Top Reading Football Club Strikers of All Time

23 March 2023
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Throughout our long the Royals has seen many goalscoring heroes grace the pitches of the Madejski Stadium and Elm Park before that. If you’re interested in an overview of Reading FC’s top strikers, then keep reading as we pay homage to them, their contributions, and the memorable moments in the club's history that its strikers helped to achieve.

Trevor Senior 

Arguably one of the most prolific strikers in Reading FC's history, Trevor Senior worked hard to earn himself a place in footballing history. With 191 goals in 362 appearances between 1983 and 1992, Senior remains the club's all-time leading goalscorer. His goal scoring prowess was instrumental in helping Reading gain promotion to the Third Division in 1984 and the Second Division in 1986. Senior's attacking instincts, ability to find space in the box and clinical finishing made him a fan favourite and a true Royals legend.

Robin Friday 

Another prolific scorer and all-round great player, Robin Friday was an incredibly gifted forward who played for the club between 1974 and 1976. Across the two seasons he played with the team, the renowned striker scored 46 goals in 121 appearances, making him one of the club's most potent strikers of all time. Friday's flamboyant style, excellent ball control and eye for goal made him an exciting player to watch. Although his career at Reading was short, he left a lasting impression on the fans, who voted him the club's "Player of the Millennium" in 2000.

Jamie Cureton 

A natural goalscorer who had two spells at Reading FC, Jamie Cureton was a fan favourite who will always be remembered for scoring plenty of goals each game. In his first stint at the club between 2000 and 2003, he scored 55 goals in 124 appearances. During this time he helped the club win the 2001-02 Second Division title. Then, Cureton returned for a brief spell in 2005-06, scoring seven goals in 17 appearances that time. Cureton's remarkable goals-to-games ratio and his knack for scoring crucial goals made him one of Reading's most valuable strikers throughout the club’s history.

Dave Kitson 

Between 2003 and 2008 Dave Kitson played for Reading and scored 60 goals. He appeared on the pitch 135 times and was a great player to watch. His aerial prowess and powerful strikes made him a constant threat in the opposition's box. Kitson played a crucial role in Reading's 2005-06 Championship-winning campaign, where the club gained promotion to the Premier League for the first time in its history. His impressive performances and help achieving this incredible success earned him the Championship Player of the Year award in 2006.

Shane Long

Having joined in 2005, Shane Long had a prolific season with Reading and spent six years at the club, scoring 54 goals in 203 appearances. The Irish striker's tireless work rate, pace and ability to score with both feet made him a favourite among the Royals' faithful. Long played a significant role in helping Reading reach the Championship play-off final in the 2010-11 season. His performances during his time at Reading earned him a move to Premier League side West Bromwich Albion in 2011. He’s always been known as a risk taker who’s willing to give his all to his club. Fans can emulate his dedication to his side and risk-taking abilities by betting on his prowess or making the most of  online casinos to take calculated risks and potentially earn big rewards.

Kevin Doyle 

An integral part of Reading's squad between 2005 and 2009, Kevin Doyle scored 56 goals during his 157 appearances for the side. The Irish striker was known for his tireless work ethic, intelligent movement and clinical finishing, which afforded him acclaim with the fans and club management. Doyle's contributions were vital in Reading's promotion-winning 2005-06 season and their subsequent Premier League campaign. His impressive performances caught the attention of several top-flight clubs, and he eventually signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2009.

Jimmy Quinn

One of the few players to have two spells at Reading FC as a player and to also help manage the club was Jimmy Quinn. He joined the side first as a player and later as a player-manager. The Northern Irish striker scored 40 goals in 106 appearances between 1992 and 1997. Quinn's experience and leadership on the pitch were instrumental in helping Reading achieve a second-place finish in the 1994-95 First Division, narrowly missing out on promotion to the Premier League. His goal-scoring ability and commitment to the club made him a popular figure among Reading fans and led to him becoming manager for the club later in his career.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni 

 

Often known as "The Yak," Yakubu Aiyegbeni had a brief but memorable spell at Reading FC during the 2014-15 season. The Nigerian striker joined the club on a short-term deal and quickly made an impact by scoring five goals in 11 appearances. Although his time at Reading was limited, the Yak’s experience and predatory instincts in front of goal left a lasting impression on the fans. After leaving Reading, his career achievements, including a successful stint in the Premier League with clubs like Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers, added to his reputation as a top striker.

Adam Le Fondre

 

Fondly known as "Alfie’ by the fans, Adam Le Fondre played for Reading between 2011 and 2014, scoring 41 goals throughout his 110 appearances for the side. His goalscoring exploits were essential during the 2011-12 season, helping the Royals secure the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League. Le Fondre was particularly well-known for his super-sub performance, often coming off the bench to score crucial goals for the team that helped them to win key games. His ability to find the back of the net consistently and his never-say-die attitude endeared him to Reading fans, making him one of the club's most memorable strikers and beloved former players.

The Top Reading Strikers: A Brief Conclusion

From record-breakers to fan favourites and everyone in between, Reading Football Club has been graced by numerous talented strikers over the years. Each of the players on this list has contributed to the club's rich history, providing unforgettable moments and helping the team achieve amazing accolades and move up the Premier League. As Reading FC continues to compete and strive for further success, the club will undoubtedly discover and nurture more goal-scoring talent over the years to come. The next generation of forwards will look to follow in the footsteps of these legendary goal-scorers. Future lists such as this will have fresh names who have helped to shape the club and grow its success over the years to come.

Threat As Reading Face Nervous Championship Survival Battle

20 March 2023
By Hob Nob Anyone?

As the form of Reading continues to frustrate even the most optimistic fans, the international break in Championship fixtures does at least bring time for pause and reflexion. As he seeks to right what otherwise might be regarded as a sinking ship, this will be a watershed moment for Paul Ince, plotting a new course that will hopefully lead his team towards a safe harbour.

Undoubtedly, there are supporters of the Royals who are negative about the current plight, far from convinced that Ince can guide this team through the turbulent waters ahead. This perhaps makes the “ship of fools” allegory quite apt, based upon Plato’s classic tale, warning of a captain that lacked sufficient knowledge and vision, leading to chaos amongst his crew and inevitable disaster.

But casting aside the literary comparisons, the reality is that Reading could find themselves in a similarly chaotic situation, unless Ince can swiftly improve the form of the players he is tasked with leading. Meanwhile, uncertainty still prevails due to a situation that is far beyond his control, as the club awaits yet another EFL review of the club’s finances. Indeed, any proven lack of compliance could be the torpedo that eventually sinks this ailing ship.

Sword of Damocles hangs perilously over the club

Such is the current level of uncertainty surrounding Reading at the moment, prices with some bookies would already suggest they are back in the thick of a relegation scrap, while others are waiting on the final EFL points deduction verdict. Based upon impartial reviews for online betting sites via SBO experts, monitoring and comparing the latest odds will certainly be worthwhile

When they defeated Blackpool 3-1 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, the points margin between Reading and the relegation zone looked rather comfortable, making the prospect of mid-table obscurity this term seem like something of a blessing. Particularly after having narrowly avoided the dreaded drop last season, when the club had also suffered a six-points deduction, leading to what inevitably became a tense conclusion to the 2021-22 campaign.

Taking the prospects for another six-points deduction of points into account, the Royals are also now in the midst of their worst run of results during the 2022-23 season, having now gone five games without victory. Since the positive outcome against Blackpool, results in March are giving fans of the Royals genuine cause for alarm. Four consecutive defeats is the longest consecutive losing streak this term, ahead of grabbing a point at home against Hull City.

Ince focused on stopping the rot

Following the draw against Blackburn Rovers at home, Reading boss Ince was mostly pleased to have avoided another defeat. “It’s not about pretty football at the moment, it’s about points on the board. And today was a point gained,” he insisted post-match, in comments published by the official Reading FC website. “It’s been a tough, tough year with injuries, the embargo, the six points hanging over us,” he acknowledged.

“And we’ve got to be positive. The two-week break comes at a good time for us. We’ll look to get a couple of players back, get some rest into the legs of the players we have been calling upon, let everyone rest their minds because mentally it’s been draining – and we’ll go again at Bristol City in two weeks’ time.” This was the optimistic outlook from Ince, who does at least seem fully aware of the complicated path ahead for his team.

Elsewhere, perhaps without the selective choice of quotes from Reading’s own media team, Berkshire Live quoted everything that Ince told reporters, which offered a more blunt perspective. “It’s about stopping the rot. When you have lost four on the bounce, the most important thing was not to lose the game,” as the Royals boss repeatedly highlighted the avoidance of defeat as being crucial against Blackburn.

Waiting impatiently for the EFL verdict

Given the statement issued by the EFL came on 1st March, they seem to be taking a long time reaching conclusions, reviewing whether Reading have breached the previous agreement and strictures imposed. Hopefully, the final verdict will come during the international break, and whatever the outcome, points deduction or not, at least Ince and the team will have a clearer view of their own objective, rather than the current uncertainty.

Point Fails To Halt Slide Down Table

18 March 2023
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading ended a run of four defeats with a scrappy draw against mid table Hull. City dominated possession throughout with their neat passing and sliced the Reading defence open after twenty-six minutes to take the lead through Slater. Andy Carrol levelled the scores just before half time which proved to be enough to secure a valuable point. The second half followed similar pattern with neither side able to find the finish which would have yielded three points.
Reading 1 Hull 1: Read More...

Another Game Another Defeat

11 March 2023
By Hob Nob Anyone?

The highlights of my visit the Select Car leasing Stadium this Saturday were my usual pre-match and half time chat with my friends, and a pleasant conversation with the lady sitting next to me about the poor quality of Reading's ball into the box, the Hob Nob website, and the inept performance of referee Michael Salisbury. The rest of the afternoon is at best described as disappointing. From the whistle Millwall's game plan was to unsettle Reading with a string of subtle, and not so subtle, fouls on and off the ball. Three fouls in the opening two minutes set the tone as the visitors set about trying to nullify the threat posed by Andy Carroll's ability to win the ball in the air.
Reading 0 Millwall 1: Read More...

Improved Reading Still Defeated

07 March 2023
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Turning up on a bitterly cold evening to watch your team take on a team occupying an automatic promotion spot at this stage of the season, especially after a heavy away defeat at the weekend, was a significant test of loyalty and commitment for Reading fans. In return, those that did make the effort, deserved better in terms of the result. They were rewarded however, by a very good performance from their team in terms of loyalty and commitment. Sometimes you do not get what you deserve and on this occasion Reading clearly deserved a point.
Reading 0 Sheffield United 1: Read More...

Possible Points Deduction - EFL Reviewing Finances

02 March 2023
By Hob Nob Anyone?

Reading could be set for another six points deduction with the Football League again reviewing Reading FC's finances for this season. It's tough to understand with Reading sticking to an incoming transfer ban enforced by the League while also being seemingly transparent with their finances. The impression is that the club have been working with the League to ensure they operate within the guidelines the League set, so it is confusing that the League are now suggesting they have failed to meet certain targets.

The League issued a short statement yesterday following wide reports of a possible points deduction being issued: "In November 2021, the EFL and Reading Football Club reached an Agreed Decision in respect of the Club's failure to comply with the League's Profit and Sustainability (P&S) Rules. As part of the decision, the Club is required to comply with the terms of a Business Plan up until the end of season 2022/23. The plan focuses on a number of financial targets with the objective of improving the Club's financial performance. The League is currently reviewing submissions from Reading to determine whether compliance has been achieved. There will be no further comment on the matter at this time."

The Royals were given a six points deduction in November 2021 after breaking financial rules, with further points deductions said to be suspended if Reading could keep to agreed expenditure. It is now being suggested that Reading have overspent again after continually posting financial losses.

Should Reading see six points removed this season it would see us drop to just six points and three places outside of the relegation zone, after Reading looked to be heading towards safety this season. Reading fans were all set for a season of mid-table nothingness but that could all change depending on the League's review.

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