Reading v Port Vale preview – can Valiants pick up some valuable away points?
It was a much better second-half display last Saturday so hopes are high that a repeat of the same could pay dividends in Berkshire. Here’s our preview…
PREAMBLE
- Opposition: Reading
- Competition: League One
- Venue: Select Car Leasing stadium
- Date: 13th January, 3pm
It was an entertaining draw at Vale Park the previous weekend but the Valiants will surely want to have more of a return for their dominant second-half display. Fans will be hopeful to see more of that performance in the final forty five minutes and not see Vale’s standards slip. This one appears to be an important game against a side below the Vale and one where they will be hopeful of potentially picking up some away points.
TEAM NEWS
Line-Up
Vale have strengthened their squad with the addition of loan signing Jenson Weir. He looks to be a replacement for Ben Garrity but Weir may have to be content with a place on the bench on Saturday. It’s possible Vale will only make the one change to their side. Jesse Debrah was forced off early so it means either Alex Iacovitti or Kofi Balmer are likely to start at the back.
Injuries
Top scorer Garrity now looks to have joined the long-term list which also includes James Plant, Dan Jones and Mitch Clark.
OPPONENTS
- League position: 21st
- Form: L-W-D-D-W
- Top-scorer: Knibs/Smith (6 each)
- Manager: Ruben Seles
Season so far
It’s been a tough introduction to League One football for financially challenged Reading. They had an awful start which hasn’t been helped by point deductions for financial mis-management.
Finance woes
We’ve probably all heard the news about missed payments and point deductions at Reading. Having been there too, (on two occasions) we offer our support to SBWD (Sell before we Dai) a group looking to force a change of ownership at the club. We’ve had similar protests at Vale over the years and as fellow football fans we feel we should always back other supporters whose clubs are in trouble – more details on the Reading campaign here
Last game
Leaving aside the Football League Trophy, Reading’s last League game was a 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Exeter City.
Man in charge
Ruben Seles had a brief spell in charge of Southampton before being appointed Reading boss in the summer. He’s been in charge for 34 games with a 35% win ratio.
THREE TO WATCH
Sam Smith – linked by the rumour mill with a possible Vale move in the summer, the 25 year-old opted for a switch to Reading instead. He missed the earlier encounter between the two sides through injury but has been impressive since his return with six goals in 13 League appearances.
Tom McIntyre – the 25 year-old boyhood Reading fan has made over a hundred appearances for the club. He has recovered from injury to be in contention for a return to the side for this game.
Harvey Knibbs – like Smith, Knibbs is a former Cambridge United player who joined in the summer. The powerful 24 year-old has already scored six goals for the side including four in his last ten appearances.
ARCHIVE
Taken from our YouTube channel, where you can find hundreds of vintage Port Vale clips, are the highlights of a 3-1 Port Vale win from back in 1991.
CONNECTIONS
Current
Striker Uche Ikpeazu started his professional career at Reading but moved on without making a first-team appearance. In the home squad is defender John Clarke, signed from Vale’s youth ranks and who has made a handful of first-team appearances.
Former
Other players over the years to appear for both sides include strapping central defender Bob Hazell, winger Alex Smith, forward Tony Rougier and defender Andre Bikey.
HISTORY
- Port Vale wins: 24
- Draws: 14
- Port Vale losses: 25
Matches
One a fairly regular fixture, this season’s early game was the first meeting in twenty odd years. It ended in a 1-0 win for the Valiants. The clubs first met in 1926 when it ended in an honourable 1-1 draw. Vale’s first win came two fixtures later when they on 3-0 at home in 1927. Record scorer Wilf Kirkham was on the target during that fixture.
Brief history
Reading were formed in 1871. They did not join the Football League until 1920 but recent success meant the club did reach the top-flight in 2006. Reading won the 1987–88 Full Members’ Cup and were one of only two Second Division clubs to lift the trophy. They played at Elm Park for 102 years until they moved to the Madejski Stadium in 1998.
Image: copy from a 1950 Port Vale home programme for a game versus Reading
PREDICT THE SCORE
AND FINALLY
Discuss
Our dedicated match thread on the forum is the place to go to debate the match before, during and after the action. View the thoughts of fellow fans and add your comments…
Quiz time
- When were Reading formed?
- Who is their current manager?
- What was the score the last time we met?
Quiz Answers (no cheating)
- 1871
- Ruben Seles
- Port Vale 1-0 Reading