When : Saturday August 8 2026, 3pm
Where : The Copper Jax Community Stadium, Hayes Lane, Bromley, BR2 9EF
Capacity : 5,150
The HobNob predict the actual score game is here
Another season is upon us and this time it gets underway with a League Cup 1st Round game away at newly promoted League One outfit Bromley. As it's the opening day of the season and League Cup, Sky will be obliging with red button coverage for us all. So there will be no getting away to hide for anyone connected with the team in this.
As with all League Cup games this season the tie will be settled on the day so the game will go directly to a penalty shoot out if the game finishes as a draw on the final whistle. Extra Time will only be played in this competition if it is required in the League Semi Final second leg or League Cup Final itself.
While of course there will be the standard fan meltdown and calls for Leam to depart immediately if Reading lose, it's the league that really matters as the chances of Reading winning the League Cup must be rated something akin to Adolf Hitler's chance of winning the 1940 Nobel peace prize. And anyway, any untoward result has the chance of being properly remedied on 20 March when we will all have the pleasure of going back.
Bromley were playing league games against the likes of Aldershot, Woking and Maidenhead United only 3 years ago in 2023-24. That season they got themselves promoted to the Football League for the first time in their history, through the playoffs, alongside the champions Chesterfield. It's therefore been nothing much more than a positive and upward time for the club so far this decade with the FA Trophy being won in 2022 after defeating Wrexham 1-0. Since joining the FL they've managed a comfortable 11th place in their first season before marauding to the League 2 title last season.
Bromley's summer transfer activity has been fairly lively with the newly promoted outfit bringing in seven new faces, the highest profile of which is probably former Reading rumour Victor Adeboyejo from Mansfield Town. Joining him is some League 1 experience from Peterborough's Jacob Mendy, Lincoln's JJ McKiernan and Orient's Hayden Bullas. Complementing these are three arrivals on loan such as Bolton's Richard Taylor so Bromley are looking to do a bit more than just make up the numbers at this level and Reading will be their first test that things for them are on the right lines.
The threat though, despite his age (35 later this month), is striker Michael Cheek who has done the damage 142 times in his 303 appearances for the club. And it's not a matter of those goals all being non-league successes either as he's notched 41 in 80 league two appearances so this guy seemingly knows how to score at any level. In addition strike partner Nicke Kabamba is pretty useful with 13 in 20 league two starts last season and there seems to be a bit of set piece proficiency to be managed as centre back Omar Sowunmi bagged 7 goals last season.
Reading of course have their own new boys to hopefully lift them out of the malaise that they've suffered in their last few competitive games but the likelihood of anyone the club should sign before Saturday being involved is probably minimal.
This is a step into god knows what, we can be sure that Bromley will be up for it and are certainly not mugs as they've adapted well to the football league since climbing aboard so this is just another step for them and they'll want to prove they're worthy of promotion.
I think the only definites currently about the Reading team is that Joel Pereira will be in goal and Lewis Wing will get a start, after that the who and where is anyone's guess. Injuries already have cost us Jack Marriott, while there's been an outbreak of something doing the rounds in the last week or so.
Leam will need, at the very least, to show the team has improved from the dross we regularly got dumped with in the latter stages of last season otherwise all the snowflakes will be melting quicker than this summer's ice cream.
Referee
Craig “Martin” Hicks
Previously
09 Dec 25 > Reading 1-2 Peterborough United
09 Nov 24 > Stevenage 1-1 Reading
10 Feb 24 > Reading 2-0 Charlton Athletic
25 Nov 23 > Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 Reading
Historically
Nothing, nada, zip. Not one competitive ball have these two football teams kicked at each other - although it is rumoured that David Dibben once asked for directions to Gillingham in the town in his race to deliver Steve Death to a game.
Bromley did not lose a single home league game in 2025-26 so the locals aren't used to seeing bad things happen at Hayes Lane too often. The club's last home defeat was 2-1 to Wimbledon in the FA Trophy back in November while the last home defeat that probably actually mattered was by 3-2 to Salford in March 2025 - so well over a year ago!
In last season's league cup 1st round Bromley drew 1-1 at home to Ipswich before despatching the Suffolk outfit 5-4 in a penalty shootout, so the thought of Reading turning up really isn't going to bother them all that much. That Ipswich result was their only success in the competition to date as they were dumped out in the 1st round by Wimbledon the season before and then by Wycombe on penalties in the 2nd round last season.
Reading managed the 3rd round in the competition last season, making it all the way to Wrexham after dumping Portsmouth and Wimbledon out so should be looking to at least match that in the search for a big boy draw.
How to keep in touch with the game
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use an RoyalTV subscription
- Sky red button/NOW app
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
- Or you can always just go and get a ticket
