Published: Wednesday, 17th June, 2009 10:00am

Royals open with Forest in tricky first month

Comments (1) | Print | Email

READING will host Nottingham Forest at the Madejski Stadium in their opening fixture of the 2009/10 Championship season on Saturday, August 2.

And to complete a mouthwatering month they also face trips to relegated Premiership giants Newcastle United on Saturday, August 15 and to Swansea City the following Tuesday.

Brendan Rodgers" side then host old rivals Sheffield United in a Mad Stad humdinger on Saturday, August 22.

September begins with an international break followed by two home games against Doncaster Rovers and Cardiff City.

Then on Saturday, September 19 they travel to newly-promoted Peterborough United whose manager Darren Ferguson was heavily linked with the manager"s position at Reading when Steve Coppell quit.

But it was Rodgers who got the job and a week later he faces his former club Watford in an emotional home encounter.

October starts with two massive tests of Royals" promotion credentials with a home game against Middlesbrough on Saturday, October 3 followed by a trip to West Bromwich Albion two weeks later, with an international break in between.

Royals fans then face a short trip to QPR on Tuesday, October 20 with Leicester City at home and Coventry City away completing a tough month.

Another international break means there are just three games in November. Two are at home against Roy Keane"s Ipswich Town and Blackpool while the other is away at Derby.

A packed December will see Royals travel to Bristol City on Saturday, December 19 with Swansea due to visit the Mad Stad on Boxing Day.

There is no game on New Year"s Day with the FA Cup third round scheduled for the weekend of Saturday, January 2.

Royals return to Championship action with another blockbuster of a home game against Newcastle United, with 3,000 of the Toon Army expected to descend on Berkshire.

Trips to Forest and Sheffield United and a home clash with Barnsley complete the month.

February is another congested period containing six games that include stand-out home games against Derby on Saturday, February 13 and Sheffield Wednesday two weeks later.

And another six-game month follows in March including three tasty home fixtures.

Royals host Bristol City on Saturday, 13 followed by QPR a few days later.

Then there are two massive away games in the space of there days with a long trip to Middlesbrough"s Riverside on Saturday, March 20 followed by Leicester City on a Tuesday night.

April includes an away fixture at Cardiff City"s new 30,000-seater stadium on Saturday 10, while Rodgers could face a hostile reception when he takes his Reading side back to Watford on the 24th of the month.

The Championship season ends on May 2 with a home game against Preston North End.