Captain says Royals should shadow Stoke

Reading captain Jobi McAnuff has said the Premier League newboys should follow in the same vein as today's opponents Stoke City.

The Potters have firmly established themselves as a Premier League side over the past three years, following promotion in 2008 to the top division. McAnuff reckons the Royals should adapt a similar approach to maintain Premier League status, which they could not achieve back in the 2007/08 campaign, when they were relegated back to the Championship.

The former Watford player said: 'The way they have done it has been a gradual approach. I think if you look at them now to when they came up it is chalk and cheese, but I think if you break that down in the seasons gone past it has been a gradual process and they have added bit by bit. They are an established Premier League team now.'

'Going up into the Premier League that is a model we can look at, hopefully achieve what they have done and go beyond that. I'm sure that is the aim with everyone at the club. We can't rely on it and think it is going to equate to any points. It is going to be a tough year but an enjoyable one. We've got to use that end to the season we had to give us momentum.'

Wiki page: Jobi McAnuff

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