The Wild Lower West: Happy New Year

Dixey is back to recap the festive period and look back on 2024.

It’s been a while since I last wrote, so I would like to start this week by wishing everyone a happy New Year. Let’s hope that 2025 brings the longest takeover saga in football to a close, and we as Reading supporters can start to look forward to a future as a well-run football club again.

I think it’s fair to say that Santa did quite a good job over the festive period, delivering a maximum nine points from our three games over Christmas, followed by a very respectable point away at Charlton Athletic, who themselves went into the game on the back of an unbeaten run.

While Santa delivered the points required, respectable owners with an ounce of honesty and integrity were out of stock, and a night with Michelle Keegan was (like a Sainsbury’s online shop) substituted with a product of a similar name. Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to spending time with Kevin reminiscing about his time with Liverpool and Hamburg, but it’s not quite what I had in mind!

So, onto 2025 and the hope that we may finally be free from the worst owners in the history of football ownership. Once again, we are subject to the rumour mill regarding the takeover, and once again we see other clubs complete successful changes of ownership, while we are still (apparently) in yet another extended period of exclusivity.

Harry Potter has apparently cast a spell and made the club accounts disappear, and we now face another anxious few weeks awaiting the news that players have been sold for a tenth of their actual value. My only hope is that, if there are potential new owners waiting in the wings, they would already have some influence over the assets they are purchasing - and would want to keep hold of players who are a major part of our current form.

That said, it is inevitable we will lose players such as Tyler Bindon, who is surely destined for bigger and better things, and if we are honest with ourselves, is not going to be given any incentive to stay at the club while The Chuckle Brothers are still in control.

Recent history shows the January transfer window is not the flurry of activity it once was, with many clubs looking for back-up options rather than first-team regulars, so maybe any clubs interested in Bindon will wait until the end of the season when his contract expires, which I have to say I have mixed views about financially.

While losing Bindon in this window would be a huge blow, I am of the belief that he isn’t the worst asset to lose (at the right price), as we do have other centre-back options. My biggest fear in this window is losing Joel Pereira, who continues to keep us in games on a weekly basis, and (in my opinion) has won us more points this season than any other player.

You must wonder how we spent so long persisting with other goalkeeping options while Pereira was sat on the bench watching others make mistakes week after week. If he were to depart in this window, it leaves us not only a huge void as a vital part of a successful side, but also with unthinkable back-up options to replace him.

Once again against Charlton, Pereira made several vital saves when we were under pressure, and his ability to command his area gives those around him confidence that he is not about to do anything that may cost us the game.

As always, the away support against Charlton was first-class, and the numbers that turned out on a cold, grey and miserable afternoon in London deserve a huge amount of praise.

Praise however is not something that I could level at our chosen pre-match pub, The Anchor & Hope on the banks of the River Thames in Woolwich. Upon entering shortly after 12, we were informed that there was no Moretti, no Madri and no real ale, and our only choice of draught lager was Carling, which is a bit like telling a child that they can’t have any of the sweets on show but can have a stick of celery instead. If you have ever had the misfortune to drink Carling, you will know exactly what I mean.

Worse was to come though when we asked whether we could watch the early Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United game on TV, only to be informed by the guy behind the bar that he didn’t know where the remote control was, so couldn’t switch the TV on.

Eventually Moretti and Madri did arrive, (courtesy of the most ferocious landlady I have ever seen in my life), which saved me from regular trips to the (not particularly clean) toilets as the Carling quickly worked its way through my system. Had I not known better, I may have been forgiven for thinking that such a drinking establishment was owned and run by a certain clueless Chinese businessman, who had become bored with his project and let the place rot, while refusing to invest in its future.

Despite the criticism, I have to say thanks to the said ferocious landlady, who did let me take away a rather nice plastic Madri cup to add to my growing collection.

2024 awards

As 2024 closes, I wanted to share my mid-season awards, based purely on my own opinion, and as always open to debate and discussion:

Player of the season

Joel Pereira: Responsible for many match-winning saves, and his ability to command his area is better than any other goalkeeper in recent seasons. Without him, I honestly believe we would be at least half a dozen points worse off this season.

Also, a mention for Harvey Knibbs, who was very close to being my first choice.

Young player of the season

Tyler Bindon: Absolutely oozes class with and without the ball and makes the game look so easy. Far too good to be playing in League One, so let’s hope that next season he will be playing in the Championship with Reading. I will seriously miss Bindon if he goes, but certainly won’t miss hearing “Tyler Bindon, he hates the Swindon” every week.

Most improved player

Charlie Savage: Took a lot of criticism early in the season (from me included) as he seemed to drift in and out of games, and never really stood out as a player that was difficult to drop.

He now looks like a player hungry to be involved, he works his socks off and influences the play as much as those around him. Savage has also chipped in with some important goals, which, like Lewis Wing, do not involve tap-ins.

Goal of the season

Lewis Wing: Versus Crawley Town, no competition!

Unsung hero

Michael Craig: Thrown in at right-back (as a natural midfielder) and has made the position his own. Always a 7/10 or 8/10 each week, who shows maturity when going forward and has improved positional awareness when defending. Craig keeps everything simple and has become Mr Reliable (before injury obviously).

Breakthrough player

Andre Garcia: I still can’t believe that a player of Garcia’s age (17) can show such poise and control with a ball at his feet. He’s a better player going forward, although there are signs that he is quickly learning the defensive side of the game, which only adds to his ever-increasing value.

This weekend we take a break from league action and welcome Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup. Any game against Burnley is a difficult one, however I can’t help feeling that a prolonged cup run is not top of Scott Parker’s wish list for 2025, especially with his team currently occupying one of the automatic promotion places in the Championship.

I don’t see there being a lot between the two teams, so I’m going for a 1-1 draw with Reading winning on penalties, before being drawn away to Spurs in round four.

Enjoy the game!

Much love and c’mon URZZZ!

Dixey