Who first took you to football?

[dean horrix legend]

My Dad,1970 when I was 6 years old. No idea who it was against though.

[Maguire]

My dad took me to the Simod Cup final, although he didn't really follow Reading. Literally everyone at primary school was going so he had no choice.

Took me to EP prolly twice after that then in 93 when Reading had Barnet at home (4-1, Haag broke T.Jones' leg) I decided to go on my own.

Gone on my own ever since.

[wolsey]

Although the first game that I can remember was with my brother (Luton, March 1970, lost 1-0, MacDonald scored very near full time, we started with Denis Butler in goal because Steve Death turned up late. I was 6, my brother was was 15), the memories of early home games were always with my Dad.

Routine was: in the Bull in Cross Street/Broad Street junction (closed decades ago, was Ratners, now a "Suits R Us" type establishment) from 12 till about 2pm - I'm sure that I probably suffered from passive drinking and was definitely the only sober person in the building by the time we left.

Down the Oxford Road at brisk military step (give or take the odd sway), turn left at Kensington Road thinking how lucky people were living so close to the ground, past the sports ground (think West Reading played there), right on to Norfolk Road queue to buy our ticket in the stand (usually D or B - although I remember us having seats in the C Stand right on the half way line against Bury for a birthday treat: we lost 5-1)

After the game similarly quick march back to town to get the bus (on a cold day feeling was usually restored to toes somewhere near the Battle Hospital)

As someone else has already said - Thanks Dad.

[Urinal Mint]

My Mum.

Used to park over the flats and walk over prospect park.
Can of pop and a couple of sweets from the newsagent then into the tilehurst end where we usually met my uncle.

My first game was a boxing day around the age of 8. No idea who it was against but Elm Park was packed and the atmosphere was good.
Have been going back regularly but infrequently ever since. Often with my old dear still.

*soccerbase suggests it was a 3-1 home win against Aldershot*

Only went in the southstand a couple of times.

South Bank. How can you get that so wrong?

[Royal Lady]

A mate from school asked me if I fancied going I know his first name was Mathew and we were at Maiden Erlegh and it was August 1978 Doncaster at home. Can't remember if I ever went to a game again with him, but if your out there thanks, 32 years and a few thousand pounds lighter I'm still going.

Ooh you might know Muskrat and Schards....

[From Despair To Where?]

No-one in my family was into football but I grew up spitting distance from Elm Park so my parents had no problem with me going on my own. 50p to get in IIRC

[willz_royal]

My grandad, aunt and uncle. Seem to remember parking at some flats, then getting some mcdonalds vouchers from the mascot, and not seeing a thing all game.

[Mr Optimist]

Dad. Being from Sheffield he took me first of all to a Sheffield United game at BDTBL (Beautiful down town Bramall Lane) in 1977 I think as a 7/8 year old to see a 0-2 home defeat to Carlisle United in a Div 2 match when up in Sheff to visit Grandma and Granddad...

After some badgering he eventually took me to my first Reading game in '80, a 1-0 home defeat to Oxford!

He refused to take me again after that match saying that he was not going to pay to watch "that shower of shit" again.

So I had to take myself down to EP on a regular basis from 83 onwards when he would grudgingly cough up the cash for my entrance to South Bank and would go with my mate from school (Little Heath), getting on the 33 bus or walking it to EP from Tilehurst.

I have taken my Dad back to see RFC once v Sheff Utd as a birthday present. Sheff U won 2-0 (I remember Harley scoring for them) about 2002?

All I will say is I love my dad but Yorkshiremen are dour, miserable buggers!!

[Royal Lady]

My ex husband took me. My grandad wouldn't take us little ones when he went to QPR and then he died when I was 10 and my dad wasn't into football at all - so ex Mr RL took me to my first game and Schards has carried on the tradition!

[Ian Royal]

A mate and his family took me to the Play Off Final in '95 when I'd ben slowly gaining interest throughout that season.

[PEARCEY]

My dad. First game was c. January 1972. I supported Arsenal as a little lad and it was Wolves 5 Arsenal 1. It snowed. Bob Wilson was in goal for Arsenal.....I didn't go just with my dad but about 40 other kids as well. My Dad was headteacher of a local junior school and it was a school trip.

[SLAMMED]

Went with m8's from school.

[bagman]

My Grandad took me for the first time against Aldershot, when we biked from Farley Hill when I was 7. We subsequently got a lift to Elm Park with Len Crook who was the landlord of the Fox and Hounds in the village at the time, and later took over the Spread Eagle opposite the ground. When we played Middlesborough to start the Premiership campaign my son and I went for a drink at the Fox before the game.

[percy_freeman]

Almost ashamed to admit the following! I moved to Yateley from Lightwater in 1968 and first people I met used to go to Aldershot, so I joined them. After a while, and meeting some more friends, they persuaded me into going to watch Reading, I would think this would of been the 68/69 season and the rest, as they say, is history. I am fortunate to have watched Reading FC in Div 1,2,3 and 4, The Championship, The Premiership and twice at Wembley, ( missed out on Cardiff as I was away) and I still see one of the "Lads" that persuaded me to go on a regular basis in the south stand. Thank you The Thumbwood family for over 40 years of fun! Iain;-)

[zummerset]

God himself appeared in a vision and directed me to make a pilgrimage to Elm Park to discover by far the greatest team the world has ever seen.

Never looked back.....

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Went with my dad, best part of 45 years on and off, always promised I would take him when he was old, did it for a good few years at the Madstad, but cant see him ever making another game live, sadly.

Good few nobbers have met him, and most seemed to like him.

[Compo's Hat]

My old man took me and my brother to Wembley in '95 but he isn't really into his footy so it was when i started going to Elm Park with school friends in '97 that i really caught the bug.

[Mike Hunt]

I haven't seen Reading

But I have seen 1 premier League game - Fulham v Bolton in 2006. Was a bore but I have never experienced an atmosphere like that. I was sitting in the Fulham end and was supporting them, singing with everyone. When Bolton scored, and the away fans jumped up and celebrated - I wanted to run over and smash their heads in.

I couldn't believe it - I can only imagine how people feel when they see that and actually care for the club!

[Wimb]

Dad took me to Elm Park for the Oldham FA Cup game in 95, stood on the Tilehurst end, hooked from day 1

[donface]

My brother. Against Millwall.

Seems a bit cruel in retrospect.