The Voice - Match preview #34: Reading vs Bradford City Saturday 28th February 2026 3:00pm

They're actually 7th in the form table this season depending on which set off meaningless stats you cherry pick.

 

Maybe not but I know quite a few that didn't go against Millwall sure to having younger kids they didn't want to potentially expose to the game.

Since then, I also feel that or fan base has grown so being realistic, I certainly think 30,000 is more than possible.

 

They've lost Marriot for the season and don't look much going forward without him.. We gifted them 2 goals, simple as that.

 

I'm glad I didn't fly over for that one. Losing is bad enough, but grabbing a defeat from the jaws of a win like that would have really put a dampner on the entire weekend. I just can't get my head around how chalk and cheese we are away from home - and have been for most of the season. Why can't GA see what we all can? We were cruising at one nil and then didn't even look like getting in our box until they brought on those two subs. Agree with the others - Evans should have come on and shored up the midfield. Our defence is too panicky at the best of times.

 

I Would love to know on what basis Sharpe and Sparks (ill not include GA as he was trying to save face) felt that the january window improved the squad and that we were stronger come 1st february than we were on the 1st January.

We have lost position in the table, lost ground on those above and the signings made in January, well most of them cant get in the team.

Id hazard the only thing improved is the bank balance, but i suspect that was the plan all along

 

Charlton were given (and sold) 35,000 last year, Orient look to have been given just over 30,000 for last seasons final. I know that was a very local final last season, but even still you'd hope both side this year can be given just as good an allocation by the EFL.

 

Fifth in this league counts for very little when apart from Cardiff and Lincoln the rest are flip flopping for fun ........... ..still no doubt when we play Port Vale you will build them up.
That team on Saturday are probably one of the poorest teams away from home we have faced at no point did they look like hurting us untill GA got involved.

Still keep doing it Park building piss poor teams up because they have won a couple of games

 

Maybe even more like you said the Millwall factor was part of it and i would think we would have gained a few thousand fans who have never been to Wembley

 

It was the plan all along ...... .they knew in January what a tough set of games where incoming yet did nothing till it was more or less done ....... .. had they had any intention of going for it then we would have splashed a bit of cash and pulled in some decent loan players in before that run of games and we didnt.
We fail to get into the playoffs then January was the month that caused with poor performances and bang average at best recruitment

 

Very interesting analysis of the Wright substitution on the the latest Take me home podcast.
You've got to respect former professional centre half Mark Bower's explanation.

 

Can you precis it for us please EB

 

It’s a perfect illustration of the sense of entitlement that exist with some people.There are no easy games and Reading are certainly no exception. As for Port Vale who were promoted above us are fighting to avoid relegation and that won’t be easy either anybody who thinks it is could be in for a rude awakening

 

Our next two games are massive if we want to keep the pressure on the challenging teams we realistically have to win both .

 

I wont be in for a rude awakening because sadly our manager simply does not do away games ......... 10 points from safety piss poor form but hey you will turn them into the best team going

 

Why is it a 'perfect illustration' of a sense of entitlement, please explain?

It's not like Gaz has said that we should be beating teams like this because we are massive, we have way better players blah blah blah......like certain other local rivals do.

He has pointed out, from watching the game, that Reading were poor on the day and offered very little whatsoever and that we should have beaten them. Doesn't sound to me like a sense of entitlement. He also pointed out that you 'big up' a lot of other teams on here...

 

All the incomings are short term cover till the summer.
They will be replaced by time the new season starts along with Kelly and maybe Sam Walker, whatever league we end up in.

 

I reckon 3 points keeps us with the same chance we have now. The picture stays the same. Anything less and I'll worry. Win both and we are in a much better position. I reckon I'd take 3 points now tbh. We lose against Orient though and the pressure is on big time for the Vale game.

 

According to @Park bantam every single game is difficult. Whilst I'm fully expecting some to trot out the 'no easy games at this level cliche, I prefer to work on comparative, namely our next two fixtures are comparatively favourable fixtures.