JAAP Stam is calling on Reading FC fans to provide the crucial backing his players will need in tonight's Championship home clash with Aston Villa (8pm ko).

Steve Bruce's appointment by Villa has created a buzz around the club and supporters have snapped up their entire 4,000 ticket allocation in the Madejski Stadium's south stand.

And Stam knows that silencing Villa's big away following will be one of the key battles on the night.

The 44-year-old Dutchman said: “It’s always nice to play in front of a lot of fans.

“It’s still not a sell out and it would be nice too if it was a sell out on Tuesday especially against a team like Villa.

“They will bring a lot of their own fans, so we will need the support of the home fans.

“They do it well every game and hopefully they can back us again on Tuesday to help us give it our best shot at winning the game.”

Royals will be hoping to protect their unbeaten home record this season when Stam goes up against fellow ex-Manchester United defender Bruce.

Bruce was named as Roberto Di Matteo's successor last week and secured a 1-1 draw against Wolves on Saturday in his first game in charge.

His side tonight is likely to include Aaron Tshibola following the young midfielder's £5m move from Reading to the Midlands in the summer.

But Bruce's preparations could receive a late blow if the FA take action against the influential Jack Grealish for an alleged stamp on Wolves' Conor Coady at the weekend.

It is a problem Bruce could do without as he looks to end Villa's horrendous run of no away wins for 436 days, stretching back to the opening day of last Premier League season.

Yet despite Villa's poor start to the season – they are 20th compared to Reading in eighth – Stam knows they cannot be underestimated.

“Every game that we play we try to win, if we play a side like Villa on the Tuesday it’s not going to be easy,” he warned.

“They’ve spent a lot of money and invested a lot of money in players and trying to build a team that has a chance of promotion to the Premier League.
“It won’t be easy for them either. They’ve got a new manager and they’ll want a result.

“They want to make it difficult for us, but we want to win our home games and play our style of football even against a good team like Villa.”

Stam is likely to stick with the majority of the side that drew 1-1 at QPR at Saturday with Joey van den Berg set to fill in for injured skipper Paul McShane at centre-back again.

Yakou Meite has returned to training but is still regaining his fitness, while Deniss Rakels and Jake Cooper remain sidelined for the Royals, who have suffered just one defeat in their last 11 fixtures.

Reading's Thai owners have announced a minute's silence will be observed before kick off tonight in memory of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, who passed away on Thursday.

Stam and his players will also wear black armbands as a mark of respect, as they did at Loftus Road on Saturday.