ground until 1878 when they moved to Reading Cricket Ground where they stayed for four years. Then Reading played at Coley Park for seven years before playing at Caversham Cricket Ground for yet another seven years. Though, as The Royals went professional in 1895 the demand for a bigger stadium grew to big and the club moved yet again, this time to the purpose-built Elm Park where the club stayed until 1998 when they moved to the Madjeski Stadium.

In 1913 Reading went on tour in Italy, beating Genoa 4-2 and A.C. Milan 5-0. They then lost narrowly to Casale before they went on to beat the ten Italian champions, Pro Vercelli, 6-0. And to top it all they beat the full Italian national team 2-0. Making the leading sports newspaper in Italy at the time, Corriere della Sera to write “Without doubt, Reading FC are the finest foreign team seen in Italy.” The club were invited back for another tour the following year, but there is no evidence that this tournament ever took place. It is quite possible it ended up getting cancelled due to the start of World War I, which claimed the lives of many a Reading FC player. Including Alan Foster, the man who put a hat-trick past A.C. Milan.

In 1920 Reading were elected into the Third Division of the Football League and have since then spent most of the time in the third tier of the Football League, with occasional flirts with the second and the fourth tiers.

Reading’s best performance in the FA Cup came in the 1926-27 season when they lost out to eventual winners Cardiff City in the semi-final. A few decades later Reading did get their moment of cup glory when the Royals won the Simod Cup, beating a number of top flight teams on their route to the Wembley win over Luton Town.

In 1986 Reading ended up getting promoted to the Second Division as champions under the management of Ian Branfoot. Though only to go straight down to the third tier once again only two years later. Branfoot led the club in October 1989 after failing getting Reading back into the Second Division. His successor, Ian Porterfield, only lasted 18 months before his failures cost him his job. The appointment of Mark McGhee as player-manager in June 1991 would eventually see Reading move forward.

In 1994 the Royals were crowned champions of the new Division Two, and when manager McGhee moved on to Leicester City halfway through the following season, the Royals still seemed to have a chance at a second straight promotion. 35-year-old striker Jimmy Quinn was eventually put in charge of the first team alongside midfielder Mick Gooding, managing to guide Reading to runner-up position in the final table at the end of the Division One season, only to be denied automatic promotion because of the streamlining of the Premier League, from 22 teams to 20. Reading had eased past Tranmere Rovers in the play-off semi-finals and looked to have booked their place in the Premiership for the first time in the club’s history after building up a 2-0 lead over Bolton Wanderers by half time in the play-off final. Though it would all end in misery as Bolton scored two late goals meaning the final would go to extra time, only to end 4-3 to Bolton. Quinn and Gooding’s contracts were not renewed two years later after the Royals had slid into the bottom half of the Division One table.

Their successor, Terry Bullivant, lasted less than one season before he got the sack in March 1998. Reading finished at the bottom of Division One that season, and went down to Division Two. The former Celtic boss, Tommy Burns, went on to last just about 18 months before being replaced by Alan Pardew who had managed the reserve team earlier before he had gotten released from his contract. 1998 also saw Reading leave Elm Park after it had served the club for 102 years, the Madejeski Stadium had opened its 24 200 seater doors.

2001 saw Reading be the first football club in history to register their fans as an official member of their squad in recognition of the fact that the clubs supporters in the stadium on a match day can sometimes influence the match just as much as a player on the pitch. The fans were given the number 13 after an idea by supporter Andy Manson during the 2001 summer as it had been left vacant after the departure of Keith Scott who wore the number when he was active for the club. Since then the player registered with squad number 13, has been named “Reading Fans”.

In 2002 Reading made it back into Division One after finishing runners-up in Division Two. Good form the following season saw them finish fourth in Division One and qualify for the play-offs. Though only to get their promotion hopes smashed by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the play-off semi-final. Reading’s third unsuccessful attempt at gaining promotion through play-offs. Alan Pardew then went on to leave the club in favour of West Ham United, getting replaced by Steve Coppel as he left Brighton & Hove Albion’s for the job.

March 25th 2006 will forever be a memorable date for a fan of the Royals. Simply because this is the day Reading won promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history. A 1-1 draw away at Leicester would eventually be enough as Watford got defeated against Millwall, and Leeds United only managed a draw against Stoke City. This combined secured Reading one of the top two automatic places in the Championship.

In their first Premier League match the Royals found themselves down 2-0 after the first twenty minutes against Middlesbrough, but a stunning turnaround for the Royals they turned the game around only to win it 3-2. Striker Dave Kitson became the first player to score a goal for Reading in the top flight of English football. In the following matches Reading showed they would not be a pushover for the major teams to score six easy points from. An early season draw against Manchester United and just a narrow defeat to the defending champions Chelsea made many a pundit change their opinion about the Premiership’s newest member.

Beating West Ham United 6-0 on the 1st of January 2007 was one of the highlights in a tremendous season for the newly promoted. A season which ended in an eight place, a marvelous achievement for a club that had just been promoted to the top flight for the first time in the club’s history. Though it was sadly enough not enough for an UEFA Cup spot. They were offered to play in the Intertoto Cup though, but rejected the offer.

At the moment Reading have played 10 games of the 07/08 Premiership season which have resulted in three victories, one draw match and six losses. Will Reading continue being a surprise package in their second season of the Premiership, or will they head down into a relegation battle? Will Newcastle manage to hold their current good form and take the head of the Royals along with three points back with them to St James’? We will find out after 4:45pm Saturday.

The remaining text is by Optimistic Nyt:

Against Newcastle:

Last season we won the first meeting between the two sides 3-2 at St James’ Park. Harper got both of Readings goals while Sibierski, a Martins penalty and a late strike from Emre won the game for Newcastle. Dave Kitson scored the only goal of the game in the return fixture as Roeder’s Newcastle put in a dire performance as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat.

Last 5 Games

Reading find themselves 12th this season after a better than expected performance in their first season in the top flight. Reading have won 2 and lost 3 of their last 5 games, with 2 wins and one defeat in their recent home games. Their most recent result was a 4-2 defeat at Blackburn after beating Derby 1-0 before the international break. A memorable 7-4 goal frenzy at Fratton Park is their next recent result then comes a 4-2 defeat at home to Liverpool and a 2-1 win at home to Wigan completes the round up of their recent form. Reading have kept only one clean sheet in their last 5, at home to derby, and have conceded four twice and seven once suggesting that their back four is not a bit shaky at the moment.

Next 5 Games

After hosting Newcastle, Reading travel to Fulham. They then face Arsenal at the Madjeski and are away to Man City before facing Middlesbrough and Liverpool at home. Two of Readings next 3 home games are against the top 4 and they also have to travel to Manchester City, currently 3rd. This could suggest that they will be looking to pick up all 3 points against Newcastle in preparation for 3 tough fixtures to come. Their other two games, one home and one away are against teams who will most likely be competing against Reading for positions at the end of the season.

Potential Threats/Star Players

Name: Kevin Doyle
Age: 24
Nation: Ireland
Position: Striker

Top scorer for Reading last season with 13 goals but would have almost certainly scored more if he hadn’t got injured towards the end of the last campaign. He’s started slower this season but has still managed 3 goals and 1 assist in 9 appearances.

Doyle originally signed from Cork City for around £78,000 on the 7th of June 2005 in time for the start of their championship winning season. Doyle although originally intended as a back up scored 18 of their 99 league goals and contributed 10 assists in 45 games (41 starts). Doyle’s first goal was in a 2-1 win against Burnley. During that season he was named Championship fans’ player of the year and was in named in the PFA Championship team of the season.

Last season Doyle scored one of the quickest goals in premier league history, after just 15 seconds against Sheffield United.

Name: Nicky Shorey
Age: 26
Nation: England
Position: Left Back

The 26 year old left back has been with the club for over 6 seasons ever since they were in the third tier of English football and has been one of their better players during that time with his performances enough to earn an England call up. Shorey has 1 goal and 3 assists in this campaign and our right midfielder will find Shorey a thorn in his side on Saturday.

Shorey signed for Reading 9 days before his 20th birthday from Leyton Orient for only £25,000. He was voted as Readings best ever left back in a poll to find Reading’s best ever eleven with 53.1% of the vote and has been a permanent fixture in their team since they were in the third flight of English football. He is perhaps the only starter now left who has been with Reading since they were in the third flight which is quite an achievement.