Tom unpacks the Royals’ impressive win over the Tangerines. I’m not sure how, but this season has simultaneously been the most overwhelming and underwhelming in memory. Never has a campaign that left us 17th in League One been celebrated so vehemently, yet it seems there have been few better cases for celebration in Reading’s recent history, given the remarkable team spirit that has been fostered around the club from our lowest-ever point. And it seems fitting to end a year of frustration on and off the pitch with a box-office win against Blackpool, a team that tore us to shreds in the revers ..read more

Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images From written off to widely adored, Reading manager Ruben Selles has had quite the turnaround. There was a moment as Reading fans celebrated what was all but the confirmation of their survival in League One, with victory away to Bristol Rovers, when the chains broke loose. The deliberately reserved, ruthlessly focused, onto-the-next-one demeanour of manager Ruben Selles evaporated in a fit of ecstasy. Managing Reading FC in 2023/24 has not allowed for many moments of celebration. Points were won on the pitch and then lost in the boardroom days ..read more

Congratulations to the young playmaker, the eighth different winner from nine votes this season. Congratulations to Ben Elliott, who’s won our Player of the Month award for April! The young playmaker took 42% of the vote, beating off competition that primarily came in the shape of Lewis Wing (31%). Sam Smith (18%) and Tyler Bindon (8%) made up the rest of the voting in what was a strong set of candidates. It’s a first POTM win of the season for Elliott, but a thoroughly deserved one. He was a really bright spark in April, taking to his new(ish) central-midfield role well. Elliott had to bide ..read more

Dan’s joined once again by a couple of Reading reporters for their thoughts on the season just gone. Wimb returns alongside James and Andy to give our final thoughts on the 2023/24 season and try and get some answers as to what might be next. We start with the latest on the takeover talks at the club, plus the latest on who may be staying and leaving the SCL over the course of the summer. There’s also a look behind the scenes into the life of a journalist covering Reading in 2024, plus thoughts on the new kit and much more. As always, thanks to our sponsors ZCZ Films and our exclusive Pod Ext ..read more

PA Images via Getty Images A bumper crowd packed into the SCL for Reading’s 3-2 win over Blackpool on Saturday. And just like that, another season slams shut. My 32nd complete season following this club by the way. Bonkers. I’m not quite sure we’ll ever see the likes of this one again, or rather, I hope we don’t see the likes of this again. It’s been an incredible period of time that seemed to lurch from one disaster to another, keeping us all in a state of misery, rage, despair and sadness. Heading into this game, I had an overwhelming sense of gratefulness: gratitude, if you will. No pressur ..read more

Photo by Paul Harding - The FA/The FA via Getty Images Madison Perry scored twice in the second half, but Watford earned the win through Carly Johns, Andria Georgiou and Coral-Jade Haines goals. Two second-half goals from Madison Perry weren’t enough for Reading Women, with Watford securing a 3-2 victory thanks to goals from Carly Johns, Andria Georgiou and Coral-Jade Haines, at Vicarage Road, yesterday afternoon. After last weekend’s euphoria with the win against Durham Women, putting relegation fears to rest, this ‘no pressure’ last match of the season was an opportunity missed for the Royal ..read more

Reading signed off the season with a 3-2 win over Blackpool, and the chaps are here to talk it on the latest episode of the pod. The boys go into that (end of season) goodnight with a win against Blackpool to mull over. Ross’ jimmies are rustled over the Joel Pereira vs David Button debate, before the pair recap a fun night’s drinking in the Purple Turtle... Thanks as always to our friends ZCZ Films for their help in sponsoring the show. Follow Ben on Twitter @mrblthomas Follow Ross on Twitter @WebberRoss Follow The Tilehurst End on Twitter @TheTilehurstEnd The Tilehurst End Podcast can be en ..read more

PA Images via Getty Images For the final time this season, Harry rounds up the reaction of the Loyal Royals. So that’s that then. What a way to end a season so full of turbulence, insanity and ridiculousness. Donning a very fresh-looking new home kit, the Royals managed to put three really good goals past a Blackpool team who were still within a chance of getting into the top six at the start of play. In the end we were deserved winners. The game, combined with the post-match scenes, the scenes in Purple Turtle later on Saturday night, and the whole occasion of the day made me so proud to be a ..read more

A long read from Sim on an emotional rollercoaster of a season. Congratulations, dear reader, you made it! You got all the way through the 2023/24 season and came out the other side. You persisted. We all persisted. Reading Football Club persisted. And really, after the nine months we’ve just gone through, that’s the biggest win of all. Reading have had recent seasons that are disappointing, depressing or even downright bizarre, but never before have we had one quite so existentially terrifying. It’s one thing to not know how a club will end a season, it’s another to not know if it’ll still b ..read more

One Reading fan recalls a celebratory night at Purple Turtle that was very special indeed. In days gone by, the last day of the season when we’ve finished 17th in League One, just about surviving, would’ve gone by with very little notice or applause, but I think yesterday proved that this club is now united as one. We’ve always been a community club with a big heart that dreams big, but in recent years that has been dissolved somewhat. Now, it’s fair to say, it’s back. Nearly 20,000 at the SCL for a lunchtime kick-off, for a game which had nothing riding on it from a Reading perspective, is n ..read more