For this week’s Reading Nostalgia, we are going back to 16 years ago when one of the greatest sporting days took place in the town.

It was Monday, January 1, 2007, and Reading FC were enjoying its first season in the top-flight of English football.

They went into their game against West Ham United, the runners of the 2006 FA Cup Final, in ninth place, whilst the Hammers were struggling at the foot of the table.

Regardless of both clubs’ positions at the time, nobody would have predicted that afternoon’s outcome.

The match at the Madjeski

Reading were quick of out of the traps and took an early lead through Brynjar Gunnarsson’s first goal of the campaign after just 12 minutes, before Stephen Hunt got the Royals’ second just three minutes later.

This was also his first goal of the season, and just like Gunnarsson’s, it was also his inaugural strike in the Premier League.

Things got even better for Steve Coppell’s men on the half-hour mark, as Anton Ferdinand headed past his own keeper in Rob Green, to make it Reading 3-0 West Ham.

Ferdinand, brother of former Manchester United defender, Rio, would go on to sign for Reading nearly a decade later.

Reading were smelling blood as they showed West Ham no mercy and with nine minutes before the break, they got their fourth through Kevin Doyle.

He hadn’t scored in his previous six games, but the Irishman was on hand to make it a day that no Royals fan was going to forget in a hurry.

When the half-time whistle blew, a loud chorus of cheers from three ends of the Madjeski were met with an echo of hostile boos from the away stand, but this didn’t do anything to change West Ham’s fortunes.

Leroy Lita made it 5-0 just after the break with his third league goal in three games, before Doyle wrapped up the win with 12 minutes left.

FT: Reading 6-0 West Ham United.

Speaking after the match, manager Steve Coppell said: “I knew it was a real test physically and that's why the performance was surprising as it has been so demanding for us recently.

"But once we scored the first goal it was our best spell of football since I've been here.

“They were creative."