Royals hope for Premiership 'feel good factor'
Published 11 May 2011 17:30
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THE final push to bring the Premier League "feel good factor" to Reading begins on Friday when Royals meet Cardiff City at the Madejski Stadium.
Around 4,000 tickets were still available for members today ahead of the semi-final first leg, which kicks-off at 7.45pm, with more than 19,500 home fans snapping up seats. There were also 400 of the 2,000 tickets left for Tuesday's return match in Wales.
Reading are hoping to return to the top flight after three Championship seasons and the players, manager and chairman are in no doubt of the boost it would give the town.
Manager Brian McDermott said: "We have been there before and it gave us so much in and around the place [Reading], a real good feel good factor. We've got a great rapport with the fans, you saw that after the Derby game. But we've got two big, big games to go now and we're trying bring ourselves to Wembley."
Goalkeeper Adam Federici, part of Reading's previous Premier League venture, added: "I've had a taste for it and know exactly what it means to the town. It creates such a buzz around the place. You want to be playing in the Premiership, you want to be playing against the best players in the world. The motivation is there."
If victorious, Reading will face Swansea City or Nottingham Forest, who meet tomorrow (Thursday) and Monday, in a showcase Wembley final on Monday, May 30.
Club chairman, Sir John Madejski, this week made a passionate plea for supporters to sing their hearts out and help propel the club back to the big time.
Sir John said: "Fans make a huge difference. If they are united, they can help to make this happen, by jove they can. The message is 'your club needs you', let's give it the final big push. We're all striving to get to the promised land of the Premier League so let's get right behind them."
Royals winger, Jobi McAnuff, added: "Fans can play a massive part. It's a big plus when fans are making a lot of noise, it really gets us going. The nosier the better from our point of view. It's up to us to give them something to shout about. Hopefully we can do that and they can be as noisy as they can."
McAnuff, who has been hearing from team mates about how the club's last stint in the top flight brought an atmosphere of excitement to the town, said the players are not fazed by supporters' expectations.
He said: "It's part of being at a club that's trying to go somewhere, it's just part of being at Reading Football Club and trying to achieve things.
"It's something you take as a given really and I'd much rather have that pressure than fighting against regulation or just trying to stay in the league. The whole squad and the club really want to go places and that drives us on."
For more on Reading's Premier League play-off push, see tomorrow's (Thursday) Chronicle.
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 11 May 11
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