When : Wednesday September 2, 2026, 8pm
Where : SCL Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161
Wednesday night for this one, all because SKY elected to show Chelsea v Fulham last week on whatever screen people now use as a tellybox thing! Honestly this really should not be happening, SKY choose a game which has a knock on effect of piddling about with several lower league fixtures as apparently professional athletes can’t play 2 games within 48 hours (unless it’s Easter - probably because the chocolate in the eggs is special or something) of course the fact that both PL sides, with their vastly over stocked squads, would be likely fielding different lineups in both games anyway is neither here nor there apparently
Anyway because of this decision Chelsea and Fulham couldn’t play their League Cup ties, against Luton and Wimbledon respectively, until last Thursday so as a knock effect this meant that Luton’s home game with Mansfield and Wimbledon’s home game with Wigan had to be moved to Sunday, meaning that the Tuesday midweek fixtures involving those 4 clubs also had to be shifted to Wednesday. What a totally unnecessary palava for everyone!
Therefore the first midweek league game of the season for Reading is a Wednesday rather than the usual Tuesday. This visit of the Stags will also be red buttoned into the home of everyone with a Sky Sports subscription, so more than just the usual hardy souls in attendance can get to gather around the aforementioned tellybox things for a good laugh at what currently masquerades for kicking a ball about in RG2.
It’s been a long time since Reading last played a league game and since then most other sides in the division will have played twice which helps account for Reading’s current lowly league position of 23rd, as much as anything.
Despite the massive changes over the summer, which saw twenty players leave (including loanees) to be replaced by the massive influx of as many as five new faces (Dokes, Stokes, Lisbie, Brown & Masterson) to add that much needed depth of options of which the club was so short last season, the league start has been pretty miserable.
Reading have not managed to win a league game since beating Wigan back on 28 March - a run of nine games, of which a massive three have managed to be drawn. Yes this is the state of things under Leam, a side with promise that can’t actually win any league games at all, so we all better stick to the cup matches.
Mansfield have only lost 1 of their last 9 league games and they’ve decided to be bang in form for this one having dismantled Luton 5-2 at Field Mill on Sunday. Remember Luton, that side Reading dismantled in the first half of their game a couple of weeks ago before Leam got to the team with his half time pep talk and basically appeared to kill all momentum. And that seems to be the main issue in this god awful run of league form, dreadful second half showings (esp. if leading at HT) often heralded by some odd substitutions.
Mansfield’s one defeat in their run of form was away at Peterborough in their last away outing this season so they can be got at and Reading should have players that are capable of doing just that - and maybe more if the club can get it’s act together before the transfer deadline and get that much needed second striker.
Mansfield have brought in Michael Smith from Preston, Jon Russell from Barnsley, Owen Dodgson from Stockport (loan), Liam Thompson from Derby and well known Reading terroriser David McGoldrick from Barnsley so manager Nigel Clough is determined that the Stags will trouble the upper end of the table this time round rather than sit in lower mid table or dance around the relegation zone again.
Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Louis Reed seems to be off on an early charge with goals this season, both are midfielders so Reading will need to ensure they are denied the time and space to influence proceedings. Mansfield aren’t defensively perfect as the two Sunday consolation goals grabbed by Luton show so a good positive front foot start to the game from Reading should really help, esp. as, apparently, there will have to be a second half in this game.
Reading should, of course, be fresher than their opponents, having not played for a week or had the “benefit” of a lengthy journey down the motorway on the day of the game. However it’s not unknown for Reading to turn up and look like a load of knackered losers who’ve just met each other for the first time after periods of “rest” so one hopes the management and sports science teams are on top of things to ensure that does not happen.
It is possible that Dokes will be missing through injury but other than that it should be a full house of options for Leam to select from and hopefully boosted by some transfer success before the window shuts on Tuesday night (11pm).
Referee
Tom Reeves
Previously...
01 Jan 26 > Reading 2-0 Burton Albion
20 Aug 25 > Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Reading
20 Jan 24 > Wigan Athletic 1-0 Reading
23 Sep 23 > Blackpool 4-1 Reading
Historically
This is the 27th league season the two clubs have shared and, historically, Mansfield do not do well in Reading at all. Of their previous 26 visits the best Mansfield have managed is 5 draws with Reading winning the remaining 21 games. Mansfield have collected just one point from a visit to Reading in 50 years, but that point was taken on their last visit, following yet another dreary, uninspiring performance from Reading.
How to follow the game
- Get a ticket and travel to the Mad Stad
- NOW App/Sky red button
- Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
- Ring/text a mate for updates
- Use a RoyalTV subscription
- BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)
