Another month, another award for us to give out. This time we’re looking back across the seven games in all competitions of October: matches against Bradford City, MK Dons, Chelsea’s under-21s, Wigan Athletic, Leyton Orient, Barnsley and Plymouth Argyle.
For absolute clarity, please ignore the Oxford United game for this award. Actually, it’s probably best to just forget about that match in general…
Anyway, back to a busy October, which threw up quite the spread of performances and results. Reading
thrashed MK Dons and edged out Orient and Barnsley, while drawing with Bradford and Plymouth. On the flipside, the Chelsea and Wigan defeats featured some of the worst performances of the season.
There were some individual standouts however, so it’s time to pick the best of them. To recap, August’ winner was Kyreece Lisbie, while Andy Rinomhota took the September award.
Udoka Godwin-Malife
Average rating: 5.83
Man of the match awards: Bradford City H (1st), Wigan Athletic A (1st), Barnsley H (3rd)
Another good month at right-back for Dokes, who was one of the few to come out of the Wigan game with much credit, but also had a good game at home to Barnsley. He even chipped in with some goal involvements, equalising against Bradford before setting up Lane with an excellent cross at MK Dons.
Paddy Lane
Average rating: 6.2
Man of the match awards: MK Dons A (3rd), Leyton Orient H (1st)
Lane’s improvement this season after a horrid 2025/26 has been a great subplot to watch unfold, and October was undoubtedly his best month. He was consistent overall, with the second-highest average rating in the squad, and came up with the goods by netting against MK Dons and Orient.
Kyreece Lisbie
Average rating: 6
Man of the match awards: Bradford City H (3rd), MK Dons A (1st), Barnsley H (1st)
Lisbie was a key goal threat in October, providing two braces in the absence of main marksman Jack Marriott. The first was technically less consequential, coming in a 5-1 mauling of MK Dons, but it was still vital in getting the Royals up and running in that game, and wasn’t far off being a hat-trick, with Lisbie also heavily involved in the own-goal that made it 1-2.
Lisbie’s second brace was unequivocally vital, however. With Reading losing 0-1 at home to Barnsley, he struck twice in the second half to secure a rare comeback victory.
Paudie O’Connor
Average rating: 6.5
Man of the match awards: Leyton Orient H (3rd), Barnsley H (2nd), Plymouth Argyle A (1st)
A really solid spell defensively for O’Connor, who earned the highest average rating of anyone in the squad in October. He ended the month strongly, appearing in the top three of our MOTM voting in consecutive games against Orient, Barnsley and Plymouth, as the Royals picked up seven points and two clean sheets in the process.
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