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The History of Reading Football Club
The Early days (1871-1941)
Reading Football Club was formed in 1871, when the inaugural meeting of the club was held at the Bridge Street Rooms under the chairmanship of Mr JE Sydenham, who later became the first Honorary Secretary of the club.
The early matches were played at Reading Recreation Ground, and the club later fulfilled its fixtures at Reading Cricket Ground, Coley Park and Caversham Cricket Ground before moving to Elm Park on 5th September 1896 and then to the Madejski Stadium in 1998.
In those days the club played only friendly and cup matches. Reading were the first winners of the Berks and Bucks Senior Cup, defeating Marlow in the final of the 1877-78 competition.
They also appeared in the FA Cup competition, and the club's record defeat occurred as long ago as 1894, when they were beaten 18-0 by Preston North End in the first round.
That same year, 1894, Reading became founder members of the Southern League, formed to answer the demand for a regular fixture list, and in order to improve its playing standards, the club adopted professionalism in 1895.
Reading FC was registered as a limited liability company on August 11 that year, with Mr JB Messer as its Chairman. The club's stay in the Southern League was undistinguished, though it did win the Championship of the Second Division in 1911, and also had appearing in its colours Johnny Holt and Herbert Smith, both of whom won full England International caps whilst with Reading.
Joining the league (1920-1938)
At the start of the 1920-21 season, the Southern League clubs were elected en bloc to form Division Three of the Football League and in 1925-26, Reading won the Championship of Division Three (South).
Promotion was assured with a thrilling 7-1 victory over Brentford, and international honours were gained by Dai Evans for Wales, and by Billy McConnell and Hugh Davey for Northern Ireland.
The club's best run in the FA Cup came the following season, when they were defeated 3-0 by Cardiff City, the eventual winners, at Wolverhampton in the semi-final. In round five, the attendance record for Elm Park was set, as 33,042 people watched Reading's 1-0 victory over Brentford.
Reading lost their place in Division Two in May 1931, and remained in Division Three (South) until the outbreak of World War Two. The club won the Southern Section Cup, beating Bristol City in the two-legged final in 1938, and when taking part in the regional London War League and Cup competitions, gained another honour by beating Brentford in the London War Cup Final of 1941 by 3-2 at Stamford Bridge.
The post-war years (1945-1990)
When League football resumed after the war, Reading quickly came to prominence once again. The club's record victory, 10-2 versus Crystal Palace, was recorded in September 1946, and Reading twice finished runners-up in the Third (South), in 1948-49 and 1951-52, but they were denied a return to Division Two as only the champions were promoted.
In the latter season Ron Blackman established the club's individual league scoring record with 39 goals, and Jack Lewis set a Football League record with 15 goals from wing-half. Reading also amassed a total of 112 League goals, and two other well-known players appearing for the side were Maurice Edelston, a former amateur international, and Stan Wicks, an England 'B' International.
When Reading finished fifth in the Division in 1957-58, they became founder members of the non-regional Division Three, remaining there until the club's centenary season of 1970-71. This proved to be one of the least successful in the club's history, and at the end of it Reading were relegated to division four on goal average.
It took five years for the club to regain Division Three status, third place and promotion being achieved in 1975-76, but the club slipped back into Division Four at the end of the following season.
1978-79 brought promotion once again, Reading becoming Champions of Division Four under the management of Maurice Evans and setting a Football League record by not conceding a goal in 1,074 minutes. Steve Death was the goalkeeper throughout that period, and he became the holder of the club appearance record with a total of 536 first team games in all competitions between 1969 and 1982.
In the 1982-83 season, however, Reading FC almost ceased to exist. Relegation back to Division Four was bad enough, but the club had to fight off a threatened merger with Oxford United and the sale of Elm Park. Eventually Reading survived and at the end of the season Roger Smee, a former player with the club, was installed as Chairman.
He appointed Ian Branfoot as manager and, under his guidance, Reading returned to Division Three by finishing third in Division Four in 1983-84. After a season of consolidation, Reading won the Division Three Championship in 1985-86, returning to Division Two after an absence of 55 years.
The club set a Football League record by winning outright its first 13 games, and set a new club record with a total of 94 points. The return to Division Two lasted only two seasons, as Reading were relegated in 1987-88.
The two year period in Division Two, however, contained what many regard as the club's greatest achievement. Reading reached Wembley for the first time ever, beating four First Division sides on their way to the Simod Cup Final. They beat Division One Luton Town 4-1 at Wembley on 27th March 1988 in front of an attendance of 61,470, the largest crowd ever to watch a Reading game. Martin Hicks, Reading's captain at Wembley, went on to make a club record 577 first team appearances in major competitions.
A new era (1990-1998)
Reading spent several seasons back in Division Two (the former Division Three) until the arrival of John Madejski as Chairman in 1990 and Mark McGhee as manager soon afterwards revitalised the club. Under their leadership, Reading became committed to a policy of attractive, attacking football.
Steady progress, including a flourishing youth scheme and the introduction of several international players to the first team, led to the Royals becoming Division Two Champions in 1993-94. Reading thus became the only club to have won the Championships of the Second, Third, Third (South) and Fourth Divisions.
The 1994-95 season in Division One proved as traumatic as any in the long history of the club. Reading adjusted quickly to the demands of their new status, and spent the majority of the campaign in the play-off positions.
Even the controversial resignation of Mark McGhee in December did little to halt the team's progress, as joint player-managers Mick Gooding and Jimmy Quinn led the side to an eventual second place, the highest ever achieved by Reading. Northern Ireland international Quinn became Reading's most capped player, and locally-born defender Adrian Williams became a regular in the Welsh team.
In the end of season play-offs, Reading defeated Tranmere Rovers 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-final to win a place in the Wembley final on 29th May. Goals from Lee Nogan and Adrian Williams gave them a 2-0 lead, but after Reading's Stuart Lovell saw a penalty saved, Bolton eventually won 4-3 after extra time in one of the most thrilling matches ever seen at the national stadium. Ironically, it was the first time ever that the team finishing second in the Division was not granted automatic promotion to the top flight.
Further records were established in the 1995-96 season. Reading reached round five of the Football League Cup for the first time, and record receipts of £110,741 for a game at Elm Park were taken at the FA Cup tie against Manchester United.
Reading shattered their transfer sales record twice, firstly as Simon Osborn was sold to Queens Park Rangers for £850,000 in July 1995, then a month later as Shaka Hislop moved to Newcastle United for £1,575,000. A record fee was paid for Bulgarian international goalkeeper Borislav 'Bobby' Mihaylov, who arrived from Botev Plovdiv for £300,000, then Darren Caskey was bought from Tottenham Hotspur for £700,000.
The club struggled in Division One in 1995-96, but a 3-0 win over Wolves - by then managed by Mark McGhee - in the last home game of the season ensured their survival. During the close season Adie Williams joined Wolves for just over the million pound mark, to be replaced as club captain by Northern Ireland international defender Barry Hunter, a £350,000 purchase from Wrexham. The next season saw the departure of Mihaylov, who played just 28 games for the club.
Again, Reading spent most of the season in the lower reaches of the Division, but once more a 2-1 home win against McGhee's Wolves in April - with Stuart Lovell scoring both in injury time - proved enough to ensure another season in Division One.
Within days of the season ending, however, Mick Gooding and Jimmy Quinn left the club and on June 30 Terry Bullivant was appointed Team Manager. Unfortunately his appointment did not lead to the success anticipated, and the team spent the majority of the 1997/98 campaign in the relegation places. Bullivant resigned in March 1998 and was replaced by Tommy Burns, who was unable to prevent Reading finishing at the bottom of the Division.
Onwards and upwards (1998 - present day)
Compensation for the return to Division Two came from the prospect of Reading Football Club leaving Elm Park (its home for 102 years) and relocating to the Madejski Stadium, a splendid purpose-built, 25,000 all-seater ground where there is limitless opportunity for development and progress.
The first season at Madejski Stadium was disappointing as the team failed to find any real consistency and finished tenth in Division Two, and after a poor start to the 1999/2000 season, manager Burns was sacked in September 1999. He was replaced on a caretaker basis by former reserve team boss Alan Pardew and his assistant, former England coach John Gorman, and the appointment was made permanent a month later.
Pardew's first few months in charge were difficult as he made his imprint on a struggling team, and the Royals were in the relegation zone at Christmas. He was joined by new assistant manager Martin Allen, son of former favourite Denis, following the departure of Gorman to join Glenn Hoddle at Southampton, and between February and May the team produced championship form, winning 12 and drawing 4 of their closing 20 fixtures to secure a ten top finish.
This was largely due to the excellent form of player of the season Darren Caskey, striker Nicky Forster and returning defender Adie Williams, as well as impressive new signings by Pardew such as full-back Matt Robinson (£100,000 from Portsmouth), goalkeeper PhilWhitehead (£300,000 from WBA) and striker Martin Butler (£750,000 from Cambridge).
It had been a difficult season during which many changes were made, but one that left supporters in an optimistic frame of mind after a highly encouraging final three months. That optimism was justified the following season, when Reading overcame the pre-season loss through injury of Nicky Forster to spend the vast majority of the campaign in the top six of the table.
The goals of Martin Butler and Jamie Cureton (a £250,000 signing from Bristol Rovers as a replacement for the injured Forster) were a key factor, the strike duo firing more than 50 goals between them, and after a close battle with Rotherham and Millwall, Pardew's side eventually had to settle for third place and the play-offs, where they were very unfortunate to lose 3-2 after extra time to Walsall in the Millennium Stadium final.
In the 2001/2 season, the Royals finally did return to Division One, securing the second automatic promotion spot with a nailbiting 1-1 draw at third-placed Brentford on the season's closing afternoon. The crucial goal was scored by Cureton just 12 minutes from time, much to the delight of 2,500 travelling fans and 6,000 more watching on a big screen back at Madejski Stadium.
Promotion was achieved largely due to two separate runs of seven consecutive victories in November and January, which gained Pardew the Manager of the Month awards on both occasions, and the Club enjoyed an average home crowd of more than 14,000 - the highest figure for 50 years.
The following campaign was another highly successful season as the Royals reached the play-offs in their first season back in Division One, with Pardew scooping two more manager of the month awards after 100% records in November 2002 and February 2003, before Wolves ended dreams of the Premiership in the play-off semi-final.
The Club was then dealt a blow in September 2003 when Pardew accepted West Ham United's offer to become new manager at Upton Park, and the board turned to former Crystal Palace, Brentford and Brighton boss Steve Coppell, who made a solid start to his reign by steering the club to a ninth-placed finish, just three points outside the play-offs. In 2004/5 the club continued to compete in the top half of the newly-named Championship, only missing out on the play-offs on the final day of the season.
And in 2005/6, following the record £1million signing of Leroy Lita, Reading enjoyed a truly incredible season which stands out as the undoubted highlight of the club's 135-year history. A 2-1 opening day defeat at home to Plymouth Argyle showed little of what was to come as the Royals then went on a brilliant run, losing just one more league game and romping to the title with a record points total of 106 points. On their way they recorded 31 wins, 13 draws and just two defeats, scoring 99 goals and conceding just 32. Promotion to the top flight for the first time was assured with a 1-1 draw at Leicester City on 25th March, with the title coming a week later thanks to a 5-0 triumph at home to Derby County.
And, in fitting style, Sunderland's points total record was beaten on the final day of the campaign at a euphoric Madejski Stadium, when popular club skipper Graeme Murty converted a late penalty - his first goal in five years - to hand the Royals a 2-1 win at home to Queens Park Rangers.
The Hoops
In 1871, at the formation of the Club, we did play in hoops. This lasted for only a few years, and upon entering the Southern League in 1894 the Club was playing in stripes - possibly so we didn't clash with other teams who were already in the Southern League and wore hoops.
We then reverted to hoops until the beginning of the Second World War, because numbering of shirts became compulsory (in 1939), and the numbers were easier to see against a hooped background. Since then we've had several more changes.
In the mid 60s we changed the shirts to sky blue, following the fashion introduced by Coventry City. That remained until 1969, when we returned to hoops under the orders of manager of Jack Mansell.
We have remained in a variety of hooped shirts ever since, apart from the mid 1980s when we played in blue and white panels before hoops returned in 1992.
The Royals
In 1974 the Club changed their nickname from the Biscuitmen to the Royals after the old nickname became inappropriate with the closure of the Huntley & Palmers factory in the town centre.A competition in the Reading Chronicle was begun, and 'The Royals' is believed to have been submitted by fan Bob Tanner.
