Your first game watching Reading FC

[Westwood52]

Thought that was ‘Fred’ Neates testemonial.

Yeah you are right.

[skipper]

Early 90s,

My dad took me as a father son bonding experience. I copied the older fans by shouting "GET UP YOU FAIRY" (thoroughly un-PC in those days!) at our *our* player (Dylan Kerr) who had been hacked down, and I didn't quite appreciate that we don't shout at our own players.

This would have been vs Sunderland iirc. We lost 0:1 iirc. Saw far more losses than wins. Naturally.

But went to a load of games back then, like Tranmere, Oldham, Swindon, WBA (in the away end(!) and my father not to repeat the words those naughty midlanders utterd, when my mum was around.

Gave the ref a hard time on many occasion. Really feel lucky to have visited Elm park, before it was pulled down. And I was there at the first game at the Madjeski!

[Franconian Royal]

I don't remember (fully) my first game, but I remember the end of Bullivant's last game, when there was a pitch invasion and people were calling for him to be sacked. What year was this? I also remember (partially) a Boxing Day Game against West Brom (or maybe it was the Wolves) at Elm Park. It was freezing, which year could this have been?
I also remember the final game at Elm Park because it was the only time we ever stood on the South Bank. The pitch felt like it was a million miles away and I was sat on a handrail. Who was it against? What was the score?
I remember the second home game at the Mad Stad, because it was the first time I'd been inside the stadium. Can anyone tell me who it was and what the score was? Thanks

Final game at Elm Park was against Norwich. We lost 0-1 I think, Craig Bellamy scoring for Nodge.

Did anybody go to the exhibition game,which was the final final game at Elm Park.Pretty sure Pardew played.I think the entrance fee was very cheap and it was a case of sit where you like.One of the few times I had a seat ticket at Elm Park.Wasnt well attended.

I might have been there, but I don’t remember it.

[Winchester Royal]

Reading v Sheffield United, 4th of November 1997. We lost 1-0

[Snowball]

Reading v Sheffield United, 4th of November 1997. We lost 1-0

0-1

[Millsy]

My first Madjeski game was the first in the Premiership because I'm a plastic.

Corrected for you.



Just kidding, bro.

[Ark Royal]

I don't remember (fully) my first game, but I remember the end of Bullivant's last game, when there was a pitch invasion and people were calling for him to be sacked. What year was this? I also remember (partially) a Boxing Day Game against West Brom (or maybe it was the Wolves) at Elm Park. It was freezing, which year could this have been?
I also remember the final game at Elm Park because it was the only time we ever stood on the South Bank. The pitch felt like it was a million miles away and I was sat on a handrail. Who was it against? What was the score?
I remember the second home game at the Mad Stad, because it was the first time I'd been inside the stadium. Can anyone tell me who it was and what the score was? Thanks

Final game at Elm Park was against Norwich. We lost 0-1 I think, Craig Bellamy scoring for Nodge.

Did anybody go to the exhibition game,which was the final final game at Elm Park.Pretty sure Pardew played.I think the entrance fee was very cheap and it was a case of sit where you like.One of the few times I had a seat ticket at Elm Park.Wasnt well attended.

Yes, I went to that and took a lot of photos. Got a tour of behind the scenes from David Downs.

[Snowball]

My first Madjeski game was the first in the Premiership because I'm a plastic.

Corrected for you.



Just kidding, bro.

Sure. Not glory-hunting. I honestly thought RDG would come back down. Couldn't keep doing the trip to South Wales, and my little 'un wanted to see a Premiership game, managed to get two tickets, saw my prediction being fulfilled 0-2, and then the turn-round. Started to like "Little Reading" and "The Reading Way" (I miss that now) got a ST for 2007-08 and every year since.

ATM my two clubs are top and joint-top of their leagues and I have a sneaky feeling Arsenal are about to go big.


Clearly I will die of Long-Covid in March

[Millsy]

My first Madjeski game was the first in the Premiership because I'm a plastic.

Corrected for you.



Just kidding, bro.

Sure. Not glory-hunting. I honestly thought RDG would come back down. Couldn't keep doing the trip to South Wales, and my little 'un wanted to see a Premiership game, managed to get two tickets, saw my prediction being fulfilled 0-2, and then the turn-round. Started to like "Little Reading" and "The Reading Way" (I miss that now) got a ST for 2007-08 and every year since.

ATM my two clubs are top and joint-top of their leagues and I have a sneaky feeling Arsenal are about to go big.


Clearly I will die of Long-Covid in March

I was only kidding dude, I have no issues with 'plastics' who remain fans however crap we are, which you clearly do, you masochist.

[Sanguine]

I started watching Reading as the Elm Park years wound down to a steady drip, drip of crap. Went with a mate who up to that point had watched us 16 times unbeaten. We lost 2-1 to Barnsley, and Trevor Morley got our goal (as he always did - Lovell, Nogan and an ageing Quinn were our non-scoring forwards at the time). I think that was the end of the 96/97 season, and I then went to about 15 games the following campaign, our last at Elm Park. Incredibly, despite our wretched campaign, I didn't see us lose. By the time we hit our awful patch of form, I was in and out of hospital, and somehow managed to see only the three wins that punctuated our losing 17 of our last 20 games.

The real treat that season though were the cup games. We beat Wolves 4-2 in the League Cup, Parky scoring a worldie (and that came a week before our ridiculous 3-3 draw against Forest). We'd reach the Fifth Round that year, including a famous victory at (then) high-flying Leeds. And then in the FA Cup, Nicky Hammond turned himself into Gordon Banks for the night, springing around like a demented salmon to keep Cardiff at bay during the game, and save a couple of penalties in the shoot-out.

[Westwood52]

My first Madjeski game was the first in the Premiership because I'm a plastic.

Corrected for you.



Just kidding, bro.

Sure. Not glory-hunting. I honestly thought RDG would come back down. Couldn't keep doing the trip to South Wales, and my little 'un wanted to see a Premiership game, managed to get two tickets, saw my prediction being fulfilled 0-2, and then the turn-round. Started to like "Little Reading" and "The Reading Way" (I miss that now) got a ST for 2007-08 and every year since.

ATM my two clubs are top and joint-top of their leagues and I have a sneaky feeling Arsenal are about to go big.


Clearly I will die of Long-Covid in March

I will ask Diane Abbot out in the unlikely event of Arsenal winning the Prem.Its either that or eat Brussel sprouts.

[LUX]

1968 or 1969.

At home to either Port Vale, Mansfield or Rotherham. I saw all three, cannot remember which was first.

[Sutekh]

1968 or 1969.

At home to either Port Vale, Mansfield or Rotherham. I saw all three, cannot remember which was first.

Home games played against Mansfield, Port Vale and Rotherham in seasons 68/69, 69/70 and 70/71

14 Nov 1970 > Reading 2-1 Port Vale

02 Nov 1968 > Reading 2-1 Mansfield Town
30 Mar 1970 > Reading 1-0 Mansfield Town

24 Mar 1968 > Reading 1-0 Rotherham United (first ever home game played against them)
25 Oct 1969 > Reading 1-1 Rotherham United

[Westwood52]

Final game at Elm Park was against Norwich. We lost 0-1 I think, Craig Bellamy scoring for Nodge.

Did anybody go to the exhibition game,which was the final final game at Elm Park.Pretty sure Pardew played.I think the entrance fee was very cheap and it was a case of sit where you like.One of the few times I had a seat ticket at Elm Park.Wasnt well attended.

Yes, I went to that and took a lot of photos. Got a tour of behind the scenes from David Downs.

[Snowball]

Corrected for you.



Just kidding, bro.

Sure. Not glory-hunting. I honestly thought RDG would come back down. Couldn't keep doing the trip to South Wales, and my little 'un wanted to see a Premiership game, managed to get two tickets, saw my prediction being fulfilled 0-2, and then the turn-round. Started to like "Little Reading" and "The Reading Way" (I miss that now) got a ST for 2007-08 and every year since.

ATM my two clubs are top and joint-top of their leagues and I have a sneaky feeling Arsenal are about to go big.


Clearly I will die of Long-Covid in March

I will ask Diane Abbot out in the unlikely event of Arsenal winning the Prem.Its either that or eat Brussel sprouts.

I didn’t say WIN THE LEAGUE

ATM Making the top four counts as going big. But I think they might get second. Arteta is going to be a very very good manager and they’ve improved the defense, and now have Octopus Party

[Westwood52]

Did anybody go to the exhibition game,which was the final final game at Elm Park.Pretty sure Pardew played.I think the entrance fee was very cheap and it was a case of sit where you like.One of the few times I had a seat ticket at Elm Park.Wasnt well attended.

Yes, I went to that and took a lot of photos. Got a tour of behind the scenes from David Downs.

My In Laws know David ;reputedly he has a lot of Elm Park stuff at home.There is a rumour he even has a bottle full of the dirty bath water from the last home game.

[LUX]

1968 or 1969.

At home to either Port Vale, Mansfield or Rotherham. I saw all three, cannot remember which was first.

Home games played against Mansfield, Port Vale and Rotherham in seasons 68/69, 69/70 and 70/71

14 Nov 1970 > Reading 2-1 Port Vale

02 Nov 1968 > Reading 2-1 Mansfield Town

25 Oct 1969 > Reading 1-1 Rotherham United

cheers, Sutekh, I have deleted those I do not think I went to...............

so the answer to the OP would be 2-1 v Mansfield. I was 7.

Still have the programmes (I hope) in my mum's garage.

[bcubed]

Reading v Sheffield United, 4th of November 1997. We lost 1-0

0-1

Classic Snowball

[Snowball]

Reading v Sheffield United, 4th of November 1997. We lost 1-0

0-1

Classic Snowball

Cheers

[Tinpot Royal]

My first football match was on 27th March 1989, Aldershot vs Reading, I was 7. My dad took me, all I remember was the score 1-1 & that the Reading fans were singing "You're so loud you sound like Aldershot", which I found incredibly amusing!

Went to pretty much every home game from the following season onwards until 16/17 season (Stam's 1st)