‘Strong & Stable’ – Reading and Barnsley’s quest to become competitive in the Championship

Theresa May will be remembered as ‘more David Moyes than Sir Alex Ferguson’ when we look back at British Prime Ministers.

She did, however, make one dent in the public consciousness during her No.10 tenure. May used the line ‘strong and stable’ at every opportunity, and ‘strong and stable’ is what both Reading & Barnsley will be aspiring to be this Championship season. The two sides meet at the Madjeski this weekend, with the past few seasons proving neither ‘strong’, or ‘stable’, for either club. 

Barnsley are seemingly further down the road in the quest for stability at their club, however, the Tykes start to last season couldn’t have been less ‘strong and stable’. Daniel Stendel was fired, Gerhard Struber hired, all amidst a brutal run of eighteen games without a victory throughout Autumn. They have picked up admirers since then, Struber is the hipsters choice of Championship bosses, with Alex Mowatt, Cauley Woodrow, and Conor Chaplin starring, and a young Callum Styles coming through. 

Their great escape was one of the greatest we’ve seen, with last minute wins over Forest and Brentford, on an unimaginably dramatic final day. This escape will always be told though, with the caveat of Wigan’s administration, dealing a fatal blow to a side who otherwise would’ve finished in 13th place. Wigan were very strong, but paid the ultimate price for a lack of stability.

And then there is Reading, who have managed to be just strong enough on the pitch, in the face of much recent managerial, executive, and financial instability. Since being a penalty shoot out away from the Premier League in 2017, Jaap Stam, Paul Clement, and Jose Gomes have come and gone as bosses, and we all looked suspiciously when Mark Bowen transitioned, from sporting director to manager, last autumn. 

Bowen, having worked with Steve Bruce and Mark Hughes, provided ‘stable’ once again on the pitch, and comfortably secured Reading’s Championship safety. The close season was not so stable, with an executive reshuffle, and Veljko Paunovic the type of managerial appointment that ensured google searches for the Serbian were at record numbers in the Berkshire area!

And so we head into the weekends clash, with both sets of supporters still in optimistic early season mode. Reading won their opener at Derby, and youngster Michael Olise is developing as a first teamer. Ovie Ejaria is now permanently signed, and the mercurial Lucas Joao is in one of the purple patches that fans at his previous club, Sheffield Wednesday, will lament only ever lasting a handful of games.

Barnsley have gone, once again, to the European market, securing Michal Helik & Dominik Frieser, and, despite an opening day defeat to Luton, their fans are hoping the hipsters are right, and we see further improvement under highly rated boss Gerhard Struber.

At any rate, we know that the Championship will provide chaos at a handful of yet unknown clubs. So, if the situation at Reading & Barnsley is either, ‘strong’, or ‘stable,’ things will be absolutely fine this season. If either club can combine both ‘strong and stable’, who knows?!  

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