Issue 5 - October 1998

Marching on Together....

Some people may remember that Reading used to play at a ground by the name of Elm Park. Lovely little ground Elm Park, which was proud to be known as the "Home of Reading FC" - unlike the current stadium which has bugger-all reference to the Royals! Anyway, I digress.

The point of this piece is to draw attention to a number of hardy souls who decided to commemorate the first game at the Madejski Stadium by walking from the old ground to the new.

On the day some sixty people (a number of them pictured below) consisting of supporters club members along with other dedicated types, co-ordinated by Roger Titford, set off from the South Bank. On their persons' were bags of grass cuttings - the legal variety I'm assured, but you do have to wonder - which had been taken from the Elm Park goalmouths to scatter on the new pitch.

So amidst glorious sunshine the "Loyal Royals", banners and colours proudly displayed, set off for the promised land. A cross country route of approximately 3 miles was followed that involved some of the little known routes to the new ground. A little over an hour (note to car users) , and a few confused fishermen later, the group had reached the Mad House.
Upon arrival the grass cuttings were duly scattered in the goalmouths to provide some form of link between Elm Park and the new hallowed turf. Obviously something went wrong as the continuity - a run of bloody awful home results that saw us relegated - failed to materialise and Reading stuffed Luton 3 - 0. Hurrah!!!

Reading have still not lost a game at the Mad House, despite the best efforts of some, so who knows, maybe the grass that saw Reading's finest play on it is having a positive effect on the current batch of players.