What a distinction a 12 months makes. This time final season, Reading Women sat backside of the league with no factors from six league matches and a purpose distinction of -21.
Strike up ‘The Great Escape’ theme music from the Arbour Park Barmy Army Band (metaphorically: there isn’t any band, but). By the tip of the season, supervisor Pedro Bruno – along with assistant coach Shelley Strange – had not solely stored the staff afloat but in addition caught to the sport plan and labored a miracle to someway keep away from the relegation locations, ending 10 factors above the drop zone.
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The first half of 2025 did nonetheless proceed to supply some additional soul-searching, character-building and resilience checks for the younger Reading staff (and followers) to cross. Filed underneath ‘learning curves’, there have been some heavy defeats alongside the best way.
“The double act of Bruno and Strange hatched an escape plan which Harry Houdini would have been proud of”
There was the 8-0 defeat at Winchester City Flyers – poor timing for the primary day of filming by the college college students for what was to grow to be an award-winning documentary on Reading Women’s journey. A 6-1 loss at Wycombe Wanderers adopted, in entrance of a crowd of 567 at Adams Park, earlier than a 10-0 battering at the hands of Oxford City, in entrance of one other 300+ attendance.
With the spoiler alert already given, the clouds lifted, the solar shone and the double act of Bruno and Strange hatched an escape plan which Harry Houdini would have been happy with. Home and away victories over Badshot Lea and Selsey, along with a feisty 3-3 draw in opposition to ‘local’ rivals Woodley United, meant the Royals completed on 13 factors.
Fast-forward 12 months and, because it stands right now, the present Royals staff have once more amassed 13 factors however this time from simply seven league matches. What’s modified? Pretty a lot all the pieces, with one other rebuild and one other large step in the suitable course in the course of the summer time.
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July introduced the arrival of a brand new full-time place for first-team supervisor (and participant growth lead) on the Community Trust, with Bruno and Strange bowing out with their heads held excessive.
The announcement of the brand new head coach didn’t take lengthy, with former Maidenhead United Women’s supervisor Ed Jackson-Norris unveiled in early July. Max Scott accomplished the teaching duo as assistant supervisor, persevering with their working partnership.
In distinction to the last-minute preparations for the 2024/25 season (when a staff needed to be thrown collectively in simply a few weeks), the early appointment of the brand new administration duo for 2025/26 left loads of time for Jackson-Norris to not solely organise a player-trials choice course of, but in addition prepare a sequence of pre-season friendlies: a welcome luxurious – or return to some normality.
With the brand new set-up got here new curiosity. Young gamers who had as soon as performed for (however subsequently left) the under-21s or pathway sides returned.
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After Jackson-Norris’ time and success at Maidenhead United, it in all probability wasn’t a shock to most individuals {that a} mischief of Magpies additionally selected to make the quick flight throughout Berkshire, swapping the black and white for blue and white hoops: together with new membership captain Mia Parker.
Saying that, it did seem like a shock to the brand new Maidenhead United supervisor. The red-headed, ex-Royals Premier League participant took such umbrage that he selected to actual some mischievousness of his personal by cancelling the organized pre-season pleasant in opposition to Reading mere hours earlier than kick-off. Just weird.
Player trials have been so successful that tough choices needed to be made, with solely 5 gamers remaining a part of the brand new squad, together with the followers’ participant of the 2024/25 season, Lucy Bolitho.
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The teaching staff appears to be like extra balanced too, with Ryan Robinson (goalkeeper coach), Katie Sayer (power and conditioning/evaluation) and Aimee Comley (sports activities therapist) all a part of the set-up. They’re alongside the evergreen and irreplaceable ‘2024/25 volunteer of the season’ Angy King, offering her pastoral (and a lot extra) help.
A vivid future on the pitch…
If the primary half of the 12 months was about survival, the second half is certainly ‘work in progress’, with the outcomes to date promising a end to the 2025/26 season to sit up for.
Reading begin this calendar 12 months sixth within the league and nicely positioned to maintain the stress on the highest groups. The Royals are simply 9 factors behind leaders Wycombe Wanderers and 5 off Winchester City Flyers (Reading’s first opponents of 2026, at Arbour Park) however with a sport in hand over each groups (and a return match nonetheless to be performed).
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The first half of 2025/26 has been one in every of constructing momentum, with some nice wins, some ‘nearly results’ and studying curves (the place the scoreline didn’t replicate the efficiency). There’s additionally been one ‘away walkover’ outcome (with Woodley United unable to area a staff again in October) and, in a becoming Christmas Carol theme, a glimpse of promise what’s – or might be – to come back.
We’ve witnessed some large cup victories in opposition to groups in tiers under (5-0 at Manorcroft United within the FA Cup, 11-1 against Kidlington Youth within the League Cup), which, once more, solely underlines the large leap in progress from early 2025.
In the FA Cup the Royals have been knocked out within the final of the qualifying rounds. Unlucky to have been drawn in opposition to a high-flying Brentford facet (nonetheless sitting prime of their regional league), Reading lost 2-1 in what was a good and carefully fought match.
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Reading are unable to assert a scalp in opposition to a staff from a better tier, with the one alternative arising within the Berks & Bucks Cup with a night draw away to Ascot United in late October. A resilient efficiency, along with a ‘worldie’ save from Reading ‘keeper Lilly Hadrava, wasn’t sufficient for the Royals, narrowly losing 1-0 to final season’s Southern League champions.
Although the Royals are nonetheless in two cup competitions – the League Cup (away to Larkspur Rovers, scheduled for February 8) and the Combined Counties competitors (with a call nonetheless to be remodeled whether or not Windsor & Eton can fulfil the fixture) – it’s the prospect of the remaining league fixtures which holds essentially the most pleasure.
Although solely the champions are assured promotion, there’s an additional incentive this season with the addition of two extra groups (the 2 highest-ranking, points-per-match, second-placed groups) to be promoted, from throughout the eight fifth-tier regional leagues. This one-off alternative has arisen because of the restructuring of the pyramid and the vacancies created by the growth of the top-flight WSL.
With solely two league defeats, and the chance to redress each of these within the return legs, Reading are nicely positioned for an thrilling finish to the season and an opportunity to push for a type of prime two positions – with 9 of the remaining 15 league matches to be performed at Arbour Park.
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…however considerations stay behind the scenes
If the longer term appears to be like vivid on the pitch, it seems to be a distinct story away from the Sunday matchday performances, with ongoing and future funding an space that can must be addressed, each within the quick and the (a lot) long term.
There’s little doubt that the brand new possession, with Rob Couhig on the helm, has eliminated any nervousness, uncertainty and worry over the way forward for Reading Football Club as an entire. It’s additionally truthful to say it’s the precise reverse for the ladies’s staff, with an unsure future forward after the announcement that funding from the membership is being withdrawn over the subsequent 12 months or two.
Since the staff was demoted from the Championship (now the WSL2) to tier 5, the continuing stewardship and monetary backstop sit throughout the management of the Community Trust: a charity, with funding from sources together with the Premier League charitable fund, EFL grants and donations.
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The Trust facilitates schooling, coaching and help for grassroots soccer – alongside many different charitable actions for deprived teams and people in the neighborhood.
During the October open-house Q&A session with Couhig on the SCL Stadium, the brand new proprietor made his place clear relating to the place he believes the Women’s staff sit (‘within the Community Trust’), his plans (a brand new proprietor is ideally required) and ongoing funding (which is to stop on the finish of subsequent season).
Couhig expanded to clarify that, throughout his preliminary try to purchase the membership some 18 months in the past, they “had a plan to bring in somebody [new] who could assist the women and keep them where they are” (which, on the time, would have been within the Championship).
When he lastly secured the takeover, the Women’s staff was already underneath the stewardship of the Community Trust with ongoing funding showing to be a shock to him:
“The club, unbeknown to me, had agreed to a sponsorship of the Women’s team, using my money. We agreed, day one, that we would continue that sponsorship this year and, I think, next.”
My understanding is that, though there’s some cash persevering with from the membership in 2026/27, it will likely be at a a lot decreased stage and nowhere close to sufficient to help the continuing prices required to run the staff. On the seek for a brand new proprietor:
“Ultimately, it’s what has to happen for [Reading Women] and we’re prepared to do this… and when the right person (or persons) comes along we will allow them to use the right trademarks* and build a club… but right now, we can’t [turn our attention to this].”
*At a value, is my understanding.
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If I learn the temper music accurately, I’m guessing that taking part in a match on the SCL Stadium is off the desk too. The house match in opposition to Wycombe Wanderers looks like a missed alternative to boost consciousness and curiosity, the place I’m certain the variety of followers by the turnstile may have been within the a whole bunch (just like – or in extra of – the latest under-21s and under-18s matches performed).
The Community Trust have been energetic of their seek for further funding this season from native companies or people, together with sponsorship for match days, particular person gamers and/or employees. That’s all made just a bit bit tougher when a staff from Reading performs their house matches in one other city – at Slough Town’s Arbour Park. GK Services have stepped as much as sponsor the participant of the match awards and a few followers have kindly sponsored particular person gamers too.
SCL are nonetheless the shirt sponsors, though, because the staff photograph suggests, there’s nearly sufficient house package, whereas the facet are nonetheless taking part in in final season’s teal third strip. That seems to be a prudent resolution, coupled with the truth that this season’s beer-coloured second package and bulb-green third strip don’t have another choice to white shorts.
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Whether any new house owners will wish to be an integral a part of the present set-up (and pay for the emblems) or take a extra controversial method and type a breakaway Reading staff (just like London City Lionesses, as an excessive instance), solely time will inform.
Unless followers have a little bit black ebook of rich enterprise house owners trying to purchase or fund a soccer membership, there’s not loads they will do besides proceed to show up, help the staff and wave the Reading flag, excessive and infrequently, to boost consciousness of the untapped potential and alternatives abound.
However, followers also can look again and bear in mind some terrific moments over the past 12 months, together with the long-awaited however first-ever tier-five league victory, over Selsey in mid January. It was a weight off everybody’s shoulders, the beginning of an upward trajectory, and simply reward for the continuing efforts of the staff and training employees.
A spotlight of mine from this season was the 0-0 draw away to Wycombe Wanderers in December – Reading changing into the primary facet to not solely take some extent off the league leaders, but in addition the primary staff to not concede a purpose in opposition to the Chairgirls in all competitions. They have been additionally very unfortunate to not seize a winner.
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And, after all, we are able to all look ahead within the second half of the season to promotion ambitions, cup prospects and hotter climate to come back. It all begins with the go to of Winchester City Flyers to Arbour Park on Sunday January 11, 2pm kick-off.
See you there.