Match Preview: Barnsley vs Reading FC

📅 Tuesday 26th November 2024
🕒 Kick-off: 19:45
🏟️ Stadium: Oakwell
👨‍⚖️ Referee: Zac Kennard-Kettle

Form Guide

Barnsley: LDWWL – 7 points
Reading: WWDLW – 10 points

This one’s set to be a cracker! Barnsley sit in 6th place on 26 points, while Reading are just behind in 8th, also with 26 points. Both teams have had their moments of brilliance, but Reading’s struggles on the road make Barnsley the bookies’ favourites at 1.87 to win, compared to Reading’s 3.90.

Head-to-Head History:

Barnsley wins: 3
Reading wins: 8
Draws: 7

Top Scorers

Barnsley: Adam Phillips – 5 goals, 2 assists, xG 4.58
Reading: Sam Smith – 5 goals, 0 assists, xG 6.22

Both players are red-hot and could decide the game. Keep an eye on Phillips for Barnsley’s creativity and Smith for Reading’s clinical edge.

League Stats

Barnsley: 16 games, 7 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses, GD +4
Reading: 15 games, 8 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses, GD +2

Barnsley are stronger at home than Reading are away, but Reading’s thrilling 3-1 win at Peterborough on Saturday shows they can pack a punch on their travels when it matters.

In the Spotlight

Barnsley have scored 7 goals in their last 5 games, while Reading have scored 8 in their last 5.
Reading’s defence has been a bit too generous this season, conceding 4 penalties, the most in the league.
Barnsley’s Max Watters averages 1.8 shots on target per game – he’ll need watching!

Ref Watch: Zac Kennard-Kettle

Zac steps up to take charge of his first League One game, following in the footsteps of his dad, Trevor Kettle. Zac has so far issues 55 yellows and 3 reds already this season in league two and the conference, as well as officiating in the league cu. Don’t be surprised if he makes his mark on this one.

They Played For Us Both

Andy Yiadom
Reading’s current club Captain, Andy Yiadom has played 6 seasons for Reading FC (209 Matches Played) and 2 seasons for Barnsley FC (66 Matches Played).

Jamie Cureton
Jamie Cureton played 3 seasons for Reading FC (108 Matches Played) and 1 season for Barnsley FC (8 Matches Played).

John Oster
John Oster played 3 seasons for Reading FC (76 Matches Played) and 1 season for Barnsley FC (2 Matches Played).

Brian Howard
Brian Howard played 3 seasons for Reading FC (59 Matches Played) and 4 seasons for Barnsley FC (121 Matches Played).

Paul McShane
Ex-Captain Paul McShane played 4 seasons for Reading FC (102 Matches Played) and 1 season for Barnsley FC (10 Matches Played).

Okay, let’s be honest – my heart says Reading are going to smash it, but my head says it’s going to be tough. The boys gave everything against Peterborough, and while confidence will be high, the quick turnaround and missing our much loved Amadou Mbengue in defence could be a challenge.

Barnsley, on the other hand, will be licking their wounds after losing to Wigan, but they haven’t been great at home. This is the perfect time for Reading to pounce!

My heart prediction: 2-1 to Reading.

My head prediction: A hard-fought 1-1 draw.

So who are Barnsley?

A Brief History of Barnsley FC

Barnsley Football Club, nicknamed the Tykes or the Reds, was founded way back in 1887. That’s like over 130 years ago – basically ancient! It all started as Barnsley St Peter’s, named after the local church, but they dropped the “St Peter’s” in 1897 and became the Barnsley we know today.

The club’s home is Oakwell, a proper old-school ground in South Yorkshire, where they’ve played since 1888. It’s got loads of history and can hold around 23,000 fans. It might not be the fanciest stadium, but it’s got that proper football vibe that’s hard to beat. Its a real warm family club, with fantastic fans, very similar to our own

The Glory Days

Barnsley’s biggest achievement came in 1912 when they won the FA Cup! They beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 after a replay, with a goal from Harry Tufnell in extra time. Imagine the scenes – it must’ve been buzzing!

They’ve never been top dogs in English football, but they had a short spell in the Premier League during the 1997-98 season. It didn’t last long – they were relegated after just one season – but for a small club like Barnsley, even getting there was massive.

League and Cup Success

Over the years, Barnsley has spent most of their time in the second and third tiers of English football. They’ve had some ups and downs, but the fans are always there, backing the team no matter what.

One of their best recent moments was winning the Football League Trophy (now the EFL Trophy) in 2016, beating Oxford United 3-2 at Wembley. The same year, they won the League One play-offs to secure promotion to the Championship.

Famous Players and Managers

Barnsley’s had some legends in their time. Players like Tommy Taylor, who later became a Manchester United and England star, started his career at Barnsley. More recently, they’ve developed talents like John Stones, who’s now smashing it at Manchester City and for England.

Managers like Danny Wilson and Paul Heckingbottom have also made their mark. Wilson led them to the Premier League in the 1990s, while Heckingbottom brought success in the 2016 double-winning season.

Final Thoughts

If Reading play with the same spirit and fight as they did on Saturday, there’s no reason they can’t nick a result. Let’s hope the lads leave it all on the pitch again – come on, you Royals! 💙

What’s your prediction? Let me know! 😎