A HISTORY OF PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES

[Big Foot]

Feyenoord at home 2006, think we won 2-0 but my lasting memory is seeing a load of Feyenoord hooligans in town who were all about 6ft 7 and looked quite hard

[Barney]

Here are a few...

1977-78 Home to Swindon. A few Swindon lads waltzed into the Southbank just before KO, and were...er....ushered
out by some of us in the middle of the Southbank.

1980-81 Away to Aldershot...30th July. One word....carnage. Superb day out. Reading took 2,000+

1981-82 Away to Gloucester. They had a bloke called Jeff Blockley playing for them (ex Arsenal).
Got stick all game. I think we won 4-0....didn't pay to get in, just walked in via a school playing field !

Early 80's. Whitney Town away (twice). First time we asked Reading goalie (Judge I think) to leave us the
ball at HT...which he did. So we had a game of 'headers and volleys' for a few minutes during the HT break
until the officials ordered us off. Following year, a few Poxford turned up....and a bit of a tear up ensued prior
to the game.

1985-86. Three home friendlies....Coventry, Norwich, Arsenal....lost all three...didn't score a goal !
Everyone saying how bad it was etc etc....then won the first 13 league games !!!
So just to confirm, friendly results mean sod all.

1986-87. Home to SCO Angers on 26th July. Sorry..too hammered to remember anything about this one.

1988-89. Hard to believe, but we played Hartlepool away on a Friday night (19th Aug). We took a train to London,
in the morning, for a few beers...ended up staying in London and not going to the game !
Earlier in the week, we had played Spurs and Chelsea at home in testimonials for Hicks and Canoville respectively.

1989-90. Two home friendlies !! Poxford and Swindon. Can't recall too much about these.

1992-93. Home friendlies were Swindon, Portsmouth, Ipswich and Man Utd. The latter was a decent crowd,
and a bit of a laugh.

1993-94. Home friendlies were Chelsea and WBA. I think this was the Chelsea friendly where there was a
'debate' between Reading/WHU/CFC fans outside the station. Sadly, memory is fazed from these days.

1994-95. Home to Real Sociedad. We'd won the league 3 months earlier...and if I recall, it hammered down
all afternoon !

1995-96. Home to Steau Bucharest.

1996-97. FIVE away friendlies (Abingdon, Fareham, Camberley, Windsor and Fulham) before two home friendlies
against WHU and Spurs. Pretty sure that Gazza took a look of stick that day.

Happy days.

[Maguire]

Feyenoord at home 2006, think we won 2-0 but my lasting memory is seeing a load of Feyenoord hooligans in town who were all about 6ft 7 and looked quite hard

They were all fooking massive

I didn't go to the game but remember speaking to one man mountain afterwards who said "where are all your boys? we come to drink in your town - you have to come and find us"

I was like "err, I'm just off to Waterstones pal, have a good evening"

[phil in cornwall]

Feyenoord at home 2006, think we won 2-0 but my lasting memory is seeing a load of Feyenoord hooligans in town who were all about 6ft 7 and looked quite hard

That game took place when Liverpool had just bought Dirk Kuyt. Several people wrote on here what a waste of money he was. I think one even said he was glad Reading hadn't bought him.

If only....

[Jackson Corner]

I remember a cracking game at EP in the early 80's we played the great WBA side Regis, Robson, Cunningham, Cantello, Brown etc Big Ron was manager we won 4-2. I also remember a terrible 1-0 home defeat to Wrexham who were 2nd division at the time and we were in the third.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Sheffield Wednesday. Last game at Elm Park. Won 1-0. dug up the pitch and dismantled the goal posts.

Thought that it was actually 3-1........Danny Wilson (their Prem manager) was livid..............and it wasn't the last game...Fred Neates testimonial came after that.....followed by (correct me if I am wrong) Michael Gilkes's

You were right about the pitch/goal vandalism tho'

Regards

David Downes

[Millsy]

Here are a few...

1977-78 Home to Swindon. A few Swindon lads waltzed into the Southbank just before KO, and were...er....ushered
out by some of us in the middle of the Southbank.

1980-81 Away to Aldershot...30th July. One word....carnage. Superb day out. Reading took 2,000+

1981-82 Away to Gloucester. They had a bloke called Jeff Blockley playing for them (ex Arsenal).
Got stick all game. I think we won 4-0....didn't pay to get in, just walked in via a school playing field !

Early 80's. Whitney Town away (twice). First time we asked Reading goalie (Judge I think) to leave us the
ball at HT...which he did. So we had a game of 'headers and volleys' for a few minutes during the HT break
until the officials ordered us off. Following year, a few Poxford turned up....and a bit of a tear up ensued prior
to the game.

1985-86. Three home friendlies....Coventry, Norwich, Arsenal....lost all three...didn't score a goal !
Everyone saying how bad it was etc etc....then won the first 13 league games !!!
So just to confirm, friendly results mean sod all.

1986-87. Home to SCO Angers on 26th July. Sorry..too hammered to remember anything about this one.

1988-89. Hard to believe, but we played Hartlepool away on a Friday night (19th Aug). We took a train to London,
in the morning, for a few beers...ended up staying in London and not going to the game !
Earlier in the week, we had played Spurs and Chelsea at home in testimonials for Hicks and Canoville respectively.

1989-90. Two home friendlies !! Poxford and Swindon. Can't recall too much about these.

1992-93. Home friendlies were Swindon, Portsmouth, Ipswich and Man Utd. The latter was a decent crowd,
and a bit of a laugh.

1993-94. Home friendlies were Chelsea and WBA. I think this was the Chelsea friendly where there was a
'debate' between Reading/WHU/CFC fans outside the station. Sadly, memory is fazed from these days.

1994-95. Home to Real Sociedad. We'd won the league 3 months earlier...and if I recall, it hammered down
all afternoon !

1995-96. Home to Steau Bucharest.

1996-97. FIVE away friendlies (Abingdon, Fareham, Camberley, Windsor and Fulham) before two home friendlies
against WHU and Spurs. Pretty sure that Gazza took a look of stick that day.

Happy days.

Plastic.

[From Despair To Where?]

2-2 v Newcastle Utd 1999. It was shit, free entry and still wasn't value for money. 2 hrs stuck in the car park and I vowed never to go to a pre season friendly again.

You broken this vow?

Went to Maidenhead 7 or 8 years ago, the one where it all kicked off between some fans and a couple of Maidenhead players.

I have avoided our "showcase" home friendlies on account of not wanting to watch 22 players mince around a pitch trying to avoid any physical contact because it's a week before the start of the season. ()Nicky Forster take note).

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

We played West Ham in about 95ish I think and lost 2-0. I remember Robbie Slater (?) scoring in front of the Town End. Kicked off massively in town afterwards.

I think that was '96 and indeed it all went Pete Tong in town.

[Sharpy]

Feyenoord at home 2006, think we won 2-0 but my lasting memory is seeing a load of Feyenoord hooligans in town who were all about 6ft 7 and looked quite hard

they were all in the guineas i remember, and alad needed a slash so strolled into the bogs unapposed

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

Sheffield Wednesday. Last game at Elm Park. Won 1-0. dug up the pitch and dismantled the goal posts.

Thought that it was actually 3-1........Danny Wilson (their Prem manager) was livid..............and it wasn't the last game...Fred Neates testimonial came after that.....followed by (correct me if I am wrong) Michael Gilkes's

You were right about the pitch/goal vandalism tho'

Regards

David Downes

Yep that's right. We ripped Wednesday in the 2nd half. The Gilkes game was, I think, the last proper ( ) game at EP.

[Big Foot]

Sheffield Wednesday. Last game at Elm Park. Won 1-0. dug up the pitch and dismantled the goal posts.

Thought that it was actually 3-1........Danny Wilson (their Prem manager) was livid..............and it wasn't the last game...Fred Neates testimonial came after that.....followed by (correct me if I am wrong) Michael Gilkes's

You were right about the pitch/goal vandalism tho'

Regards

David Downes

Yep that's right. We ripped Wednesday in the 2nd half. The Gilkes game was, I think, the last proper ( ) game at EP.

I remember Di Canio and Carbone playing for Weds that night and looking particularly dejected that we beat them. Also, I got lost trying to re-find my Uncle in his usual place on the South Bank after going for a piss and they had to announce over the tannoy for him to meet me at the back of the stand

[Schards#2]

My only ever away friendly was to Wokingham circa 1975 at their ground next to the railway.

Vaugely remembering a 2-0 win.

[No Fixed Abode]

Aldershot V Reading a few seasons back when Reading had that full back on trial that use to play for Man Utd.

It kicked off a bit in the ground with bricks being thrown. Also kicked off in one of the pubs nr the train station.

[Scarface]

Aldershot V Reading a few seasons back when Reading had that full back on trial that use to play for Man Utd.

It kicked off a bit in the ground with bricks being thrown. Also kicked off in one of the pubs nr the train station.

Hence why we never play them in friendlies anymore.

[Wax Jacket]

Aldershot V Reading a few seasons back when Reading had that full back on trial that use to play for Man Utd.

It kicked off a bit in the ground with bricks being thrown. Also kicked off in one of the pubs nr the train station.

my m8 had brought some American bird he'd been going out with at Uni - don't think life in the English countryside turned out the way she imagined it

[Ark Royal]

My only ever away friendly was to Wokingham circa 1975 at their ground next to the railway.

Vaugely remembering a 2-0 win.

July 75. I was at that one. Friday scored both, IIRC.

[Schards#2]

My only ever away friendly was to Wokingham circa 1975 at their ground next to the railway.

Vaugely remembering a 2-0 win.

July 75. I was at that one. Friday scored both, IIRC.

Though we were poor, we was happy in them days

[Hugo Boss]

I remember getting mullered by Genoa on a rainy day at EP after we'd just been promoted. Got given Shaka's gloves.

Also remember going to Maidenhead away the following year. Morley was playing IIRC.

[Jerry St Clair]

I remember getting mullered by Genoa on a rainy day at EP after we'd just been promoted. Got given Shaka's gloves.

That game is featured (a bit) on the Year Of The Royals video with Chris Maughan presenting from an empty Town End. The open top bus parade was held after that with, maybe 4000 people in attendance. Remember the bus going down Occie Road with lots of very confused shoppers watching on.