And the peaceful environment at our new training facility played host to our official first team photo for 2020-21 this week.
The transfer window remains open of course, so whether players depart or join the first team ranks remains to be seen - but with the interruption of an international break on the horizon, a hectic schedule of fixtures for Veljko Paunović's men after the interval - not to mention autumnal weather now just around the corner - this was the perfect time for the first team to come together for the annual snap.
The manager was joined by his coaching team, medical, sports science and analysis staff as well as Chief Executive Dayong Pang - not to mention this year's crop of first team players who promptly filtered into three rows for the photo.
Kelly Chambers’ Reading FC Women side followed suit in the afternoon, lining up after their training session for individual 'head and shoulder shots' before staging their own official photo for 2020-21.
Bearwood Park was at its beautiful best.
Reading Football Club 2020-21:
Back row (l-r): Ollie Harrington, Ray Holland, Ryan East, Joseph Ajose, Ethan Bristow, Dejan Tetek, Nelson Abbey, Nahum Melvin-Lambert, Tennai Watson, Imari Samuels, Lynford Sackey, Harry Wood, Chris Douglas.
Middle row (l-r): Alex Forsey, Matt Walker, Danny Flitter, Sam Baldock, Michael Olise, George Pușcaș, Ovie Ejaria, Josh Laurent, Jökull Andrésson, Luke Southwood, Rafael Cabral, Sam Walker, Lucas João, Tom Holmes, Tom McIntyre, Lewis Gibson, Omar Richards, Stewart Bannister, Luke Bishop, James Hooper.
Front row (l-r): Josh Bowen, Felipe Araruna, Yakou Méïté, Andy Rinomhota, Liam Moore, Quinton Fortune, John O'Shea, Veljko Paunović, Dayong Pang, Marko Mitrović, Nuno Gomes, Michael Morrison, Andy Yiadom, John Swift, Sone Aluko, James Bittner, Eddie Niedzwiecki.