Football Season Guide

Reading may have made the FA Cup semi-finals last term but it will not go down as their most successful season. They flirted with the drop due to their inconsistencies on the field. Old boss Nigel Adkins followed by the new one Steve Clarke have brought through youngsters and that may be the way they continue to go although the Royals have made changes in the transfer market. Goalkeepers Jonathan Bond and Ali Al Habsi have arrived to replaced Adam Federici and Mikkel Andersen while Orlando Sa is a useful signing up-front. Losing captain and defender Alex Pearce is a big blow for Clarke and Reading seem short at the back. It could be a tough season for the club and Clarke will be desperate for the new players to gel together quickly and further youngsters to develop to provide some sort of optimism for the future.