LASTSEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP12thFACUPFourthRoundLEAGUECUP
SecondRoundTOPSCORERStevenFletcher(11)LASTSEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP 20th FA CUP Third Round
LEAGUE CUP Second Round TOP SCORER Yakou Meite (13)FourFourTwo Season Preview 2019-20 55READInG SHEFFIELD WEDnESDAY
SEASOn PREVIEW
FFTVERDICT
20TH FFT VERDICT
10TH
Boss Jose Gomes recruited well in
January to help the Royals surge
away from relegation trouble, but
those signings were only on loan.
Reading could face another battle
against the drop this time around,
but again may have just enough to
maintain Championship status.Steve Bruce quietly did a solid job
after taking over as the Owls’ boss
in February, but pre-season chaos
descended on Hillsborough with
the Geordie’s departure. They still
have match-winners and Keiren
Westwood is an excellent No.1,
so the play-offs aren’t impossible.The big talking point among the fans
is FFP. Having badly overspent, we’ve
got to tighten our belts.
This season will be different because
our manager Jose Gomes [above] and
CEO Nigel Howe have identified the
club’s weak points and are taking
steps to solve them. The club feels
completely different to a year ago.
I won’t be happy unless we utilise
the academy. We’ve got a particularly
good crop set to break through.
Our most underrated player is Andy
Yiadom: consistent and versatile.
Look out for our attacking midfielder
Michael Olise. The 17-year-old played
for France at the Toulon Tournament.
The best away ground is Hillsborough
for its aesthetics, size and heritage.
The best away fans are Brentford’s:
noisy and good-natured without the
arrogance of supposedly bigger clubs.
The player I’d happily drive to
another club is David Meyler: nice
guy, poor player. A waste of wages.The opposition player I secretly
admire is Barry Bannan, who can
dictate a game with his creativity.
The pantomime villain will be Neil
Warnock, because we’ve had a feud
with him since around 2005.
The one change I’d make to the club
would be to move to the town centre.
Save the date for Fulham [October 1
and January 1], thanks in part to our
bitter 2017 play-off battle.
The best Royals social media account
is @PannasNutmegs for great stats.
Did you know that Reading are now
the fourth-oldest Football League club,
founded back in 1871.
Our key player will be the academy
graduate Andy Rinomhota [below],
a tenacious, composed midfielder.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is
that everyone loves him. He’s brought
together a sullen, apathetic fanbase,
kept us in the division and now we’re
looking forward to possession-based
‘Gomesball’ after previously being
more pragmatic to pick up results.
If he left, he should be replaced by
Slavisa Jokanovic, with his attractive
football and trust in youth.
We’ll finish 14th, nicely mid-table.The big talking point among the fans
is our precarious finances. We haven’t
published our accounts, there’s talk of
an embargo, and rumours that we’ve
sold Hillsborough to the club owner to
wipe out our debt.
This season will be different because
we won’t have Jos Luhukay causing
any problems in the dressing room.
I won’t be happy unless we mount
a challenge for a promotion place.
Our most underrated player is
Steven Fletcher, for his teamwork.
Look out for Jordan Thorniley [below]
and Matt Penney, who looked good
when Lukuhay only picked players
under 23. Hopefully they will get the
chance to show what they can do.
The best away ground is the City
Ground in Nottingham. I’m not a fan
of the modern bowl-type stadium.
The best away fans are Leeds’, sadly.
The opposition player I secretly
admire is Joe Lolley: a decent player
who seems a good lad off the pitch.The pantomime villain will be Neil
Warnock. It will always be Colin.
Our best celebrity fans are Jarvis
Cocker, Alex Turner, Richard Hawley...
and Michael’s older brother Jermaine
Jackson, for some reason.
The one change I’d make to the club
would be the bloody band.
Save the date for Barnsley [August
10 and February 8] as there’s no derby.
The best Owls social media account
is @OwlsAboutStat, if you like facts.
The best thing about the matchday
experience at Wednesday is walking
up the steps and into the stand. My
gangway looks right into the South
Stand and up at the famous clock.
It still makes me smile every time.
The one recommendation for away
fans is visit one of Sheffield’s fine real
ale pubs. Old industrial quarter Kelham
Island is becoming our Shoreditch,
with fewer beards and better beer.
Did you know that Wednesday were
nicknamed ‘The Blades’ until the club
moved to Owlerton, hence ‘The Owls’.
Our key player will be keeper Keiren
Westwood [above], the league’s best
shot-stopper, who will be raring to go.
We’ll finish 6th, optimistically.FAn FILE
SIMEON PICKUP
@TheTilehurstEndFAn FILE
LAURA LAWRENCE
@YICETOR