Near Sell Out As Reading Aim For Sixth

01 May 2025
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading are expecting a near sell out crowd for the final league game of the season as Barnsley visit the Select Car Leasing Stadium this Saturday (3pm kick-off). All eyes will be on Leyton Orient who travel to Huddersfield Town at the same time with Orient holding the final play-off place and above Reading on goal difference. Only Reading or Orient can now claim sixth spot in the final league table and progress into the play-offs. With an eight goal superior goal difference over the Royals, Orient will claim the final play-off place if they match Reading's result. Assuming Reading don't win by eight goals or more than Orient, the Royals must either win and hope Orient fail to win, or draw and home Orient lose at Huddersfield. If both Reading and Orient draw or lose then it will be Orient that retain their sixth place finish and Reading's season will be over.

Given Reading's ownership issues, transfer embargos and lack of funds, it is an incredible achievement to be going into the final game of the season with promotion to the Championship still a possibility - even if the odds are stacked against us. Noel Hunt has done an amazing job in picking up as manager midway through the season and guiding his side to a guaranteed top seven finish. Reading held off a lot of first half pressure from Bristol Rovers last Saturday before stepping up in the second half with Wing and Campbell scoring the goals to pick up a vital 2-0 away win. For a brief moment a play-off finish was back in Reading's hands as they moved into sixth place in the live table before news filtered through that Orient had also taken the lead at home against Wycombe Wanderers.

Orient went on to pick up the full three points, remain in control of their play-off finish, and also confirm Wrexham's second spot and prevent Wycombe from claiming automatic promotion. Reading's form is good but Orient's is better, and they travel to Huddersfield on the back of five straight wins. Both Huddersfield and Reading's opposition Barnsley have nothing left to play for and are all set for mid-table finishes. Reading will have to win the game and hope Huddersfield can finally do us a favour.

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