Reading host Southampton in a pre-season friendly this afternoon, the first meeting between the sides in over a decade.

In April 2013, the Saints eased to a 2-0 win at the Madejski Stadium to all-but condemn the Royals to Premier League relegation.

Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana scored in each half to secure victory live on Sky Sports.

While the visitors would go on to spend a decade in the top-flight and even play in Europe, Reading would enjoy just three top-half finishes and eventually endured a second relegation to League One.

Take a look below at the side which appeared in the last meeting.

Adam Federici- Retired

Aussie Federici spent a decade playing for Reading- making almost 250 appearances between 2005 and 2015.

One of the best keepers in the Championship from 2008/09 until winning the title, and Golden Glove, in 2011/12.

He lost his place to future England international Alex McCarthy while in the Premier League, playing 26 times in the 2012/13 campaign, but regained it for his final campaign in 2015.

A great servant, unfortunately his overriding memory will be a spill in the FA Cup semi-final toward the end of his final season as a Royal.

Playing 31 times for Bournemouth and Stoke City after departing Berkshire, he retired in 2021 after a season with Macarthur in his homeland.

Chris Gunter- Wales coach

One of the highest-capped players for the club in the 21st century, the defender made 314 appearances in eight years with the side.

2012/13 was his debut campaign after joining from Nottingham Forest in 2012. With just 23 appearances, it was to be his least effective campaign until his final one in 2020/21.

Released during the Covid-19 shutout, the Wales legend went on to have two seasons with Charlton Athletic and played 35 times for AFC Wimbledon last time out before retiring to focus on his international coaching career.

Sean Morrison- Rotherham United

Joining for £250,000 in 2011, the centre-back struggled to force his way past Alex Pearce and Kaspars Gorkss to become a regular in Berkshire.

Playing more than 40 times across the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons, Cardiff City splashed more than £3m on the defender in 2014.

It went on to be wise business for the Welsh outfit, with Morrison spending nine years with the Bluebirds and playing 295 times- captaining the club into the Premier League in 2018.

Struggling with injury toward the end, the 32-year-old was released in 2022 before quickly linking up with Rotherham.

Reading Chronicle:

Adrian Mariappa- Salford City

Already vastly experienced upon joining Reading in 2012, the Jamaica international had played over 250 times in seven years for Watford.

Costing more than £2m, the centre-back appeared just 33 times in a year with the club before moving on to Crystal Palace after the Royals suffered relegation.

After nearing 50 appearances at Selhurst Park, he made an emotional return to Vicarage Road where he went on to play another 93 matches for his beloved Hornets.

Leaving in 2020, the 36-year-old has played for Bristol City, Macarthur, Burton Albion and Salford City in the two years since.

Stephen Kelly- Retired

A journeyman defender who spent almost his entire career in the top two divisions, the Ireland international was a regular during successful spells with Birmingham City and Fulham.

Never first-choice in Berkshire, Kelly spent three years with the Royals and made more than 50 appearances before moving to Rotherham United in 2015.

Spending two seasons in South Yorkshire, with another 35 appearances, the full-back retired after relegation in 2016/17.

Hope Akpan- Widnes

An Everton academy graduate, the Scouser impressed Brian McDermott in an FA Cup tie against his Crawley Town side in January 2012.

Still only 21, Akpan appeared just nine times in his debut campaign but became a regular off the bench in the following two seasons- leaving the club in 2015 after playing 63 times.

Remaining in the Championship for three seasons with Blackburn Rovers and Burton Albion, the midfielder dropped to the lower leagues with Bradford City in 2018.

Still only 31, Akpan had a spell in Finland before spending time in the non-league game in the North-West of England.

Danny Guthrie- Retired

A player with top-level pedigree with the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United, Guthrie joined Reading on a free transfer after promotion to the Premier League in 2012.

Controversial during his time with the club, famously not travelling to an away match in Sunderland, the midfielder made 69 appearances over two-and-a-half seasons with the Royals.

Playing at Championship level for another two seasons with Blackburn Rovers, the former England youth international has since spent time in Indonesia, Iceland and League Two.

Jem Karacan- Retired

A popular Academy graduate, Karacan played 175 times in seven years with the first team despite suffering long-term injuries towards the end.

Moving to Turkish giants Galatasaray in 2015, he made just six appearances and returned to England in 2016 with Bolton Wanderers.

Spells with Millwall, Central Coast Mariners and Scunthorpe United followed before a drop down to non-league Radcliffe.

Retiring in 2023, the former midfielder has since had a spell as a scout with Millwall.

Jobi McAnuff- Pundit

Club captain during a golden era for Reading, McAnuff arrived in 2009 as an experienced winger for the likes of Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and Watford.

Spending five years in RG2, the skipper made over 200 appearances for the Royals before departing at the end of his contract in 2014.

Playing into his 40s, he is similarly loved at Leyton Orient after two spells and helping the club back into the Football League before retiring in 2021.

Winning the Sir Tom Finney award for his impact in the EFL, the former winger is now a respected expert on Sky Sports.

Adam Le Fondre- Hibernian

A highly skilled lower league striker with Stockport County, Rochdale and Rotherham United, McDermott signed ‘Alfie’ in 2011- and what a signing it proved to be.

Top scoring in each of his three seasons, the finisher won Premier League Player of the Month in January 2013.

Improving on his tally year on year, he was sold in 2015 amid financial issues at the club where he endured tough times at Cardiff City and Wolves.

Going on to become a cult-hero at Bolton Wanderers, he consistently found the net in India and Australia with Sydney and Mumbai.

Moving back to Britain only recently, he has linked up again with McDermott at Scottish Premiership outfit Hibs.

Hal Robson-Kanu- Entrepreneur

An Academy graduate alongside Karacan, Wales legend ‘HRK’ split opinion amongst fans during his nine years as a Royal.

Playing more than 220 times, 2012/13 proved his best individual season for the club as he knocked in seven Premier League goals.

Turning down a new deal, he moved to Premier League West Brom in 2016 after impressing for his country at the 2016 European Championship.

Another 150+ appearances followed for the Baggies before leaving in 2021.

Many expected him to find a new club, still only 34, but the forward has focussed on his start-up Turmeric Co.

 

Substitutes

Mikele Leigertwood- Reading coach

A popular midfielder full of hustle and bustle, the Antigua international had been a solid Championship performer with the likes of Crystal Palace and QPR before his loan switch in 2011.

Impressing during a half-season temporary move, this was made permanent in the summer and he would become a mainstay for three years.

Scoring THE goal to get the club promoted to the Premier League in 2012, he was released in 2014 but struggled with injury and retired officially in 2015.

Originally returning in 2016 as the Academy Loans Manager, he now coaches the Under-18s side.

Garath McCleary- Wycombe Wanderers

Following Gunter from Nottingham Forest to Berkshire, the winger played more than 250 times for the club in eight years as a Royal.

Scoring some incredible and memorable goals, including the equaliser against his boyhood Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final, the Jamaica star was fazed out by 2020.

Determined to prove people wrong, McCleary turned back the clock and has been a consistent star for the Chairboys in the three years since- all at 36 years old.

Reading Chronicle:

Noel Hunt- Reading coach

Joining brother Stephen at Reading in 2008, Noel was a popular figure in five years as a Royal.

With an incredible leap for someone of 5ft8in, the Ireland international failed to replicated his 162-game Reading spell anywhere else after his 2013 exit.

Taking in time at the likes of Leeds United and Wigan Athletic, he turned to coaching in 2018 with Swindon Town, Salford City and Doncaster Rovers.

Returning to Reading in 2022, he is the Under-21 manager and had a five-match interim spell as first-team boss last season after Paul Ince's sacking.