Reading's big task

By Simon Austin

Doyle scored 13 Premiership goals for Reading last season

Wigan and West Ham were stricken by the condition last season and Ipswich have not recovered from it after five years.

The affliction is "second-season syndrome", which sees clubs initially flourish when they are promoted to the Premier League before struggling in their second term.

Reading striker Kevin Doyle is determined that his side will not suffer that same fate this season.

The Royals were last season's surprise Premiership package, finishing eighth in their first season in football's top flight.

"It seems to happen to anyone who comes up and finishes in the top half, the second season seems to be more difficult and they struggle," the 23-year-old told BBC Sport.

READING SUMMER TRANSFERS In: Kalifa Cisse (Boavista, £1m) Out: Greg Halford (Sunderland, £3m), Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, free)

"We want to be one of the teams who change that and show it doesn't always happen.

"It won't be easy. But we're all down-to-earth fellas, we know what it's going to be like and that it's not going to be all good times like it was last season.

"We'll just have to get used to it and play like we did last year."

Wigan and West Ham both had to wait until the final day of last season to secure Premiership survival after having secured top-10 finishes the previous year.

606: DEBATE How will Reading fare this coming season?

And Ipswich were relegated in 2002 after finishing 5th in 2001 and earning a place in the Uefa Cup.

They have not managed to return to the Premier League since then.

The fixture computer has hardly dealt Reading an easy start as they bid to avoid the same slide.

The Royals face Manchester United at Old Trafford in their first match and Chelsea at home in the next.

We've got nothing to fear from our opening games - we got points off Man Utd and Chelsea last season Kevin Doyle

Doyle, speaking at the launch of the book Reading Between The Lines: A Season Of Dreams, joked: "You can't get any tougher than that start - we'll probably only get four points out of a possible six!

"But it will be good to get it out of the way early and no-one will expect anything from us. But I don't think we've got anything to fear - we got points off them both last season.

"We drew at home with Manchester United and away at Chelsea, so we know we can do it.

"We've just got to go out and try and play good football."

Matches against United are always particularly special for the Republic of Ireland international, who grew up supporting the Old Trafford outfit.

Indeed he was even linked with a move to the club last season.

"It's great to play against them and I'm really looking forward to that first game," Doyle, who scored 13 Premiership goals last season, said.

PRE-SEASON 13 JULY: River Plate (Suwon, S Korea) 16 JULY: Lyon (Seoul, S Korea) 19 JULY: Shimizu S-Pulse (Goyang, S Korea) 21 JULY: Tooting & Mitcham (away) 23 JULY: Didcot (a) 25 JULY: Brentford (a) 28 JULY: Brighton (a) 4 AUGUST: Wolves (a)

"Saying that, you do lose your support as you get older, especially when you become a professional.

"I've always said, if I was playing against the likes of Eric Cantona and Bryan Robson at Old Trafford, those players that I grew up supporting, I'd be really awe-struck.

"But it's a different side now and it's business."

Doyle returned to pre-season training on Thursday before flying out to Korea on Monday for Reading's pre-season tour.

The Royals take on Argentine giants River Plate on Friday, French champions Lyon next Monday and home side Shimizu S-Pulse on Thursday.

It means he will only have had three weeks away from football after going on the Republic of Ireland's tour of the USA last month.

Yet he says he is looking forward to getting back with his team-mates.

"After two to three weeks off you want to get back to playing again, getting all the running out of the way and then looking forward to some games," he said.

Reading fans will be hoping Doyle can pick up where he left off in the Premiership and help the club avoid those dreaded second-season blues.