THE GROUND
Madjeski Stadium
Junction 11
M4
Reading
Berkshire
RG2 0FL
The Madjeski Stadium opened in 1998 and Reading left their home at Elm Park, where they had played for more than 100 years, to move in.
The site, on the south side of the town, close to the M4, was identified when Reading needed an all-seater stadium.
The ground, which is also used by London Irish Rugby Football Club, has a capacity of 24,161 in a fully enclosed bowl.
Visiting supporters are given a section of the South Stand and the usual allocation is 2,327 seats.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 36 miles from Griffin Park to the Madjeski Stadium by road.
It is one of the simpler journeys for drivers as the stadium is next to junction 11 of the M4.
Drivers should follow signs to the stadium, which is virtually impossible to miss.
The majority of parking spaces at the stadium are reserved for permit holders and drivers are advised to park off-site, although there is a family parking area for those with children under eight-years-old.
Parking is available nearby and in the town centre, which is more than three miles away but has buses to and from the stadium.
The nearest station is Reading, which is in the town centre.
To get to the stadium would involve a bus or taxi.
Reading station is served by South West Trains from London Waterloo, Clapham Junction, Reading and Twickenham and by First Great Western services from London Paddington and Ealing Broadway.
The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE FIXTURES
Brentford welcome Reading to Griffin Park on Saturday October 4.
The Bees then travel to the Madjeski Stadium on Saturday April 25 for their final away match.
THE RECENT HISTORY
Reading have been up and down between The Championship and the Premier League over the past decade and will expect to challenge again for promotion.
They were a perennial lower league team – seven seasons in the second tier between Football League entry in 1920 and promotion from the third tier in 1994 – before the investment of Sir John Madjeski.
He took over as Chairman in 1990 and Reading were promoted in 1994, nearly making the top tier the following year, losing in the Play-Off Final after finishing second and missing out on promotion due to divisional reorganisation.
They were relegated in 1998 but got back up four years later, beating Brentford to promotion from League Two on the final day of the season.
After three top ten finishes, and one Play-Off loss, Reading won promotion to the top flight in 2006.
They came down two years later but pushed again.
After two Play-Off losses they won The Championship for the second time in six years in 2011/12 to get up again.
This time they came straight back down, struggling for the majority of the season and losing ten of their last 13 games.
The Royals came close to getting back up at the first time of asking last season.
They spent most of the season in and around the Play-Off spots and went in to the final day of the season sixth in the table.
They could, however, only draw with Burnley in their last match and finished seventh, missing out on the Play-Offs by a point.
THE MANAGER
Nigel Adkins has been Reading boss since March 2013.
He took over when Brian McDermott left in an attempt to keep Reading in the Premier League, a task he could not manage.
He was tasked with getting them back up and came close to doing so last season.
Adkins played as a goalkeeper for Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Athletic and was player boss at Bangor City before he turned 30.
After retirement he trained as a physiotherapist and was promoted from the treatment room to the dugout at Scunthorpe United in November 2006.
He won promotion in his first season in charge and then took The Iron back up in 2009 after they were immediately relegated.
He kept Scunthorpe up in 2010 before leaving for Southampton, and won back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League between 2010 and 2012.
Adkins was sacked by Southampton in January 2013 with The Saints comfortably placed in the top flight and he took over at Reading a few months later.
THE TOP SCORER
Adam le Fondre scored 15 goals for Reading last season, scoring all of them in The Championship.
It was, however, his last season at Reading as he signed for Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee in May.
Le Fondre spent three years at Reading, scoring a total of 41 goals in 110 games, 12 of them in 34 Premier League matches.
The 27-year-old started out at Stockport County and played for Rochdale and Rotherham United before joining Reading.
Pavel Pogrebnyak also reached double figures for Reading last season, netting 13 goals, all of them in The Championship.
THE KEY MEN
Reading have lost a large amount of Championship experience over the summer, as well as top scorer le Fondre.
Mikele Leigertwood, who missed much of last season injured, Jobi McAnuff, who made 35 Championship appearances, and Kaspars Gorkšs, who played 25 games, have all departed,
Former England international Wayne Bridge was also released at the end of the season.
The Royals will need to add goals to their squad as apart from Pogrebnyak no-one else in the squad scored more than five in The Championship.
Gareth McLeary got five from midfield in 42 games while Hal Robson-Kanu and Danny Guthrie scored four from midfield.
Former Sheffield United front man Nick Blackman scored four in 30 games, many as a substitute.
The Royals can call on goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who has a recent England call-up to his credit, while Welsh international Chris Gunter and Republic of Ireland centre half Alex Pearce missed only three games between them in defence last term.
American international Danny Williams played 30 games in midfield while England Under-21 international winger Jordan Obita played 34.
Hope Akpan, who played 29 games, Royston Drenthe, who played 23, and Turkey Under-21 international Jem Karacan are also options in midfield.
Reading have signed American forward Andrija Novakovich this summer but may still be looking to add to their squad ahead of the new season.
THE FIRST MEETING
October 18 1901, Southern League Division One – Reading 2 Brentford 0
Brentford line-up: Spicer; Regan, Robson; McEleny, McElhaney, Stormont; McSwan, McLeod, Turnbull, Shanks, Andrews
Newly promoted Brentford continue to struggle in Southern League Division One, losing to a Reading team that score a goal in each half.
THE LAST MEETING
April 20 2002, Nationwide League Division Two – Brentford 1 Reading 1
Brentford line-up: Smith; Dobson, Powell, Ingimarsson, Anderson; Rowlands, Sidwell, Evans, Hunt (sub Williams); Owusu, Burgess
Subs (not used): Gottskálksson, Boxall, O’Connor, Theobald
Brentford goal scorer: Rowlands
Jamie Cureton’s late goal gave Reading the point they needed to pip Brentford to automatic promotion.
THE MEMORABLE DAY
October 27 2001, Nationwide League Division One – Reading 1 Brentford 2
Brentford line-up: Gottskálksson; Price, Powell, Ingimarsson, Anderson; Sidwell, Mahon, Evans, Hunt; Owusu, Burgess
Subs (not used): P. Smith, Hutchinson, Williams, J. Smith, McCammon
Brentford goal scorers: Ingimarsson, Price
Jason Price scored the winner as Brentford came from behind to beat Reading in a top-of-the-table clash.
THE ODDS
Sky Bet is offering 18/1 on Reading winning The Championship in 2014/15.
Those who back The Royals can get ¼ of the odds if they finish in the top three.
Every bet you make with Sky Bet benefits Brentford FC – click here to see the Championship market.