News and Views

Three Away Fixtures Start At Blackpool

23 August 2013
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading travel to Blackpool in the league this weekend, as a run of three away fixtures get underway. The Blackpool game will be seen as the toughest of the three with Peterborough to follow in the league cup midweek and then Championship newcomers Yeovil up the next weekend.

Blackpool and Reading are both undefeated in their first three games of the league campaign with Blackpool in third place with two more points than the Royals. After an away draw at Middlesbrough, Blackpool have beaten Barnsley at home and then picked up three points with a 3-1 win at Doncaster. Strangely some bookmakers have Reading as favourites to pick up an away victory. If we manage that then levels of optimism will go off the scale, even at this early stage of the season.

Yeovil are widely expected to struggle this season but picked up an away win at Millwall last weekend and certainly won't be a push over. However, looking through that fixture list and comparing it to last season, you have to think that Reading really should be pushing for promotion with such a strong squad.

Meanwhile, the talk of new signings continues. Every day it seems there is an article published somewhere about Reading expecting to make new signings. The articles are often backed up by a quote from someone at the club claiming that one or two more players will come in before the transfer windows shuts. Plenty of rumour but very little substance since the signings made in the close season. Joseph Akpala remains top of the list as he has been training with the club but it's not clear he will sign. Meanwhile Adkins has said that Blackpool's Tom Ince won't be signing - if he moves it will be to a Premier League club and not the Royals.

Share this article: