Wycombe Wanderers manager Matt Bloomfield has insisted that the Chairboys’ visit to Reading on Saturday ‘is just another game’, despite the clash being a local derby.

The two sides are separated by 20 miles along the A404 and M4 but have only met 15 times in all competitions since their first meeting during the 1976/77 season.

In that time, the Royals have won on nine occasions, Wanderers three, with there being three draws.

Wycombe have also never defeated Reading at either Elm Park or the Select Car Leasing Stadium, with Saturday’s fixture being the first that Chairboys fans can attend since September 2001.

Wanderers’ previous visit to the home of Reading was played behind closed doors in October 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Berkshire side won 1-0 thanks to a second-hald Lucas Joao strike.

Speaking ahead of the Thames Valley battle, Bloomfield said: “The fans will be following us in their numbers which I’m grateful for.

“When we go away from home, we create a large volume and we’ve had some very good away days this season.

“We want to create another one and I hope we give them a lot to cheer about.”

On the fixture, he added: “It is just another match, but with it comes the excitement of it being a local derby,"

"It’s one the supporters would love to win so I’d love to do that for them.

“As a manager and for the players, all we have to do is focus on the process to get us the result, we can’t live in the future of Saturday at 5pm.

“So we have to prepare right, focus on ourselves, be the best we can be and control the game both in and out possession.”