Reading host Hull City this afternoon in the final friendly of the 2024/25 pre-season campaign.

Fairly successful, having only lost twice and beaten the likes of Watford, Woking and Queens Park Rangers, it is in stark contrast to last summer in which the Royals lost all of their warm-up fixtures.

Tim Walters' Tigers are targeting a return to the Premier League and have looked active in the transfer market, with vastly different expectations to those of Reading whereby securing a new owner would be seen as a positive season.

Traditionally a big-name club on the final match to increase hype ahead of the new season, Premier League, Championship and even European sides have taken to the SCL Stadium turf in the annual curtain-raiser for the new year.

A run stretching back over a decade, 2012 was the last time Reading [then in the Premier League] ended their pre-season campaign with a victory.

Take a look below at the last decade of friendlies in RG2.

2023/24: Reading 0-4 Swansea City

Suffering relegation to League One after 20 years in the upper tiers and a summer marred by off-field woes, supporters could have done with some positivity on the pitch to keep some sanity.

Unfortunately, it could not have gone much worse on the pitch, losing every warm-up match as players came in dribs and drabs and Ruben Selles couldn’t get to work until late due to visa clearances. Championship Swansea were the visitors for the final home friendly and the Royals were put to the sword.

Joel Piroe opened the scoring, and the Jacks were leading by one at the break, but a convincing second-half showing saw Piroe, Jerry Yates and Matt Grimes get in on the act. It would take until November for the side to truly click, making for a memorable campaign back in the third tier.

2022/23: Reading 1-2 Brighton and Hove Albion

The glitz of the Premier League rolled into Berkshire in July 2023 as Paul Ince prepared his side for the season to come. The likes of Danny Welbeck, Marco Cucurella and Moses Caicedo all featured for the Seagulls in a tough but close afternoon for the Royals.

Pascal Gross, who joined Borussia Dortmund this week, opened the scoring before Solly March doubled Brighton’s advantage after the break. Yakou Meite converted a penalty on the hour-mark but Graham Potter’s men saw out the fixture.

2021/22: Reading 1-3 Crystal Palace

Another Premier League side visited ahead of 2021/22, with supporters allowed back in from the start after suffering 2020/21 behind closed doors due to Covid-19.

All of the action came in the second half of this one, with Jean-Phillipe Mateta converting a penalty within 10 minutes of the rest. John Swift levelled the scores shortly after but goals from Jordan Ayew and Scott Banks took the game away from the Royals.

2019/20: Reading 3-4 Chelsea

Nearly 20,000 packed into the SCL Stadium for the visit of giants Chelsea, with kick-off even delayed slightly to allow the crowds to arrive safely.

Frank Lampard’s first game in charge of the Blues on British soil, a star-studded line-up was pushed all the way by Jose Gomes’ Royals.  Josh Barrett opened the scoring for the hosts inside 15 minutes, but Ross Barkley equalised within 10 minutes. Winger Kenedy put the West London side ahead just before the break, while Michael Morrison equalised almost immediately after the restart.

A quickfire Mason Mount double on the hour-mark looked to have put the game beyond Reading, but Sam Baldock pulled one back with 20 minutes remaining to keep the tie competitive.

2018/19: Reading 0-4 Crystal Palace

Roy Hodgson’s Eagles put Reading to the sword six years ago, netting four times in 35 minutes either side of half-time. Alexander Sorloth opened the scoring 35 minutes into the game while Wilfried Zaha managed a second half brace and central defender James Tomkins rounded off the scoring with 20 minutes remaining.

2017/18: Reading 2-3 Vitesse

For the first time, the traditional final home friendly before the new season actually took place out of the town. Striking a deal with near-neighbours Wycombe Wanderers, the Royals had their Academy teams and women’s side play at Adams Park, while Jaap Stam and his squad welcomed the Dutch side to Hillbottom Road in July 2017.

A Bryan Linssen strike and a double for Tim Matavz had the losing Championship play-off finalists trailing three goals to nil at one point, but Swift and Adrian Popa made the scoreline look closer after second-half goals. A very young Sam Smith appeared from the bench, earning a penalty for Swift’s goal.

2016/17: Reading 1-1 Bournemouth

Stam’s final dress rehearsal before his competitive debut was against Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth, coming just weeks before their bow in the Premier League after promotion in 2015/16.

Over 6,500 spectators saw former Leeds United midfielder Lewis Cook open the scoring for the Cherries while Swift netted a second-half equaliser on his Madejski Stadium debut. Just one week later, Swift would grab his first competitive goal for the club in a 1-0 victory over Preston North End.

2015/16: Reading 0-0 Espanyol

Steve Clarke rounded off preparation for the 2015/16 season with a fiercely competitive fixture with Spanish side Espanyol. Within weeks, midfielder Alex Fernandez had joined the club from their opponents and became a slight cult favourite for his occasional social media posts to supporters.

What followed was a season that promised much, having sat top in October, but ended with a relegation battle and FA Cup quarter-final exit. Never a dull season in RG2.

2014/15: Reading 1-3 Swansea City

Premier League Swansea brought the curtain down on pre-season in 2014/15, showing their class and pulling away from Nigel Adkins’ young side. A Wayne Routledge double and Bafetimbi Gomis’ strike was enough for the South Wales outfit, while Nick Blackman bagged for Reading.