PREVIEW
Steve Harris
@steveharris84
MATCH DETAILS
Match details: Reading Under-21s vs Torquay United
Venue: BCD
Date: Saturday 8th July 2022
Kick-off: 3pm
READING U21S FACTFILE
Nickname: The Royals
Notable honours:
The Football Combination:
Winners: 2003-04, 2008-09
Premier Reserve League:
Winners: 2006-07
Under-21 Premier League Cup
Winners: 2013-14
MANAGER – NOEL HUNT
As a player, Noel Hunt started out in his native Ireland with Shamrock Rovers, and was also loaned out to his hometown club Waterford United, before moving on to Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee United in Scotland.
He joined Reading in 2008 when they paid Dundee United £600,000 for his services. After scoring on his debut for the Royals in the EFL Cup against Dagenham & Redbridge, he established himself as a first team regular at Madjeski Stadium and was part of the Reading side who won the Championship title in the 2011-12 season under Brian McDermott.
Hunt was released by the Royals in 2013, but he soon linked up with McDermott again at Leeds United. Subsequent moves to Ipswich Town, Southend United and Wigan Athletic before he returned to Waterford – where he finished his playing career – to take up a player-assistant manager role.
On returning to England he had a spell as interim manager of Swindon Town in 2020 before he was appointed as manager of Reading’s Under-21 side in 2022.
He was also capped by the Republic of Ireland three times.
PLAYER TO WATCH – JAHMARI CLARKE
Jamaica Under-20 striker Jahmari Clarke made his debut for the Royals in the EFL Cup against Swansea City in the 2021-22 season and then went on to make a further 12 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice.
He spent last season on loan at Woking and Forest Green Rovers in the National League and League One respectively.
CLARKE STATS
Position: Striker
Date of Birth: 2nd October 2003 (19)
Birthplace: Unknown
Height: 1.91m
League Stats 22-23: Appearances 6, Goals 2, Yellow/Red Cards 1/0
TUFC SUMMER TRANSFER BUSINESS
In: Kevin Dawson (Gloucester City), Jack Stobbs (Oldham Athletic), Bradley Ash (Weymouth), Lewis Collins (Newport County)
Out: Frank Nouble (Yeovil Town), Ali Omar (Larne), Olaf Koszela and Alex Moyse (Dorchester Town), Jack Winsor (Bideford), Lewis Brooks, Ben Wyatt, Jacob Mensah
LAST MEETING
11th August 2010: Torquay United 0 Reading 1 – Carling Cup 1st Round
Striker Grzegorz Rasiak grabbed a winner in stoppage time of extra time to send Reading through to the second round of the Carling Cup at Plainmoor.
Rasiak claimed the final touch in a goalmouth scramble after Brian Howard’s free-kick.
United striker Elliot Benyon came close in the second half of extra time as his angled shot beat Royals keeper Ben Hamer but hit the inside of the post.
Howard went close in normal time, Scott Bevan saving well from two free-kicks.
XI: Bevan, Robertson, Branston, Ellis, Nicholson, Mansell, Wroe, Stevens (Lathrope), Zebroski, Benyon, Kee (O’Kane)
Subs Not Used: Charnock, Macklin, Rowe-Turner, Potter
COYY – STEVE
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