THE SQUAD

John Salako and Kevin Watson were signed after loan periods. Some of the youngsters are beginning to come through and are being loaned off to get some experience.I was only able to see the friendly against Spurs, three league games and one cup game all in August.

DATE	COMP	TEAM	RESULT	CROWD	POS	SCORERS
Sat Aug 11	LEAGUE	Blackpool (away)	2-0	5,613	4	Parkinson, Forster
Sat Aug 18	LEAGUE	HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (HOME)	1-0	11,915	3	Forster
Tue Aug 21	LGE CUP 1	LUTON TOWN (HOME)	4-0	5,115	-	Henderson(2), Parkinson, A.Smith
Sat Aug 25	LEAGUE	Queens Park Rangers (away)	0-0	13,829	4	-
Sat Sep 1	LEAGUE	Port Vale (away)	2-0	5,196	3	Cureton(2)
Sat Sep 8	LEAGUE	CARDIFF CITY (HOME)	1-2	13,017	7	A.Smith
Tue Sep 11	LGE CUP 2	WEST HAM UNITED (HOME)	6-5*	21,173	-	-
Sat Sep 15	LEAGUE	Stoke City (away)	0-2	11,752	10	-
Tue Sep 18	LEAGUE	CAMBRIDGE UNITED (HOME)	1-0	8,348	6	Harper
Sat Sep 22	LEAGUE	WYCOMBE WANDERERS (HOME)	2-0	13,565	5	Williams, Henderson
Tue Sep 25	LEAGUE	Bournemouth (away)	0-1	3,691	8	-
Sat Sep 29	LEAGUE	BURY (HOME)	1-1	10,035	9	Igoe
Fri Oct 5	LEAGUE	Colchester United (away)	0-2	3,691	11	-
Wed Oct 10	LGE CUP 3	Aston Villa (away)	0-1	23,431	-	-
Sat Oct 13	LEAGUE	SWINDON TOWN (HOME)	1-3	14,389	14	Henderson
Sat Oct 20	LEAGUE	Notts County (away)	4-3	5,604	11	Hughes, Cureton(2), A.Smith
Tue Oct 23	LEAGUE	Oldham Athletic (away)	1-0	4,901	9	Cureton
Sat Oct 27	LEAGUE	BRENTFORD (HOME)	1-2	14,680	11	Butler
Tue Oct 30	LDV 2	COLCHESTER UNITED (HOME)	2-1	2,725	-	N.Smith, Henderson
Sat Nov 3	LEAGUE	Northampton Town (away)	2-0	5,162	8	Cureton, Butler
Tue Nov 6	LEAGUE	WREXHAM (HOME)	2-0	8,081	4	Forster, Henderson
Sat Nov 10	LEAGUE	Bristol City (HOME)	3-2	14,060	4	Mackie, OG, Salako
Sat Nov 17	FA CUP 1	WELLING (HOME)	1-0	5,338	-	Cureton
Tue Nov 20	LEAGUE	TRANMERE ROVERS (HOME)	4-1	9,007	4	N.Smith, Forster(2), Henderson
Sat Nov 24	LEAGUE	Peterborough United (away)	2-1	5,695	4	Henderson(2)
Sat Dec 1	LEAGUE	CHESTERFIELD (home)	0-1	11,209	4	-
Tue Dec 4	LDV 3	Barnet (away)	1-4	1,171	-	Henderson
Sat Dec 8	FA CUP 2	York City (away)	0-2	3,161	-	-
Sat Dec 22	LEAGUE	WIGAN ATHLETIC (HOME)	1-1	15,808	5	Salako
Wed Dec 26	LEAGUE	Cardiff City (away)	2-2	16,708	5	Forster, Salako
Sat Dec 29	LEAGUE	Wrexham (away)	2-0	3,885	5	Forster, Salako
Tue Jan 1	LEAGUE	PORT VALE (HOME)	2-0	10,743	4	Cureton(2)
Sat Jan 5	LEAGUE	QUEENS PARK RANGERS (HOME)	1-0	19,329	2	Hughes
Sat Jan 12	LEAGUE	Huddersfield Town (away)	1-0	10,775	1	Forster
Sat Jan 19	LEAGUE	BLACKPOOL (HOME)	3-0	13,732	1	Forster(3)
Tue Jan 22	LEAGUE	Wigan Athletic (away)	>2-0	5,546	1	Hughes, Forster
Sat Jan 26	LEAGUE	COLCHESTER UNITED (HOME)	3-0	12,743	1	Forster(2), Hughes
Sat Feb 2	LEAGUE	Bury (away)	1-1	3,667	1	Salako
Sat Feb 9	LEAGUE	NOTTS COUNTY (HOME)	2-1	13,564	1	OG, Cureton
Mon Feb 11	LEAGUE	Brighton and HA (away)	1-3	6,756	1	Cureton
Thu Feb 14	LEAGUE	Swindon Town (away)	0-0	9,264	1	-
Sat Feb 23	LEAGUE	STOKE CITY (HOME)	1-0	21,032	1	Cureton
Tue Feb 26	LEAGUE	Wycombe Wanderers (away)	2-0	9,250	1	Cureton, Henderson
Sat Mar 2	LEAGUE	Cambridge United (away)	2-2	3,841	1	Viveash, OG
Tue Mar 5	LEAGUE	BOURNEMOUTH (HOME)	2-2	13,538	1	Cureton, Hughes
Sat Mar 9	LEAGUE	BRIGHTON AND HA (HOME)	0-0	22,009	1	-
Sat Mar 16	LEAGUE	Chesterfield (away)	2-0	5,154	1	Forster, Cureton
Sat Mar 23	LEAGUE	OLDHAM ATHLETIC (HOME)	2-2	15,191	1	Mackie, Parkinson
Sat Mar 30	LEAGUE	Bristol City (away)	3-3	15,609	1	Hughes, Forster, Watson
Mon Apr 1	LEAGUE	NORTHAMPTON TOWN (HOME)	0-0	16,495	2	-
Sun Apr 7	LEAGUE	Tranmere Rovers (away)	2-2	9,282	2	Rougier, Salako
Sat Apr 13	LEAGUE	PETERBOROUGH UNITED (HOME)	2-2	22,151	2	Forster(2)
Sat Apr 20	LEAGUE	Brentford (away)	1-1	11,303	2	Cureton

Against a packed Madjeski backdrop, Parky goes for the ball against Stoke.

Reading fans go wild after Forster scores the winning goal at Huddersfield

The 3-2 win over Bristol City

The following have been taken from the Royals message board after defeat against Brentford and after victory against Peterborough

Dear Mr Pardew, I'd like to apologise for saying you should be sacked earlier in the season. I didn't like you very much then because I don't like it very much when Reading lose, being a Reading fan. Now you've got the team playing the ball on the ground. Now you've got the team scoring goals. Now you've got the team winning. I quite like you again now because I like it when Reading win, being a Reading fan. I know that's incredibly fickle, but I couldn't really give a Gnat's cock who is managing Reading as long as we win to be perfectly honest. At least when I rant and rave it is done so out of raw passion and desire to see my football club succeed. I am sure you will be first to admit you've dug yourself out of a huge hole. You didn't quit when it was easier to. You've dug in, made unpopular changes and you've made us proud to be Reading supporters again. I am so very glad to admit that I am wrong, because seven on the spin is phenomenal. keep up the good work. Yours apologetically, Pontius ps. Regards to God (Darius). pps. SDR says to say hello.

So how do you feel when supporting the Royals? Somewhat of a roller-coaster ride supporting Reading Football Club. Many ups and downs and certainly a very low point at the end of last season for RFC. By jove, things are not improving this season either. What are your thoughts? . Check out Dodgers website If Reading FC ever really want to become a successful Club then they should follow the 'Thoughts of Sir Dodger' So what do the Royals need in place to gain promotion? Complete and utter focus Management that keep their mouths shut during the game Team Players only No Prima Donnas Positive thoughts Know the opposition Organisation (know your role) Play offensively (mentally and physically) Quick passes Think ahead Keep running off the ball Close down all spaces Loyalty Big rewards for getting it right Look at Walsall and Rotherham. Both are examples of low budget teams, that have been successful in gaining promotion. The problem with a team like Reading is that 70% of the team does not believe they are winners. It is easy really but without the Management in place, who demonstrate they are winners, know exactly what they are doing and remain calm in difficult situations, then how can you expect the players to mirror that image? Simple really. So why are we still stuck in this damm second-rate league? Did it happen today against Brentford? Why not email Sir Dodger Royal with your own thoughts. realfacts@sirdodger.co.uk Stay webwise with Real Facts at Sir Dodgers. You know it makes good reading.

Great scene from the 4-3 victory at Notts County

PRE SEASON NEWS