Six teams who can stop Reading reaching the top six in League One

That’s not the aim of the most buoyant Reading fan, or indeed The Biscuit. Instead, that’s the aim of the Reading players, coaches and board who have made it plain over the summer that the Royals have set the target of climbing out of the third tier and returning to the Championship at the fourth time of asking.

"Everyone's optimistic and really looking forward to the start," were the words of Leam Richardson to the BBC on the eve of the League One campaign getting underway. “Everyone” doesn’t extend to the whole fanbase – it never could – but it has been a long time since such a sizable percentage of Royals fans, this writer included, have shared in the optimism of those on the inside.

That optimism from the fans on board the Richardson/Couhig/Jacobson express train is caveated by the recruitment issues. For those opting to remain on the platform of realism, recruitment is the primary reason for the more cautious outlook. It’s over a month since Reading announced their fourth first-team signing, and the fifth, sixth, seventh and perhaps eighth that Richardson wants are yet to arrive. He and Reading fans might be still disappointed come the end of the window, given that Couhig did not go higher than “we’ll probably get two, maybe three,” when speaking to GHR Berkshire & North Hampshire News this week.

Promotion a year on from a 12th-placed finish is a big ask with a squad that is far from finalised. But with a solid pre-season and an EFL Cup win over League One opposition in the books, new additions impressing and other players looking like new additions, why not dream big? After all, if you can’t go into a 46-game season without a modicum of hope, what on earth is the point?

Now that you’re surely feeling just as positive as I am, allow me to temper your expectations by naming the clubs who – in no particular order – can take the top six places for themselves and prevent Reading from realising their ambitions.

Where better to start than with the side visiting the Select Car Leasing Stadium on the opening day? This time three years ago, social media was flooded with countless posts about Kenilworth Road’s away end, as Luton began life in the Premier League.

Following back-to-back relegations, the Hatters made an inconsistent return to the third tier last season, but fortunes turned after the arrival of former Arsenal man Jack Wilshere in October. Wilshere stabilised the side, and oversaw an 11-match unbeaten run to end the campaign. The finish line came just too early for Luton, who missed out on the play-offs by a single point.

There is little reason to believe Wilshere’s men won’t continue where they left off, especially after signing Kasey Palmer on a permanent deal from Hull City and taking Emilio Lawrence on loan from Manchester City once again – two winter loanees last season who helped change the Hatters’ course.

According to the omniscient Opta supercomputer, only one team has as good a chance – 14% – as Luton of finishing first in League One. That team is Plymouth Argyle, who finished a point behind Wilshere’s side in May having also fallen through the Championship trapdoor in 2025.

Last season was Tom Cleverley’s first in charge at Home Park, yet he was fortunate to last until New Year’s Day, at which point his side were in the relegation zone. But much like his former adversary Wilshere, the ex-Manchester United man saw his side finish the season impressively, losing just two of their last 16 matches.

The loss of Lorent Tolaj to Bristol City raises questions about who will score the goals, but attack sells tickets and defence wins championships, and in bringing in Championship-quality defenders like Wes Harding and Alex Mitchell, Plymouth will be very hard to beat. I think they are play-off contenders rather than top-two material, but given Cleverley lasted over a year as Watford boss, they clearly have a bonafide genius in the dugout.

On paper, the Premier League champions from a decade ago are the most route one pick in this post. But I think there is more working against the Foxes than meets the eye. For one, I don’t have much time for Russell Martin, who failed at Southampton and Rangers by refusing to budge from an untested philosophy. Also, there hasn’t been enough of a clearout at the club, which still has too many hangers-on from the Premier League relegation, never mind the Championship drop.

What I do like, however, is the addition of Conor Hourihane as assistant coach. The former Ireland international guided Barnsley to 15th last season, but gave that gig up to work under Martin. There’s clearly a project at the King Power Stadium he believes in.

If the star quality still lingering in the squad can take to Martin’s way of doing things, backed up by a more practical, League One-savvy approach from Hourihane, then Leicester won’t be in the third tier for long.

Mention “Graham Alexander” and “play-offs” and many a Reading fan will break out in cold sweats and get visions of an angry Andre Bikey at Turf Moor. The top six was where Bradford finished under Alexander last season, still so soon after Stefan Rupp’s takeover lifted the club from the doldrums.

The Bantams reached the play-offs without overly relying on a centre-forward, and the arrival of Jake Beesley from Burton Albion looks sensible business. As do the signings of Jon McCracken, Callum Connolly and Adam Phillips to really improve the spine of the side, though the losses of Max Power and Jenson Metcalfe will be felt.

Bradford may still be a cut below the division’s absolute elite, but at their current rate of progression, the sky is the limit for the Yorkshire outfit.

Staying in Yorkshire, Huddersfield ended last season similarly to Reading and will have ambitions of not letting the play-offs slip away from them this time. After sitting exactly sixth for 11 rounds of fixtures in a row, Town won just two of their last 10 – including a win on the last day once the top six was out of reach – to finish ninth.

The inexperienced Martin Drury oversaw that run-in after Liam Manning departed on compassionate grounds. With a full pre-season under his belt and the seasoned Alan Knill and Terriers legend Jon Stead by his side, Drury has the tools around him to succeed at a well-run club.

A proven goalscorer at this level, Ashley Fletcher has arrived from Blackpool, while Ethan Brierley adds solidity to the midfield after making a permanent move from Brentford having spent last season at Exeter City.

That’s right, we’re playing the reverse Uno card. Reading’s greatest threat to their top six hopes this season could be themselves.

Reading showed away at Bromley in the EFL Cup that they are yet to deal with a problem that regularly haunted them last season – the inability to hold onto leads. The more direct approach made possible by the new signings has excited many fans, but if taking the lead means reverting to “sideways and backwards”, patience will quickly run out, as will the wins.

The well-documented recruitment stalling and lack of squad depth in key positions is a problem for any team, but couple that with Reading’s injury-prone players, and we could look rather threadbare very soon.

With their off-field problems, this season could well be about stability for Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday. Following Dave Challinor will be a big ask for Jimmy McNulty, especially with Stockport County needing to pick themselves up after the play-off final defeat. Stevenage have added the attackers they needed to challenge again, but have lost key defenders who made up for last season’s lack of firepower.

Milton Keynes Dons look the best of the promoted sides but for a real left-field shout; Leyton Orient. The loss of Dom Ballard won’t be felt if Jaze Kabia contributes regularly, while Fin Stevens, Joseph Olowu and Isaac Hayden have made Richie Wellens’ side much tougher at the back.

Enjoy coming back to these for a good laugh in May when they're proven to be spectacularly wrong!

Main photo: Joel Pereira at Farnborough © Tom Ryan