With another season filed away into the history of Reading Football Club, it is one unlikely to be trawled through often in the future.
But there were times this season that the Royals were a joy to watch- and after a 10-month struggle the club achieved its ultimate aim of Championship survival.
The Reading Chronicle started our End of Season Fan’s Survey and you responded in your hundreds to look back over the course of the 2021/2022 campaign.
READ MORE: Reading FC Fans Survey results part one: Andy Yiadom and Ovie Ejaria star
In today’s half, we focus on the matches- the moments that supporters will look back on for decades to come as deciding goals and tackles earned a valuable point or three.
It will also focus on the management, and the club as a whole as pre-season quickly approaches.
Best Home Match
A controversial one to start with, the most selected answer was actually ‘other’. Mainly due to the incompetence of the man who set up the survey (*cough*). Not included in the options was an incredible 4-4 draw with Swansea City, despite being 4-1 down with less than half hour remaining. With over 40 per cent voting ‘Other’, presumably this omission picks up most of the votes.
The most selected individual match was a crucial 2-1 win over Stoke City, the first home win over the Potters in more than 15 years, to keep the Royals in the survival driving seat. 18 per cent voted for the win over Michael O’Neil’s team, followed by smatterings awarded to Blackburn Rovers and Peterborough United victories.
Best Away Match
A much closer poll, just 13 votes separated the two obvious options. The award goes to the Good Friday win over Sheffield United, with Lucas Joao putting Paul Ince’s side in control early on before conceding an equaliser in the 90th minute as it looked like the win had been thrown away. However, Tom McIntyre had other ideas as he thundered home a stoppage-time winner, his first of a double-goal Easter weekend. Stealing the three points in the Steel City picked up 42 per cent of the votes compared to the second place choice.
Following up close behind was the 2-1 win over Fulham in the September sunshine, with 36 per cent, as the side began an upward march in the Championship. Ovie Ejaria’s only goals of the season threatened to be overturned as the hosts pulled one back toward the end, but Luke Southwood stood strong and ensured Veljko Paunovic made it three matches unbeaten.
Ince in or Ince out?
A bigger question than Brexit over the last few weeks in Berkshire, we now know that former England international Ince will be in charge of the Royals next season regardless of public opinion.
Almost as split as the European referendum, 39 per cent are still undecided on whether the 54-year-old is the best man to take the club forward.
28 per cent are in support of the club’s decision while a reasonable sized proportion are still sceptical. Only time will tell.
Hopes for Next Season
An open question leading to a variation of answers, this coming season is set to be just as challenging as the one we have just faced.
With a wide-range of responses, the most common term was ‘mid-table’ as 10 per cent included the phrase in their answer.
Other prominent answers include ‘avoiding relegation’ and ‘stay in the championship’ as supporters prepare themselves for another year of scrapping toward the bottom of the division.
Ownership Rating
A testing period at the football club, much discussion has cropped up over the course of the season about owner Mr Dai.
Breaching Profit and Sustainability regulations and overall lack of publicity are two issues thrown toward the Chinese property magnate, although the funding he has ploughed into the club cannot go unnoticed.
Being given the option to rate his effectiveness out of five, Mr Dai averaged just 1.8.
Tensions boiled over in February at the 150th anniversary match in which supporters hosted a pre-match protest and invaded the pitch at the end of the 3-2 defeat to Coventry City.
Overall Season Rating
Despite all of the difficulties facing the club, such as points deductions and transfer embargoes to name just two, this campaign has certainly been one to forget for Royals supporters.
A 21st place finish and survival confirmed with just two matches to spare were not the hopes and expectations before a ball had been kicked in August.
This shows in the score, with the campaign rated just a measly 1.6 out of five.
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