MATCHWATCH : Northampton Town (h)

[Sutekh]

When : Tuesday October 21, 2025, 8pm
Where : SCL Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL
Capacity : 24,161

After the disappointing weekend comes the quick chance to rectify things somewhat with a visit from Northampton Town.

This is starting to get serious for us all, but particularly it must be a highly pressurised time for Noel Hunt who no longer has the "idiot owner" dialogue to distract things and somewhat help pull things together on and off the pitch. Was it his fault that despite playing really well Paddy Lane still ouldn't find a cows arse with his banjo? Was it his fault the Cardiff keeper actually had a bit of a class display? Was it his fault the rub of the green just wasn't wanting to play ball with the Reading team? Of course it wasn't but the trouble is the cumulative performances beforehand are making for a very precarious position and I really can't see him surviving if we get FC Charity turning up to aid Northampton (and/or Doncaster later) back up the M1 with 3 points.

So this week is probably going to define Noel's managerial career. Northampton first then Doncaster on Saturday, both at home and both games where Reading would be expected by many fans to at least win if not turn on a bit of the form seen in the first half at Cardiff last Saturday. Think there are a number of fans now who'd say failure to win either or both of these next two fixtures should spell the end of Noel's reign and with the added recent investment you can see pressure increasing on RC if things don't turn around (or some remedial action is seen to be taken) quickly.

By their standards the Cobblers have been setting their world aflame this season and have returned what Reading could only dream of with 17 points from 12 games and a more than comfortable 11th place in the table currently. Northampton won their last game (2-1 at Doncaster) giving them a record of 5 wins from the last 8 league games. They've beaten Bolton at home and won at Leyton Orient so there is certainly plenty about them to catch out the unprepared and disorganised. It maybe that Northampton are on their way to a special season as it seems the appointment of Kevin Nolan as boss has picked things up and made them a bit of a handful rather than the inconsistent shambles that they were last season.

Sam Hoskins it still with the club and still producing the goods being the club's leading scorer yet again this season with 4 strikes (and broke though the Cobbler's 100 club goal barrier at Doncaster too) though possibly the issue will be the ex-Reading connection with both Nesta Guinness-Walker and Tyrese Fornah likely to be anxious to do well and prove a point which we could all well do without.

Pereira (rib (a muscle has been pulled away from his ribs)), Garcia (groin), Williams (hamstring) and Fraser (sports hernia) will all remain sidelined (Williams and Garcia are nearest a return while I suspect Fraser could miss a fair chunk of the rest of the season).


Referee

Abigail Byrne

Previously

11 Feb 25 > Reading 1-1 Shrewsbury Town

Historically

This is the 47th season shared with the Cobblers with league games going back to 1921. Since then Reading have won 32 and drawn 10 home games. Reading have won just 2 of the last 5 league home games though.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel to the Mad Stad
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Red button/NOW app
4. Ring/text a mate for updates
5. Use a RoyalTV subscription
6. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I'm expecting us to be back to a pretty turgid performance.

They will have watched us at Cardiff and there is no way we will be given the space to play that we were allowed yesterday.

Think we'll get a draw, but nothing better.

[Hound]

Prob have to swap out Doyle - probably for Elliott or maybe Kelvin

Otherwise doubt we’ll change much and will start the same team

As seems to be the general opinion, lose and Hunts position close to untenable and will prob get the axe

[yuomi]

Would be great to carry the Cardiff performance (defensive brainfarts aside) into this match and go at them from the get go, but wouldn't be surprised if we revert to our ponderous, sloppy, low-energy selves. Love to be wrong, mind. Would give Ryan a go at LB and bring Elliott in for Doyle. Otherwise keep it the same and have Paddy Lane spend the next 48hrs on shooting practice.

[Ark Royal]

Think this will be the crunch game for Hunt. Lose or draw and he's gone.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think anyone telling themselves its lose or gone for Hunt is going to be disappointed, assuming we lose, and I think we'll win.

I can't see Couhig sacking him until the earliest after Doncaster, maybe Stevenage. And that's assuming we don’t win any of them.

[The Cap]

Think this will be the crunch game for Hunt. Lose or draw and he's gone.

Imagine we had the Notts Forest owner, Noel would have been well back on the golf course by now whilst, in the meantime, it would seem that Couhig can see the improvement taking place, regardless of our league position. Results haven't quite gone our way so far, however this season is most definitely about consolidation and anything more is a bonus. Also interesting to see the Hunt In, Hunt Out, Relegation polls on here and the different opinions.....something that we're all entitled to, of course, within mods' stipulations.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Think this will be the crunch game for Hunt. Lose or draw and he's gone.

Imagine we had the Notts Forest owner, Noel would have been well back on the golf course by now whilst, in the meantime, it would seem that Couhig can see the improvement taking place, regardless of our league position. Results haven't quite gone our way so far, however this season is most definitely about consolidation and anything more is a bonus. Also interesting to see the Hunt In, Hunt Out, Relegation polls on here and the different opinions.....something that we're all entitled to, of course, within mods' stipulations.

Consolidation is fine, we are third bottom and the sides around us are picking up results.

[morganb]

After the exertions against Cardiff the lads will be tired and likely carrying a few knocks so given the quick turnaround in matches and lack of rest we'll be fortunate to get a draw

[tidus_mi2]

After the exertions against Cardiff the lads will be tired and likely carrying a few knocks so given the quick turnaround in matches and lack of rest we'll be fortunate to get a draw

Northampton have had the same turnaround and had further to travel

[morganb]

After the exertions against Cardiff the lads will be tired and likely carrying a few knocks so given the quick turnaround in matches and lack of rest we'll be fortunate to get a draw

Northampton have had the same turnaround and had further to travel

I nearly put that on my earlier post but as I was trying to pre-empt Hunt's excuses I thought he'd probably not mention that either!

[leon]

I think anyone telling themselves its lose or gone for Hunt is going to be disappointed, assuming we lose, and I think we'll win.

I can't see Couhig sacking him until the earliest after Doncaster, maybe Stevenage. And that's assuming we don’t win any of them.

The vast majority of people on here just want Hunt and RFC to do well but I think people are starting to get pessimistic about where we're going.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think anyone telling themselves its lose or gone for Hunt is going to be disappointed, assuming we lose, and I think we'll win.

I can't see Couhig sacking him until the earliest after Doncaster, maybe Stevenage. And that's assuming we don’t win any of them.

The vast majority of people on here just want Hunt and RFC to do well but I think people are starting to get pessimistic about where we're going.

I think you can take the first bit for granted, as for the second bit, I'd say that happened within weeks of the season starting.

[leon]

I think anyone telling themselves its lose or gone for Hunt is going to be disappointed, assuming we lose, and I think we'll win.

I can't see Couhig sacking him until the earliest after Doncaster, maybe Stevenage. And that's assuming we don’t win any of them.

The vast majority of people on here just want Hunt and RFC to do well but I think people are starting to get pessimistic about where we're going.

I think you can take the first bit for granted, as for the second bit, I'd say that happened within weeks of the season starting.

We started so poorly that yes it probably did for some people. I know fans who weren't convinced last season. My point is that people aren't gleefully wanting him to fail only to be disappointed if he doesn't.

[Snowflake Royal]

The vast majority of people on here just want Hunt and RFC to do well but I think people are starting to get pessimistic about where we're going.

I think you can take the first bit for granted, as for the second bit, I'd say that happened within weeks of the season starting.

We started so poorly that yes it probably did for some people. I know fans who weren't convinced last season. My point is that people aren't gleefully wanting him to fail only to be disappointed if he doesn't.

Great, thanks. I wasn’t suggesting they were.

[leon]

I think you can take the first bit for granted, as for the second bit, I'd say that happened within weeks of the season starting.

We started so poorly that yes it probably did for some people. I know fans who weren't convinced last season. My point is that people aren't gleefully wanting him to fail only to be disappointed if he doesn't.

Great, thanks. I wasn’t suggesting they were.

right

[RoyalBlue]

I think anyone telling themselves its lose or gone for Hunt is going to be disappointed, assuming we lose, and I think we'll win.

I can't see Couhig sacking him until the earliest after Doncaster, maybe Stevenage. And that's assuming we don’t win any of them.

The vast majority of people on here just want Hunt and RFC to do well but I think people are starting to get pessimistic about where we're going.

Agreed. I think you would've struggled to find any Royals' fan (even C Scott) who didn't want Noel to succeed. However, more and more are now beginning to conclude that he and his management/coaching team sadly haven't got what is needed to succeed at the club and that they should be changed before it's too late and we find ourselves in real trouble.

[Hound]

Yeah as above really

Is it a problem if people were being pessimistic after a couple of weeks? Arguably they’ve been proven right depending on what the expectation was

I guess the lack of goals in preseason (yeah I know that’s not esp relevant) but then the lack of ability to create chances in the early games, along with some of the signings not impressing had that effect

[leon]

I was listening to R5 and they were talking about Rangers fans already saying they have doubts about the new manager because he isnt a name like Gerard (LOL).

Then I switched on West Ham Brentford. And the WHU fans are pissed off like they always are. I lived right among them in East London early 90s and they had ideas above their station even then (and were pissed off).

It got me thinking. Do we really want to be like the terrible cnuts at those 2 clubs? I've always thought at RFC we've always had a *little* bit more class than those absolute morons demanding name managers, mythical perfect football and entitled success.

Maybe we should be showing a bit more loyalty to Hunt give him a few more games than the next 2?

[windermereROYAL]

Lady referee, she was one of the better ones we had last season.