Can enthusiasm beat experience?

Disappointment was delivered in a multitude of ways last Saturday. Wrexham away, by League One standards, ought to have been one of the season’s more glamourous away fixtures. As it turned out the bank holiday traffic was horrendous, the weather was bleak and miserable, Reading conceded three and had an off day, and the rumour Hollywood A-listers would be in attendance was laughable. You’re more likely to see the stars back in Henley strolling along the Thames, than at Wrexham at the football. As I say, it was all rather disappointing.

I once went to Canada and never laid eyes on a bear, despite spending a fortnight in The Rockies. I’m not convinced bears roam those parts. It may just be a tourist ruse. The same applies to the notion Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney watch Wrexham games. I haven’t seen it with my own eyes so I can’t believe it. Wrexham seems a long way off the beaten track to select as your team if you’re based in California.

Phil Parkinson, the Wrexham manager, was very much there and real. “Parky” is a great old Reading warhorse, having given more than most to the club back in the 1990s. Like all of us, he’s a bit heavier and less energetic now, but his management skills go from strength to strength. He’s doing a great job at the Welsh club, trying to steer them to an unprecedented third straight promotion. Based on how well organised they looked at the weekend, they must be early favourites for a top six finish. Other managers will envy Parkinson’s squad, but nevertheless he is doing everything right.

Should Wrexham flounder and Reading be looking for a replacement to the currently very popular Ruben Selles in years to come, Parkinson ought to be towards the top of the list.

For now Selles continues to try and work his magic with only the bare bones of a squad at his disposal. Femi Azeez departing for Millwall was no help at all. An already thin squad cannot withstand proven match winners leaving. Azeez was never the most consistent, and he couldn’t defend, but he would win half a dozen games a season with outrageous goals or creativity. That flare is not easily replaced, especially when there is a transfer embargo in place until beyond the end of this season.

Harvey Knibbs is out injured until mid September, and Andy Yiadom will be out for longer than that. All round the pitch players with almost no experience are being handed starts. Adrian Akande was the latest to be thrust into the starting eleven on Saturday. He looked bright, quick and powerful on the wing, but he does not have anything like the experience Femi Azeez had gained in his few years at Reading. Akande did well, and could be a star of the future, but players are getting games far earlier than would be ideal.

Reading’s next game is Charlton at the SCL Stadium on Saturday. If you’re going to see the celebs you may be disappointed, but the weather forecast is good, and Reading should be back on form, so there’s a good chance it will be a better day out than last Saturday.