Your first game

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

v Tranmere 1983/84. We won 1-0 with a late Mark White free kick. Our last home game in Division 4.

I was there. Towards the end of the game the ref plays an advantage for Reading and almost immediately, we lose posession. The South Bank give it the "Who's the oxf*rd in the black?". The ref stops, looks at the South Bank, and points to his chest! The place errupted with laughter. Brilliant spontaneity from the ref and totally difused the situation. Women got in for free that day as well. How frigging sexist does it get?

There was a time when referees were directed to go into the dressing rooms before the game to give a 'pep talk' Apparently, in the Jack Mansell era, one ref went in and said simply: " Right lads, I'm a cnut. Now let's get on with the game!"

Do referees today have the same sense of humour?

I remember going to see a match at spurs in the 80s, and Roger Milford was ref. He'd given some dodgy decision, so the crowd sang "the referee's a w****r" at him, at which point he turned to them, did the w****r sign with his hand and nodded vigorously.

[ankeny]

For those of us that were there in the seventies,dont you think those days were better,more fun and a damn sight more characters?I cant be arsed anymore

For me it's the mid to late 80's for exactly the same reasons. I suspect it's more to do with that era being your formative years as a supporter.

Definitely. Give it 10-15 years or so, and it's a bit "been there, done that" with most things that happen. The novelty wears off.

I was kind of lucky in the my first game was 2-0 v Newport in 85/65 (not that game, but the home game in March), so I only saw a handful of lower tier games before being whisked up the heady heights of Division 2 and the Simod Cup win the year after that. Remarkably, I got as much out of that promotion as the others, despite having only been a genuine supporter for a couple of months before we went up

Were you there at "that"game Rev,on the way home the Newport fans and some locals were waving to us on the way home,it was quite touching,usually the Welsh are throwing things at us!

[Broxroyal]

Home to Oxford 1966/7. Pat Terry gave us the lead but Oxford won 2-1.

11th February 1967
Reading 1 (Terry)
Oxford Utd 2
Att: 13956
Wilkie, Bacuzzi, Meldrum, Yard, Dean, Chapman, Scarrott, Silvester, Terry, Thornhill, Harris

Thanks Ark - appreciate that. I notice we were without Dick Spiers and Denis Allen that day, probably made a difference. We beat Oxford 3-1 away later in the season.

[glass half full]

Home to Oxford 1966/7. Pat Terry gave us the lead but Oxford won 2-1.

11th February 1967
Reading 1 (Terry)
Oxford Utd 2
Att: 13956
Wilkie, Bacuzzi, Meldrum, Yard, Dean, Chapman, Scarrott, Silvester, Terry, Thornhill, Harris

Thanks Ark - appreciate that. I notice we were without Dick Spiers and Denis Allen that day, probably made a difference. We beat Oxford 3-1 away later in the season.

Alan Scarrott. Now that is a player who could cross a ball to the battering ram that was Pat Terry. If he was a bit off line (not very often), he would be subjected to a volley of abuse from Terry.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I was kind of lucky in the my first game was 2-0 v Newport in 85/65 (not that game, but the home game in March), so I only saw a handful of lower tier games before being whisked up the heady heights of Division 2 and the Simod Cup win the year after that. Remarkably, I got as much out of that promotion as the others, despite having only been a genuine supporter for a couple of months before we went up

Were you there at "that"game Rev,on the way home the Newport fans and some locals were waving to us on the way home,it was quite touching,usually the Welsh are throwing things at us!

Sadly not. That game was obviously much earlier in the season.

I remember we won 4-0 at Port Vale once, and there were loads of Stoke fans in the streets applauding the coaches as we went past.

[Victor Meldrew]

5-0 FAC 2 v Brentford Dec 1965

Also remember beating Div 1 WBA in Sept 1967 FL Cup 2 in front of 18,910 and getting stuffed 6 or 7 nil by Citeh in FAC 3 replay Feb 1968. Crowd around 25K

4th December 1965
Reading 5 (Allen, Webb 2, Terry, Evans)
Brentford 0
Att: 10582
Dixon, Neate, Meldrum, Thornhill, Spiers, Evans, Scarrott, Allen, Terry, Webb, Travers

13th September 1967
Reading 3 (Harris 2, Sainty)
WBA 1
Att: 18910
Wilkie, Bacuzzi, Spiers, Meldrum, Chapman, Yard, Allen, Scarrott, Sainty, Collins, Harris

Denis Allen -probably my favourite Reading player ever.
Sylvan Anderton-one of the best names for a Reading player-he came to our class at Wilson Junior School one day just before he was transferred to Chelsea.
John Sainty-alive and well and living down this way.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

I have a football card somewhere with John Sainty on it, awful photo tho.

[Ark Royal]

I have a football card somewhere with John Sainty on it, awful photo tho.

From my memory of John Sainty, it looked like he liked the odd pie or four.

[Stuffed Crust Pizza]

For me, Wednesday 1st February 1989 as a five year old standing with my dad and brother on the Tilehurst End. Reading vs Grimsby Town in a fouth round FA Cup replay. I don't remember anything from the game except being very bored on a sparsely populated terrace and being cold. Apprarently we were beaten 2-1 and I seem to asking while walking back to the car "Dad, was that Wembley?"!!!

[Ark Royal]

For me, Wednesday 1st February 1989 as a five year old standing with my dad and brother on the Tilehurst End. Reading vs Grimsby Town in a fouth round FA Cup replay. I don't remember anything from the game except being very bored on a sparsely populated terrace and being cold. Apprarently we were beaten 2-1 and I seem to asking while walking back to the car "Dad, was that Wembley?"!!!

1st February 1989 - FA Cup 4th round replay
Reading 1 (Moran)
Grimsby Town 2
Att: 8541
Phillips, Williams, Richardson, Beavon, Hicks, Gernon, Jones (Moran), Elsey, Senior, Tait, Gilkes

In total, we played SEVENTEEN FA cup games in 88/89 and 89/90 and never got further than the fourth round!

[glass half full]

I have a football card somewhere with John Sainty on it, awful photo tho.

From my memory of John Sainty, it looked like he liked the odd pie or four.

He had a great 'hedgehog' haircut, though!

[handbags_harris]

January 1st, 1992, a 1 nil victory over Swansea City (as a 10 year old). Best Christmas present my dad ever got me - hooked ever since.

I'd love to know the starting 11, I was in the South bank against the wall so was in awe of seeing professional footballers live... even though i knew none of them!

I just laughed thinking about the "megastore" kind of van where you could buy shirts and scarfs. They used to sell little photos of players and the only one i could get was Danny Bailey because all the others were sold out!! Oh, and they had a few Keith McPherson's too.

Mr Gale, I can give you Swansea's team for that day, but not 'ding's

Roger Freestone
John Williams
Jon Ford
Reuben Agboola
Keith Walker
Shaun Chapple
Russell Coughlin
Jimmy Gilligan
Phil Purnell
Andy Legg
Mark Harris
Steve Jenkins (sub)
Paul Raynor (sub)

[Ark Royal]

January 1st, 1992, a 1 nil victory over Swansea City (as a 10 year old). Best Christmas present my dad ever got me - hooked ever since.

I'd love to know the starting 11, I was in the South bank against the wall so was in awe of seeing professional footballers live... even though i knew none of them!

I just laughed thinking about the "megastore" kind of van where you could buy shirts and scarfs. They used to sell little photos of players and the only one i could get was Danny Bailey because all the others were sold out!! Oh, and they had a few Keith McPherson's too.

Mr Gale, I can give you Swansea's team for that day, but not 'ding's

Roger Freestone
John Williams
Jon Ford
Reuben Agboola
Keith Walker
Shaun Chapple
Russell Coughlin
Jimmy Gilligan
Phil Purnell
Andy Legg
Mark Harris
Steve Jenkins (sub)
Paul Raynor (sub)

1st January 1992
Reading 1 (Senior)
Swansea City 0
Att: 5083
Leighton, Jones, Richardson, McPherson, Williams, Streete, Gooding, Bailey, Senior, McGhee, Gilkes (Cockram)

[Mid Sussex Royal]

not sure

early to mid 1970's

remember Sunday lunchtime kick-offs (to beat the power-cuts)

remember Ces Podd playing for Bradford

remember Andy Alleyne playing for Reading

remember beating Exeter 4-3 ( with their goalkeeper looking a lot like Bob Wilson..................and his name being Bob Wilson.............even tho' it wasn't THE Bob Wilson)

remember seeing THAT GOAL by Percy Freeman (understated because of Robins soon-to-come goal)

remember seeing George Duck in the FA Cup at EP

remember the Aldershot games.....the police lorry (a Bedford bullnosed RL for the pedants) full of local retards parked right by the Southbank turnstiles....the occupants making lots of noise and rocking it around

remember the unsegregated EP

Charlie Hurley era

I remember Andy Alleyne scoring from the half way line Vs Southport 1972ish?

The sunday games 1970's IIRC we did quite well in - remember us stuffing Donny 5-0 - one of Robin Friday's first games

[Ark Royal]

not sure

early to mid 1970's

remember Sunday lunchtime kick-offs (to beat the power-cuts)

remember Ces Podd playing for Bradford

remember Andy Alleyne playing for Reading

remember beating Exeter 4-3 ( with their goalkeeper looking a lot like Bob Wilson..................and his name being Bob Wilson.............even tho' it wasn't THE Bob Wilson)

remember seeing THAT GOAL by Percy Freeman (understated because of Robins soon-to-come goal)

remember seeing George Duck in the FA Cup at EP

remember the Aldershot games.....the police lorry (a Bedford bullnosed RL for the pedants) full of local retards parked right by the Southbank turnstiles....the occupants making lots of noise and rocking it around

remember the unsegregated EP

Charlie Hurley era

I remember Andy Alleyne scoring from the half way line Vs Southport 1972ish?

The sunday games 1970's IIRC we did quite well in - remember us stuffing Donny 5-0 - one of Robin Friday's first games

Was indeed Andy Alleyne and on his debut. Southport were Division 4 champions that season.

21st October 1972
Reading 1 (Alleyne)
Southport 1
Att: 4836
Death, Alleyne, Wooler, Wagstaff B. (Habbin), Hulme, Youlden, Wagstaf A., Chappell, Bell, Dixon, Cumming.

I remember the Donny game (on a Sunday) as well and Friday was brilliant. Curled one in from the corner of the box at the town end. One of Les Chappell's FOUR hat-tricks for us that season.

24th February 1973
Reading 5 Chappell 3 (1p), Friday, Stuckey
Doncaster Rovers 0
Att: 9187
Death, Henderson, Butler, Wagstaff B., Hetzke, Hulme, Freeman, Chappell, Friday, Carnaby, Stuckey.

[brizzle royal]

Away to Colchester in late 50s. We lost 4-2 I think ( no doubt Ark Royal will fill in the details ) . My dad took me by coach for some unknown reason as he wasnt a "biscuits " fan. Started going regularly in 1961 when I started working in Reading. Many highlights but like a lot of others home loss to Luton when it chucked it down but too tightly packed in to be able to move . I used to move at halftime from one end of the ground to the other or go under the clock if it was raining. Favourite sight, Dennis (daisy ) Allen showing his skills

[Plymouth_Royal]

3rd September Millwall home. 1994 season. I remember that game because I got bottled on the way home and I was only 7!!

[Franchise FC]

Bournemouth home - early 60's ('64 I think).

First away game - Highbury - 1 - 0 defeat in the League Cup

[bassavage]

First game: Reading 1-0 Southampton - friendly 1997

First League game: Tranmere 6-0 Reading

[Royal Lady]

Has anyone managed to work out what my game might have been - home - latter part of October 1981?