Reading

Tim Dellor
BBC Radio Berkshire

Image source, Shutterstock

When things are going wrong in life, they say "it never rains, it pours".

But at Reading that's an unfortunate expression, how they wish it would pour!

Nothing seems to be growing quite as hoped at the moment. Even the grass on the newly laid pitch at the stadium has suffered in the drought, leaving club officials with no choice but to shift the final pre-season game against Charlton to The Valley, a game that they did win 3-0.

It's bad luck rather than incompetence, but fans looking forward to seeing the team back in action will be frustrated.

It's been a similar story with the growth of the squad. The departures of Derrick Williams, Andy Yiadom, Ryan Nyambe, Finlay Burns and Michael Stickland had a combined total of one hundred starts in defence last season, they have been replaced with Udoka Godwin-Malife and he's out injured.

In attack, arguably the most gifted flair player Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan has been sold.

He played understudy to the late arriving and often injured striker Jack Marriott last season, but Marriott is injured again and promising youngster Sean Patton is also out for the next few weeks.

The crucial striker role is instead being entrusted to Jacob Brown who managed the grand total of one goal in 22 appearances at Luton and Portsmouth during the whole of last season.

Scarred by watching loanee Mark O'Mahony's flat performances at the start of last season, Reading fans fear déjà vu.

At the back end of last season, during the winless last six games, we were promised this time round would be different.

The plan was to assemble the squad for the start of pre-season but it's played out exactly the same for Leam Richardson as it did for former manager Noel Hunt 12 months ago.

Richardson will be pestering the owner for more recruits, and more quality in, knowing the same fate will befall him if he can't get more strength and depth.

Money needs to be spent on attackers, defenders, fertiliser and water.

Image source, Shutterstock

Reading have been forced to move their final pre-season friendly against Charlton Athletic to The Valley because of concerns over the condition of the club's newly- laid pitch.

The hot, dry weather has affected the growth of the grass at the Select Car Leasing Stadium and with the playing surface unfit, Saturday's match will now be played behind closed doors at Charlton's home ground instead.

"This is not a decision anyone at the club wanted to make, but it is the right one," Reading co-chief executive Joe Jacobson told the club wesbite., external

"We've invested significantly in providing the team with the best possible playing surface for the season ahead.

"Unfortunately, the recent spell of hot and dry weather has slowed the development of the new pitch and, after taking expert advice, we've concluded that protecting it now gives us the best chance of having it in the condition we all want for the start of the League One campaign.

Reading open their League One campaign at home to Luton Town on 15 August.