Reading have confirmed their League One fixture against Bradford City on October 3 will go ahead as scheduled. Manager Leam Richardson has decided to play the match without several international players rather than seek a postponement.
Richardson said the club considered the circumstances carefully before making the call. "We considered the circumstances carefully and, on this occasion, felt it was right to play the game," he stated. The decision means the Royals will be without Andy Rinomhota (Zimbabwe), Jeriel Dorsett (Montserrat) and Charlie Savage (Wales) for the visit of the Bantams.
Bradford City will also be missing players, with Jon McCracken (Scotland) and Ibou Touray (Gambia) away on international duty. Zac Hadi is at a training camp with Iraq's under-23 side, but his absence does not count towards the three-man quota required for a postponement.
"Football is a squad game and we have confidence in the players available to us, while keeping the fixture in place also helps us avoid adding another game to an already busy schedule," Richardson added on the club's official website. The Royals, who sit 8th in League One on 10 points, face a hectic period. They travel to Wycombe Wanderers this Saturday before hosting Bradford City the following weekend.
Reading's trip to Adams Park this weekend also remains on track. The last meeting between the sides ended in a 1-1 draw back in August. Fans can check the full upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page.
The decision provides clarity for supporters planning to attend the Select Car Leasing Stadium on October 3. Bradford City lost 2-1 in Berkshire last season to two late goals. Reading's immediate focus, however, is on maintaining their positive start to the season, which includes a 2-0 win over Notts County last time out. The squad list for the coming games is available on the squad page.
The report in full is at Telegraph and Argus
