[themaclad]

LAST TIME OUT



FORM GUIDE

READING 5 PNE 11

Paul Ince

Swindon Town (player-coach)
Ince signed a one-year contract with Swindon Town as a player/coach on 31 August 2006. Swindon beat the likes of Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion for his signature. A key factor in the transfer was Ince's long standing friendship with Town manager Dennis Wise, who had played alongside him in the England team during the 1990s.[53] He made his first start for Swindon in his second game, the 2–1 victory over MK Dons on 12 September, winning a penalty.[54] Having played one more game, he ended his contract by mutual consent on 6 October, citing long travel times from his home in Chester. He said he would remain for his coaching badges.[55]

Macclesfield Town
On 23 October 2006, Ince was confirmed as the new player-manager of Macclesfield Town in succession to Brian Horton. However, he was ineligible to play for the Silkmen until January when the transfer window opened, as Swindon Town still held his registration.[56] He joined Macclesfield with the club bottom of League Two, seven points off their nearest rivals. He then revived confidence and after a 3–0 win against Chester they managed to climb off the bottom of the table. They subsequently avoided relegation, albeit on the last day of the season. On 4 January 2007 Ince was named as League Two Manager of the Month for December. Ince retired as a player while at Macclesfield, where he only made one league appearance, as an 85th-minute substitute for Alan Navarro in a 1–1 home draw with Notts County on 5 May that saved the team from relegation.[57][58]

Milton Keynes Dons (2007–08)
Ince was unveiled as the new Milton Keynes Dons manager along with his assistant Ray Mathias and fitness coach Duncan Russell on 25 June 2007.[59] The Dons reached the top of their Division in September 2007[60] and other clubs began to take a serious interest. In October and November 2007, he denied rumours that he was being linked with managerless Premier League teams Wigan Athletic,[61] Derby County[62] and Championship team Norwich City.[63]

Ince was named as League Two Manager of the Month in October and December 2007, and again in April 2008.[64][65][66]

Ince's first silverware as manager came in the Football League Trophy final at Wembley on 30 March 2008, with MK Dons defeating Grimsby Town 2–0.[67] He then secured the Dons' return to League One on 19 April after they beat Stockport County 3–2.[68] A week later, the Dons became League Two champions after they beat Bradford City 2–1.[69]

Blackburn Rovers
In the close-season it was speculated that Ince had been contacted by Blackburn Rovers in their search to appoint a new manager, something that Ince himself denied.[70] However, the BBC reported that Ince would be named as Blackburn manager by the end of the week of 19 June.[71] He was appointed on 22 June and became the first black British manager in England's top division.[4] On the first day of the 2008–09 FA Premier League season, Blackburn won 3–2 against Everton at Goodison Park on 16 August.[72] Ince's 2008 summer signings included England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson, Danny Simpson (Loan), Vince Grella, Carlos Villanueva (Loan), Robbie Fowler, Mark Bunn and Keith Andrews, spending over £10 million on Robinson, Grella and Andrews.[73]

After winning just three games in 17, Ince was sacked on 16 December 2008 after just six months in charge.[74] He had been with Blackburn only 177 days, one of the shortest reigns of a Premier League manager.[75] Blackburn fans had been demanding his removal following a 5–3 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford in the League Cup on 3 December. At the game, the crowd could be heard chanting "You don't know what you're doing" and "We want Incey out" as well as singing the name of their former manager Graeme Souness.[76]

Milton Keynes Dons (2009–10)
On 3 July 2009, Ince signed again for Milton Keynes Dons on a two-year deal.[77][78] During Ince's second spell the Dons were less successful, finishing in 13th place in League One. On 16 April 2010, he announced that he would leave the job a year early, at the end of the 2009–10 season.[79]

Notts County
Ince returned to management on 28 October 2010, signing a three-year deal with Notts County.[80] On 3 April 2011 he left the club by mutual consent after a run of five successive defeats left them in 19th, two points above the relegation zone.[81]

Blackpool
On 18 February 2013, Blackpool appointed Ince as manager on a one-year rolling contract. He had been watching the team, for which his son Tom played, in person for over a year.[82] Ince took charge of his first match as Blackpool manager on 20 February 2013, a 2–0 defeat against Leeds United at Elland Road.[83] He earned his first win on 9 March 2013, a 2–1 victory against Watford at Vicarage Road.[84]

Under Ince, Blackpool made their best-ever start to a league season. Their victory at AFC Bournemouth on 14 September 2013 gave them 16 points out of a possible 18, with five wins and a draw in their first six games.[85] Following the game at Bournemouth, Ince was given a five-match stadium ban by The Football Association for his conduct towards a match official in the tunnel after the game. The FA concluded that his behaviour had constituted violent conduct. He was also fined £4,000.[86] Ince left Blackpool on 21 January 2014, after less than a year in charge, becoming their fourth-shortest-serving manager in their history (40 league games). Under his management, Blackpool won 12 out of 42 games and had not won since 30 November 2013.[87]

Reading
On 19 February 2022, Ince and Michael Gilkes were announced as interim managers of Championship side Reading.[88] On his debut three days later, the team won 2–1 at home to Birmingham City.[89] Despite losing 3–0 to Hull City on 23 April, Ince guided Reading to safety with two games left to play, ensuring Championship football for the club in the 2022–23 season.[90] In May 2022, Ince was given the manager’s job on a permanent basis along with assistant Alex Rae who was also given a permanent role.[91]

Reading landmark

Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors and successors." In its heyday the abbey was one of Europe's largest royal monasteries. The traditions of the Abbey are continued today by the neighbouring St James's Church, which is partly built using stones of the Abbey ruins.[1][2]

Reading Abbey was the focus of a major £3 million project called "Reading Abbey Revealed" which conserved the ruins and Abbey Gateway and resulted in them being re-opened to the public on 16 June 2018. Alongside the conservation, new interpretation of the Reading Abbey Quarter was installed, including a new gallery at Reading Museum, and an extensive activity programme.[3][4]

Abbey Ward of Reading Borough Council takes its name from Reading Abbey, which lies within its boundaries. Now HM Prison Reading is on the site.

In The Dressing Room

Ben Whiteman will miss the next two games prior to the international break due to a small tear in his thigh which forced him off in the first half on Tuesday night.

Patrick Bauer stepped up his return to fitness during the week, playing 45 minutes in the Central League, and he'll continue training with the first team this week.

Troy Parrott remains sidelined but is making good progress as he is now using just the one brace as he continues to nurse his hamstring injury.

A Look At Our Hosts


Having finished just above the Championship drop zone last season, things started much better for the Royals this term, winning seven of their opening 11 league games.

It’s been just one win in the seven games since, though, and Paul Ince will be looking for his side to use their home advantage on Friday night, as they have done so often this season.

The Royals are one of the division’s top performers on home turf – taking 19 points from nine games in Berkshire – compared to their return of just seven from nine away from home.

Going Head To Head


Games played: 65
PNE wins: 25
Draws: 13
Reading wins: 27
Last PNE victory: Reading 0-3 PNE, 4th November 2020

One To Watch


After what has no doubt been a frustrating few years for Tom Ince, in which he hasn’t managed to play as many minutes as he’d have liked, things seem to have fallen into place for the attacking midfielder at Reading.

Having spent the second half of last season on loan in Berkshire, he signed a three-year contract with the club this summer, and his dad Paul – Reading manager – appears to have got him back to his best.

Ince has been used in several different areas at the top end of the pitch this season and currently sits as the Royals’ top scorer with four goals to his name, as well as three assists.

Match Officials


David Webb will be the man in the middle for Friday’s fixture.

Webb last took charge of a PNE game in April earlier this year, when North End came out 3-1 winners away to Barnsley, while he also refereed the Lilywhites’ 1-0 victory over Blackpool at Deepdale.

So far this season, Webb has taken charge of 15 fixtures, showing 43 yellow cards and four reds – with all of those sendings off coming in a recent 3-3 draw between Sheffield United and Blackpool.

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/

Newbies

https://www.sportsbabble.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=11483

MACS VIEW

The hectic schedule continues with a Friiday night game against a Reading side who lost a bit of form in recent weeks, still be tough opponents though at a venue where we are occasionally successful although not when I've ever been, lost everytime
No Whiteman plnty of time to get him fit seeing the break for the Qatar Bribery Cup starts week after next, will settle for a point which would round off a decent week. It's on the box and from the armchair I will be watching

[themaclad]

[themaclad]

0-0 at half time pobably looked the more likely although that's not saying much, the usual borng the opposition to death in away games, Brady on half time with a shot on target, Potts unlucky with bounce of ball. One shot from them add into the mix Lee Hendrie's summarising and you have a great night's sleep coming up

[themaclad]

Deserved win two cracking goals by Lugs Evans, they were woeful got a dubious penalty to equallise three points takes us fifth

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xxxx sake ched evans scoring two goals against us tonight has got to be my lowest point as a reading fan. Even lower than being on top of the pops when Jimmy saville was a presenter!
#readingfc #prestonfc #EFL
#championship #football???

[themaclad]

Reading boss Paul Ince told BBC Radio Berkshire:

"[We were] lethargic, knackered, tired. There was not much between the two teams, it was a dour game, boring to be honest. Half-time it was 0-0 and I thought one goal was going to win it.

"I told the players 'it's our last game at home for four weeks, we're losing balls unopposed in the middle of the park with sloppy passing', our decision making was horrendous. That wasn't the team we saw on Tuesday.

"Are they tired? Of course they're tired, they've had three games in six days and it's the same players being asked to do that. Is that an excuse? Yes, it can be."

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"It was fantastic. I think the lads were fantastic in everything they did. The first half, I thought we gave the ball away but we addressed that at half-time and the lads were on the same page and knew they'd have to keep the ball better.

"I'm pleased for Ched Evans, it's been a while but two have come along. I thought his performance on Tuesday and today was fantastic.

"He's a solid pro and I'm pleased for him getting those goals. As a former striker, when you haven't scored for a while it's a burden on you."

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READING 1 Joao pen PRESTON NORTH END 2 Evans 2

Reading line-up: Lumley; Yiadom, Holmes, McIntyre; Hoilett, Loum (Fornah, 59), Hendrick, Rahman; Ince, Meite (Long, 59); Carroll (Joao, 59), Subs not used: Bouzanis, Ejaria, Guinness-Walker, Mbengue.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Ledson, Browne (McCann, 81), Johnson (Woodburn, 64), Brady; Riis (Maguire, 74), Evans. Subs not used: Cornell, Fernández, Cunningham, Diaby.

Attendance: TBC.

Referee: Mr D Webb.

A double from Ched Evans secured a third successive victory for PNE in the Championship as they left Reading with a 2-1 win.

The Welsh striker opened the scoring for his side in the 51st minute as he headed a Brady cross into the far corner, but substitute Joao equalised for the hosts 20 minutes later from the spot.

Evans got his second of the evening with just more than ten minutes left on the clock to seal three points for North End, firing across goal and into the far corner.



Ryan Lowe made two changes from the midweek victory over Swansea City, with Ryan Ledson and Daniel Johnson coming into the starting XI.

It was a relatively quiet opening to the game as far as chances were concerned, with Yakou Meite’s header wide from 18 yards and a wild Andy Carroll volley – which went over the bar – about all the action in either box in the opening half hour.

PNE could have found themselves ahead in the 31st minute, though, when Robbie Brady sent a fantastic cross to his opposite wing back Brad Potts, who couldn’t quite make the necessary contact at the far post from just outside the six-yard box.

Brady then came close himself with the final touch of the first half, doing well to beat his man and cut inside onto his right foot, before sending a powerful effort towards the near post, but Lumley was there to parry wide.

The goalkeeper then did well to deny Riis from close range five minutes into the second period, after the Dane had capitalised on a short header back to the goalkeeper by Tom McIntyre.

He was beaten a minute later, though, as Evans rose highest to flick on Brady’s brilliant cross from the right and he found the far corner to open the scoring.

Reading found their equaliser on 71 minutes from the penalty spot after Brady was adjudged to have fouled Andy Yiadom in the area, and Joao slammed past Woodman from the spot.

North End were quick to do something about that, though, as Evans doubled his tally for the evening and the season on 79 minutes, firing low across goal and into the far corner.

From that point, PNE managed the game well to secure a third consecutive victory and in doing so they moved into the Championship Play-Off places.

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We got suckered into Preston's appalling tactics. Preston are the most boring team I've seen us play in a very long time and have no idea how they're 5th. Continuous time wasting, strutting back after scoring both goals and their goalkeepers antics as bad as Lumley. They scored from our mistakes and didn't really create anything and although they are a stubborn side, they are limited.

So limited we are 5th