Match Preview

Match date Saturday 23 September 2000, 3.00pm kick-off
Opposition Swansea City (Home, League)
Ticket information Pay in advance or on the day, normal home match prices apply.
Upper West Stand: Adults: £18 in advance, £20 on the day. Concessions: £12 in advance, £14 on the day.
Lower West, East and North Stands:
Adults: £12 in advance, £14 on the day. Concessions: £7 in advance, £8 on the day.
(These prices also apply for visitors in the South stand)
North and East Stands are unreserved seating.
Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling the ticket office on 0118 968 1000.
Travel, pubs, food  Home match - See away fans guide for travel, food and beer guide.
Team news Igoe will be missing after confirmation that he is suffering an ankle injury set to keep him out for up to two months. Luckily there's no damage to the bone. Better news is that Reading can add Scott Howie, Stuart Gray and Graeme Murty back into the squad to face Swansea - all three players successfully completed 90 minutes of action for the reserves as they beat Southend 2-1 on Wednesday. Howie and Gray are unlikely to make the team but Murty could well make an appearance from the substitutes bench.

Swansea will be without Steve Watkin and Tommy Mutton who are sidelined with ankle injuries.

Reading - from: Whitehead, Robinson, Viveash, Hunter, Mackie, Gurney, Parkinson, N Smith, Caskey, McIntyre, Hodges, Butler, Cureton, Mackie, Jones, Gamble, Newman, Howie, Gray, Murty, Haddow.
Swansea - from: Freestone, Howard, Cusack, Bound, Thomas, Coates, Roberts, O'Leary, Price, Phillips, Jenkins, Boyd, Morgan, S Jones, J Jones, Keegan.

Predictions

Swansea City are currently lying tenth in the Second Division table, and have at last started to score goals after three successive 0-0 draws at the start of the season. Away from home Swansea have looked good this season with only one goal conceeded in the league - they've won two, drawn one, and lost one away. Last Saturday Swansea stuffed Luton 4-0 for their first home win of the season, and the Tuesday before they beat Notts County 1-0 away. So the visitors are in good form and will be on the hunt for at least a point at Reading.

Reading will be looking to bounce back from the unlucky 0-1 defeat at Peterborough on Saturday. If we play like we did on Saturday then there's no reason why we can't follow up the 4-0 and 5-0 home wins with another victory. Perhaps not by so many goals - but three points are essential at home if Reading are to stay in touch at the top of the table early in the season. Reading dropped to fifth after Saturday's defeat - but a win could see us in the top three.

Match Odds - Available at Bet 247, where you can currently get a free 5 quid bet:
Reading are strong favourites for home victory:
Reading Win: 4/6
Draw: 12/5
Swansea Win: 7/2

Opposition Site Unofficial Swansea City AFC
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