Only The Poets frontman and lifelong Royals fan speaks about season so far

As Only The Poets gear up to release their exciting new debut album, frontman and lifelong Royals supporter Tommy Longhurst speaks about the season so far.

Reading’s very own Only The Poets have returned in blazing form with their debut album And I’d Do It Again — a bold, exhilarating statement from one of the UK’s most exciting new alt-pop bands, which is set to release at the end of the month

The popular indie band have become synonymous with Reading FC in recent years, with the band members being lifelong supporters and among the many performers on the Purple Turtle Stage at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Frontman Tommy Longhurst, a massive Royals fan, sat down with The Reading Chronicle to speak about how he has seen the season unfold so far: “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster.

“When we were dropping down and down and we were in the relegation zone, I was like, oh no, is it this again? But obviously, Rob coming in and changing things, with the transfer ban being lifted, even just like putting Lewis Wing on a three-year deal, you know.

“What a player, I think he’s so unbelievable, like you shouldn’t score that many. Every single goal he scores is like a banger, do you know what I mean?

“But I’ve been a lot this season, the club have been amazing, they’ve looked after us and we’ve been to a lot of games and we’re actually going on the 24th and the 27th to do some album promos.

“I’m just excited for the rest of the season, because obviously we’re second in the form league, I know it’s a form league, but it’s nice, five games, 13 points, four wins and a draw.”

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Tommy added that he sees the Royals finishing fourth in the league this season.

He said: “I’ve got a lot of belief, and that’s been hard to find as a Reading fan the last few years.

“People don’t really realise how tough it’s been for us.

“Talk about administration, do you know what I mean? That’s no joke. For football, imagine if we went up after everything we’ve been through, it would be unbelievable.”

When asked if Only The Poets would ever like to do a show at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, Tommy said: ” Of course.

“Imagine the capacity, if the stage went like facing say like the North Stand, you’d get so many people on the pitch, it’s got to be a good like 20,000 – 25,000 capacity as a show.

“If we ever get that big, that’d be unbelievable, that’d be very impressive to sell that many tickets in Reading.”

Tommy, Andy, Clem and Marcus launch ‘And I’d Do It Again’ on January 30th, their landmark first studio album.