The Academy/Development squads watch thread 2024/25

[JedMaxwell]

I like a non-league loan for youngsters who have mostly grown up in the elite academy system. They will learn lots about the game, mostly how it is further down the pyramid and what's required of them as people instead of players. I wouldn't be surprised if they came back much more mature and well-rounded as a person, with a slightly different perspective on the game as well.

[Crusader Royal]

Harrison Rhone (goalie) has gone to Marlow on loan.

Good move getting our young keepers out on loan, even if it's simply for a month.

He’ll be very busy at Marlow !
Not sure it will do him much good, as a young keeper he’d surely be better playing behind a decent defence. He’s going to be hugely exposed and expected to do a job with very little comparison to being a league level keeper.
It is notoriously difficult for young keepers to get decent loan moves though

[Royals and Racers]

Boyce-Clarke
Ahmed
Beacroft
Senga
Stickland
Holzman
Osho
Borgnis
Omoregie
Wellens
Barough
SUBS
Norcott
George
Okine-Peters
Howard
Source

[morganb]

Peter Scott in charge in the dugout

[Mid Sussex Royal]

That line up suggests we may have a few back tomorrow

[Royals and Racers]

H-T 0-0
0-1 83 mins
F-T 0-1

[Hound]

That line up suggests we may have a few back tomorrow

Yep. Suprised to see Holzman and Ahmed there

[Royals and Racers]

Next up for the U 21’s is a double match week. On Tuesday(21st) we play our final Pl international cup group A match. The match is at the SCL stadium KO7pm. We cannot qualify whereas Valencia can win the group with a win or draw and have already qualified for the QF’s.
On Friday( 24th) we play a Pl Cup match away to Luton KO 7pm. The match is at Clarence park the home of St Albans FC. This is another competition where we cannot qualify out of our group having played 4 and lost 4 !!

[Royals and Racers]

Reading U 18’s have qualified for the QF’s of the U 18’s PL Cup. We won group C after Sunderland lost 3-2 at home today to Blackburn. We and Sunderland finished with identical points and GD but we scored 8 to their 7.

Final 8 teams will be known after Forest v Everton this Saturday 21st.
Teams so far qualified are
Derby
Man Utd
Reading
West Ham
Fulham
Chelsea
Liverpool

Everton the 8th and final quarter finalists.

Draw done
Reading v Everton Tuesday 4th February KO 11am Bearwood training ground.
Rest of draw - All on 4th February at 11am
Chelsea v Liverpool
Derby v Fulham
West Ham v Man Utd

[Royals and Racers]

Norcott
Abrefa
Beacroft
Dorsett
Holzman
Craig
Osho
Wellens
Sackey
Wareham
Barough

SUBS
Rhone
Ahmed
Okine-Peters
Senga
Harrison
Borgnis
Coke-Miles-Smith

[Royals and Racers]

Reading 0 Valencia 1 2 mins
1-1 Wareham 32 mins
H-T 1-1
F-T 1-1

[Royals and Racers]

With the group stages of the PL International Cup being completed over the next few weeks it’s perhaps a good time to see who will progress to the last 8 this season( 2 from each group).
Previously there have been 7 completed competitions and the foreign teams lead the way with 5 wins compared to just 2 for English sides( Man City and Crystal Palace).
This seasons known qualifiers so far are
Group A Nottingham Forest and Valencia
Group B Lyon
Group C
Group D Brighton and Sporting Lisbon

Updated qualifiers
Group A Valencia and Nottingham Forest
Group B Lyon
Group C Nordsjaelland and Fulham
Group D Brighton and Sporting Lisbon

[Crusader Royal]

Thought it was a good game. They were ahead after 90 seconds after a series of defensive cockups by us. They looked like they would destroy us, fast wing play, slick passing but we battled our way back into it and got a deserved equaliser.

Overall we were a bit more rugged than them but we earned the point. Can’t recall either team really having a clear chance other than the goals - so 88 minutes for them without a shot on target .,

[SCIAG]

Thoughts on the first teamers

Abrefa - not at his best. A little exposed early on but we adapted.

Dorsett - would need to see the goal back but relatively untroubled (aside from the hospital pass from Beacroft that played the Valencia player through).

Craig - very good at showing for the ball and confident when he got on it. Not so good at finding useful options, but that seemed to be a system/team mate issue most of the time.

Wareham - put himself about and took his goal well. Holzmann played a couple of “ambitious” passes for him that on another day might have fallen differently. Silly yellow card for wrestling his marker to the ground.

Beyond that, Osho did a good bit of skill to create the goal. Senga didn’t look entirely up to speed when he came on. In general we struggled to get the ball further forward than Craig, which meant the rest of the midfield didn’t get much time on the ball (Barough probably looked brightest, aside from Osho’s one bit of play). The coach was encouraging them to play as a “front five” with Beacroft (the left back) high and wide on the left, Osho on the right, and Barough and Sackey close to Wareham.

Valencia started brightly but became sloppier and scrappier as the game wore on. They felt aggrieved by the refereeing performance and I could sometimes see why.

Shame not to see Kiyan Coke-Miles-Smith get on.

[Royals and Racers]

U 18’s resume after the Christmas break on Saturday(25th) with an away league match at Aston Villa KO 12pm. The match is at Villa’s training ground.

[Royals and Racers]

Next up for the U 21’s is a double match week. On Tuesday(21st) we play our final Pl international cup group A match. The match is at the SCL stadium KO7pm. We cannot qualify whereas Valencia can win the group with a win or draw and have already qualified for the QF’s.
On Friday( 24th) we play a Pl Cup match away to Luton KO 7pm. The
match is at Clarence park the home of St Albans FC. This is another competition where we cannot qualify out of our group having played 4 and lost 4 !!

After Friday’s game the next game for the U 21’s is on Monday (27th) against Stoke at Bearwood KO 7pm- if one is a season ticket holder one can buy a ticket by ringing the ticket office- cost £5 for the privilege of standing on a grass bank !!
Another venue change for the U 2’s is that the game at home to West Ham on Monday
24th February is now at the SCL stadium

[Whore Jackie]

Peter Scott takes over the U21s. Harrison Gilkes takes over the U18s.

Is Harrison son of Michael?

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2025/january/24/scott-gilkes-roles/

[RG30]

Peter Scott takes over the U21s. Harrison Gilkes takes over the U18s.

Is Harrison son of Michael?

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2025/january/24/scott-gilkes-roles/

He is.

[Royals and Racers]

2 mins to kO and i can’t get the Reading team !!!
Boyce-Clarke
Ahmed
Source
Stickland
Beacroft
Borgnis
Barough
Wellens
Sackey
Osho
George
Subs
Norcott
Saint-Louis
Smith
Harrison
Howard

[Royals and Racers]

H-T 0-0
Taylan Harris plays for Luton
2-0 to Luton 51 and 56 mins
2-1 Sackey 62 mins
2-2 90 mins Sackey
F-T 2-2