Reading fans aren’t feeling supersonic, but they could definitely do with a gin and tonic
Simeon Pickup talks us through the recent turbulent times in Berkshire
Wednesday 10 July 2024
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STOCKPORT COUNTY PREDICTION GAME 2024-25: Predict County’s top scorer, final league position, cup performances etc. £10 to enter. 40% of the pot to the winner, 30% to second, 20% to third, and 10% to Mentell. If you’d like to enter, drop us a message or an email.
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Reading supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Wednesday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore. (If you’re only just joining us today, for no reason at all, I’ve been using Oasis songs for most of the titles of our League One season previews!)
After Spain’s victory over France last night, we have our first two finalists in our Euro 2024 sweepstake! Chris Spicer (on the £5 entry) is guaranteed to win at least £20, with Nick Owen (on the £10) pocketing £40. If Spain win the final on Sunday, Chris’s winnings will go up to £50 while Nick will claim a tasty £100. Good luck to Ben Roach, Jamie Oldland, Linda Hook and Julie Houghton-Casey who will be watching tonight’s other semi-final with a little added interest as well.
Speaking of money, Reading could do with a bit of that. Under the ownership of Dai Yongge, they’ve been docked 18 points for breaking a series of EFL financial rules, including late and non-payments. There’s been a series of protests – if you were watching Scott Quigley’s Eastleigh taking on Reading in the FA Cup live on ITV last season you’ll remember Royals fans stopping the game by chucking tennis balls and fake money onto the pitch – and the supporters are doing everything they can to get Yongge out. Watch this space. Wycombe’s former owner Rob Couhig is poised to buy the club.
There’s a lot to unpick at Reading as we speak to Simeon Pickup from The Tilehurst End ahead of the new campaign, which will see County facing the Royals for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
EURO 2024 – DAY 27
8pm: Netherlands v England 🇳🇱🏴
Here’s a list of the best places to watch today’s games…
AMP (SK1). Guaranteed seating reservations for £5 per person. Click here for tickets.
Bask (SK1). All the action on two 75” screens.
Petersgate Tap (SK1). Table service during the game. Pies and sausage rolls available to order at half-time.
Thread (SK1).
Crown (SK2). Buy a pint of Helles today and you’ll be in with a chance of winning 52 free pints! There’s also a special menu throughout the Euros.
Armoury (SK3).
Reddish Working Men’s Club (SK5). There’s four screens in the games room, a new projector in the lower games room, and a screen in the middle room where families and children can enjoy the match. Check out the Special Offer Wheel which will be offering a variety of great deals before, during and after the game.
Railway (SK6).
Marple Tavern (SK6). Food served at half-time such as burgers, hot dogs, pizza and chips.
Steelworks (SK6). Game shown downstairs (sound off) and upstairs (sound on).
Shady Oak (SK7). Food served during the game from the matchday menu. Pick up a loyalty card to receive a discount on certain drinks.
Three Tunnes (SK7). Buy a pint of Helles today and you’ll be in with a chance of winning 52 free pints! There’s also a special menu throughout the Euros.
Cross Keys (SK8). Bitter £2.30 a pint all day. Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.
Railway (SK9). TVs in every room, and outside. Discounted doubles on spirits and 10% off four pint jugs.
Flute & Firkin (SK12). Call 01625 879181 to book a table, and quote “The Scarf My Father Wore” to receive 10% off your first round of drinks. (Not applicable for walk-ins.)
Friendship Inn (SK13). Five big screen TVs with surround sound, including one outside in the beer garden.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Apt Property Maintenance. A big thank you to Craig.
Thanks also to Siren Craft Brew, who sponsor our Reading content on the website.
Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.
Total distance so far: 158.42 miles
Total steps so far: 254,782
Total raised so far: £1,909
Total completed streets so far: 347 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)
Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.
Des Junior
Last win at our place: Tuesday 3 March 1998, Division One, 5-1
Last win at their place: Saturday 19 December 1992, Division Two, 4-2
Today’s Sky Bet title/promotion odds: Us – 18/1 11/2 Them – 22/1 13/2
Top story in the local news today: Busy Reading road closed during rush hour after incident
The general election is finally over and done with. What’s happened in Reading? And which person at your football club do you think would make the best prime minister?
Reading is a bit of a swing town really, the kind that generally reflects the national result. Before the election, one of its two constituencies had been held by Labour since 2017 and the other by the Tories since 2010. Now there’s a third seat – and all three are held by Labour.
Few people at the top of the club are fit to run Reading let alone the country, but if I can pick someone from the past, you wouldn’t find a better leader than Sir John Madejski (despite being a Tory). Alternatively, if you want someone with direct political experience, former full-back Ulises de la Cruz has ended up in the Ecuadorian parliament as an MP.
Nigel Farage has had cement and a milkshake chucked over him recently. If he was to do a lap of the Select Car Leasing Stadium on a Saturday afternoon, what would Reading fans be most likely to throw at him?
Reform thankfully didn’t do particularly well in any of the three Reading seats, so I suspect he wouldn’t bother turning up in these parts. Not that Farage only appears where he gets attention, of course, not at all…
We have a reputation for being middle-class which I usually would take issue with, but in this case, I’d have no complaints if anyone chucks an avocado or some rotten fruit from Pret A Manger.
If you had to compare the ownership and daily operations of your club to a political party, which would it be?
I’d say the running of the club at the top level has been as catastrophic as the Liz Truss premiership, but that would be a tad harsh on Liz Truss. She had a better grip on financial stability than Dai Yongge has ever shown.
The footballing side of things has won plaudits despite the odds being against it, has won respect and we’re very fond of it, although it won’t actually win anything any time soon. It’s the Lib Dems.
On and off the pitch, what do you think your club’s manifesto should say for the next 12 months?
To channel my inner Keir Starmer, in a word: change. Change from the last few years of chaos, yes, but having some spare change so we can pay employees and HMRC properly would also be grand.
Reading FC needs stable, reliable leadership and a period of renewal. Slow, steady but dependable improvement rather than constantly stressing over what’s going wrong will do me just fine.
Right, that’s enough political stuff. Next question. “We’re all from Stockport, who the fuck are you…?”
We’re The Tilehurst End, a website/podcast/Twitter account/YouTube channel that’s been covering the mighty Reading FC for well over a decade. Our name comes from Reading’s former home, Elm Park: The Tilehurst End kinda being between the loudest and quietest areas of the ground.
Which team do you most want to beat this season?
This would have been Oxford United, the closest we’ve had to a proper local rivalry, but they managed to get promoted. Otherwise I don’t really have a lot against any other team, but we’ve got a couple of depressing 3-2 defeats to Shrewsbury Town to avenge, and let’s rack up a couple of wins to go on Welcome to Wrexham while we’re at it.
Which Reading player is most likely to end up in League One’s team of the season?
Lewis Wing, who’s basically Kevin De Bruyne but better. He runs the show from the middle of the park, usually as a quite deep-lying playmaker, giving us so much creativity and control which we’d otherwise lack. And boy is he good at scoring from range: Wing netted seven times from outside the box last season. It’s a miracle we managed to sign him in the first place, let alone retain him as long we have.
County haven’t been to Reading in the league since November 1997. In just one paragraph, sum up everything that’s happened at your place since then.
You don’t make these questions easy, do you? This is like trying to sum up the rise and fall of the Roman Empire in a sentence.
Reading were on the up in the late 1990s, moving into the then-Madejski Stadium before being promoted to the second tier in 2002. We enjoyed a golden period for the next decade, spending three seasons in the Premier League, but gradually declined after Sir John Madejski sold the club in 2012. Dai Yongge bought the club in 2017, played fast and loose with it, and eventually delivered relegation to League One and an existential crisis last year.
Reading away. I think of the Reading Festival, Ricky Gervais, and a football club that’s a bit of a basket case at the moment. Do I need to educate myself further, or is that fairly accurate?
“A bit” of a basket case is putting it far more tactfully than we deserve! Reading have been in a full-on existential crisis for over a year now, seemingly teetering on the brink of going out of existence at some points, and we can’t wait for this nightmare to be properly over.
Ricky Gervais isn’t actually a Reading fan himself, but he does at least have a good habit of including references to the club in some of his stuff. His “guilty, I support Reading” line from The Office made it onto a tifo at the ground a few years ago, and some of the characters in a film called Cemetery Junction (set in Reading) refer to the club a couple of times.

Reading’s also a lovely town (although I’m not from there myself). There’s great breweries, gorgeous riverside walks along the Thames, and some top food options in and around the town centre, particularly at Blue Collar Corner, who used to do food at the ground on matchdays.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Stockport County?
I don’t know a huge amount about Stockport County, but the main thing that comes to mind is you lot winning the league last season and scoring a heap of goals, but still getting a weirdly small amount of wider praise. A disproportionate amount went to Wrexham, which I get to some extent given their Hollywood factor, but you guys deserved more of the limelight.
Rotherham play at the New York Stadium. NFL star Tom Brady is involved at Birmingham. Wrexham are plastered all over Netflix or Nickelodeon or whatever it is. League One has a bit of an American flavour this season. What’s the most American thing about Reading?
I’ll cheat and go with two things: Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey, two of the greatest sportsmen the United States has ever produced, and the first Reading players to make a World Cup squad (2006). Both were vital players in our record-breaking 2005-06 season – the former as a keeper, the latter as a left-winger. Check out the latter’s incredible – absolutely sublime – individual goal against Millwall on YouTube.
I’ve been watching Football Cops on Channel 4 recently, featuring Sunderland fans kicking down barriers after the game at Coventry, and loads of little Crewe rapscallions playing up at home to Walsall. On a scale of 1 to 10, how naughty are Reading fans these days, and how safe will our lot be when we make the trip to Berkshire this season?
Ha, probably a 3/10 at most, we’re hardly the nastiest set of fans and your lot will be perfectly safe when you make the trip down. We do however have an unfair reputation for being a bit of a bland fanbase. On the contrary, our away support last season was terrific, despite the team going a full 12 months without winning on the road, and the home atmosphere can be fantastic when the team really needs that extra bit of backing.
Who or what needs to be top of Reading’s shopping list before the new season starts in August?
A new owner. Everything else is secondary from there really. Get that sorted and top of our shopping list would be a left-winger, followed closely by a left-back. Fortunately we worked out last summer that we can hand out multi-year contracts, not just one-season deals, so we’ve got a good chunk of a squad even before our recruitment starts.
What’s your early predictions in terms of the promotion and relegation places?
The safest bet for promotion at this point appears to be Rotherham United, who are experts at bouncing around between the second and third tiers. I’d add that some sides which seem to be heading into the season with a bit of hype/jingoism (hi Birmingham City and Wrexham) will find this division a lot more difficult than they expect. They’ll be favourites to get promoted for many people, but I’m not so sure. Bolton Wanderers should have gone up last season, will manage it this time, and will hopefully be joined by Blackpool as it’s my least favourite away game of the season.
At the other end of the table, yourselves and Wrexham should be too strong to go down. Bristol Rovers ended last season poorly and might be in trouble, as will Shrewsbury Town and Burton Albion. As for a fourth team… er, let’s go with Stevenage. Steve Evans’ departure will be a problem for them.
Don’t take too much comfort in those predictions though as I’m always terrible at doing them.
Click on the links below to read the other 2024-25 season previews we’ve published so far.
Birmingham / Blackpool / Bolton / Charlton / Crawley / Exeter / Huddersfield / Leyton Orient / Lincoln / Northampton / Rotherham / Shrewsbury / Wigan / Wrexham / Wycombe
Do you need a hand with any of those jobs you’ve not got round to doing at home?
You might have been busy over these last few weeks, watching the Euros, or getting involved with the general election, or simply enjoying the sunshine (on the odd day it hasn’t been pissing it down).
If you’ve got flatpack furniture that still needs assembling, or hedges that need trimming, or gutters that need cleaning, give Craig a call, who offers a full range of handyman services inside and outside your home.
Call 07709 040304 or email southmanchesterhandyman247365@gmail.com.
Grab your tickets for Siren Craft Brew’s summer beer festival next week
Any Reading fans (or indeed, any County fans living in Berkshire) joining us today? On Saturday 20 July, Siren Craft Brew are hosting Project Barista – a family friendly summer beer festival celebrating the incredible partnership between coffee and beer.
The festival, taking place between 12pm and 8pm at Siren Tap Yard in Finchampstead, offers over 30 lines of beer throughout the day, along with wines and soft drinks. Food is available too, from Killa Waffles, Tacitos and Siren Street Food.
There’s DJs and live music, with face painting and a bouncy castle for the kids.
Tickets are £5, which include a festival cup you can use throughout the day and take home with you.
Click here to purchase your tickets.
Photo of the day
Waitrose, Chester
This one isn’t County or football related, but we have an eclectic bunch of readers so I do like to inject a touch of variety into proceedings from time to time. And yesterday afternoon, I solved one of life’s great mysteries.
I’ve always wondered why Waitrose is more expensive, when most of the stuff is pretty similar to other supermarkets. Now I know. It’s the customer service you receive. I reckon if the coffee machines at Tesco were out of order you’d simply get “We’re Sorry”, Asda would just say “Sorry”, while Lidl would say “F**k off and make your own cup of coffee”.
(I have too much time on my hands, I know.)
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 (15) at 2.30pm and 6.30pm. Click here for tickets.
⚽️ England v Netherlands
There’s loads of great places to watch England in Stockport tonight (listed above). If you enjoy winning prizes, however, head to The Crown (SK2) or The Three Tunnes (SK7). If you buy a pint of Helles, you’ll stand a chance of winning 52 free pints – a beer every week for a whole year!
🍺 Food and drink
Treat yourself to lunch at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). One course for £7, two courses for £11. 12pm - 2pm.
Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8). Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.
If you’re simply in the mood for a couple of pints today, pop along to one of our featured venues such as AMP (SK1), Bask (SK1), The Nelson Tavern (SK1), The Petersgate Tap (SK1), Thread (SK1), The Armoury (SK3), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Railway (SK6), The Steelworks (SK6), The Railway (SK9), Flute & Firkin (SK12) or The Friendship (SK13).
🎱 Free pool
All day at The Marple Tavern (SK6).
🧶 Knit and natter
The Shady Oak (SK7). From 12pm.
🤔 Quiz night
Get ready for a night of brain-teasing fun at Reddish Working Men’s Club (SK5) with various rounds and cash prizes for the winners! 8pm. Free entry. Maximum of six in a team.
100 random grounds that County have played at
#61 – Carrow Road, Norwich
Last visit: Easter Monday, 2010. A 2-1 defeat with all three goals coming in the first 25 minutes. Jabo Ibehre cancelled out Anthony McNamee’s early opener before Grant Holt netted the winner. Gary Ablett’s men would be relegated to League Two five days later.
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