The European Championship’s 33-man Pre-Euro 2024 training team has been revealed by Gareth Southgate.
Adam Wharton, Jude Bellingham, and Conor Gallagher are among the athletes competing in the Germany event, which is set to begin in less than a month. These players were competitors in the Championship as recently as 2020.
How recently, though, did they play Reading?
Preston North End’s Jordan Pickford, Saturday, December 12, 2015
Since the Royals were unable to score past him in goal for the Lilywhites seven years ago, the England number one has not played at Reading. After Steve Clarke was fired, Martin Kuhl took temporary command, and Joe Garner’s goal proved to be the difference.
Aaron Ramsdale: Not available
Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson, Saturday, February 16, 2019
When Henderson last played for the Blades against Reading, they easily won 4-0 at Bramall Lane to earn promotion to the Premier League. Henderson is a Manchester United loanee.
James Trafford: Not available
Defendants
N/A for Jarrad Branthwaite
Brighton and Hove Albion’s Lewis Dunk, Saturday, February 25, 2017
The centre back, who was born and raised in Brighton, led his team to promotion from the Premier League in 2016–17 as runners-up, ahead of Reading in third. The Seagulls easily won 3-0 at the AMEX live on Sky, with Dunk playing the whole ninety minutes.
Joe Gomez, Saturday, March 21, 2015, Charlton Athletic
In a 3-2 victory over Steve Clarke’s Royals at the Valley, Guy Luzon’s East London team included young defender Gomez as their right-back.
Swansea City’s Marc Guehi on Saturday, April 25, 2021
By late April, Veljko Paunovic’s Royals had lost momentum and their season-long push for promotion had come up short. The Swans lost in the play-offs after a 2-2 match at the SCL Stadium, with Guehi receiving a booking.
Ezri Konsa (Brentford): April 13, Saturday
In 2019, Jose Gomes’s rejuvenated Royals defeated Brentford 2-1 thanks to a brace from Yakou Meite, securing the team’s place in the Championship for another year.
Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, Saturday, January 28, 2022
Centre-back Maguire captained the Red Devils in Paul Ince’s return to Old Trafford, with the hosts earning a 3-1 victory over Reading. Andy Carroll’s sending-off is probably the reason it is most remembered, even though Amadou Mbengue scored for the visiting team.
Jarell Quansah: Not applicable
Luke Shaw, Sunday, April 6, 2013 – Southampton
A decade and a half ago, the teenage wonder Shaw was lining up at Madejski Stadium for the 2-0 victory that virtually guaranteed the Royals’ first-ever relegation back to the Championship.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015, John Stones (Everton)
When the center-back helped Everton defeat Reading in the 2015 League Cup, he was a highly regarded young player. The Royals took the lead thanks to a goal from Blackman, but Gerard Deulofeu and Ross Barkley changed the course of the match.
Trentham’s Kyle Walker, Tuesday, January 1, 2013
After a further ten years, Kyle Walker made his debut on New Year’s Day as the Spurs defeated Reading 3-1. At White Hart Lane, Pavel Pogrebnyak gave the Royals an early lead, but wins came from Michael Dawson, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Clint Dempsey.
Burnley’s Kieran Trippier on Saturday, May 3, 2014.
On the last day of the 2013–14 season, Burnley—who had already been promoted—visited Berkshire, aware that Reading needed a victory to advance to the play-offs. A 2-2 draw appeared to be sufficient, but Brighton’s stoppage-time winner, scored by Leonardo Ulloa, saw Nigel Adkins’ team miss the post.
INTERFIELDERS
Monday, March 3, 2017: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool Under-23).
The 26-year-old wing-back’s youth games will have to count because he has never participated in a complete Reading fixture. The last time “TAA” faced the Royals, they were hammered 5-1, more than seven years ago.
Swansea City’s Conor Gallagher on Wednesday, July 22, 2020
With the last kick of the match, Swansea scored three goals in the last 25 minutes to surpass Nottingham Forest and advance to the play-offs in an incredible game during the “Project Restart” to round out the 2019–20 season.
Curtis Jones (Under-18 Liverpool): April 7, Saturday
At Hogwood Park, Jones, then a teenager, played 78 minutes as David Dodds’ Young Royals defeated Neil Critchley’s Reds. Reading won 2-1 thanks to goals from Cameron Green and Danny Loader, who is currently with Porto.
Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo on Saturday, January 28, 2022
Mainoo played the final 12 minutes of the FA Cup fourth-round match last season after coming on as a second-half substitute. Having made just 34 club appearances thus far, he might have a breakthrough in international competition in Germany.
West Ham’s Declan Rice, Saturday, July 16, 2022
During the previous season’s preseason, Rice participated in the second half of a 1-1 draw between the Royals and the Hammers.
Adam Wharton: Not at all
Moving forward
Birmingham City’s Jude Bellingham on Saturday, March 7, 2020
Reading overcame a 1-0 hole to defeat Bellingham’s Blues 3-1 in the Second City in the last game before the pandemic-caused break.
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, Saturday, July 16, 2022
Bowen’s final game against Reading, like with Rice’s, was a preseason 1-1 draw in the bright sunshine for the Hammers. Yakou Meite tied the score for the hosts, but Nikola Vlasic scored a goal by heading Bowen’s cross past Joe Lumley.
Queen’s Park Rangers’ Eberechi Eze, Thursday, December 26, 2019
Fans of Reading and QPR were often talking up attacking midfielders Ovie Ejaria and Eze in 2019-20, arguing over who was better. John Swift scored the winning goal on Boxing Day in Eze’s final matchup with the Royals, but it’s safe to say that the 25-year-old has won the war because Ejaria is now free agent following his release.
Phil Foden: Not available
Anthony Gordon: Not applicable
Jack Grealish (Villa Dorada): August 25, Saturday
At Villa Park, a last-minute penalty from Sam Baldock saved a point for Paul Clement’s Reading team. In the Second City, Grealish—one of the most expensive players ever—was directing things behind Jonathan Kodjia.
Millwall’s Harry Kane, Saturday, March 2, 2012
While the Lions were on loan to the England captain, the Royals were cruising to the 2012 crown. Adam Le Fondre and Hal Robson-Kanu reversed the course of the game after falling behind at the Den.
James Maddison, Saturday, September 30, 2017—Located in Norwich City
In 2017, Madison scored at the Madejski Stadium in just ten minutes. curling a free kick into the net to launch the Canaries upon the path to advancement.
Cole Palmer: Not at all
Arsenal Under-18s’ Bukayo Saka, Sunday, September 23, 2017
He had never participated in a full match against Reading, but he played 80 minutes as the Arsenal Under-18s dominated the Royals 4-0.
Brentford’s Ivan Toney, Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Three years ago, the Bees won handily 3-1 at SCL Stadium with to two goals and one assist from striker Toney. Unbeaten in 21 games, Thomas Frank’s team advanced to the Premier League and has stayed there ever since.
Brentford’s Ollie Watkins on Tuesday, June 30, 2020
At the SCL Stadium, Brentford easily defeated Reading 3-0 as the Championship resumed in COVID-19. Despite not scoring that game, he was a member of the dreaded “BMW” alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Saied Benrahma.