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Remember when Reading Football Club used to play football games? I loved those heady days, seeing a ball kicked around the place and occasionally dancing to Chase the Sun when someone scored... ahhhh nostalgia.
I'm tempted to put our picture onto a milk carton because football has been missing for too long...
OK so in all seriousness it's only been three weeks but it feels a lot longer since we saw Premier League football involving the Royals. While we've been dormant since beating the Posh in the League Cup, Football League clubs have been in constant action and six of our eight loanees played in the last 7 days, which we'll recap below.
Joseph Mills - Burnley (Championship) Appearances: 5
The International break meant no games for Burnley this week, they'll be back in action next weekend against Peterborough.
*****
Mikkel Andersen - Portsmouth (League 1) Appearances: 6
FLT: Portsmouth 2-2 Bournemouth (Portsmouth won 4-3 on Pens)
Andersen played his part in a penalty shootout win for Pompy this week, with the 'keeper saving the first kick of the shoot-out and helping his team into the next round of the Football League Trophy. He then kept a clean sheet as Pompy battled past 9 man Crawley in front of the TV cameras on Sunday. Andersen didn't have a lot to do but generally looked solid against a team that were a man down for 50 minutes and 2 men down for the last 20.
*****
Jordan Obita - Portsmouth (League 1) Appearances: 1 (+2) Goals: 1 Red Cards: 1
Obita missed this week's matches due to the red card he picked up against Oldham, with manager Michael Appleton opting not to appeal the decision that saw the 18 year old sent off for the first time in his career.
Appleton told the local press.
‘We never appealed against Jordan's sending off.
‘We had a look at the referee's report and it's a difficult one.
‘Jordan hasn't hit him (Brown) as such, he has pushed him, probably in an aggressive manner.
‘As daft as it is, it's a sending off these days.
‘It was never the case in my day.
‘Seems a little bit harsh getting three games for pushing somebody but that's how it is these days.
Obita will serve the final game of his three-match ban this weekend.
*****
Michael Hector - Shrewsbury (League 1) Appearances: 4
After missing last week's game with Stevenage due to a knee injury, Hector had to watch on from the bench as Shrewsbury twice squandered the lead to lose 3-2 to Notts County.
*****
Gozie Ugwu - Yeovil (League 1) Appearances: 2 (+6) Goals: 3
FLT: Bristol Rovers 0-3 Yeovil
Despite three goals last week, young striker Gozie Ugwu still had to make do with a spot on the subs bench for both of Yeovil's games this week. On Tuesday he came on with half an hour remaining and won two free-kicks that were slammed in by Ed Upson but Saturday saw a frustrating 50 minutes for the striker in a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth with Yeovil fans commenting that he was left isolated at times but couldn't make anything happen himself.
*****
Angus MacDonald - AFC Wimbledon (League 2) Appearances: 4(+2)
After sitting out the previous couple of games, centre back Angus MacDonald earned a start as the Wombles were knocked out of the Football League Trophy by Southend. MacDonald played 71 minutes before being replaced and could only watch on as Ryan Cresswell scored a 90th minute winner for the home side.
The defender was then relegated back to the bench for the league trip to Northampton but played 45 minutes after coming on at the break. Sadly MacDonald couldn't help the Dons avoid a third straight league defeat, as they slipped to 21st in League Two.
*****
Karl Sheppard - Accrington (League 2) Appearances: 5(+2) Goals: 1
After being demoted to the bench for the 3-0 win at Cheltenham, Karl Sheppard was restored to the starting lineup for Accrington's Football League Trophy tie with Morecambe on Tuesday. Sadly Sheppard could do little to make an impact in the 2-0 defeat and was subbed off after just 53 minutes. The Irish U21 international was then once again relegated to the bench for Saturday's league game with Bradford, with Sheppard playing the final 6 minutes of a 1-1 draw. After a promising end to August it seems to have gone a little bit stale for Sheppard and it's slightly worrying for his long term Reading future if he fails to force his way back into a League Two lineup.
*****
Brett Williams - Woking (Conference Premier) Appearances: 4(+3) Goals: 1
More frustration for Brett Williams as he was left out of Woking's 2-1 defeat at Hereford, and had to spend most of the 6-1 demolition of Nuneaton on the substitutes bench. When he did come on in Saturday's rout, Williams had a couple of efforts just tipped round the post, one of which led to a goal and hopefully Williams can kick-on and win his place back in the starting lineup.