Reading FC’s 2017/18 Away Trips: The Bottom Five

I always love an away day, but here are five grounds in this year's Sky Bet Championship I won't be getting so excited about visiting.

Missed my piece on the best away grounds in the division? Read it here.

The Bottom Five

5. Ipswich Town

It's an absolute nightmare to drive from west to east in the UK so that's my first qualm. Secondly, I don't think I've ever seen so many cobwebs in an away end as I have at Portman Road. Thirdly, there's way too many pillars.

I won't be driving to Suffolk in a hurry. Well, it's not like you can from Shropshire anyway...

4. Middlesbrough

Set on a bare landscape, the Riverside stadium does look impressive from the outside, but feels very soulless and quiet on the inside. I've only ever been once, but I got wolf whistled at on occasions walking past a home fans' pub and it kind of set my bad mood for the day. Oh, and we lost 3-0. That was not a cool drive home.

3. Queens Park Rangers

The first time I went to QPR was the day after my Dad's 50th Birthday in 2010. I'd travelled down by train in plenty of time until some Nottingham Forest fans got rowdy and we were stuck at a station for what felt like forever.

Running in 15 minutes late, I ended up on the back row next to a pillar (also covered in cobwebs - has no one heard of a feather duster?) so I couldn't see one third of the pitch.

It was probably just as well - Abel Taraabt ran the show and we slumped to a 3-1 defeat.

I'm excited to go to QPR this season for what will be my third visit, but mainly because it's the first game of the season and I get to have a shopping trip with my Mum before the game. Apart from that, I can assure you Loftus Road does not fill me with joy.

2. Wolverhampton Wanderers

It's one of my favourite away days because of my links with school/uni/home, but I dislike the Molineux. I don't like the underpass to get the ground from the City Centre. I don't like where they put the away fans because you can never get an atmosphere going.

I hate the fact there's a bend in the stand so the rows have uneven spacing. I mean, who the hell does that?! And don't even get me started on old gold...

1. Leeds United

Elland Road is not cool.

The stewards were friendly enough last season, but the stadium looks like how you'd imagine a stadium to look if The Walking Dead actually became real life.

It's dark, dated and dilapidated, and that's just the away fans 'bar'. The inside of the stadium is much the same but just add a bit of dampness in for good measure. Old and well-loved flags and banners hang lifelessly around the ground reminding everyone of Leeds' former glory days. The back of the stand just looks like stuff has been left to grow on it for years and could probably just do with a good scrub.

I didn't rate the tea either, and that particularly disappointing considering it’s in Yorkshire.

I've never seen us win at Leeds either in two attempts. I'm hoping this time for third time lucky.