When was your first Reading game?

[LUX]

Some great posts as usual on these threads.

This thread comes up every year and my answer is home to either Port Vale or Mansfield in 1969. Saw both games that year iirc. I was 8.


Favourite ever ever ever team was 75-76, third in Div 4.

[gdroyal]

Wycombe at home in the 99-00 season when I was 5. We won 2-1 with goals from Lee Hodges and Darren Caskey

[Ark Royal]

Some great posts as usual on these threads.

This thread comes up every year and my answer is home to either Port Vale or Mansfield in 1969. Saw both games that year iirc. I was 8.


Favourite ever ever ever team was 75-76, third in Div 4.

Must have been Mansfield. Port Vale were in Div 4 at the time. Remember a game at Elm Park against Vale in 70/71 where the pitch resembled a lake.

[Albert Spangler]

Port Vale at home when I was about 8. Can never remember whether it was 92 or 93, but about then. Lost 2-1 iirc

[AthleticoSpizz]

Very very early 1970's (not sure when and who)

A grassless pitch on a damp cold winters day....the blue bedford RL tvp police lorry parked right by the southbank gates...its cells already full with (modern days oap's) thugs banging on its walls. The smell of damp parkas and cigarette smoke...the scoreboard that never worked....

[Royal Bahamas]

It would have been 1961, as I wasn't allowed to go until I was 10 years old. I don't remember a thing about it apart from how 'BIG' the terraces of Elm Park were, Great to play on before the match started, but got a little crowded, ..... and 'loud' for the game. Could't tell who we played, but I know we won....

[USA_Loyal_Royal]

i have still not been to a match yet since i live in the states. im planning a trip for next season where i can hopefully catch 2 games in the same week. i cant wait!

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

No idea was 1963 ish

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

Don't get the Mansell fixation with you old-timers. Didn't he get us relegated? Guess you had to be there.

FTR, Reading 1-0 Derby County 26/4/86. I was 6 and hated it. I am now 32 and still hate it.

You are correct, Floyd. Yes, he did get us relegated, but when he joined he instigated a revolution and completely changed the way that the team played - a bit like a certain Brendan Rodgers. He changed things behind the scenes as well: his own office, new floodlights, reverting back to the old blue and white hoops so loved by the fans and a training regime that was based entirely around the passing game and push-and-run. It was a brave philosophy in the blunt, hoofing world of Division Three.

Unlike Rodgers, he bought and brought in players that he knew would fit the system and the push-and-run style of play that he stood by: Les Chappell, the Wagstaff brothers, Bobby Williams and a certain Tommy Jenkins. Also, unlike Rodgers, he was given time to bed the system in and after a shaky start, including a 2-6 away defeat at Southport followed immediately by a 5-1 win at Tranmere, the team really clicked. Even the sale of the wonderful Jenkins did not hold them back as able replacements in Gordon Cumming and Terry Bell were bought.

Critics at the time stated that Reading were the best footballing team outside of the First Division and the crowds flooded back to Elm Park. They scored - and conceded - for fun (they scored 87 that season; but conceded 77) and an unbeaten run after Christmas sent them top - and the away point at Plymouth earned them a highlight spot on Match of the Day. Heady days!

Unfortunately, it all went Pete Tong in a deluge at Elm Park in March against Luton when Malcolm MacDonald did for us in the dying minutes after skinning Fred Sharpe. Included in hefty wins against Barrow (6-3) and Barnsley (6-2) were thrashings by Fulham (0-4) and MacDonald's Luton again (0-5) and a desperately unlucky defeat against Brighton in front of over 32,000 at the Goldstone; and despite a huge 8-0 win against Southport and a place sealed in the following season's Watney Cup, we petered out to eighth.

Unfortunately, the habit of shipping goals left, right and centre carried on into the following season. Despite being the bookies' favourites, the goals dried up, the injuries mounted and it ended in relegation, but as an earlier poster alluded to, for a year or so, Reading crowds were treated to a style of football that they had never seen before preached by a bright, young coach, and it was wonderful to behold while it lasted.

That 69/70 Mansell team will always be one of my favourite Reading teams.

Essential reading for any supporter of RFC. Your memory is better than mine, Ark. We thought the world had ended when Jenkins was sold but wee Gordon soon renewed hope. It was the best of times and the worst of times.....

[Wimb]

January 1995 FAC R3, Royals 1-3 Oldham stood on the Tilehurst End.

Seem to remember Scott Taylor giving us the lead before it all went t1ts up.

Second game was the 1-0 win over Derby where the seated folk had coloured cards under their chairs and Uri Gellar tried to mentally put the colour in your head so you'd hold it up. Needless to say it didn't go as planned

[southbank senior]

hello all.
i could'nt help but make this my first post on hob nob.
i have no idea who they were playing but i seem to remember pat terry and dougie webb were playing, im guessing that it was 1965 because the following season alan scarrott took lodgings above a sweet shop on the oxford road (he also served in the shop) opposite my dad's shop. elm park was just a short walk for me, up belmont road along prince of wales avenue to kensington road.

[The Royal]

I remember my first game like it was yesterday. 1992 season we won 3 nil and I was mascot ages 5 and still have my photo with mick gooding and jimmy Quinn and the signed kit.

[Edelston & Brice]

Each time we have one of these threads it's longer since my first game:

5th March 1949
Reading 2 Millwall 0 (Blackman, Allison)

I was hooked from that moment on, and still am.

Of the 22 teams in Division 3 (South) that season, only Reading, Norwich and Swansea are now in the Premier League. There's been an awful lot of pain and despair, but since Mark McGhee took us on to a completely different plane it's all been worth it.

[Got the T-Shirt]

96/97 season.... not 100% sure of game think it was January 28th 1997 Huddersfield 4-1 win remember thinking this reading team are pretty good..... cue a few years of falling down the leagues!!! never looked back

[Za Vas]

Went to a few before it but the main one I remember was Pants day. Didn't really understand what was with all the underwear but found it all incredibly amusing.

[reading_fan]

1996 FA Cup 3rd round, Reading 3 Gillingham 1. I'd only become a Reading fan a couple of years beforehand, and living in Maidstone hadn't got to any games. I watched the 3rd round draw on TV with my sister. Before it started she said as a joke that if Reading were drawn against Gillingham (our local team after the demise of Maidstone United) she'd take me to the game! She kept her word, and as far as I remember Gillingham had 2 players sent off and their manager (Tony Pulis) sent to the stands... Great day out! We lost to Man Utd in the next round...

Remember this game. As a 13 year old, I had previously complained to my Dad that I wanted to sit for a game having watched all my previous games stood on the Southbank. Dad decided to get tickets in the Norfolk Road for this game, in the seats he and my grandfather had had as season ticket holders in the last few years of my grandfather's life. Within 5 minutes of the game starting I was whinging that I wanted to go back to the Southbank and stand up! My one and only game not spent on the Southbank.

[reading_fan]

Went to a few before it but the main one I remember was Pants day. Didn't really understand what was with all the underwear but found it all incredibly amusing.

Performances Are Not Totally Satisfactory.

Against Wrexham I think? Hilarious, there must have been about 1000 pairs of pants on the touchline that day!

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Went to a few before it but the main one I remember was Pants day. Didn't really understand what was with all the underwear but found it all incredibly amusing.

Performances Are Not Totally Satisfactory.

Against Wrexham I think? Hilarious, there must have been about 1000 pairs of pants on the touchline that day!

Players Are Not Trying Sufficiently

[reading_fan]

I always think when this thread rolls round that we could produce a good book "A Fans Guide to Reading FC", given all the anecdotes over the years about specific games. And with the likes of Ark and some of the older posters we could get a good historical element to it too

[Ark Royal]

I always think when this thread rolls round that we could produce a good book "A Fans Guide to Reading FC", given all the anecdotes over the years about specific games. And with the likes of Ark and some of the older posters we could get a good historical element to it too

+1 to this.