However, it is also a big day historically as it marks the first league meeting between Crawley and Reading, and the first-ever meeting between the sides in Berkshire.

It has been 11 years since the two sides met last, for the first-ever time, as Brian McDermott’s Premier League side came from behind to knock the Red Devils out of the FA Cup.

Falling behind inside one minute, Adam Le Fondre grabbed a brace and Noel Hunt hit the net to ensure the Royals avoided a banana skin in round three.

Take a look below at the starting 11 from that day at Broadfield Stadium.

Adam Federici

A popular goalkeeper who spent a decade in Berkshire, the Australian international started the 2012/13 Premier League campaign as first-choice but found himself down the pecking order as the season progressed due to the emergence of future England international, Alex McCarthy.Returning to the position as number one for one final campaign in 2014/15, the shot-stopper won Player of the Season as the Royals reached an FA Cup semi-final in his final year.

Shaun Cummings

Playing just nine Premier League matches, the cup competitions are where the right-back picked up most of his minutes despite playing a key role as part of the side which won the Championship in 2011/12.

Staying in Berkshire until 2015, the defender continued to make a name for himself as a solid second and third-tier player until his eventual retirement while with Doncaster Rovers in 2019.

(Image: Chris Forsey)

Alex Pearce

The reigning Player of the Season from 2011/12, the Republic of Ireland international remained a pivotal player with the club for two subsequent seasons and left on a high, captaining the side in the FA Cup semi-final of April 2015.

Remaining in the Championship with Derby County and Millwall, a small spell with AFC Wimbledon was followed up by a return to Berkshire with Bracknell Town. Still playing in the non-league pyramid, the centre-back joined Leatherhead last week aged 35.

Sean Morrison

A Championship stalwart of the 2010s, Morrison managed less than 50 appearances for Reading but racked up over 350 games for Cardiff City between 2014 and 2023.

Captaining the club to the Premier League under Neil Warnock, the 33-year-old struggled with injuries in recent years and was released by Rotherham United in May after featuring 27 times during their relegation to League One.

Ian Harte

By this point a vastly experienced veteran of over 250 games for a Leeds United side challenging for the Champions League, the Royals plucked 35-year-old Harte from Carlisle United and reinvigorated the Irish defender for three crucial seasons which took in a play-off final defeat, Championship winners medal and a year back in the top-flight.

After winning another Championship with Bournemouth in 2015, the free-kick specialist retired and is now an agent.

Garath McCleary

After impressing at Nottingham Forest for a prolonged spell, McCleary made his debut for the club on the first day of the Premier League campaign and remained for the next eight years, racking up over 300 appearances for the club predominantly in the Championship.

Leaving in 2020, the Jamaican winger is still among the top performers in League One with Wycombe Wanderers despite his vintage.

Jem Karacan

A fan favourite of over 150 matches after rising through the Academy, injury robbed the midfield dynamo of his best years. The Turkey international remained with the Royals until 2015 before moving to giants Galatasaray.

Remaining in the EFL until 2019, the combative star failed to make more than 25 appearances for any of his seven clubs after his departure.

Jay Tabb

A Championship regular with Brentford and Coventry, Tabb joined Reading in 2009 and was a critical player in Brian McDermott’s successful sides of the early 2010s, often used sporadically but for a sole purpose.

Departing in 2013, the midfielder scored on his Ipswich Town debut at Reading- something he never managed in over 100 appearances for the Royals. Since retiring, Tabb has tried his arm at rugby union and horse racing.

Hal Robson-Kanu

Another Academy graduate from a talented crop which included the likes of Karacan, Pearce and Simon Church, Robson-Kanu spent nine years with the first team at Reading and made over 200 appearances for the club.

After impressing for Wales at Euro 2016, the forward had a plethora of options and went on to make over 150 appearances for West Brom before retiring and founding his own company.

Adam Le Fondre

Just 12 months on from starting up front for Rotherham United in League Two, Le Fondre went on to hit double figures in the Premier League and earn January’s Player of the Month award in the greatest league in the world.

Hitting another 15 in 2013/14, the fan favourite departed to play under childhood hero Ole Gunnar Solksjaer in Cardiff.

Taking in spells across the EFL, most notably for Bolton Wanderers, the 37-year-old has played in Australia, India and Scotland but now continues to score goals regularly for non-league side FC United of Manchester.

Noel Hunt

A popular striker with an infectious personality, Hunt made over 150 appearances for Reading before departing in 2013 and slowly dropping down the divisions before retiring in 2018.

Fast-forward to the present day and Hunt is the manager of the club’s Under-21s side and led them to great success last season in league and cup.

In 2023, the Ireland international even took in a short interim spell as manager of the first-team, overseeing the inevitable relegation to League One.

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