The 2006–07 season was Reading Football Club's first season in the Premier League, and their first season in the top flight of English football. Reading also participated in the League Cup, beating Darlington in the second round before losing 4–3 to Liverpool at Anfield. Reading entered the FA Cup at the third round stage, defeating Burnley 3–2 and then Birmingham City by the same score to meet Manchester United in the Fifth Round. After drawing the initial game 1–1 at Old Trafford, Reading lost 2–3 at home in the replay ten days later, conceding the three goals in the first six minutes of the match. They collected 55 points from 38 matches which was good enough for eighth place, making this Reading's best ever league season.

Review and events

August Reading's first ever Premier League game came at home to Middlesbrough. Reading were 2–0 down after 20 minutes after goals from Stewart Downing and Yakubu, but ended up 3−2 winners through goals from Dave Kitson, Steve Sidwell and Leroy Lita. Kitson, however, was injured in a reckless tackle by Chris Riggott, and would not play again until the end of January 2007.

Reading's next game was against Aston Villa. After an early lead through Kevin Doyle, Ibrahima Sonko conceded a penalty and was sent off. Juan Pablo Ángel scored the resulting penalty for Villa, and Gareth Barry scored in the 61st minute to seal a win for Villa. The Royals next played Wigan Athletic, Emile Heskey scoring the only goal in a 1−0 win for Wigan.

September In September, Reading's first game was against Manchester City, live on Sky Sports at home. Ívar Ingimarsson scored the only goal, despite being knocked unconscious before scoring. The first game against a side promoted with Reading was Sheffield United. Kevin Doyle scored after 16 seconds and in the 25th minute, followed by Seol Ki-hyeon scoring a 25-yard goal. Rob Hulse pulled a goal back in the 61st minute, but it was not enough for Sheffield United, who lost 2−1. Reading's first cup game came against Darlington, but Reading needed penalties after an exciting 3−3 draw. Next up were league runners up Manchester United at the Madejski. Reading ensured it was goalless at half-time and went 1−0 up through a Kevin Doyle penalty after Gary Neville handballed. Cristiano Ronaldo, however, scored a 73rd-minute goal to make it 1−1.

October In October, Reading played West Ham at Upton Park where a second-minute goal turned out to be the winner, scored by Seol. Reading–Chelsea hit the headlines as both Chelsea goalkeepers were knocked out in a match where the visitors took a fortuitous 1−0 win. Frank Lampard scored Chelsea's goal which took two deflections before going in. The goal was given as an Ívar Ingimarsson own goal. In the same match 2), Robin van Persie and Alexander Hleb scoring. Shane Long made his first Premier League start in this match. Reading also lost 4−3 to Liverpool in the Carling Cup (Reading were 3−0 down).

November In November, Reading lost 2−0 to Liverpool (which was also the first ever league meeting between the two sides). The goals came from Dirk Kuyt. The Royals then won 3−1 against Tottenham Hotspur. Robbie Keane opened the scoring for Spurs before Nicky Shorey scored a 25-yard goal. Then Steve Sidwell scored a header on the stroke of half-time with Kevin Doyle completing the scoring to make it 3−1. Reading's next match was against Charlton. They won 2−0 with the goals coming from Seol Ki-hyeon and Doyle. They ended the month with a 1−0 win over Fulham with a penalty kick from Doyle, after the striker had been bought down by Ian Pearce.

December In December, Reading Won 1−0 at Bolton, a Kevin Doyle goal won the match. Next was Reading's longest away trip this season when Reading played Newcastle United. Reading lost 3−2, an 84th-minute winner by Emre. Reading played Watford in the worst game of the season, Watford 0−0). Reading and Blackburn Rovers was the next game at the Madjeski. Reading went 1–0 up on half-time, but Rovers scored two goals to make it Reading 1−2 Rovers. Chelsea played Reading next, two months after the teams played in Reading; the match ended 2−2. Reading then played Manchester United: Reading were losing 1−0, but Sonko scored to level the game. United then scored two goals though Cristiano Ronaldo to make it 3−1, although Lita scored a consolation goal to make the final score United 3−2 Reading.

January In January, Reading could not have got a better start. On New Year's Day, Reading put six past West Ham United. On 6 January, Reading were due to play Burnley in the FA Cup but it was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, but Reading beat Burnley on the Tuesday night, a 3−2 win. Reading went to Everton unbeaten in the new year, and the game ended 1−1 in a match attended by Sylvester Stallone as an Everton supporter and guest of the chairman. Reading played Sheffield United at 2−0 Reading came a push-up in the dug out. Warnock and Downs sent off. Reading won 3−1. Reading Played Birmingham in the FA Cup (again). Birmingham had just enjoyed a 5−1 win at Newcastle United but they lost 3−2 to the Royals. Reading beat Wigan by the same score.

February In February, Reading beat Manchester City away and Aston Villa at home. Both ending 2–0. At Old Trafford, Reading drew 1−1 with United in the FA Cup. Boro became the first team to beat Reading in 2007. Boro won 2−1. Reading were 3–0 down in the FA Cup 5th Round Replay against United in 5 minutes 41 seconds, but fought back to lose by only 3−2.

March to May In March, April and May, Reading lost at Arsenal 2−1. Reading were 2−0 down, but drawing 0−0 at half-time, in the 87th minute when Arsenal scored an own goal courtesy of Cesc Fàbregas. Reading got a point at home to Portsmouth drawing 0−0. Reading lost to Spurs 1−0. Spurs scored a consolation penalty on half-time. Liverpool won at Reading 2−1. Liverpool's winner was in the 85th minute by Kuyt. Reading were held to a 0−0 draw at Charlton. Reading won at home to Fulham. They won at Bolton, 3−1, after being 1−0 down in the 85th minute. A midweek win at home to Newcastle United, 1−0, Kitson scored for the Royals. Reading shockingly lost to Watford at home 2−0. On the final day of the season, Reading played Blackburn Rovers away and needing a win to enter the UEFA Cup, Reading drew 3−3.

Squad

No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Contract ends Apps. Goals Goalkeepers 1 Marcus Hahnemann GK Fulham 2002 228 0 21 Graham Stack GK Arsenal 2005 2008 10 0 32 Adam Federici GK Torres 2005 6 0 36 Mikkel Andersen GK AB 2007 2009 0 0 Defenders 2 Graeme Murty DF York City 1998 310 2 3 Nicky Shorey DF Leyton Orient 2001 258 10 5 Ibrahima Sonko DF Brentford 2004 117 5 14 John Halls DF Stoke City 2006 5 1 16 Ívar Ingimarsson DF Wolverhampton Wanderers 2003 172 9 18 Sam Sodje DF Brentford 2006 7 1 22 André Bikey DF Lokomotiv Moscow 2007 2010 21 1 23 Ulises de la Cruz DF Aston Villa 2006 2007 15 1 25 Alan Bennett DF Cork City 2007 0 0 26 Curtis Osano DF Academy 2005 2 0 27 Aaron Brown DF Tamworth 2005 0 0 28 Greg Halford DF Colchester United 2007 3 0 29 Michael Duberry DF Stoke City 2007 2008 8 0 34 Scott Golbourne DF Bristol City 2006 2 0 35 Alex Pearce DF Academy 2006 1 0 47 Péter Máté DF on loan from Debrecen 2006 1 1 Midfielders 4 Steve Sidwell MF Arsenal 2003 187 30 6 Brynjar Gunnarsson MF Watford 2005 61 8 7 Glen Little MF Burnley 2004 112 6 10 Stephen Hunt MF Brentford 2005 84 7 11 John Oster MF Burnley 2005 72 3 15 James Harper MF Arsenal 2001 279 16 17 Bobby Convey MF D.C. United 2004 79 7 19 Seol Ki-hyeon MF Wolverhampton Wanderers 2006 31 4 20 Jonny Hayes MF Academy 2004 0 0 30 Scott Davies MF Academy 2004 0 0 34 James Henry MF Academy 2004 0 0 Forwards 8 Leroy Lita FW Bristol City 2005 70 29 9 Kevin Doyle FW Cork City 2005 85 32 12 Dave Kitson FW Cambridge United 2003 111 50 24 Shane Long FW Cork City 2005 40 6 31 Simon Cox FW Academy 2005 7 0 Out on loan Left during the season 33 Conor Sinnott MF Bray Wanderers 2006 0 0 Curtis Ujah DF Academy 2006 0 0 Pierre-Joseph Dubois FW Academy 2006 0 0

Left club during season

Transfers

In Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 12 July 2006 DF Sam Sodje Brentford £350,000 12 July 2006 MF Seol Ki-hyeon Wolverhampton Wanderers £1,500,000 25 August 2006 DF Ulises de la Cruz Aston Villa Free 26 January 2007 GK Mikkel Andersen AB Undisclosed 30 January 2007 DF Alan Bennett Cork City Undisclosed 30 January 2007 DF Greg Halford Colchester United Undisclosed 31 January 2007 DF Michael Duberry Stoke City Undisclosed 24 April 2007 DF André Bikey Lokomotiv Moscow £1,000,000

Loans in Start date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref. 11 August 2006 DF André Bikey Lokomotiv Moscow End of season 30 August 2006 DF Péter Máté Debrecen End of season

Out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 11 June 2007 DF Greg Halford Sunderland £2,500,000

Released Date Position Nationality Name Joined Date Ref November 2006 MF Conor Sinnott Wexford Youths January 2007 January 2007 FW Pierre-Joseph Dubois Grays Athletic January 2007 DF Curtis Ujah Tamworth 30 June 2007 MF Steve Sidwell Chelsea 1 July 2007 30 June 2007 MF Jonny Hayes Leicester City 4 July 2007

Competitions Overview

Premier League

Results summary

Results by round

Results

League table

FA Cup

Football League Cup

Statistics

Appearances and goals

|colspan="14"|Players who left Reading during the season:

Goal scorers PlacePositionNationNumberNamePremier LeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal1 FW8 Leroy Lita743142 FW19Kevin Doyle1300133 MF4 Steve Sidwell4004MF10Stephen Hunt4004MF19Seol Ki-hyeon4004DF 6 Brynjar Gunnarsson3104FW 12Dave Kitson2204FW 24Shane Long2114 Own goal400410 MF15James Harper300311 DF16Ívar Ingimarsson200212 DF23Ulises de la Cruz1001MF11John Oster1001DF5 Ibrahima Sonko1001DF3 Nicky Shorey1001DF22André Bikey0101DF18Sam Sodje0101DF47Péter Máté0011TOTALS5296 67

Clean sheets PlacePositionNationNumberNamePremier LeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal1 GK1 Marcus Hahnemann130013TOTALS130013

Disciplinary record Number Nation Position Name Premier League FA Cup League Cup Total1 GKMarcus Hahnemann100000102 DFGraeme Murty200000203 DFNicky Shorey200000204 MFSteve Sidwell200000205 DFIbrahima Sonko310000316 MFBrynjar Gunnarsson100000107 MFGlen Little100010108 FWLeroy Lita1000001010MFStephen Hunt4000004011MFJohn Oster1000001012FWDave Kitson3010004015MFJames Harper3010004016DFÍvar Ingimarsson4000004018DFSam Sodje3000003019MFSeol Ki-hyeon3010004022DFAndré Bikey2140107123DFUlises de la Cruz0010001024FWShane Long2000002029DFMichael Duberry1000001032GKAdam Federici00100010Players away on loan:Players who left Reading during the season: Total3929020512

Awards

Premier League Manager of the Month MONTH Name Award September Steve Coppell November Steve Coppell

PFA Young Player of the Year Position Name Award FW Kevin Doyle

Barclays Golden Glove Award Name Clean sheets Award Marcus Hahnemann 13 Third

References