Reading set for largest crowd of the season against Blackpool for Hunt's first match

Reading are set for the largest home crowd of the season on Saturday as Blackpool visit the Select Car Leasing Stadium for Noel Hunt's first home match in charge.

The 2011/12 Championship winner played over 160 times for the club between 2008 and 2013. Returning to the club off the pitch, the former Republic of Ireland international lead the Under-21s to a play-off finish in the PL2, a Berks and Bucks title and qualification for the Premier League International Cup.

With Reading sitting sixth in League One, Ruben Selles departed to join Hull City and Hunt was appointed on a two-and-a-half year deal.

Earning a 1-1 draw at Wycombe Wanderers in his first match in charge, a season-high crowd are turning out on Saturday as Steve Bruce's Tangerines visit Berkshire.

The highest crowd to date is 14,773 for the visit of Charlton Athletic in August, with a crowd in excess of 15,000 expected for Saturday.

The positive vibes at the end of last season saw large crowds turn out, with the final five home matches all seeing crowds in excess of 15,000 and almost 18,500 turning out for the final day of the season, ironically a 3-2 win over Blackpool.

This season's average home crowd has dropped by almost 1,000 on last season, albeit with over half the campaign still to play.