Reading FC given experienced official for Burnley FA Cup tie...

Reading FC given experienced official for Burnley FA Cup tie

Almost precisely 11 years after his debut game as the Royals’ manager, Reading will play Burnley in the FA Cup third

round on Saturday under the guidance of seasoned official Andy Davies.

Davies, a Hampshire native, is most recognised for being the only EFL referee to have played for a football team.

Prior to his injury, he had played for Gillingham and Portsmouth.

He was originally introduced to the Royals as a man in the middle during the team’s historic 7-1 victory over Bolton

Wanderers in January 2014 after being promoted to the EFL in 2012–13.

Since then, he has refereed Reading 20 times, with 2014/15 and 2023/24 the only campaigns in which he hadn’t

come across the club.

In those fixtures, Reading have won eight times and lost 10 times, but a lot of the games have been memorable.

From Jaap Stam’s first win over Preston North End in 2016 to a last-gasp victory over Wigan Athletic in 2019, his

most recent visit came in 2023 as Noel Hunt’s Royals drew 1-1 with the Latics.

The Royals were demoted along with Shaun Maloney’s team, and they didn’t fight until the middle of the next week

before they were demoted as well.

A 3-0 victory over Cardiff City in 2019, George Puscas’ debut, is another game that will live on in the memories for a

very long time.

Supporters fell in love with the club record signing as he scored twice and came close to grabbing a hat-trick, but he

would leave with 20 goals in 91 games in 2022.

Davies will be joined by Graham Kane and Emily Carney on the line and Carl Brook as fourth official.

So far this season, Davies has taken charge of 12 Championship fixtures and 16 in all EFL competitions, including

Burnley’s 0-0 draw with Derby County in December.