The Royals will be looking to bounce back from League One next season having lost their Championship status at the end of the 2022-23 season, unable to overcome a deduction of six points imposed towards the end of the season as they finished five points adrift of 21st placed Cardiff City.

It will be Reading’s first visit to the VBS since a pre-season friendly in July 2014, a game that saw Sutton beat a Reading XI 4-0 with Louis John among the scorers (below), the first of his 14 senior goals for the club.

Louis John v Reading 2014.jpg

U’s could come up against goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis, an important contributor to our National League championship success and our fine first season in the EFL, who moved to Reading last summer after making 108 appearances for Sutton. Another connection comes through our Director of Football Terry Bullivant, who is a former Reading manager.

We will be releasing news of further home friendlies once announcements have been agreed with the opposing clubs. A reminder that we have arranged away games at Havant & Waterlooville (Tuesday 11 July), Farnborough (Saturday 22 July) and Woking (Tuesday 25 July)