Four players make their Royals debut at a soggy Bloomfield Road this afternoon as Paul Ince names his first starting eleven of the Championship campaign.
Loanee Joe Lumley starts between the posts, Nesta Guinness-Walker starts on the left having only signed a contract with the Royals on Friday morning, while Tyrese Fornah and Jeff Hendrick are named in midfield.
Andy Yiadom captains the side and Shane Long is fit enough for a place on a bench which includes new keeper Dean Bouzanis and five young players - Kelvin Abrefa, John Clarke, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, Kian Leavy and Rashawn Scott.
Lucas Joao misses out through injury after picking up a knee problem in the final pre-season game of the summer, while Sam Hutchinson, Dejan Tetek and Femi Azeez are also sidelined with knocks. Scott Dann has been absent throughout pre-season with injury so also misses out.
Mamadou Loum only put pen to paper on a loan move from FC Porto yesterday evening and awaits international clearance before he can feature.
Blackpool: Grimshaw, Connolly, Fiorini, Yates, Bowler, Madine, Williams, Carey, Virtue, Ekpiteta (c), Thompson.
Subs: Moore, Dougall, Lavery, Hamilton, Corbeanu, Lubala, Thorniley.
Reading: Lumley, Yiadom (c), Holmes, McIntyre, Guinness-Walker, Hoilett, Fornah, Hendrick, Ejaria, Ince, Meite.
Subs: Bouzanis, Abrefa, John Clarke, Scott, Leavy, Ehibhatiomhan, Long.
