The 24 teams that will take part in Sky Bet League One in the 2023/24 season were confirmed at the end of May.
Here, dcfc.co.uk will take a look at each one in focus ahead of the new campaign getting underway at the start of August.
In this instalment we look at the fortunes of Reading, who were relegated from the Championship last term.
Fact File
Established: 1871
Nickname: The Royals
Home: Select Car Leasing Stadium (24,161 capacity)
Manager: Ruben Selles
2022/23 finish: 22nd (Sky Bet Championship)
Club History
Established on Christmas Day of 1871, Reading are one of the oldest clubs in England.
Their nickname, The Royals, comes from Reading’s location in the Royal County of Berkshire though they were previously known as ‘The Biscuitmen,’ due to the town’s association with Huntley and Palmers.
They didn’t join the Football League until 1920 and it wasn’t until the 2006/07 season when they first played in England’s top-flight.
The club holds the record for the number of successive league wins at the start of the season (13) at the start of the 1985/86 campaign and also registered the highest number of points gained in a professional league season: 106 points in the 2005/06 Football League Championship.
Played For Both
Tom Ince
Forward Tom Ince, who left Reading this summer to join Watford following their relegation, was part of Derby for two years between 2015-17.
After initially joining on loan from Hull City in January 2015, he then signed permanently in the following summer.
He played 114 times for the Rams, more than any other club in his career, and scored 38 goals.
Chris Baird
Full-back Baird only played for the Royals for a short period of time after signing for the club on a short-term contract until January 2014 in the previous September, having previously had long spells at Southampton and Fulham.
Following spells with Burnley and West Bromwhich Albion, the Northern Ireland international then linked up with the Rams in the summer of 2015.
He was released by Derby at the end of the 2017/18 season and announced his official retirement in February 2019.
Nathan Tyson
Well-travelled striker Tyson started his career with the Royals way back in 1999 after working his way through their youth system.
After successful spells at Wycombe Wanderers and Nottingham Forest following his exit from Reading in 2004, he then linked up with the Rams in 2011.
He spent two seasons with Derby and scored five goals across 41 appearances.
2022/23 Season
Last season was a difficult one for the Royals both on and off the field.
Paul Ince started the season as manager but left his role in the April after the club accepted a six-point deduction with immediate effect for breaching profitability and sustainability rules.
Noel Hunt was placed in interim charge but couldn’t save the team from relegation to the third tier after they finished five points from safety.
Record Against The Rams
Whilst Derby and Reading have faced several times over the years, playing in the third tier is an unfamiliar feeling for both clubs.
It hasn’t been since the 1980s when they faced off in league action below the Championship.
The last meetings between the two sides saw the Rams take four points off the Royals in the 2021/22 Championship season. A 1-0 home win was followed up by a thrilling 2-2 draw on the road in early 2022.
The Rams have a relatively decent record against the Royals in recent years, however, it’s Reading that historically have had the more favourable results.
Derby have won 16 times to Reading’s 26 whilst the other 10 meetings have ended in draws.
