Tenacity, Spirit, Flair: Reading Continue To Defy The Odds
Despite everything thrown at this determined, likeable Reading team, they continue to impress.
Hollywood may have got its fairytale ending but right now, in the Royal County, there’s a script being written that no one could’ve predicted way back on August 10.
We’ve defied the odds this season, much to everyone’s surprise, and are now just 90 minutes away from achieving what could be one of the greatest achievements this club will have ever seen, and likely ever see again.
A club - which has been on the brink - could be about to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years, and potentially promotion. A comeback tale that no one could’ve predicted.
A season which has been set against the backdrop of a complicated ownership situation with no one quite knowing what is going to happen from one day to the next. From being “one signature away” in September to a legal case at the High Court in March and Dai Yongge’s disqualification by the EFL.
The off-field challenges have been simply that: challenges. The club has been kept together by the belief that, as tough as it’s been, this could only be temporary, and it will rise back eventually. This belief is exemplified by what we’ve seen on the pitch this season.
It was inevitable that Ruben Selles would eventually leave the club during the season and it was only a matter of time before Noel Hunt took over. But what happened after that, no one expected.
I think the general belief among fans in December was that, eventually, the club would begin to slide down the league and ultimately finish comfortably in mid-table. Not even the most optimistic fan would’ve predicted an unbeaten run of 11 games which catapulted us into playoff contention, especially after losing Sam Smith to Wrexham towards the end of the January window.
This is a team who are prepared to fight for everything and every single one of their teammates. A spirit we’ve not seen since the 2011/12 season under Brian McDermott.
A core example of this was Billy Bodin’s goal against Mansfield Town on Easter Monday. Harvey Knibbs had a simple chance to add to his impressive tally for the season, yet decided to square it to Bodin for his first in a Reading shirt. An act of unselfishness that must not go unnoticed.
Every week we see players fighting for each other, throwing everything on the line as if every game is a cup final. Sometimes it may not be pretty, and sometimes we’ve fallen just short, but crucially, it’s come together enough that those ‘nearlies’ are quickly forgotten.
This is a team determined to defy the odds as they have done all season. Under Alan Pardew the motto at the club was “Tenacity, Spirit, Flair”. I think it’s fair to say that this is probably more relevant now than ever before.
If we do find ourselves finishing in seventh place this season, I won’t be any less proud of this team of players, who have done an incredible job against the toughest of backdrops.
We mustn’t forget that some of them hadn’t played a single minute of professional football two years ago, and yet they’ve defied the odds over and over again. From club cashflow issues to no food at the training ground, and even points deductions. For every setback, they’ve found a way to bounce back harder.
On and off the pitch, this is going to be a pivotal week for our club. There’s no hiding from that.
Reports suggest a deal is “close”, depending on who and what you choose to believe, but unless you’re in the legal bubble going on between Dai and the prospective buyer - Rob Couhig - it’s impossible to know for certain.
What we do know though is that, on Saturday May 3, Noel Hunt will put out an 11 who won’t stop fighting for this club until the very end. If that means we finish sixth, then absolutely brilliant, but if it’s seventh, it’ll be because Leyton Orient have given us a fantastic run for it.
Regardless, the players and staff deserve to be remembered for a very long time. At the end of the game, someone will get the player of the season award; it’s just a shame that it has to be one individual, because collectively they all deserve it for their efforts.
There’s one final script to be written in this regular season, and if it’s anything like the rest of 2024/25, it’s bound to have a few twists yet, so get yourself down to the The SCL on Saturday.
Back the boys and let’s see where we end up. To be continued...
See you in the Turtle.