Match Preview

When Sunday 13 March 2001, kick off: 3pm
Who and Where SECOND DIVISION PLAY OFF - Semi-Final, First Leg.
Wigan Athletic
(Away, JJB Stadium)
Ticket Info

The JJB Stadium, Robin Park Complex, Newtown, Wigan, WN5 0UZ
General Enquiries:
01942 774000

This match is ALL-TICKET and tickets may be sold out well in advance of the game.

Tickets go on sale to season ticket holders and RFSC members only on Tuesday 8 May. Tickets are available now.
Only one ticket can be purchased per person.
Reading were initially allocated 5,000 seats, but this allocation has been increased to 7,000 tickets. The massive majority of tickets are expected to sell out when tickets go on general sale sale on Thursday 10 May. With such a large allocation the Royals might not quite sell out the away end - but we're guaranteed a massive away following.
Don't miss this one!
Ticket prices are £12 for adults and £7 for concessions.

Second Leg Ticket Information
Please see the Second Leg match preview.

Travel,
Food and Beer.

By Car
Leave at junction 25 off the M6 (signposted A49 to Wigan). Follow the road into Wigan until a junction at Aldi, turn left at the fire station traffic lights and then turn right at the second set of lights.

By Coach
RFSC have organised enough coach travel to take up to 500 Reading fans up to Wigan for Sunday's vital play-off semi-final first leg. Assuming all available places are taken then half of the RFSC membership will be making the journey by supporters' club coach. Currently there are 200 places left to be booked. The Ticket Office is not currently able to take phone bookings but will be taking personal bookings. Volunteers will be in place at the stadium between 5pm and 7.30pm on Thursday 10 May to take personal bookings - either in the main ticket office or North Stand ticket windows. The cost for the journey is 15 pounds, with the coaches due to leave the Madejski Stadium at 8:45am on Sunday and the Mecca Bingo Hall on Station Hill at 9:00am. To book coach travel you will need to be a member of RFSC.
For details see the RFSC section within Hob Nob Anyone?

By Rail
Wigan Wallgate and Wigan North West are both a bus or taxi journey away.

Food
Food inside the ground isn't too great, but right outside the ground there's a restaurant and just down the road there's a Pizza Hut. Walk a bit further and you'll also find a drive-through Burger King and another restaurant.

Pubs
Although there are plenty of similarities between the JJB and the Madejski (although the Madejski is better of course), there are actually some nearby pubs to Wigan's ground. The Bowling Green on Ormskirk Road and The Douglas Bank on Woodhouse Lane are the closest. Beer at The Douglas Bank is rumoured to be cheap!

Team news

Reading have no major injury problems ahead of the game - but are still waiting for news of Whitbread's eligibility for the game.
Reading - from:
Whitehead, Murty, Viveash, Whitbread, Robinson, Parkinson, Rougier, Jones, Caskey, Harper, Igoe, Forster, Cureton, Butler, Hunter.

Wigan - from: Carroll, Bradshaw, Haworth, Sharp, McGibbon, De Zeeuw, Green, Martinez, Nicholls, Beagrie, McCulloch, Liddell, Ashcroft, Stillie, Roberts, Bidstrup.

Form Guide

Reading's Last Six Games Of The Season
Most recent last
W: Bournemouth 1 Reading 2 (League)
W: Reading 4 Bury 1 (League)
W: Oxford United 0 Reading 2 (League)
D: Reading 2 Walsall 2 (League)
L: Colchester United 1 Reading 2 (League)
D: Reading 3 Bournemouth 3 (League)
Final League Position: 3rd

Wigan Athletic's Last Six Games Of The Season
Most recent last
L: Wigan 1 Brentford 3 (League)
W: Wigan 3 Oxford 2 (League)
W: Bury 0 Wigan 1 (League)
L: Wigan 0 Rotherham 2 (League)
W: Cambridge 1 Wigan 2 (League)
D: Wigan 0 Bristol City 0 (League)
Final League Position:
6th

View Final Second Division Table

Previous Meetings 

Wigan have the edge through history:
Reading wins: 8
Draws: 5
Wigan Athletic wins: 11
Figures include League, League Cup, and FA Cup only.

2000/2001 Season:
In our two league meetings this season Reading managed to earn four points off Wigan. We beat Wigan 1-0 at the Madejski Stadium in March, and earlier this season, Martin Butler scored the goal which gave the Royals a draw at Wigan:
9 March 2001: Reading 1 Wigan Athletic 0 (Division Two)
6 October 2000: Wigan Athletic 1 Reading 1 (Division Two)

1999/2000 Season:
Wigan took the full six points last season...
22 April 2000: Wigan Athletic 1 Reading 0
(Division Two)
16 October 1999: Reading 0 Wigan Athletic 2
(Division Two)

1998/1999 Season:
Wigan enjoyed a double over the Royals during the 1998/1999 season - including an impressive 4-1 victory over us.
24 April 1999: Wigan Athletic 4 Reading 1
(Division Two)
11 November 1998: Reading 0 Wigan Athletic 1
(Division Two)

Click on the results for full match reports.

Match Odds

Odds available at William Hill, where you can get £25 back on your first bet:
The odds are very close with Reading favourites for a 1-0 win.
The bookies are predicting a draw.
Reading wins:
1-0: 6/1; 2-0: 12/1; 3-0: 33/1; 4-0: 100/1; 2-1: 9/1; 3-1: 25/1; 4-1: 100/1; 3-2: 28/1.
Wigan wins:
1-0: 7/1; 2-0: 8/1; 3-0: 20/1; 4-0: 80-1; 2-1: 15/2; 3-1: 20/1; 4-1: 50/1; 3-2: 25/1.
Draws:
0-0: 7/2; 1-1: 5/1; 2-2: 12/1; 3-3: 50/1; 4-4: 100/1.
Click here to place your bet on Reading victory!

Predictions Of course it's going to be tough. Over two legs you've got to fancy Reading to progress - but a bad result in the first one will be disasterous.
I'd like to see a Reading victory, but I'll predict a draw.
Opposition Site

Latic Fanatic
Crazy colours, but some useful news and views.
http://www.laticfanatic.co.uk/


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