Record-breaking XI: Looking back at the EFL's greatest ever team

Reading's 2005/06 team is one that goes under the radar in EFL history, with the Berkshire-based side winning the Championship title with a record 106 points, which is a record that is still in place to this day. This record makes for even more impressive viewing considering some of the 'big-money' teams that have played in the Championship since then, and have still fallen short of Reading's points total, which came from a team that were built on a relatively small transfer budget at the time. We're going to take a look through their typical starting XI from the 2004/05 season, and some of the names in this squad might ring a bell for football fans that have crossed paths with them at their respective clubs from over the years.

GK: Marcus Hahnemann

Hahnemann signed for the Royals in 2002 after catching the eye in a brief loan spell with the club in the previous season whilst under contract with Fulham. The American went from strength to strength with Reading, and established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper between the posts until 2009, where he made the move to Wolves.

LB: Nicky Shorey

Shorey had a wand of a left foot, and was 'Mr Consistent' in the Reading team that won the Championship title. He made over 250 appearances for the club in total, before moving to Villa Park with Aston Villa in 2008. He later returned to the club briefly in 2012, before finishing his playing career with Hungerford Town in 2016.

CB: Ivar Ingimarsson

Ingimarsson was underrated in this Reading team, but was hugely impressive in the heart of the Reading defence that conceded just 32 goals in the title-winning 2005/06 season. The Icelandic international spent eight years of his career with Reading, before concluding his playing days with Ipswich Town.

CB: Ibrahima Sonko

Sonko was labelled as 'Superman' in his time with the club, and became a firm fans favourite whilst in Berkshire. The former Senegalese international signed for the club in the summer of 2004 after a spell with Brentford. Spells with Hull City, Stoke City, Ipswich Town all followed his time with Reading, before he called time on his career in 2018 after a spell with non-league Harlow Town.

RB: Graeme Murty

Murty was the club's captain in the 2005/06 season, and made over 300 appearances in total, which certainly make him fall into the 'legend' category amongst the club's supporters. Murty finished his career after a year with Southampton in 2010, and has gone on to manage Rangers briefly, although he now works with the Sunderland youth setup.

CM: Steve Sidwell

The former England youth international scored some crucial goals for the Royals in their title-winning season, and also scored in the club's first ever Premier League game against Middlesbrough, as they fought back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at the Madejski Stadium. Sidwell's performances didn't go unnoticed though, as he was snapped up by Chelsea, who were managed by Jose Mourinho at the time. He went on to feature for Aston Villa, Fulham, Stoke City, and Brighton, which is where he called time on his career in 2018. Sidwell is now into the world of punditry.

CM: James Harper

Harper signed for Reading after failing to break into the Arsenal senior squad on a regular basis, and certainly wasted no time in making his mark with the Berkshire-based side. The central midfielder struck up a strong partnership with Steve Sidwell, and adjusted well to the demands of Premier League football.

LM: Bobby Convey

Convey is one of the most technically gifted players to grace the pitch in Reading, and his pace and trickery on the ball was a nightmare for opposition defenders to try and contain. The former American international ran the length of the pitch in one of the goals of the season during the 2005/06 season. He left Reading in 2009 after mutually terminating his contract with the club, and had to call time on his playing days after suffering from asthma attacks, which left him fighting for his life at the time.

RM: Glen Little

Little made a huge impact with Reading in their promotion-winning season, and despite not scoring a considerable amount of goals, it was his assists which proved important for the Royals, as his service for the likes of Leroy Lita, Dave Kitson, and Kevin Doyle were a striker's dream.

ST: Dave Kitson

Kitson scored 19 goals in Reading's promotion-winning season, and adjusted well to the demands of Premier League football, where he scored 22 goals. He spent two further years with Reading, before departing in 2008, as he moved to Stoke City, before Kitson finished his career at Oxford United in 2014.

ST: Kevin Doyle

Doyle is one of Reading's best ever signings, with the club only signing him for five figures. The Irishman scored 56 goals in 163 appearances for the Royals, which included plenty in the Premier League in the 2006/07 season, as they narrowly missed out a European qualification spot. He departed in favour of a move to Wolves for a fee in the region of Â£6.5m in 2009, and retired from playing in 2017 after a spell with Colorado Rapids. The glory days at Reading will feel like a distant memory to many of the club's supporters nowadays, as they're playing their football in League One, after a dismal few years on and off the pitch, where off-field uncertainty has threatened their future. It's been revealed by experts at mybettingsites.co.uk that Reading are priced at 50/1 on Sky Bet to win the League One title, which could be tempting odds for some punters to take given the club's recent run of form with younger players involved in their squad. Below, you'll find the betting odds for the frontrunners for the League One title on Sky Bet this season.

Bolton Wanderers @ 7/2
Derby County @ 9/2
Oxford United @ 13/2
Peterborough United @ 7/1
Portsmouth @ 8/1
Barnsley @ 10/1
Blackpool @ 10/1
Wigan Athletic @ 22/1

Odds displayed are correct as of 3:02 pm, Wednesday 23rd August 2023. Odds are subject to change.