We're all done with match action from the first month of the new season, a tad earlier than originally planned. Reading's trip to Oxford United, initially set for August 29, was postponed due to a clash with Reading Festival (at time of writing there's no confirmation on when this game will move to).
We have however had five games across all competitions: two in League One, two in the League Cup and one in the Pizza Vase. Reading have recorded one normal-time win (3-0 at Stevenage) as well as two 1-1 draws that preceded shootout triumphs (Bromley, Wycombe Wanderers), a goalless stalemate at AFC Wimbledon and a 3-4 league defeat to Luton Town.
Performances have been somewhat mixed, with the display at Stevenage (6.64/10, going by our Player Ratings) the clear standout. Otherwise, three displays were remarkably similar (Bromley 5.6, Wycombe 5.64, Wimbledon 5.62), while the one against Luton (5.27) was a lot lower.
That all works out to an average of 5.75. For a bit of context, that's higher than the 2025/26 season-wide average of 5.59 and above every month that campaign but one (August 2025, 5.85).
So now it's time to pick a standout. We've narrowed the choice down to a shortlist of three players, and you can vote for your favourite at the bottom of the article.

#stevenage

AFC Wimbledon have signed forward Harry Cornick on a one-year deal with the option of a further year.
The 31-year-old was released by Bristol City in the summer after three-and-a-half years at Ashton Gate. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Stevenage.
Before that he played a key role in Luton Town's rise from League Two to the Championship, scoring 38 times in 235 games.
"Harry's a player that I've long admired, and he's had a good career," Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson told the club website.
"He's obviously had a difficult season last season with the injury that he picked up.

#last

Oxford United boss Aaron Ramsey said his side "stood up to the test" as they came out on top against Stevenage to claim their first three points of the League One season.
The U's opened the scoring in the second half when Gatlin O'Donkor found the net before Cameron Brannagan added a second from the penalty spot.
Stevenage scored late in added time but Ramsey's side held on for his first victory as United boss.
"It was a really tough place to go to but [it was] a test that we stood up to," Ramsey told BBC Radio Oxford.
"Particularly in the first half we knew that we would have to be on it from an out-of-possession point of view and I thought we were brilliant, we defended the box superbly.

#second

Live coverage of 23 matches across League One & Two
League One: Leicester have Oliver Skipp sent off after going 2-0 down at home to Burton
Bromley level with Cambridge in their first-ever third tier home match
Also Wimbledon v Reading; MK Dons v Huddersfield; Peterborough v Mansfield; Stevenage v Oxford; Stockport v Blackpool; Wigan v Orient; Wycombe v Plymouth
Luton and Notts Co share spoils in 2-2 draw and Doncaster & Barnsley play out goalless draw in lunchtime kick-offs

#league #home #leicester #bromley

League action is back!
The Royals narrowly went through to the second round of the Carabao Cup last Saturday, beating Bromley on penalties. It was Joel Pereira that had the last laugh in that game, saving Ethon Archer's penalty, but plaudits should go to Kyreece Lisbie, who had a great game.
Lewis Wing missed a penalty but the captain settled that by kicking off the scoring in the shootout. It will be Stevenage that Reading play in the next round (which I predicted), so we will be able to focus on the league at least.
Luton Town beat Gillingham 3-0 in the cup, with their campaign getting off to a smoother start than the Royals'. Goals by Nahki Wells, Bennadict Benagr and Giddeon Kouda sealed the deal for the Hatters, who face Chelsea in the next round. So it is likely Luton will also be focusing on the league, but these games are never predictable.
We finally hit matchday one of League One, with Reading vs Luton kicking off at 12:30 on Saturday. It will be available on Sky Sports and will be played at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, which has a capacity of 24,161. The referee to take us into league action will be Leigh Doughty.

#saturday #reading #action

Wigan Athletic have signed Manchester City defender Finley Burns on a three-year deal.
The 23-year-old came through City's academy and made his only appearance for the senior side in an EFL Cup win over Wycombe in September 2021.
He has spent time on loan with Swansea, Stevenage, Hull City and Reading in the past five seasons.
All done deals in August 2026

#wigan #manchester #burns

Stevenage defender Saxon Earley has signed a new contract.
The 23-year-old left-back made 21 appearances in League One last season, when Stevenage were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Stockport County.
He signed for the club last June on a free transfer from Plymouth Argyle, where he was part of the squad which won promotion to the Championship in 2023.
Stevenage have not disclosed the length of Earley's new deal.

#saxon #earley #league #june

Port Vale have signed striker Tyreece Simpson on a one-year deal.
Simpson, 24, was available on a free transfer after he left League One side Stevenage at the end of last season - and he has agreed to drop into League Two with the Valiants, who were relegated from the third tier in April.
St Kitts and Nevis international Simpson is an Ipswich Town academy product but has, since leaving Portman Road, had permanent spells with Huddersfield Town and Stevenage as well as loan spells at Swindon Town, Northampton Town and Colchester United.
He missed all of last term injured, having suffered a ruptured Achilles in pre-season, as Stevenage reached the League One play-offs and he was among seven senior players to leave the club at the end of their contracts.
Vale have made him their eighth signing of a busy summer, having already recruited Lewis Montsma, Jasper Moon, Max Watters, Aaron McGowan, Kyle Dempsey, Matthew Craig and Jackson Smith.

#vale

League Two side Barnet have made goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond their eighth summer signing on a free transfer.
Ashby-Hammond, 27, came through Fulham's ranks and won promotion from the fourth tier in the 2022-23 season during a loan move to Stevenage, who signed the former England youth goalkeeper permanently but released him at the end of last season.
"We've been watching Taye from afar for a long time," manager Dean Brennan told Barnet's website, praising Ashby-Hammond's ability to deal with crosses, reliability and all-round qualities.
"He's been promoted out of this division and he's a great age for us. Some of the references we've had on him have been outstanding.
"We know he's a good kid, a fantastic level-headed character and intelligent. He will make us a better group and make the team better."

AFC Wimbledon have made former Stevenage defender Dan Sweeney their first signing of the summer, with the centre-back signing a two-year deal.
The 32-year-old made 112 appearances for Boro over the past three seasons, but was released last month.
Sweeney was part of the AFC Wimbledon academy, and told the club's official website it was "brilliant to be back".
"Where the club was from when I was here, to where it is now is quite astonishing," he added.
After leaving Wimbledon in 2013, he played for Kingstonian, Dulwich Hamlet and Maidstone United, before joining League Two Barnet in January 2017.