James Earnshaw

Sunderland beat West Ham on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw on Monday evening to set up a return to Reading for manager Graeme Murty in the PL2 play-offs. Murty, a man who needs no introduction for Royals supporters, featured more than 300 times in an 11-year stay with the club- famously captaining Steve Coppell's team to the Premiership in 2006. Taking in a spell in charge of Glasgow Rangers, the former Scotland international moved to Sunderland in 2022 and is officially the 'Head of Professional Development.'

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has encouraged potential new Reading owners to 'engage with the fanbase' once any deal is done. Controversial owner Dai Yongge signed exclusivity with an unnamed party last month, with the process expected to take two months- which would conclude this month. Maguire, a football finance lecturer at Liverpool University and co-host of the award-winning Price of Football podcast, spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire on Monday morning to discuss the future.

After five straight defeats in October, it was crucial that things improved in November to keep the club in the chasing pack. Entering at the first round stage of the FA Cup for the first time in over 20 years, it was a record-low crowd as MK Dons and new boss Mike Williamson stood in the Royals’ way. Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Alex Gilbey scored in an even first half, but the introductions of Harvey Knibbs and Lewis Wing swung the game in Reading’s favour.  Max Dean’s stoppage time consolation made for a tense end, but ultimately the win set up a trip to non-league Eastleigh in the second round.

With the season done and dusted, the club have already awarded their official honours with Lewis Wing deservedly picking up Player of the Season and Femi Azeez awarded the Vice President's trophy. Having witnessed all 55 first-team matches this season, I decided to have a bit of fun and set up my own alternative awards. From categories including best away day to best player to interview, take a look below at 10 made-up honours below.

RReading first-team regulars, and senior club staff, returned to the SCL Stadium on Saturday to support Noel Hunt's victorious Under-21s in the PL2 play-off quarter-finals. Jayden Wareham and John Clarke (x2) found the net in a comfortable 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest to set up a semi-final clash with either Sunderland or West Ham, with the pair facing off this evening. Over 1,000 supporters turned out in the afternoon sun to support the youngsters, and increase of nearly 50 per cent on the round of 16 crowd the week before.

Reading Academy graduate, Omar Richards, is preparing to feature in a European final after his Olympiacos team beat Aston Villa in the UEFA Conference League semi-final. 26-year-old Richards spent seven years on the books in Berkshire, making more than 100 appearances for the first team before moving to German giants Bayern Munich. Winning the Bundesliga in his only full season in Bavaria, Nottingham Forest paid £8.5m for the full-back in 2022 but is still awaiting his debut for the Tricky Trees. On loan in Greece with Olympiacos, Richards has made 14 appearances, including a 45-minute cameo in their 4-2 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of their semi-final.

Sunderland or West Ham United await Reading in the semi-final of the PL2 play-offs after the Royals beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 on Saturday. More than 1,000 fans turned out in support of the Under-21s, with Noel Hunt's side looking to lift multiple pieces of silverware with the Berks and Bucks Senior Cup final on Wednesday. Jayden Wareham's penalty, and a brace from John Clarke, was enough to earn victory and progress into the final four. Sunderland and West Ham play tonight, with the Black Cats managed by Royals legend Graeme Murty.

October kickstarted what Ruben Selles labelled the ‘toughest’ spell of the season, and he was not lying.  Goalkeeper David Button will certainly want to erase all memories of the first game, a 3-1 defeat at Northampton Town, with the experienced stopper enduring what is commonly known as ‘one of those days.’ Backed by another sell-out away crowd, Button should have done better with all three of the Cobblers’ strikes, with Andy Yiadom picking up a red card from the dugout and Clinton Mola sent off in the dying seconds for what was an embarrassing evening all-round.

With Reading supporters showing their unhappiness against owner Dai Yongge from day one with the sit-in following defeat to Peterborough United on the first day of the season, unrest rumbled through the entire autumn as bills and wages continued to be paid late. The Royals started their month with a 1-0 defeat at Cambridge United, broadcast live around the world on Sky Sports. Following news that more points were being deducted for late wages and HMRC payments, the following home match against Bolton Wanderers marked the first day in which the supporters took to interrupting matches to get their point across.

After a tumultuous summer in which at one stage it looked difficult to see the Royals fielding a team, and after a less than stellar pre-season campaign which saw defeats in every friendly, Reading got their third tier campaign off to a difficult start against losing play-off semi-finalists Peterborough United. More than holding their own against a team fancied to do well- eventually finishing in the top six- a looping header from Ephron Mason-Clark was all that separated the sides, leaving the home supporters walking out of the SCL Stadium in relatively high spirits. The dawn of a new season also marked the first real supporter protests of the season, with a few hundred supporters opting to show their disdain for owner Dai Yongge with a sit-in. As became a common theme for the season, the first sign of potential came in the first round of the Carabao Cup.