With the regular season done and dusted for the summer, attention now turns to international action as the women look toward European Championship glory and the men have three Nations League fixtures.

We look at the last time each of the 23 men’s first team players faced up against Reading, with just five having never come across the Royals in their careers.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Jordan Pickford- Preston North End 1-0 Reading, December 12, 2015
It has been seven years since the England number one has come up against Reading, keeping a clean sheet as a Joe Garner penalty separated the two sides in a wintery Championship fixture.

Nick Pope- Reading 1-0 Charlton Athletic, October 17, 2015
In the same season as Pickford’s last Royal involvement, Nick Blackman scored a late winner to breach the Addicks defence and move Reading into second spot in the second tier. It was not to last though, finishing the campaign in 17th.

Aaron Ramsdale- N/A

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Trent Alexander-Arnold- Reading U23 1-5 Liverpool U23, March 6, 2017
Never having played Reading in a first team fixture, the Reds’ full-back played the 90 minutes in an emphatic win at Adams Park against Martin Kuhl’s men. Joseph Mendes notched for the Royals while a Rhian Brewster brace and goals from Joe Gomez, Ben Woodburn and Nat Phillips made it a comfortable day for the losing Champions League finalists.

Conor Coady- Wolves 3-0 Reading, March 13, 2018
Another Melwood academy graduate, the Wolves skipper and his team were cruising toward the title the last time he came up against Reading, comfortably dispatching Jaap Stam’s side by three goals.

Marc Guehi- Reading 2-2 Swansea, April 25, 2021
Meeting as recently as last season, a late leveller against Steve Cooper’s Swans still wasn’t enough to ensure a play-off spot for Veljko Paunovic’s team as they fell away to finish seventh. Guehi, along with then-Royals star Michael Olise, are now more than holding their own in the Premier League with Crystal Palace.

Reece James- Reading 3-2 Wigan, March 9, 2019
A game etched in folklore, two late strikes from Mo Barrow and Yakou Meite stole the three points from Paul Cook’s Latics. James, a loanee from Chelsea, was proving a revelation in holding midfield at the DW Stadium- the only time he has spent away from Stamford Bridge.

James Justin- N/A

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Harry Maguire- Reading 1-2 Hull, April 19, 2016
Current Manchester United captain Maguire was not involved when the Red Devils knocked Reading out of the FA Cup in 2020 so his last battle was over five years ago with the Tigers. A late Andy Robertson goal was enough to turn the game on its head and earn Steve Bruce’s men a win on route to play-off glory against Sheffield Wednesday.

John Stones- Reading 1-2 Everton, September 22, 2015
From the same season as Pope and Maguire, Stones arrived as the Toffees looked to avoid a cup upset in the Capital One Cup. Falling behind to in-form Blackman, Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu strikes ensured extra-time was not needed as Steve Clarke’s side valiantly bowed out of the League Cup.

Fikayo Tomori- Reading 3-4 Chelsea, July 28, 2019
Playing for Derby County in the Championship the year before, the AC Milan defender’s most recent tussle with Reading came in a pre-season friendly under Jose Gomes. Over 22,000 at the Madejski Stadium witnessed a goal fest as the Blues nicked the win ahead of what was to be an eventful season.

Kieran Trippier- Reading 2-2 Burnley, May 3, 2014
Scoring an own goal in the most recent meeting between the right-back and the Royals, it was the infamous game in which Garath McCleary scored his stunning volley and the supporters invaded the pitch as a late Brighton strike saw Nigel Adkins’ team drop into seventh and miss out on the play-offs.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Kyle Walker- Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Reading, January 1, 2013
The only player who’s last meeting with the club was in the Premier League, Pavel Pogbrebnyak’s early finish was overturned by Michael Dawson, Emmanuel Adebayor and Clint Dempsey to start 2013 as miserably as 2012 had ended.

Ben White- Leeds 1-0 Reading, February 22, 2020
One of the final trips before the Covid-19 lockdown, Mark Bowen’s side battled hard by Pablo Hernandez’s strike was enough for the win on route to Premier League promotion at Elland Road.

Jude Bellingham- Birmingham 1-3 Reading, March 7, 2020
The final game with full crowds in for over 12 months, Scott Hogan gave the Blues an early lead but headers from Matt Miazga and Meite were rounded off with a late Pele strike to ensure the Royals would go into lockdown off the back of a win.

Conor Gallagher- Reading 1-4 Swansea, July 22, 2020
On the last day of the season, in front of no crowds due to Covid-19, the odds-on Cooper’s side reaching the play-offs were slim to none. A hammering at home, twinned with a Nottingham Forest defeat, made dreams a reality for the Welsh club as they overtook the East-Midlands outfit to sneak into the top six.

Mason Mount- Reading 3-4 Chelsea, July 28, 2019
Similar to Tomori, Mount played- and scored- against the club on loan with the Rams the season before but most recently netted in the high-scoring friendly at the Madejski Stadium.

Kalvin Phillips- Leeds 1-0 Reading, February 22, 2020
As with White, Leeds academy graduate Phillips has now racked up more than 200 appearances for his boyhood club and 19 caps for the Three Lions.

Declan Rice- N/A

James Ward-Prowse- N/A

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Jarrod Bowen- Reading 0-3 West Ham, July 21, 2021
His first call-up for the national team, Bowen played at the newly named Select Car Leasing Stadium in the last pre-season, with David Moyes’ side comfortably dispatching Paunovic’s Reading.

Tammy Abraham- Reading 3-4 Chelsea, July 28, 2019
Completing the Blues friendly hattrick, the Roma forward was a regular opponent of the Royals on loan with Bristol City and Aston Villa. Now regularly finding the net in Italy, the 24-year-old has scored three in 10 for England.

Phil Foden- N/A

Jack Grealish- Aston Villa 1-1 Reading, August 25, 2018
Captaining his boyhood club, Grealish was streets ahead of his competitors in the second tier. A late Sam Baldock penalty was enough to salvage a point at Villa Park on this occasion, with the Villains earning promotion come May.

 

Reading Chronicle:

 

Harry Kane- Millwall 1-2 Reading, March 2, 2012
The longest of the lost, you have to go back over a decade for when the England skipper last faced Reading. On loan with the Lions, Brian McDermott’s side came from behind to snatch the points at the Den as Jobi McAnuff and Co. marched on to Championship glory.

Bukayo Saka- N/A

Raheem Sterling- Liverpool 1-0 Reading, October 20, 2012
Approaching a decade too, the winger scored his first professional goal in this Reds win at Anfield- becoming the second youngest Premier League scorer for the club behind Michael Owen.