Brentford vs Reading
Tuesday 27 September Griffin Park Sky Bet Championship Kick-off: 7.45pm
The Opponents
Unfancied by many before the start of the season, after lower table finishes the last two years, The Royals have been one of the surprise packages this campaign under new manager Jaap Stam. After an inconsistent opening six games in league and cup which saw two wins, two draws, and two losses, Reading have won five of their last six to go into tonight's fixture sitting fourth in the Sky Bet Championship just three points off top spot. Progress has also been made in the EFL Cup with last week's win at Brighton and Hove Albion setting up a Fourth Round tie at The Emirates against Arsenal.
Stam was quick to make his mark on arrival with nine players joining and six departing. Among the new faces at The Madejski Stadium were Joey van den Berg [Heerenveen], Roy Beerens [Hertha Berlin], Yakou Meite [PSG], Callum Harriott [Charlton Athletic], Liam Moore [Leicester City], and former Bees loanee John Swift [Chelsea]. The most high profile departures over the summer were Aaron Tshibola [Aston Villa] and Oliver Norwood [Brighton and Hove Albion] while Rowan Liburd [Stevenage], Simon Cox [Southend United], Pierce Sweeney [Exeter City], and Anton Ferdinand [Southend United] also headed out permanently.
The Manager
Former Manchester United defender Stam was announced as Reading boss in the summer replacing the outgoing Brian McDermott. Stam was renowned as one of the best defenders in the world during his playing days which included spells with PSV Eindhoven, AC Milan, Lazio, and Ajax. At United, Stam won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, and the UEFA Champions League to add to nine other domestic honours picked up over the course of his career. He was voted into the PFA Team of the Year three times and won the UEFA Club Best Defender of the Year prize twice. He earned 67 international caps for Holland and finished fourth in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
The 44-year-old moved into coaching in 2011 at his first club PEC Zwolle, helping them to promotion from the Eerste Divisie, before becoming an assistant at Ajax in 2013.
The Match Officials
Referee: Oliver Langford Assistant Referees: Steven Meredith and Daniel Robathan Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone
Ticket news
Tickets for tonight's match will be on General Sale right up until kick-off for tonight's match online. They will also be available in person from the Braemar Road Ticket Office until 6pm.
Travel News
Directions on how to get to Griffin Park and matchday parking arrangements can be found here.
Match Betting
Principal partners 888sport offer the latest odds on tonight's meeting. Bees 13/10 Reading 11/5 Draw 23/10 Join Club Sponsors 888sport today and get enhanced odds of 7/1 on a Brentford victory tonight!
Match Coverage
You can hear live match commentary on Bees Player from 7.15pm tonight, with Mark Burridge and Richard Lee.
There will be live match updates on Twitter from 6.45pm.