Elm Park Years

[grey_squirrel]

Darren Wood was a whole-hearted if limited central defender who had come through a serious knee injury (iirc) and came to us from Chesterfield??; .

His last game for chestefield was against us, when we sent them down on the last day. They were 2-0 up at half time, and we won 4-2 (and we'd have been down to the 4th if we'd lost).

They had to win and hope other results went their way for them to stay up, and apparently somebody told them at half time the other teams were winning, and they just gave up.

Bit of a niggly day, with pro and anti-Branfoot people having words, as well as some national front recruiters in the away end. Some home fans were in the away end too, but there were fine.

Ah yes remember it well. The doom and despair at half time. And the team coming out for the second half totally transformed. A certain Lee Payne was the hero that day IIRC.

[stealthpapes]

Looks like a pub landlord



Also

THAT'S what Simod were? I had them down as photocopiers.

[ManchesterRoyals]

Those were the days

Miss the South Bank, great group of lads, fun was had by all

[frimmers3]

the mighty 'shots in action at elm park....

[SPARTA]

Look at that beautiful kit. Non of this large hoops like last season, or blue shorts.

[strap]

Look at that beautiful kit. Non of this large hoops like last season, or blue shorts.

Judging by the tracksuited guys (Jimmy Wallbanks. left, no idea who it is on the right), this would have been taken after Jack Mansell was fired and before Charlie Hurley was appointed. Hoever, minus the two track suits, it is exactly the same lineup as used by The Sun in their Sun Soccerstamps collection 1971-72 season, (the Reading team photo was nr 236 in case anyone is interested!), so must have been taken pre-season.

Courtesy of Alan Sedunary's seminal work for Andy Proudlove, the line-up was:

Ray Flanningan, Alan Wooler, John Pratt, Barrie Wagstaff, Steve Death, Adrian Cooper, Peter Harman
Jimmy Wallbanks, Phil Archer, John Harley, Denis Butler, Andy Proudlove, Bob Lenarduzzi, Stuart Morgan, unknown
Les Chappell, Will Dixon, Terry Bell, Dick Habbib, Malcolm Swain, Gordon Cumming

This squad's claim to RFC fame is that they finished in the lowest Football League position ever for RFC, 16th in Div 4 in 1971-72. To put into a little perspective, the position currently occupied by our dear west county friends, (and a MUCH bigger club than us according to them!), Plymouth.

[seahawk10]

Fantastic stuff! Very enjoyable...

[grey_squirrel]

Look at that beautiful kit. Non of this large hoops like last season, or blue shorts.

Judging by the tracksuited guys (Jimmy Wallbanks. left, no idea who it is on the right), this would have been taken after Jack Mansell was fired and before Charlie Hurley was appointed. Hoever, minus the two track suits, it is exactly the same lineup as used by The Sun in their Sun Soccerstamps collection 1971-72 season, (the Reading team photo was nr 236 in case anyone is interested!), so must have been taken pre-season.

Courtesy of Alan Sedunary's seminal work for Andy Proudlove, the line-up was:

Ray Flanningan, Alan Wooler, John Pratt, Barrie Wagstaff, Steve Death, Adrian Cooper, Peter Harman
Jimmy Wallbanks, Phil Archer, John Harley, Denis Butler, Andy Proudlove, Bob Lenarduzzi, Stuart Morgan, unknown
Les Chappell, Will Dixon, Terry Bell, Dick Habbib, Malcolm Swain, Gordon Cumming

This squad's claim to RFC fame is that they finished in the lowest Football League position ever for RFC, 16th in Div 4 in 1971-72. To put into a little perspective, the position currently occupied by our dear west county friends, (and a MUCH bigger club than us according to them!), Plymouth.

Note to the Club (and youngsters under 40!). *That* is the kit we should be wearing! Also a fine appearance by our one and only Arabic goal machine; the one and only Dick Habbib.

[sputnik]

Regarding mystery tracksuit man above, In Biscuits & Royals Downs writes that Walbanks was helped by the ex-Reading centre half Bill Davies (202 League appearances '54-'61).
Some of the older hna? contributors might recognise whether this is him or not.

[The Cube]

Blast from the past....

A front cover derived from the fact that I'd just bought a Batman cartoon book...

[AthleticoSpizz]

Look at that beautiful kit. Non of this large hoops like last season, or blue shorts.

+1000000

The very kit that I remember from my first ever game at EP, which obviously pre-dates the replica kit moneyspinner and the need for todays sh1te.

[Biscuit_Boy]

Regarding mystery tracksuit man above, In Biscuits & Royals Downs writes that Walbanks was helped by the ex-Reading centre half Bill Davies (202 League appearances '54-'61).
Some of the older hna? contributors might recognise whether this is him or not.

That's a great shout, looks like the same bloke;

[Reading4eva]

[glass half full]

Look at that beautiful kit. Non of this large hoops like last season, or blue shorts.

Jimmy Wallbanks. The fastest physio of the era.

[ankeny]

Great memory's ,I live near Elm Park and still miss it ,nothing at the meccano set could beat a mid week cup tie standing on the south bank.great pics Floyd and a good one of the man who saved our club,Roger Smee,if only he had had SJMs money at the time.

[Bowman's Quiver]

Look at that beautiful kit. Non of this large hoops like last season, or blue shorts.

Judging by the tracksuited guys (Jimmy Wallbanks. left, no idea who it is on the right), this would have been taken after Jack Mansell was fired and before Charlie Hurley was appointed. Hoever, minus the two track suits, it is exactly the same lineup as used by The Sun in their Sun Soccerstamps collection 1971-72 season, (the Reading team photo was nr 236 in case anyone is interested!), so must have been taken pre-season.

Courtesy of Alan Sedunary's seminal work for Andy Proudlove, the line-up was:

Ray Flanningan, Alan Wooler, John Pratt, Barrie Wagstaff, Steve Death, Adrian Cooper, Peter Harman
Jimmy Wallbanks, Phil Archer, John Harley, Denis Butler, Andy Proudlove, Bob Lenarduzzi, Stuart Morgan, unknown
Les Chappell, Will Dixon, Terry Bell, Dick Habbib, Malcolm Swain, Gordon Cumming

This squad's claim to RFC fame is that they finished in the lowest Football League position ever for RFC, 16th in Div 4 in 1971-72. To put into a little perspective, the position currently occupied by our dear west county friends, (and a MUCH bigger club than us according to them!), Plymouth.

Alan Wooler in the back row is a client of mine these days. When I first met him about 5 years ago I didn't know he'd played professional football and never believed a word of it when he told me he'd played for West Ham, Aldershot and Reading until I checked my copy of Sedunary's book.

It transpires he played full back in the Reading v Arsenal FA cup tie in February 1972 which is the first game I can recall being at.

He's a nice fella with some interesting tales.

[Victor Meldrew]

Regarding mystery tracksuit man above, In Biscuits & Royals Downs writes that Walbanks was helped by the ex-Reading centre half Bill Davies (202 League appearances '54-'61).
Some of the older hna? contributors might recognise whether this is him or not.

That's a great shout, looks like the same bloke;

Don't know who it is but it's not Bill Davies who was a centre-back and a bigger man than the mystery bloke in the photo.

[floyd__streete]

Agreed re: white shorts. It should be in the club constitution, home colours of blue and white hooped shirts and white shorts.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Agreed re: white shorts. It should be in the club constitution, home colours of blue and white hooped shirts and white shorts.

and white socks with two blue hoops...thank you

[Uke]

Happy times!


Why the Steve Claridge pic? I don't remember him at EP.