Reading Preview

By Mark Heys
December 1 2006

Bolton make their first visit to the Madejski Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they take on a Reading side chasing their fourth straight victory.

The Royals are appearing in their debut season in the Premiership and currently sit just a couple of points behind the Wanderers at the top of the league table so this game can be considered as a real six pointer.

It is almost ten years since these two sides last met as experienced striker Trevor Morley helped himself to a hattrick to give Reading a 3-2 victory over promotion bound Bolton at the old Elm Park ground in February 1997.

So much has changed since then as both clubs have moved to brand new stadiums and have made their way up the leagues to currently cement a place in the top ten of England's elite clubs.

Reading's current path is very reminicant to that of the Wanderers, they are a club with promising potential who are often overlooked in favour of clubs with a so-called bigger reputation.

The start they have made to the first half of the season gives many promoted clubs hope for the future and results such as the draw with Manchester United and the win over Tottenham Hotspur means that they are a definate force to be reckoned with.

Bolton must dust themselves down for the trip to Berkshire following their narrow midweek loss to Premiership holders Chelsea. Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce may be able to call upon wing back Ricardo Gardner for the first time this season after the Jamaican international proved his fitness over the last couple of weeks.

Fellow defenders Quinton Fortune and Joey O'Brien are out of contention but skipper Kevin Nolan is likely to be fit despite being taken to hospital on Wednesday night with an injury to his fingers.

Reading boss Steve Coppell has doubts over the fitness of Steve Sidwell and ex-Wanderers loan star Glen Little after both where withdrawn from the last game against Fulham.

Much travelled winger John Oster and Icelander Brynjar Gunnarsson are standing by should the pair fail to make the game against the Whites but Bobby Convey (knee), Dave Kitson (hamstring) and Peter Mate (knee) are definately out as are broken leg victims Aaron Brown and Simon Cox.

PREMIERSHIP RECORD

First ever Premiership meeting

PREMIERSHIP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 0

Won: 0

Drawn: 0

Lost: 0

CONNECTIONS

Brian Bromley, Dean Crombie, Les Ferdinand, Robert Fleck, John Hulme, Harry Kinsell, Glen Little, John Salako, Dave Sutton, Bill Wrigglesworth, Tommy Wright.

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED READING

In October 1996 the Bolton striker John McGinlay scored the winning goal against the Royals in a 2-1 victory at Burnden Park. Later on in that game he was forced to go in goal after goalkeeper Keith Branagan was sent off and he produced a number of fine saves.

The most famous game between these two sides came in the 1995 Play Off Final at Wembley Stadium which ended in a 4-3 Bolton victory. Reading where 2-0 up thanks to goals from Adrian Williams and Lee Nogan but a penalty save from Keith Branagan changed the game in the Wanderers favour. Owen Coyle, Mixu Paatelainen and a double from Fabian De Freitas sent Bolton into the Premiership for the first time ever.

Ex-West Ham and Manchester City forward Trevor Morley netted a hat trick for Reading when these two sides last met in February 1997. Morley later emigrated to Norway where he still resides.