Senior club personnel and members of the Reading first team made a return to the SCL Stadium on Saturday to cheer on Noel Hunt’s winning Under-21 squad in the Premier League playoff quarterfinals.
John Clarke (two goals) and Jayden Wareham scored in a convincing 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest to set up a semi-final matchup with either West Ham or Sunderland, which takes place this evening.
In the afternoon light, more than a thousand people showed their support for the young athletes, marking a roughly fifty percent increase from the round of sixteen crowd the week prior.
Attendees included Academy head Michael Gilkes and first-team manager Ruben Selles.
In a hospitality box with Selles, Gilkes, and Tyler Bindon, the Royals defender, was Head of Recruitment Brian Carey.
Tom Holmes, a former Reading defender who came through the Academy and played in over 100 games before joining Premier League Luton Town in January, was also present.
In the final at SB Stadium in Sandhurst Town on Wednesday, Reading will play Marlow for the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup.
