For Andrew Yiadom, hope truly did spring eternal over the English summer as the full-back signed for Reading on a free transfer from Barnsley.
It had been a torrid old season for Yiadom at Oakwell after the Barnsley side he played in finished in 22nd position and were subsequently relegated to the third tier of English football.
Despite Barnsley's struggles, Yiadom had been a shining light for the Tykes and even won the Players' Player of the Year Award at the end of season awards in May 2017.
There seemed every chance Yiadom would be saved from Barnsley's sinking ship as interest in the Ghanaians availability rose, especially as former boss Paul Heckingbottom was just down the road at Leeds and thought to be keen on bringing him to Elland Road.
Any thought of a big move to Leeds United broke down once it appeared that the West Yorkshire club would be parting ways with Heckingbottom in the summer and that prompted Reading to snatch him up.
When Yiadom became a Royal it gave him another chance in the Championship with the opportunity of a fresh shot at promotion to the Premier League.
Barnsley defender Andy Yiadom has completed a move to Reading. #BarnsleyFC #ReadingFC pic.twitter.com/S183edC8gA
— FL Transfer News (@EFLtransferzone) https://twitter.com/EFLtransferzone/status/997203066574311424 — (@EFLtransferzone) December 6, 2017 ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/EFLtransferzone/status/997203066574311424
— (@EFLtransferzone) December 6, 2017
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018
After six games it would be very understandable if Yiadom is feeling a certain amount of deja vu as Reading sit bottom of the Championship with two points having lost four games already. It is early days still but the initial signs are that Paul Clement’s side will struggle this season which may mean more back to the wall work for Yiadom.
Once again though it seems like Yiadom is the star player in a dire cause after a Reading fanzine voted him player of the month for August with 59% of the vote.
He certainly catches the eye does Yiadom with his hard tackling and rampaging runs forward and he will hope as much as anyone that the Royals can start playing some champagne football again and move up the league table.
Fortunately for Reading and Yiadom, the Championship is not a league renowned for any one team running away with it and until the New Year, the table is quite congested which lends itself to a team going on a run and seeing an instant improvement in their league position.
It is a different story in the Premier League where the more established teams stay at the top of the league from the off. Few would argue against Pep Guardiola's men being dislodged anytime soon and the odds on Man City to win league 2019 at 4/6 on the Betfair exchange illustrates that.
There is still a lot to be positive about given the volatile nature of the Championship and a quick look back at the very recent history of Reading should give the Ghanaian a massive amount of inspiration.
#OTD in 2012, Reading clinched the Championship title after a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace #rfc #readingfc pic.twitter.com/eTPDamQxK1
— TALK72 (@TALK72Podcast) https://twitter.com/TALK72Podcast/status/855335610558537728 — (@TALK72Podcast) December 6, 2017 ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/TALK72Podcast/status/855335610558537728
— (@TALK72Podcast) December 6, 2017
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2017
It was during Reading’s 2011/2012 season that they found themselves second from bottom after four games and they were only able to record their first home win in mid-September.
The Royals were 16th in November and 11 points adrift of the promotion spots in January but astonishingly they won 15 of their last 17 games to win the league and go up as champions.
It may be deja vu now for Yiadom but that’s not to say it will be next May.
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