When : Saturday September 5, 2026, 3pm
Where : Madejski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24161
Now Reading have at last managed to win a league game - and in some style score wise - comes the hard bit, backing it up with another just like promotion challenging teams have to do. It’s been about 6 months since Reading last managed back to back wins (Bradford & Luton), and god knows how long since consecutive convincing league wins.
Blackpool won’t be an easy challenge either, for they have actually had a bright start to their season and are poised in 3rd place already in the current League One table, but a win for 14th placed Reading will match Blackpool’s current league record and put the Biscuitmen above the Tangerines on goal difference.
Ian Evatt’s team came off the rails for the first time in the league this season on Wednesday when Barnsley edged them out by 2-1 with a late apparently controversial goal at Oakwell, so Ian will be looking for a reaction in this one which probably will not help Reading’s cause or the type of match entertainment we’ll get served.
Blackpool brought in eight players over the summer including four on loan. Probably the highest profile names were former Tangerine Jerry Yates, on loan from Luton, and also on loan Huddersfield’s Dion Charles. Permanent targets arriving included former Reading keeper Luke Southwood - to rival current no. 1 Bailey Peacock-Farrell - and rumoured Reading transfer target Ilmari Niskanen.
Another former Reading transfer target, Josh Bowler, has started the Seasider’s season well with two league goals so far and is currently Blackpool’s leading scorer though both Charles and Yates have also hit the target so Blackpool will more than likely easily be able to take advantage of any chances the Reading carelessly send their way during the game. Reading should be riding high on confidence in front of goal themselves of course but how many times have we seen that confidence failing to turn up on the day in recent seasons?
This game will therefore mark an important point in Reading’s season, they need to back up the Mansfield victory and show fans and the division that this Reading team does, and is capable of, meaning business rather than just immediately losing all momentum like we’ve seen on so many occasions over the last few seasons.
Blackpool have a couple of injury worries over Jamaican international forward Karoy Anderson and midfielder George Honeyman while Reading, I believe, have no real problems for a change leaving Leam with a full house of options and while thinking that you shouldn’t change a winning team I suspect there will be some to keep things “fresh” and Wednesday’s absent players feeling involved.
Referee
David “with my little stick of Blackpool” Rock
Previously
07 Oct 25 > Reading 1-0 MK Dons (FL Trophy)
07 Dec 24 > Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Reading
26 Dec 23 > Peterborough United 2-2 Reading
& three away league wins out of the three league games so far refereed this season. Yay!
Historically
This is the 26th home game against Blackpool and Reading have won 14 times to Blackpool’s 5 so history would seem to favour a home triumph but we all know Reading don’t work like that and last year this fixture was an utterly forgettable flop of a performance that threw away a top 10 finish for the club.
How to follow 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
- 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
