Just like two weeks ago, we have decided to look back at the successes of Reading FC’s incredible 2006/07 Premier League season, as this Friday marks the anniversary of a very special game.
September 23 will mark the 16th anniversary of when the Royals took on Manchester United at the Madjeski Stadium for the inaugural league match between the two sides.
The clubs had met on 10 previous occasions but they were all played in the FA Cup, with the most recent fixture at the time taking place a decade earlier in 1996.
Then, both Reading and Manchester United were world’s apart but in 2006, they were battling in the same league for the first time ever.
In all, 24,098 attended the match that day (BBC)
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Played in front of the live television cameras as it was the day’s dinnertime kick-off, 24,098 people packed the Mad Stad for what was the club’s highest attended home game of the season at the time (albeit it was only fourth home match of the campaign in all competitions).
The game saw United, who had finished as the runners-up in the previous season, start the better as Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo both went close with their attempts.
The Reading team that day (BBC)
For Reading, their best chance of the game fell to Leroy Lita, but he could only fire his shot wide of the goal.
Reading were managed by Steve Coppell at the time, who during his playing days, played over 300 times for Man United during an eight-year spell between 1975 and 1983.
How Man United lined up (BBC)
And although he left the Old Trafford side just three years before the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson took over, getting a victory over the Premier League’s most successful team would be haven a sweet moment for Coppell.
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Wayne Rooney nearly gave United the lead (BBC)
This nearly occurred because just three minutes into the second period, Reading were awarded a penalty after Gary Neville was just to have handballed a cross in the box.
A spot-kick was given and this gave then 23-year-old, Kevin Doyle, who grew up supporting the Red Devils during his childhood back in the Republic of Ireland, a chance to give the Royals an incredible lead over the then two-time European championships.
Cristiano Ronaldo also nearly gave United the lead when it was 0-0 (BBC)
He duly converted his kick and the Madjeski went crazy.
It was his second goal of the season and his season in consecutive weeks.
The handball by Gary Neville that led to the penalty (BBC)
He had scored a week earlier at Sheffield United after just 16 seconds of the match kicking off, making it one of the Premier League's quickest-ever goals.
Kevin Doyle thanked a higher power after his goal against his boyhood club (BBC)
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Steve Coppell was the manager of Reading at the time (BBC)
Reading tried to hold one for the win but with 17 minutes remaining, Ronaldo scored a brilliant solo strike to rescue United a point.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored United's goal in the final 20 minutes (BBC)
It was Reading’s first-ever draw in the top flight as they would go onto finish eighth that year.
Manchester United on the other hand, would finish as champions for the first-time in four seasons.
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