Attendances

[Lower West]

13k average would suggest weve had a few attendances over 13k. I can only think of one possibly two (Bristol City).

Feels like weve gone back 20 years to pre Mad Stad days where a 13k crowd was decent

After a decade of atrocious home performances and during a pandemic it's hardly surprising we're down 2 or 3 thousand on average compared to what you might expect for mid-table Championship.

15 - 16 seems about right for us without the pandemic. 18-19 consistently knocking about the edge of the POs.

The pandemic is going to have made plenty of people realise they were only attending out of habit. The break meant others have found different things. And its prevented the incoming churn of new fans to replace the natural loss you get all the time.

On top of that there'll be a fair few people who just aren’t ready to return with infections still so widespread.

A couple of years of mid-table and play offs and we'll comfortably be back to 15 - 16 IMO.

Getting the kids involved with the club in some way from an early age is key. Supporters are on a conveyor belt. When it breaks down requires additional effort to restore what's been lost.

Likewise it is engagement with the club. Clem Morfuni in a matter of two months has transformed Swindon. A visible character that wears his heart on his sleeve, Being an Aussie has no time for bull****.

[Simmops]

Blame Club1871 for driving fans away. Few old ones I've spoken too are embarrassed we have them supporting our team

[Sanguine]

Contrary to how it can appear on here, I'm not a particularly sensitive soul - I've never let the behaviour of other fans affect whether or not I choose to attend a game. I sincerely doubt that Club1871 are 'driving fans away'.

[Sanguine]

13k average would suggest weve had a few attendances over 13k. I can only think of one possibly two (Bristol City).

Feels like weve gone back 20 years to pre Mad Stad days where a 13k crowd was decent

13,000 at Elm Park? I can remember the days when 10,000 was classed as exceptional, Hopefully the days of attendances of 5-6K are long gone.

Indeed. 13,000 at Elm Park would have felt like a capacity Maracana.

[Nameless]

13k average would suggest weve had a few attendances over 13k. I can only think of one possibly two (Bristol City).

Feels like weve gone back 20 years to pre Mad Stad days where a 13k crowd was decent

13,000 at Elm Park? I can remember the days when 10,000 was classed as exceptional, Hopefully the days of attendances of 5-6K are long gone.

Indeed. 13,000 at Elm Park would have felt like a capacity Maracana.

I’ve been to more than one game at E P which had more fans there than we’ve ever had at The Madejski.

If you think 13,000 was pushing it imagine double that...

[Sanguine]

13,000 at Elm Park? I can remember the days when 10,000 was classed as exceptional, Hopefully the days of attendances of 5-6K are long gone.

Indeed. 13,000 at Elm Park would have felt like a capacity Maracana.

I’ve been to more than one game at E P which had more fans there than we’ve ever had at The Madejski.

If you think 13,000 was pushing it imagine double that...

I think my view of the Elm Park atmosphere is probably clouded by always and only ever having stood in the South Bank. Always felt like once the crowd got over 10,000, most of whom were in the same stand, it was a cauldron of noise. Oh I miss our tin roof!

[LUX]

Home to Southampton in the League Cup was 26 000 at EP. 1978?

Iirc Keegan was billed to play, but did not turn up.

Finished 0-0 and we meekly lost the replay.

[Nameless]

Home to Southampton in the League Cup was 26 000 at EP. 1978?

Iirc Keegan was billed to play, but did not turn up.

Finished 0-0 and we meekly lost the replay.

Alan Ball player though. Can’t recall seeing another English World Cup winner play against us ! Although obviously others did.

[Green]

Whilst I miss the atmosphere and experience, I don't miss the 6 hours travel. So I can't see myself returning much at all for quite some time, let alone regularly.

Why don't you find a local side to watch.

[South Coast Royal]

Home to Southampton in the League Cup was 26 000 at EP. 1978?

Iirc Keegan was billed to play, but did not turn up.

Finished 0-0 and we meekly lost the replay.

Alan Ball player though. Can’t recall seeing another English World Cup winner play against us ! Although obviously others did.

Bobby Charlton in 1970 in that Watney Cup game is the only other one that comes to mind.

[South Coast Royal]

Whilst I miss the atmosphere and experience, I don't miss the 6 hours travel. So I can't see myself returning much at all for quite some time, let alone regularly.

Why don't you find a local side to watch.

I see that your local side, Dagenham & Redbridge are doing rather well in the Conference.

[Snowflake Royal]

Whilst I miss the atmosphere and experience, I don't miss the 6 hours travel. So I can't see myself returning much at all for quite some time, let alone regularly.

Why don't you find a local side to watch.

Because I'm not interested in finding a new team. The standard isn't exactly high locally. And I'd miss Reading games.

Probs going to go to the odd Cambridge game this season. But no more than a couple

[LUX]

my loyal Royal bro' is a STH at Morecambe-he lives nearby. They have one of our goalies on loan and are doing well. Might be a Championship team next season. Their top striker could do a job for us (Stockton, 11 league goals already this season).

[Nameless]

Home to Southampton in the League Cup was 26 000 at EP. 1978?

Iirc Keegan was billed to play, but did not turn up.

Finished 0-0 and we meekly lost the replay.

Alan Ball player though. Can’t recall seeing another English World Cup winner play against us ! Although obviously others did.

Bobby Charlton in 1970 in that Watney Cup game is the only other one that comes to mind.

Didn’t Nobby Stiles play in that game ?

[South Coast Royal]

Alan Ball player though. Can’t recall seeing another English World Cup winner play against us ! Although obviously others did.

Bobby Charlton in 1970 in that Watney Cup game is the only other one that comes to mind.

Didn’t Nobby Stiles play in that game ?

Yes, probably but (not being shortist or anything) he could easily be missed.

[AthleticoSpizz]

my loyal Royal bro' is a STH at Morecambe-he lives nearby. They have one of our goalies on loan and are doing well. Might be a Championship team next season. Their top striker could do a job for us (Stockton, 11 league goals already this season).

Andresson (sic) has been relegated to the bench for the past three or four games...don’t know why?

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Part of the issue is there is no tangible Marketing Department at the club since people have left and not been replaced. This may be a knock on effect of the pandemic, but hopefully that will change soon.

[Dirk Gently]

Bobby Charlton in 1970 in that Watney Cup game is the only other one that comes to mind.

Didn’t Nobby Stiles play in that game ?

Yes, probably but (not being shortist or anything) he could easily be missed.

I seem to remember Martin Peters playing for Sheffield Utd at Elm Park in the early years of the 80s.

[Sutekh]

Didn’t Nobby Stiles play in that game ?

Yes, probably but (not being shortist or anything) he could easily be missed.

I seem to remember Martin Peters playing for Sheffield Utd at Elm Park in the early years of the 80s.

September 1980, Reading won the game. Sheffield United were relegated to Division 4 at the end of that season.

Also I think Ray Wilson was playing for Oldham and then Bradford at the end of the 1960s and start of the 1970s so might have crossed swords with him in Division 3.

And Reading presumably welcomed Alan Ball again when he was at Blackpool in 1980/81, which was the season they (Blackpool) were relegated to Division 4 (along with Martin Peters at Sheff U).

Lastly Chesterfield were in Division 3 in 1958/59 and their keeper that season was Gordon Banks so Reading fans may well have had the pleasure of seeing the great man in action at Elm Park (and as alternate for the hardy few that went there that season).

Also in the England squad for 1966 were:

Peter Bonetti who was a Reading youth team player
Ron Springett, who Reading would have more than likely lined up against when he was at QPR in the mid to late 50s
Ron Flowers who was at Northampton as they whistled past on their way back down to Division 4 in the mid to late 60s
Norman Hunter was at Barnsley in the late 70s/early 80s

Anorak watch: that aforementioned 1980/81 season was possibly the most “symmetrical” sort of season Reading have ever had as they won 13, drew 5 and lost 5 at home while away they won 5, drew 5 and lost 13. The goal difference finished on 0 and had the club scored 1 more and conceded 1 more at home (or scored and conceded 1 less away from home) then the goals scored and conceded both home and away would have also been identical.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

my loyal Royal bro' is a STH at Morecambe-he lives nearby. They have one of our goalies on loan and are doing well. Might be a Championship team next season. Their top striker could do a job for us (Stockton, 11 league goals already this season).

Compared with Puscas, the man off the street in smelly alley could do a job for us this season