Neither did SG. But either way, the point remains, Gallagher isn't anywhere near the worst striker in your lifetime (unless you're under 10).

Not even close - Chris Brown alone was several shades worse. However, he could have doubled his season's tally tonight. We HAVE to take one of these chances, or we all know what's happening in the 93rd minute...

Think Trav deserves some credit again as well; he's been a different player since being dropped. Should be several up, but really need that 2nd goal. As shit as Reading are, they'll have a chance in the 2nd half.

Sam Szmodics has been good again tonight. Really think he's been quite central to our recent form.

Gally should have had a hat trick this half.

Looks a decent attendance from what I can see on the telly.

Great start.

With 9 games after this - and us having a small buffer over 7th place, it's absolutely nowhere near all over if we don't beat Reading. However, it is a massive, pivotal game and if we are to finish in the top 6, you have to be beating the Readings at home. These (along with Sunday) are the games that you live for as a player; big stakes and big rewards at the back end of the season.

I'm not one for the conspiracy theories, but I'd need this one explaining to me. In what eventuality would promotion to the place where we'd be given cash in bucketloads not be desirable to the owners? This is the only possibility of them clawing the money that they'd thrown at Rovers (if we spent a few years there). As for JDT, he's managing expectations with his comments - if you think that he's not saying the exact opposite to the players, it would be a very, very naive view.

His heading and aerial ability has improved a lot in the last few weeks - you'd expect that JDT is working closely with him.

5 additional mins.

The facts and records would state the opposite - this is the first defeat in 12. But tonight has been shite either way and it's about getting over it as quickly as we can and back to the form we've been showing over a number of weeks.

Stoke wasting time in the 68th minute 😂

I've lost count of the amount of times that Buckley has casually rolled a simple pass straight to a Stoke man. Needs to come off.

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Unless something unexpected happens in the 2nd half, we'll need to get it out of the system and move onto the next one.

Soft goal, that. We need to step up.

One thing is for sure: we will drop points between now and the end of the season. But when we do, it's important that we don't panic or overreact.

Agree with this; I've worked and lived over that way in the last 10 years (not now, thankfully) and it really is a town with a disproportionate amount of wrong 'uns. As for anyone who chooses to punch another person in the head, because they support a different football team...honestly have no words. Irrespective of whatever this chap may or may not have done, he certainly didn't deserve to lose his life.

It'll be a tough match, but so was the Sheffield game and we knew how to manage that. We have to remember that we will drop points between now and the end of the season, but we can't get too excited about when we do. If we can play even close to how the last few matches have gone for the rest of the season, I can't see how we won't finish in the top 6. Top 2 might be a stretch target, but we've got the momentum behind us and all we can do is pick up as many points as we can. I think we'll draw 0-0 or 1-1 on Friday.

He's played the last few U21 games, getting match fitness back. Hopefully be ready for a return to the squad soon.

I agree - and I thought he really caught the eye in the Leicester game. If we did go up, I think his style of play would be really suited to the Prem and he'd just go from strength to strength.

100% agree with this - it's noticeable during matches. Today, I saw Pickering (for example) play quick forward and sideways passes, whereas earlier in the season he looked scared and played a safe backwards ball too often. JRC on the other side has been even more remarkable, his touch, skill and passing range has been a really big part of why we've looked so good recently. I don't think we've changed much at all in terms of style, I just think the players are braver, more confident and are making the right decisions more than the wrong ones at the moment. Momentum is a HUGE thing in football. I'll be perfectly honest; had we brought in a number of new players in Jan, I'm not confident we'd be seeing this level of cohesion.

It wasn’t too long ago that one or two on here were legitimately calling for JDT to be sacked. As I said at the time - it just holds true moreso at the moment - it would be absolute footballing suicide to do that, when we’re in this period of transition as a team, a new manager who has only been in position for a matter of months. Be patient and give them time to either succeed or fail. Fortunately for us, the signs seem to be positive, but we’re still not as good as JDT will make us if he’s supported (both internally and externally).

I’m not sure about this; I think we’re seeing JDT’s strategy now. Just the players are braver and more confident in performing it.

‘Let’s see if they’re still 3rd after February…’ We sit 3rd, just 6 points off the automatic places, bitches 👀