SUNNY SCUNNY - THE RESULT

Scunthorpe United 2 Reading 2
Between 800 and 900 fans made the journey to watch the Royals come back from two goals down to draw 2-2. The number of fans was probably double what we might have normally expected - and might have played a big part in a determined Reading recovery after a shakey first half. Scunthorpe have probably never seen so many balloons bounce around the away end as they did on Saturday 19 February 2000. A full report is available.

SUNNY SCUNNY - THE DETAILS

The Megastore at the Madejski Stadium will be open from 8am on Saturday 19th February - for a swift half an hours trading before we all depart to Scunthorpe just after 8.30am. Arrive that extra bit early to purchase all the stuff you need to decorate your car, and then decorate the Scunthorpe away end. Free balloons are being made available by the club - so remember to bring some string. Also you can take the opportunity to get your ticket for the away game at Oxford, as the Madejski Stadium ticket office will be open between 8am and 9.30am.

We will be stopping off en-route, at Woodall Services on the M1 near Sheffield between junctions 30 and 31, to pick up Loyal Royals travelling from other parts of the country. We aim to arrive there around 11.30am and will wait until at least 12 noon for fans meeting up there to arrive before continuing on to Scunthorpe.

Reading fans taking part in the trip will receive a 20% off voucher for the club Megastore to reward their support for the club - these will be handed out in the Madejski Stadium prior to departure. For those taking the train try and find someone in charge of handing out the vouchers inside the ground to get yours.

ALL THE KEY INFORMATION

SCUNNY PUBS

Scunthorpe fan, John Blackman, had the following to say about pre-match drinking:

"OK! what can you say about Scunthorpe? Assuming you going for a couple before the game, best stick to the town centre, the Tom Cobbler's pub near the ground does not like away fans, and, it's a bit to much of a "family pub".
I wholeheartedly recommend The Parkinson Arms, decent pub, excellent food, check out the giant Yorkshire puddings - superb! On coming in to the Scunthorpe from the M181, right at the roundabout, past the ground and the Garden Centre, second left up the hill, follow all the way in to town, you'll see a night club (ahem!) on your left hand side - Henry Afrikas, take a right down any of the side streets and you'll see a car park, dump y'car in there, you can't miss the pub."

And the following to say about post-match drinking in the evening:

Blue Bell - Scunthorpe's first Wertherspoons pub, caused a bit of controversy when it opened, even made on to the front page of the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph because of the "cheap beer".
Britannia - DON'T GO THERE. It's a bit rough to be fair.
Der Schnapps Bar - full of teeny bopping sixteen year olds - make your own mind up!
Bar Rendezvous - next door to parkies, nothing special.
Mint Bar - OK (ish)
Tavern - hmmmmm
Blarney Stone - open late, can get a bit rough, ok for a laugh, don't stare at anyone!!
Henry Afrikas - Scunthorpe's open till 1:30am, truly a unique experience....
Garbo's - OK if your over 50, divorced, and don't mind "a bit of rough", smaller than a poodles dog kennel.
Club 2000 - never been, here it's OK. Best wear a decent shirt and the like.

Best Avoid: The Britannia, The Berkeley Arms.

Steve Rudd supplied the following info:

The pub opposite the ground, Tom Cobleighs Old Farmhouse, has a wide range of real ales, does good food, and is family friendly. The downside of this is that large groups of visiting fans wearing colours may be refused admission. Alternatively try The Queensway, easily accessible if you have wheels. Take the third exit off the Berkeley roundabout, drive to the top of the hill to another roundabout and take the third exit, the pub car park is on the left.

And Scunthorpe fan, Peter Williams, also recommended heading into town as the pubs near the ground and generally no-go for away fans:

"As far as pubs go, there's only two near the ground. The one next to Glanford park is a family-type restaurant pub, I'm not sure you'd get in (or would want to). The other one is The Berkeley, at the first roundabout past the ground. Again, not sure if they'd let you in. (I don't know because I usually go in the Iron bar at the ground which I know you wont get into). If you have time I would head into town. When you leave the motorway, drive past the ground to the roundabout (Berkeley pub on left), take 2nd exit & follow road up the hill (should be sign-posted to Town Centre - can't remember as I live in Birmingham !). You cant miss the Town Centre, if you do you're in the countryside. 10 minutes to get there & 20 to get back to the ground if you leave it late, as there's only one road to the ground!"

Thanks to John Blackman, Steve Rudd, and Peter Williams for help with pub information.

GET YOUR CAR "STICKER"!

Well, not quite a sticker, because you'll need some bluetac for this little baby - and also a colour printer!
Now in printer friendly portrait format! For best results click the right mouse button on the link below to download the image to your PC - then print in colour for full A4 reproduction!
Then on Saturday stick one in the back of your car to show you're on the way to Scunny to support the team!
No printer?
Come and see me just before 8.30am in the Madjeski Stadium car park on Saturday, and it's just possible that I might have put that colour printer at work to some use.

Download your car poster now!

FANS ARE PUT ON WIN BONUS FOR SCUNTHORPE GAME

John Madejski, understanding the vital role played by the fans of Reading FC, has put the whole crowd on a win bonus for the Scunthorpe game on Saturday 19th February.
It is intended to make this the biggest fans' outing to an away match this season.

Scunthorpe is a new ground for all of us, so if you don't usually travel, why not make the effort this time? If you're interested in visiting "sunny Scunny", and want to be part of the tour, meet at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday 19th.

Cars will be leaving at around 8.30am. Two Supporters' Club coaches will also be making the trip.

WHO ARE URZ, PRECISELY?

URZ is just a group of concerned fans, trying our best to get behind the team in whatever ways we can. It includes the people behind the 'Pants' and 'Beard' days, as well as the Whiff, Hob Nob Anyone?, the Supporters' Club and various other like-minded fans.

We do have contact with the Club, but we are independent of them. We don't claim to have more of a right to dictate what happens at the ground than anyone else - our only aim is to support the Club however we can, and to have fun while doing it.

All comments/ideas welcome!
URZ@biscuitmen.com