Aldershot rivalry

[grey_squirrel]

I reckon we should educate our younger fans to pick up the rivalry with Aldershot again - much better than using Oxford or Swindon (who dont give a shit about us)

This is indeed correct. They don't.

[boycey]

Oooohhhhh, Id love to have it off with aldershot again.

I get first dibs on whacking Brian Potter.

[percy_freeman]

As a Reading fan from 1968 onwards, and the fact I lived in Yateley, I regard Aldershot as our main "Rivals" Away games were always better as I joined a train full of Reading fans and somehow we always got to the ground late. However home matches were a different matter getting on the train at Sandhurst, which was loaded with Aldershot fans and the route march from the town to Elm Park dodging the scraps on the way, occasionally joining in. I did chuckle when I heard that last night, as most of them probably weren't born last time we played each other.

[Compo's Hat]

Did anyone go to the Aldershot friendly what must have been nearly 8-10 years ago now? I recall Ben Thornley was playing for you. It was raining bricks and stones then. Few fights in the ground and some carnage in the pub beforehand.

Remember that one as the police just stood at the other end of the ground. Some poor kid got hit in the face by an object thrown over the fence and a few rucks certainly took place.

[SHORT AND CURLY]

Aldershite all the way.
Must admit I would love to go back to that dump of a ground a smash em off the park. (Managed a whole 7000 last night against arguably the biggest club they could have drawn LOL LOL LOL)
If I recall correctly their biggest crowds were normally against us, swelled by the mass ranks of Reading.

That Easter weekend when we played Aldershite and Pompey at home, Bournemouth away live long in my memory. Especially the stuffing of the shoite!

Had many a battle against that lot. Was even caught up in the scuffle at the Walkabout in Shepherds Bush a few months back when a few of their 'yoof' came bowling in. That was actually quite funny watching plastic glasses getting thrown.

[Big Foot]

Which is why Aldershot is the one historical rivalry, yes we may have been with Swindon, Bournemouth and Watford longer but Aldershot is the only one where both sets of fans really care.

even then I'd say it's debatable that any Reading fan below the age of 40/45 sees Aldershot as the main rival

[Big Foot]

Did anyone go to the Aldershot friendly what must have been nearly 8-10 years ago now? I recall Ben Thornley was playing for you. It was raining bricks and stones then. Few fights in the ground and some carnage in the pub beforehand.

Remember that one as the police just stood at the other end of the ground. Some poor kid got hit in the face by an object thrown over the fence and a few rucks certainly took place.

'some poor kid' aka The Goat was Fed

[Big Foot]

Dislike Swindon the most, bit of a soft spot for Oxford.

Get out

You get out, you Swindon loving traitor.

You not seen my location hombre?

[FiNeRaIn]

Did anyone go to the Aldershot friendly what must have been nearly 8-10 years ago now? I recall Ben Thornley was playing for you. It was raining bricks and stones then. Few fights in the ground and some carnage in the pub beforehand.

Remember that one as the police just stood at the other end of the ground. Some poor kid got hit in the face by an object thrown over the fence and a few rucks certainly took place.

I was there too, it was a pre-season friendly after the defeat to walsall in the playoff final. I wasn't expecting any trouble but there was definitely a good bit.

[trueroyal1871]

I remember hearing about the Aldershit rivalry when I was young but not old enough to have experienced it first hand until I joined the company I work for now. I work with a lifelong Aldershit fan who's in his late 40's and remembers the rivalry very well and always tries to keep the rivalry going with me by having a bit of office banter slagging off each others club. He's a great bloke apart from being a shits fan.

We say it the start of every cup draw we're both in that we want each other home or away.


Thanks to whoever made this on AE

[who are ya?]

Was even caught up in the scuffle at the Walkabout in Shepherds Bush a few months back when a few of their 'yoof' came bowling in. That was actually quite funny watching plastic glasses getting thrown.

That'll be the goons I was on about on the first page. Very nearly kicked off by the bar and how I didn't get my nose caved in by at least one of them I'll never know.

[Mr Optimist]

Last game I remember going to at the Wreck was the 1-1 draw, Beavon late late penalty saved our blushes. I think it was about 88/89?

The Shits had managed to get promotion out of the basement for a season (after beating Wolves in the div 4 play-offs?).

They gave it the biggun but it was always like the equivalent picking a fight with a midget, it just didn't seem right somehow.

[Optimist]

Aldershot are our biggest rivals, and I'm not old enough to have seen us play them. A Swindon fan I know says they regard Oxford, both Bristol clubs and (judging by the fact he wanted us to win the playoffs after Forest went out) both Welsh clubs as well. So these days, in Swindon eyes, we are probably joint 6th with Cheltenham It takes two to be bitter rivals.

Whereas Aldershot still sing about hating us! That shows where the true rivalry is. And in some ways in was nice to hear someone saying how much they hate us
You really have to hate a team to throw bricks at a pre-season friendly, and I don't believe there were many incidents at the friendly at the County Ground this yer was there?

[oldebiscuit]

Oh yes, Oxford and Swindon do give a shit about us, just that they haven't played against us for a few years.

Ask an Oxford fan who their main rivals are and they will say "Swindon" - ask a Swindon fan who their main rivals are and they will say "Oxford" - ask an Aldershot fan who their main rivals are and they will say "Reading"

And ask a Reading fan who their main rivals are, and if he really knows his history, and if he knows his geography, and if he knows that football rivalry is a reciprocating passion, then he will say Aldershot.
However, any Royals fans under the age of 25 can be forgiven if they feel that our rivals are some one else due to Aldershot's amusing demise into 'Park Football' (HA! HA! HA!)

PS. Would love to get the Shots at home in the FA Cup.

[leicsRoyal]

Things may have changed a bit now as I haven't lived in Reading for over 20yrs however Aldershot will always be the fixture that I would love to see drawn out in the cup.
There aren't rivals on the field, how can they be? Yet the thought of Aldershot away would be a fantastic way to start the new year.
Never really considered Oxford as anything other than noisy neighbours for the couple of years that they had some form of success.
Not sure when the rivalry with Swindon really started, we had more rivalry with both of the Bristol Clubs and Pompey at one stage.

Aldershot will always be the one for me.

[Svlad Cjelli]

I know a few Aldershot supporters and spoke there a few years ago - there defeinitely is an undercurrent of real hatred there for us.

At the same time they were starting at the bottom we were going from strength to strength, so added to the historical rivalry (and they don't really have any other local rivals to hate) they also feel resentment that a club that they feel used to be the same size as them is now so much bigger.

Plus the work of agent Dillon didn't help matters.

[bobby m's syrup]

For those of you too young to remember, the correct spelling of the team from north Hampshire is Aldershit. Weren't you at EP or The Rec in the early 70's matches?? Happy daze ! Literally on one occasion.

2 4 6 and a bit...Reading's playing Aldershit. Ahh memories of a mis-spent youth.

[southbank1871]

A few years back I’d borrowed my old man’s car to go down to Devon and he had a Reading sticker in the back. When it was parked up in Woolacombe one day I returned to the car to find a note on the car saying something like, “Reading are shit, Aldershot are the best”. Definitely a bit of a but there is a hatred of us there from them. It’s not that surprising though as Aldershot makes Reading look like San Francisco.

[Aubery Boyce]

Definitely a bit of a but there is a hatred of us there from them. It’s not that surprising though as Aldershot makes Reading look like San Francisco.

LOLOLOL. Living round the corner from the glittering Metropolis that is Aldershit, i have to concurr.


Went to the rec in 88? on Easter Monday. Stuart Beavon getting a late late penno to salvage a point. Claridge and Puckett up front for the Shots..

Remember the old man taking out the Roylas sticker from the back window of the car... just in case. Remember being locked in for quite a whiel afterwards, too.

Went back to the Rec when we were playing reserve games there and was surprised to see in 20+ years it hadn't really changed.


I'm sure Fergie called them Aldershit in his prematch interview the other night, too...

[who are ya?]

I'm sure Fergie called them Aldershit in his prematch interview the other night, too...

The bloke on SSN Tuesday evening said "Aldershi.. Aldershot... steady" now I cringe at changing clubs names but this raised a smile.