Shocking as it may seem, Reading MAD believe that the media will begin to pay attention to the Royals if they are to repeat their heroics of last season. But to achieve another season as good as last is a massive challenge for Alan Pardew and his team.
The signs are there that Reading are beginning to become a bit of a footballing name. Year on year attendances have shot up since our move to the Madejski. It seems hard to believe that just two-and-a-half years ago 12,000 was seen as a big crowd. Last season people were grumbling when we got 14,000 for a midweek game.
Nearly 8,000 people are signed up to watch the Royals at home every single week next season, the largest figure in the clubs 132-year-history. When was the previous highest set you ask? Last season. Talk about year-on-year growth.
Since Alan Pardew took the helm in September 1999 we have seen four years of phenomenal football and phenomenal growth as a club. Who remembers when we looked destined for the Third Division? Beneath the gloomy exterior we were all claiming that we, Reading Football Club, were a 'sleeping giant' nearly ready to awaken. Well last season that giant began to stir, began to arouse itself from it's slumber.
The best thing about our ever-growing fan base is the number of young people that are being attracted to games. If these people continue to support Reading over the next 30 years or so who knows how big our support can grow.
Berkshire deserves a Premiership football club, after all it has never had one. So lets hope Alan Pardew can achieve the dream in front of what is all but certain to be, again, Reading's largest ever average home attendance.