My grass has been cut to something resembling the surface at Wembley Stadium, I now have loyalty cards at every DIY store in the south, and I am on first-name terms with the staff in many of our finest supermarkets. The things we do to occupy our time on a Saturday…
But now it’s back, the new season has finally arrived.
I hope everyone has had a good summer so far, in blazing sunshine and temperatures that are normally reserved for an all-inclusive holiday on the Costas.
Rain seems to have become rarer than a Daniel Kyerewaa final ball, and the World Cup promised much but delivered little, although the bias towards Argentina poses more questions about FIFA’s honesty and integrity as a governing body than it does about England’s failure to beat a poor Argentinian side.
So, what about Reading? How have we coped with a summer break and an opportunity to freshen up the squad and bring in some much-needed reinforcements?
Firstly, I think the players who have been acquired are very good, sensible signings – although for me, there haven’t been enough of them. It was clear last season that there were areas were crying out for more quality, and although we have addressed some of these gaps, I can’t help but feel our transfer business will once again be like a new kit launch: very last-minute.
I listened to Rob Couhig’s interview on BBC Berkshire this week in which he said the lack of additional signings was part of a strategy (or words to that effect), as Premier League clubs are now releasing players, which filters down to Championship level and eventually to the lower leagues, so more players become available.
My initial reaction to that was “what absolute nonsense”, followed by a more open-minded reaction of “what absolute nonsense”.
Every club with a decent scouting network and recruitment strategy will know exactly which players are or will become available, their likely worth, and whether they can be persuaded to sign for your club. Much of this is done months in advance with player analysis, regular updates from scouting networks watching the player in question and continued monitoring of contract situations.
So, to make a statement that implied the continued wait is part of a strategy is quite frankly laughable.
While I will once again go into the new season full of optimism, I must ask the question: when do we stop being grateful to the owners for saving our club (albeit at a bargain price) and start questioning their motives and actual ambition to make this club successful?
When Couhig took control of the club, we were promised honesty and transparency, both of which have been in very short supply, in my opinion. We all know the shiny new stadium seats, fresh-smelling toilets, updated PA system and new pitch – which grows as slowly as my hair – are measures to improve a saleable asset, not to give us supporters a more welcome environment in which to watch football.
I don’t have a problem with this as a strategy to attract investors. I have a problem with it being dressed up to be a supporter-friendly initiative.
Similarly, One Royal (which had little consultation) was advertised as a scheme that gave the supporter more choice when buying a matchday package, when it is in reality an attempt to increase revenue.
Again, I have no problem with the concept or need to increase revenue, but the constant feeling that supporters are viewed as idiots is starting to seriously wind me up. What happened to honesty and transparency?
Listening to Couhig throughout the BBC Berkshire interview, there was a little voice in my head that kept shouting “politician’s answer”. If Couhig and his fellow business partners want supporters to trust them, they need to start answering questions directly and practice what they preach about honesty, rather than giving veiled answers that lead to further rumours and speculation.
One of the more believable rumours is our reliance on Femi Azeez being sold by Millwall – and us profiting from the sell-on clause – before we can buy players. If this is true, then I see no reason why it can’t be communicated.
With the new financial rules in place throughout the league, there is no problem with admitting we need a cash injection before we can sign more players, which is more plausible than waiting for players to filter down the leagues.
My final word on the owners is a recent statement made by Couhig, in which he stated that the target was for the club to become a self-sustainable business by the end of the season.
That’s great, I can get on board with that, but it was followed by another statement in which we were informed that nothing less than promotion this season is good enough. I may be missing something obvious, but I fail to see how those two statements can be married together to create a promotion-winning side.
For the club to become self-funding, you need increased revenue and reduced overheads. To increase revenue, you need more bums on seats week after week.
To get more bums on seats you need a product on the pitch that people find attractive and exciting. To get an attractive and exciting product on the pitch you need to invest and recruit players who will deliver for you.
The fact is that many supporters (especially younger ones) are attracted by the product on the pitch, not the way everything works behind the scenes. I am yet to meet a supporter of any club who informed me they were going to watch their team on Saturday because they have a really good sustainable business model in place!
So, my hope for the new season is that we are competitive, play the front-foot football we were all promised, and bring in the additional players needed to make us promotion candidates rather than mid-table also-rans. It’s possible, but needs ambition as well as sustainability.
On Saturday we start our season with the visit of Luton Town. Sky Sports have already worked their magic and made this a 12:30 kick-off, which gives me a good excuse to visit the pub both before and after the game.
Like many, I expect Luton to be flirting with the top six for much of the season, although unlike many, I really do not see them as League One champions (more of that below), so I’m calling this one as a narrow Reading win.
Reading 2-1 Luton
(Marriott, Wing / Wells)
17,677
You may recall that I give my EFL predictions for winners and losers at the start of each season, with £10 for each correct prediction going to charity. Last season I finished with four correct predictions, with £40 being donated to an Alzheimer’s charity.
My predictions for 2026/27 are as follows:
Championship
To be promoted: Wolverhampton Wanderers
To be relegated: Charlton Athletic
League One
To be promoted: Plymouth Argyle
To be relegated: Peterborough United
League Two
To be promoted: Bristol Rovers
To be relegated: Crawley Town
Until next week.
Much love and c’mon Urzzzz!
Dixey