Last Update:
December 4, 2024
The Madejski Stadium, now known as the Select Car Leasing Stadium for sponsorship reasons, was opened in 1998, after the club had previously spent 102 years at their former home of Elm Park.
The stadium is of a fair size and is totally enclosed, with all four corners being occupied.
Three sides are single-tiered, whilst on one side the West (Main) Stand is two-tiered, including a row of executive boxes. This stand has a curve in its roof and the team dugouts are located in front.
Unlike the West Stand, the other stands have a more conventional look to their roofs, although there is a gap between the roofs and the back of the stands, that contains perspex, to allow more light to reach the pitch. The ground has been designed with the supporter in mind as the fans are housed very close to the pitch and the acoustics are very good.
The home end of the stadium on the north side is named the Eamonn Dolan Stand, after their former Youth Academy Manager. The East Stand was renamed The Sir John Madejski Stand in July 2021.
The stadium also has a video screen in the South East corner and it was originally named after former chairman John Madejski.
The overall capacity of the Select Car Leasing Stadium is 24,161. At the north end of the ground is the Eamonn Dolan Stand, which has a capacity of 4,946.
Opposite is the South Stand, which has a slightly smaller capacity of 4,350. Away fans are located in the south-east corner of the stand, with the typical allocation just over 2,300. It is worth noting that there is a video screen located above the visiting supporters. Home members are located in the other half of the South Stand, with safe standing areas included.
Next to the away fans is the Sir John Madejski Stand. It has a capacity of 7,286, making it the second-largest stand in the ground. Opposite is the West Stand, which is the Select Car Leasing Stadium’s Main Stand. It is the largest in the ground, with a capacity of 7,579 and is two-tiered. There are hospitality spaces between the upper and lower tiers in the West Stand, along with the tunnel and dugouts at pitch level.
Away fans are located in one end of the stadium, in the South Stand, where up to 4,300 can be accommodated (although the normal allocation is 2,327). The facilities in this stand are good with plenty of leg room and the views of the pitch are superb, as there is good height between rows and the stand is pretty steep. Away fans can really make some noise in this stand, so make the most of it. The atmosphere is also boosted by a drummer in the home section.
Entrance to the stadium is by ticket only and if tickets are still available for away supporters then they can purchase them on the day at the South Stand ticket office located between gates 9 & 10. You enter the stadium by inserting your ticket into a ticket reader which scans the barcode on the ticket and illuminates a green light to go in. Turnstiles open 90 minutes before kick off.
The Madejski Stadium is a functional ground and has been well maintained over the years, so it still seems to have a newish feel about it. Food on offer inside the stadium includes burgers, hot dogs and pies while alcohol is served pre-match and at half time.e
The best views of the pitch at the Select Car Leasing Stadium can be found in the West Stand and the Sir John Madejski Stand.
The upper tier of the West Stand close to the halfway line is considered the ‘best’ view of the pitch but as a result, this is where the club put the majority of their hospitality tickets.
The next best is to purchase tickets in the blocks directly next to the hospitality areas. These are blocks GU5 and GU8.
The Sir John Madejski Stand is only a single tier which makes the views from that side slightly worse. The most central blocks in this stand are Y22 and Y23.
For atmosphere, the best place to sit is on the right side of the South Stand. This part of the stadium is now referred to as ‘Club 1871’ and is where the noisiest Reading fans congregate. Directly next to this area on the left side of the South Stand is the away end.
Seating plan
There is a small Fan Zone outside the East Stand that has a couple of mobile bar units which normally both home and away fans can use.
In terms of nearby pubs, there aren’t many in walking distance other than a bar in the Holiday Inn which is across the road. As such, we urge away fans to simply enjoy a few pubs in Reading Town Centre before getting a bus or taxi to the stadium.
Some good examples include:
- The Alehouse, 2 Broad St, Reading RG1 2BH
- The Nag’s Head, 5 Russell St, Reading RG1 7XD
As you can at many stadiums in the English football pyramid, supporters will have an array of burgers, sausages, hotdogs, pies and of course, everyone’s go=to, chips. to choose from at the Madjeski’s concourse.
However, take note of the bacon roll pictured below – it may be a dish worth avoiding upon your visit to the ground.
Bacon roll at Reading FC (@ReadingFC)
? £4.60 pic.twitter.com/sqGNG6ISxV
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) October 12, 2022
The Madjeski Stadium is easily accessible both on foot and by car, with multiple roads around the area leading you to the ground.
Away fans will usually be housed in the South Stand, with entry into this section granted by the turnstiles located behind the stand on Shooters Way.
Each of the three remaining stands has adjacent car parks, and there will be turnstiles located nearby to allow for easy entry into the stadium.
Home fans can of course enter through all three, but we recommend heading towards those located behind the stand you will be sat in to make the experience as hassle-free as possible.
If you are travelling along the M4 from the west you can see the stadium on your left. Leave the M4 at Junction 11, bear left on to the A33 relief road which leads you directly to the stadium. The Madejski Complex is well signposted from Junction 11.
Car Parking
There is some limited parking available at the stadium itself for a cost of £10, but it can be a bit of a lengthy process to get out of the car park at the end of the game.
There are also a number of unofficial car parks in the area sited at local businesses. Bon Hale a visiting Sheffield United fan informs us: “We parked in at a warehouse car park located on Acre Road at a cost of £5. Passing the Madejski on your left, follow the A33 for about half a mile, then turn back on yourself, passing Bennet Road on your left, and then take the next left into Acre Road. You will see sign “match parking”, where there is a large warehouse on the left. It is gated with security. It is then only a short walk to the ground from here. We also spotted another matchday car park in Bennet Road but this cost £10.”
There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Madejski Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.
Park & Ride
Alternatively, there is a Park and Ride facility at Mereoak (postcode RG7 1PB) near to Junction 11 of the M4, which has buses running to Reading town centre via the Madejski Stadium.
Post Code for SAT NAV: RG2 0FL
Reading Railway Station is situated just over three miles away from the Madejski Stadium. Probably the easiest way to get to the ground is to catch the F1 ‘Football Special’ bus, which leaves just down from the Railway Station on Station Hill (as you exit the station from the main entrance turn right and head down the steps, the buses line up on the left hand side).
While there are plenty of hotels in close proximity to the Madejski Stadium – there are a total of four within a 1-mile radius of the ground – most of them are quite pricey, so you may want to shop around a little before booking.
Some examples of hotels with good reviews in the local area are:
- Hilton Reading, Drake Way, Reading RG2 0GQ
- Holiday Inn Reading-South, Basingstoke Rd, Reading RG2 0SL
- Premier Inn Reading South, Gateway Proctor End South, Reading RG2 0GG
Reading FC ticket prices for the 2023/24 season are as follows:
- Adults: £23-30
- Over 65s: £19-22
- 18-24s: £16-19
- 13-17s: £8-14
- Under 13s: £5-11
Reading initially played their home games at the Reading Recreation Ground. After that, they bounced around a few places, including the Reading Cricket Ground, Coley Park and Caversham Cricket Ground. In 1896, Reading started playing their home games at Elm Park. They spent almost a century there until the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Inquiry report (Taylor report) required all teams in the top 2 tiers of the Football League to have an all-seater stadium.
Due to the Taylor report, Reading had to look for another stadium as they had just gained promotion to the First Division. As a result, the Madejski Stadium was built and Reading moved in 1998. The Royals have played their home games at the Madejski Stadium ever since.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Reading fans singing to the Great Escape tune at full time following their win over Northampton today ?️
Six points separating them from the relegation zone – things are looking on the ? for the Royals ?#ReadingFC
pic.twitter.com/k5RwtwLz2f— RoyalsNews (@RFC_News_utd) March 29, 2024
Record Attendance
At The Madejski Stadium:
24,184 v Everton
Premier League, 17th November 2012.
At Elm Park:
33,042 v Brentford
FA Cup 5th Round, 19th February 1927.
Average Attendance
2022-2023: 14,027 (League One)
2021-2022: 13,193 (League One)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid)
2019-2020: 14,407 (Championship)
2018-2019: 14,991 (Championship)
2017-2018: 16,656 (Championship)
The Club received planning permission to increase the capacity of the stadium to 38,000 back in 2007 when they were in the Premier League. However, they have never acted upon the plans but could potentially consider expanding should they make it back to the Premier League one day. At present, though, they look more likely to drop down to non-league football than gain promotion to the top tier.
Reading signed a sponsorship deal with Select Car Leasing, a local company owned by Reading fans, in 2021. This was a sponsorship deal for Reading’s Madejski Stadium, and it was penned down for ten years. Reading officially rebranded the Madejski Stadium to the Select Car Leasing Stadium in July 2021.
Development in the surrounding area is taking shape, however. A new complex next to the stadium that will include an ice rink, hotel, convention centre and apartments is currently being built.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Reading v Barnsley
Championship
Saturday 29th February 2020, 3pm
David Crossfield (Barnsley)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
A ground I'd not been to. I had been to the old Elm Park many years ago. It was also a chance to catch up with my Romford mate and have a few beers. Reading had the worst home record in the Championship, whilst Barnsley had given us some hope of doing a great escape after three consecutive wins, three clean sheets and two of them away.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went by Cross Country from Sheffield. The direct train took over 3 hours due to slow running between Derby and Birmingham. We got a Football Special bus to the ground from outside the railway station. Plenty of double-decker buses leaving as soon as they were full. It cost only £2 return.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
My friend had a list of pubs he wanted to visit. We started in the Alehouse which is a great old pub full of character and characters. Here we enjoyed a pint of Binghams Twyford Bitter. Then onto the Sweeney Todd for lunch. The ale here was average. Adnams bitter for me. I'm not a big pie eater, but the choice of pies was huge as were the pies themselves. £7.50 for a pie is a bit expensive though, plus £2.50 for chips and gravy. Time for a pint in the Allied. Nice pub. Lovely Hocus Pocus old ale, but £9.40 for two pints! Then a walk back to the railway station to get the bus to the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
The Madejski is a typical modern out of town stadium. Not something I like or appreciate really, but a good example of it's type. We were allowed to sit anywhere in the away section. We had a good view of the pitch from fairly near the front to the right of the goals.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We were patted down outside the ground before entering which was through electronic turnstiles with a barcode reader. As usual, I didn't buy any food or drink. I was full after that pie anyway! The toilets were decent and there was a separate smoking area. There was plenty of room on the concourse for out 800-900 fans.
The game was disappointing from our viewpoint. Despite 62% possession and 23 shots (6 on target, too many in Row Z) we lost 2-0. Our players looked a bit jaded. Our manager said our youngsters were below par after three games in a week. Reading' s first goal came from a debatable free kick, which our defence didn't react to and the Reading player, who was on the ground, somehow got enough contact for the ball to trickle over the line. Woodrow and Chaplin both missed good chances for Barnsley, before Woodrow had two shots saved on the stroke of half time. 1-0 at half time.
Barnsley continued to press in the second half, but Reading scored from a long ball in the 60th minute. A good finish having outpaced our central defence. The Reds spurned another great chance when a Woodrow header was blocked on the line and Brown somehow failed to bundle it home. Near to the final whistle, some Barnsley fans went towards the Reading section to our right, who were goading them. The stewards handled it well without confrontation. A decent atmosphere, although obviously the Barnsley fans were subdued towards the end. Not making fans sit in allocated seats allows the noisy ones to congregate and sing.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No problem. We walked to the bus queue, which, according to the signs was 250 yards away. We had to wait about 10 minutes to get on one of the fleet of double dockers. Back in Reading by 5.30 and a pint in the Greyfriar and a chat with some Reading fans. One of them said he was surprised by Barnsley's lack of effort. I pointed out the 62% possession stat. Surprising how we see games differently when we are partisan.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A disappointing result. Good, if expensive ale. A few reports via social media of Barnsley fans looking for trouble after the match, which I don't doubt. I was impressed by the bus service to the stadium. The best I've experienced. Another ground ticked off. It seemed a long journey home in the dark. Arrived home at 11p m. A long day.
PS well done to Reading on ticket prices. I paid £13 as a senior season ticket holder. It helped defray the expensive £53 rail ticket.
Reading v West Bromwich Albion
EFL Championship
Wednesday 12th February 2020, 8pm
Henryk Piotrowski (West Bromwich Albion)
Reading v Bristol City
Championship League
Tuesday 28th January 2020, 8pm
Joe (Bristol City)
Reading v Sheffield Wednesday
Championship
Saturday 3rd August 2019, 3pm
Jake Hunter (Sheffield Wednesday)
Reading v Chelsea
Pre-Season Friendly
Sunday 28th July 2019, 3pm
Doug Rougvie (Chelsea)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
I've only been to the Madjeski Stadium once before about 15 years ago, so was looking forward to seeing Chelsea play there albeit in a friendly.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very easy the car journey only took about an hour.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to the World Turned Upside Down Pub before the game, it's only about a 15 minute walk from the stadium. The pub was a mix of home and away fans without any problems.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
The ground looked impressive on the walk to the stadium but I'm not keen on grounds that are surrounded by car parks and industrial estates.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
An entertaining seven-goal thriller with Chelsea winning 4-3. There was a good atmosphere especially for a friendly, Chelsea fans were in full voice for most of the game. A bit disappointed at half time as after we had queued for ten minutes for a pint only to be told once we were served that they had run out of Real Ale and Lager and only had Guinness or Cider left.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was some confusion on finding our car park after the game, we were dropped off beforehand so didn't know where the car was parked. , we asked six different security and stewards all of which didn't know where our car park was, one steward said "I've never heard of it and I've worked here 30 years" (the ground isn't 30 years old!!) Once we found the car park we had to wait around 25 mins for the crowd to clear then got on our way.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out and I would definitely visit again for a game, I'd be hopeful the stewards and bar staff would have improved for a bigger league or cup game.
Reading v West Bromwich Albion
Championship
Monday 22nd April 2019, 3pm
Pete Woodhead (Doing the 92)
Reading v. Stoke City
Championship League
Saturday 1st December 2018, 3pm
Philip Green (Stoke City)
Reading v Queens Park Rangers
Championship League
Tuesday 2nd October 2018, 8pm
Andrew Davidson (Doing the 92)
Reading v Ipswich Town
Championship League
Saturday 28th April 2018, 3pm
Kieran B (Ipswich Town fan)
Reading v Preston North End
Championship League
Saturday 7th April 2018, 3pm
Matthew Riley (Preston North End fan)
Reading v Derby County
Championship League
Saturday 24th February 2018, 3pm
Richard (Derby County fan)
Reading v Millwall
Championship League
Saturday 3rd February 2018, 3pm
Brian Moore (Millwall fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
Reading v Sheffield Wednesday
Football Championship League
Saturday 25th November 2017, 3pm
Thomas Inglis (Neutral Visiting Dundee United fan)
Reading v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 18th November 2017, 3pm
Pete Lowe (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Reading v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 18th November 2017, 3pm
Shaun Ingram (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Reading v Leeds United
Championship League
Saturday 1st April 2017, 5.30pm
Shaun (Leeds United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
The Madejski Stadium was another new ground for me and we were hoping for three points against one of our promotion rivals.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We came by car and it was very easy. We came off at Junction 11 of the M4 and turned right towards the ground. Very quickly you come to a roundabout with a sign post for match day parking to your right (Imperial Way) However some people were parking on the pavement on the right hand side of Imperial Way and we followed suit and were pleasantly relieved to come back to a car without a ticket! On that side is currently a building site so I would guess this parking arrangement is temporary until whatever is being erected is up, so this may not be an option by the end of 2017.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As others have noted there's very little at the ground (Costco's anyone?) so we just had some standard food from a van outside the ground. Didn't meet many home fans but those we did were friendly enough. Certainly we never felt threatened in our away colours.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
For new grounds the Madejski Stadium has a fairly standard appearance, which means it does lack a bit of character. Away fans are behind one of the goals with corporate boxes in the stand on the left and the noisiest (?) home fans are in the stand on the right.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Everything was going perfectly until the referee ruined it by starting the game! We were diabolical! Up till then the pies and drink were okay without being to die for, the atmosphere in the away stand was fantastic and the away fans were having a great time. Reading do make you feel welcomed, there was a board up informing us of our record at the Madejski Stadium, and who our next two games were against and a television showing a selection of Leeds goals. Also they let you out of the ground at half time to get food/drink from the independent traders which I thought was a nice touch. The stewards were okay and in defence of the 'silent' home fans there was some chanting and 'banter' from the group off to our right during the second half.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Very easy. We are in the south stand, so it's a 5-10 walk to the car park we parked outside of and in under ten minutes of getting into the car we were back on the M4. All in all it was nearly as easy as getting through our defence!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Watching us capitulate so easily to a fairly a average Reading side took a lot of the shine off the experience but getting to/from the ground was really easy and you do get a good view from the away stand with sufficient leg room (I'm six foot tall).
Reading v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Football Championship League
Saturday 4th March 2017, 3pm
Harry Oliver (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
I was sort of looking forward to visiting the Madjeski Stadium as I had never been before and heard the view and ground acoustics are excellent. On the other hand I had also been told that the stadium lacks a bit in character and isn't the most "intimidating" away day. Nevertheless, me and my Father decided to make the fairly short drive down to Reading from Leamington.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Finding the Madejski Stadium is extremely easy as it is situated right off the M4 and is well signposted after you leave the motorway. We were very early so we managed to get a space in the official stadium car park, just outside the north stand, at a pricey £8.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Due to the fact it's an "out of town" stadium, there is hardly anything to do outside the ground. So we brought a programme and walked all the way round the stadium to the away end (which was well signposted).
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
When I first saw the stadium it reminded me a bit of the Ricoh Arena because it has a large hotel joined onto it. The outside of the stadium looks quite bland.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We went through the turnstiles into a fairly spacious concourse.We brought two hot dogs which were very nice, didn't bother with the pies as had been told they weren't great. The staff were all wearing Wolves t-shirts and there was a "Wolves 2013-14 season review" showing in a TV screen which I though was a nice touch. We were in block R31, Row BB and the view was excellent. The home atmosphere wasn't the best and the Wolves fans didn't make a lot of noise either. The first half was extremely boring but we dominated the second half, only to lose to two unlucky goals.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Pretty awful. We had to sit in the car park for 30-40 minutes to wait for the buses to leave and even after the long wait the traffic was still awful coming away from the ground.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The Madjeski Stadium was okay but nothing to shout about. Saying that, I would go back and quite enjoyed my day. 6/10
Reading v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Football Championship League
Saturday 4th March 2017, 3pm
Andrew Goddard (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
Whether it be down to age, personal taste or indeed a combination of the two, Reading is not a ground that I particularly enjoy visiting. Having been on three or four previous occasions I was well-aware that it offers a somewhat sterile environment to watch a game of football, and invariably a poor surface due to the ground also hosting rugby fixtures. However, I was appreciative of their 2016/17 offer that capped advance tickets at £20 for visiting Members and Season Ticket Holders (despite the fact that Wolves still saw fit to add their own £3 charge for putting two tickets in the post!) so as a local-ish game at a unusually fair price for the division we decided to give the Madejski Stadium another try.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled by train to Reading from South West London, then took the shuttle bus service for the three miles or so out to the ground at a cost of £4 return (exact fare only).
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had a quick pint in the 'Greyfriar' pub in the town centre. An ideal choice as it turned out, the pub offered a good range of ales, with a vast array of pump clips adorning the walls and a mixed crowd of home and away supporters plus those happily idling away their Saturday afternoon over a few pints. Handily, you can perch yourselves by the window looking back up towards the railway station, thereby keeping tabs on the size of the queue for the shuttle buses and timing your departure accordingly. When in Reading its easy to forget that the town hosts a decent-sized Championship League football team….unlike other away venues you don't tend to find historic club photos or memorabilia gracing the walls of town centre pubs, nor do you see many people wearing club colours around the town. Consequently it feels almost as if the football club is something of a guilty secret rather than a source of civic pride. Having been delayed on the bus journey out to the ground on previous visits, we crossed the road and boarded a shuttle bus shortly after 2pm.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
To my taste, the Madejski Stadium is somewhat dispiriting in respect of its lack of character and somewhat remote location. You have to walk round to the far side of the stadium from the bus drop-off point in order to enter the away stand via blocks 9 and 10. We had a further pint ('Amstel' lager & 'Theakstons' Bitter respectively, both £4.20) inside on the concourse.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Reading entered the field to 'Sweet Caroline' by Neil Diamond. The reason for this was unclear although I've since been told this is a popular tune at rugby matches so perhaps that tells its own story. Don't be surprised if by the time of your visit they've moved onto something equally generic by Queen, Coldplay or the like. The atmosphere in the ground was decidedly flat. Wolves latest managerial appointment has been even more bewildering than some of the previous choices, in Paul Lambert we seem to have opted for a guy whose only apparent favourable claim on the job was that he wasn't Tim Sherwood. Nevertheless, having secured the post Lambert has duly taken the team plummeting down to the fringes of the Championship League relegation zone, and this looked for all the world like a manager in the final throes of a drastically under whelming spell with the club. The long-suffering 2,000 or so away fans certainly knew the signs all too well.
Nevertheless Wolves can count themselves somewhat unlucky not to have taken something from this game. A mixture of bad luck with a deflected opener, poor defending and a toothless Wolves attack meant that an average-looking Reading side ended proceedings with a 2-1 victory. Drums and goal music sought to goad a bit of life from the home fans but for the most part that ship seemed to have long since sailed, bar the half-hearted efforts of a couple of hundred or so of their more youthful fans to our immediate right.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Awful. Away fans have the furthest to walk back to the bus stop, so we ended-up having to queue for 25 minutes in the rain until the buses that had already completed their first run down to the station immediately post-match started to re-appear for a second trip. Given this meant we therefore missed our intended train, this did at least facilitate a quick return to the 'Greyfriar' once we finally made it back into the town centre at about 5.50pm. The guest ales had changed since our lunchtime visit and were again found to be in good nick at around £3.70 a pint.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The Madejski Stadium is certainly not a ground I would rush back to. It's safe, functional and away fans have an excellent view given the steep rake of the stand. Whilst tidy, there remains a dispiriting lack of identity about the stadium. The home fans apparent indifference towards events (bar the odd occasion when they might just be shamed into joining in with a generic chant by one of those intrusively over-zealous MC's) can somewhat drain the life from the 'matchday experience' (urgh…). Adding in the dearth of pubs around the stadium and difficulty in getting away promptly after the game mean there are plenty of more appealing away trips in this division. I would commend Reading on their excellent pricing initiative for visiting fans though, hopefully this is something that Wolves will reciprocate next season if we can survive at Championship level for another term.
Reading v Brentford
Football Championship League
Tuesday 14th February 2017, 8pm
Alex (Brentford fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
The Madejski Stadium is nice and easy to get to for me and I had been twice before in the two previous seasons. I just love away games too.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Travelled by car, quick journey with very little traffic. Took about 35 minutes to get to the ground from Wandsworth. Was dropped off so not sure what parking was like.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As we arrived 15 minutes before the game started we brought the programme, found our block and entered the ground. However, there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat outside the ground prior to the game. Didn't come across many Reading fans on the way but the few we saw were nice enough.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
The Madejski Stadium stands out and I remember seeing it for the first time thinking it looked impressive. The view from the away end is great with no restrictive views. I believe its like that for all the stands. We were seated in row KK, right at the very top. plenty of leg room. I have to say walking up the steps is quite daunting given its steepness but an amazing view of the game nonetheless.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game its self was an entertaining one. Reading dominated the first half, scoring the only goal of the half through former loanee Bee John Swift. Brentford started the second half the better with an equalizer from Jota in the 63rd minute and then a second goal from Vibe three minutes later. We threw the game away as our defense collapsed, like it has been for the last few games and Reading capitalized on this, scoring two goals late on to eventually win 3-2. Given the current form that Reading are in under the impressive management of Jaap Stam
I found the home crowd were a lot noisier than they were in the last two away games that I had been to versus them. Equally we matched them in noise level and a lot of the time were louder than them, anticipating a winner that never came. The stewards were respectful to us, allowed us to stand for the entire game. I slipped away two minutes before the the end of the first to use the facilities and to beat the crowds so had no trouble with queuing. But the toilet facilities were clean and plenty of them. the concourse was spacious and the staff at the kiosk were friendly and inviting. The prices there were reasonable, what you would expect to pay for a water and coca cola at a match. Also, they kept the lids on the bottles which helped enormously.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Took a while to get out of ground but that was to be expected as we were seated right at the top/back of the stand. Once we were in the car it took a while to get out of the area, given that was so much traffic.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, the Madejski Stadium is an impressive ground with spectacular views of the pitch from all corners. It is a ground that I will continue to go to, to see Brentford face Reading for as long as we stay in the same league as each other.
Reading v Barnsley
Football Championship League
Saturday 11th February 2017, 3pm
Tom Bellamy (Barnsley fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
When I saw the fixtures at the start of the season I noticed this game would be held in February which meant that there was always a possibility of it not going ahead due to any bad weather, and then it would become an evening fixture at a later date. Also, Barnsley would have two away matches within three days, the other one being Aston Villa on the Tuesday evening.
What also played a part in swaying me into going was that, as a Senior Citizen a ticket to the game would only cost me £16, plus the Villa game would only be £15. A total of £31 for the two away games I thought was very generous when you take into account that some clubs charge more than that for one game based on their own pricing system. Also, this would be the first time I have visited the Madejski Stadium. The last time Barnsley played there was in the 2013/14 season when they were struggling at the bottom of the Championship League whilst Reading were just outside of the Play-Offs. That game was played on a Tuesday evening and with it being a 380 mile round trip I decided to give it a miss. However, on that occasion Barnsley surprised everyone by winning 3-1. This season Reading are currently in a Play-Off place whilst Barnsley are lying in 9th position, and although Reading beat Barnsley 2-1 at Oakwell earlier this season I was hoping we would get a result today.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
My journey, by car , began at 8.30 am and after a couple of Motorway Service stops I arrived in Reading at about 1pm. The Madejski Stadium was well signposted from the M4 motorway and although I attempted to park in the official Stadium car park for £9 one of the Stewards approached me and said I would have to wait 45 minutes after the game before they could let me leave. He told me there was another official car park around the corner who were not as strict and I could park there for £7. This I did, and so I parked up and made my way to the Madejski Stadium which took about 10-15 minutes.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I knew from looking at previous reviews and the web site that there wasn't much to do before the game as there are no pubs near the ground. There is a Retail Park and a MacDonalds next to the Stadium but I decided to go straight to the ground. On my way I mingled with the Home fans who appeared friendly enough and so it was entirely trouble free.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
Outside the Madejski Stadium there were a number of fast food stalls selling hot drinks, pies, burgers, pizzas etc, and I noticed a number of "Portaloos" ( iie. toilets) which you don't usually see outside football grounds. I was very impressed with the concourse and facilities within the Stadium. The Barnsley fans were housed in the South Stand behind the goals which had plenty of leg room and a good view of the pitch.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
There were quite a few Stewards outside and in the Stadium who appeared friendly and talkative with the usual frisk down that we are so accustomed to these days. The game itself began with both teams being slow in their build up, and with the Barnsley line up looking on the defensive side it was up to Reading to try and break it down. Barnsley appeared to be content and happy enough to defend and try to catch Reading out on the break. The first half came to an end with both teams having created chances but poor finishing deprived them of any goals. The second half was pretty much the same as the first and although Barnsley came close to opening the scoring by hitting the post and then shooting either just wide or over the crossbar it was left to their goalkeeper to make a couple of fantastic saves to deny Reading a goal. The match therefore ended all square at 0-0 and it was the 750 or so Barnsley fans who were the happier of the two sets of supporters. The Reading team would no doubt feel hard done by in dropping two points at home.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the car park was easy, but a little slow due to the heavy traffic around the ground. Once I got onto the Motorway it was plain sailing.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Although it was a long day mileage wise and the length of time it took to get there and back I was very happy with one point away from home and would come back to the Madejski Stadium providing it's not an evening match for obvious reasons.
Reading v Cardiff City
Football Championship League
Saturday 28th January 2017, 3pm
David Salter (Cardiff City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
Yes I was looking forward to visiting Reading for the first time. I'd heard a lot of good things about their Madejski Stadium and I wasn't disappointed.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey from Cardiff was really smooth. It's straight along the M4 and off at Junction 11.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I booked a table in Pizza Hut right opposite the Madejski Stadium. I really enjoyed my Pizza with an ice cold Budweiser.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
The Madejski Stadium is impressive as it's very modern looking with a good capacity. There is a big screen in the corner by the away end. A comment has to be made about the pre-match entertainment. They didn't half play some great music. The away caters for a large amount of fans. Cardiff took 2300. Equally impressive is that their was a family section located in the away end and the ticket prices were cheaper for this area.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was very close. Unfortunately for Cardiff we lost 2-1, but it could have gone either way really. There was a cracking atmosphere at the game and good banter between the fans. There was lots to choose from, food and drinks wise and the staff behind were all wearing Cardiff themed T-Shirts. Excellent! The only downside was the state of the toilets, grim.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We had parked right opposite the ground in the Van Hire place on Bennet Road. It cost £8 but it's worth it because you'll on the M4 before you know it after the game.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a good day out and the Madejski Stadium is a good ground, with a good atmosphere inside.
Reading v Norwich City
Football Championship League
Monday 26th December 2016, 3pm
Thomas Ling (Norwich City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
I have visited the Madejski Stadium on one previous fixture and enjoyed my time there so was looking forward to going again. Norwich had been on a terrible run but football is a crazy game some times so was just hoping that something magical happen!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went to the game via official club coach and it was an easy drive down to Reading via the M11, M25 and M4 the ground is a short journey from the M4 and the away bus parking is right next to the ground. There seemed to be very limited car parking near the ground it self however.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We arrived a little late to the Madjeski Stadium so we just had time to do a quick walk round the ground before going through the turnstile. For me the ground lacks attractions around the outside and has quite a plain and lifeless feeling. There are however plenty of stands around the ground for food and drink including a large area to drink outside the East Stand, where the home fans were friendly.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
The away stand is very good indeed plenty of space in the concourse as well as in between rows and seats. The other parts of the Madejski Stadium are also impressive especially the West (Main) Stand.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A 3-1 loss for Norwich so not much to shout about there. The stewards were very relaxed both inside and outside the stadium. A good selection of food was on offer and the home fans created a good atmosphere in spells.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Due to where the away buses are parked you have to wait for the stadium to empty which takes up to 15 minutes but it is a short journey to the M4 where you can set of home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A poor game of football but an enjoyable day out at the Madejski Stadium.
Reading v Brighton and Hove Albion
Football Championship League
Saturday 20th August 2016, 3pm
Chris (Brighton and Hove Albion fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Madejski Stadium?
I was really looking forward to the game as we were playing well in the run up to it. We had scored 10 goals in 4 games and not conceded any , so I was feeling pretty confident . It was also my first away game of the season and this season in the Championship and we don't have many local away days
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I usually go by train to away games but decided to drive this time. It was really simple to get to and park . It probably took less than 15 minutes (this was at 1.30pm) after leaving J11 on the M4 and the Madjeski was clearly signposted. I followed signs for non permit holders, past KFC and Pizza Hut on your left and then there is a slip road on the left hand side which led to a car park where I parked at a cost of £7.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
There weren't any pubs around the ground but a few stalls outside selling pulled pork , burgers and ales. I had a 1/4lb burger £3.90 and a beer £4.10. I was wearing my Brighton shirt and the home fans were all friendly. They also have toilets to use outside .
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
Entry to the Madejski Stadium was delayed as there had been a loss of power in the ground. When we eventually got in inside, the concourse was in darkness except for a few emergency lights . The staff were having to put everything through manually but were still quicker than a lot of grounds I've gone to. They were also wearing t-shirts with the postcode of our home ground on it. There are plenty of toilets and never had to queue . Our seats – were Row U which I though would have meant they were towards the back of the stand but they were actually about half way up. We took the whole allocation behind the goal and there were a few front rows cornered off . The stands very steep and you get a good view from all seats.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
With a big away following we were in full voice before the game however Reading scored within two minutes which dampened the mood. The most vocal Reading fans sit to the right hand side of the away fans and do get quite loud. There was good banter, however , they seemed more interested fighting amongst themselves! On two separate occasions the police had to go in and remove a fans. We equalised about ten minutes later to make it 1-1 from a corner but Reading controlled the first half and we were lucky to go in at half time all square. During half time Reading open up the exit doors and allow you to go outside and smoke which was a really nice touch.
After the break we took the lead almost immediately from a cut back for Knockaert to score. Reading continued to press and drawled a great save from our keeper on to the bar before ex Brighton player Paul McShane made it 2-2 . Reading continued to press without creating any more chances. Brighton got back into the game with 15 minutes to go and began to sense we could steal it. About three minutes from time the Reading centre back was sent off for a second yellow offence. We pressed and had a couple of set pieces but nothing came from them. In the 92nd minute a Reading striker made a horrendous challenge on our right back Rosenior, and received a yellow card initially but a couple of moments later was sent off. Rosenior had to hobble off and we had used all our subs so we finished the game with ten men and Reading finished with nine. The game finished 2-2 and we were quite fortunate to come away with a point.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
When you come out the ground you can't turn left so you have to walk the long way around the ground back to the car park. I was in my car again by half five and reached the M4 at 6pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Although we didn't play as well as recent games we still got a point which, I suppose, is what we're going to need to do if we can challenge this season. Stewards were very friendly and we stood the whole game without being told to sit down. Easy parking near the stadium and easy to get away. Despite the attendance only being 17,000 there was a good atmosphere and would go again.
Reading v Queens Park Rangers
Football Championship League
Thursday 3rd December 2015, 7.45pm
James Walker (Queens Park Rangers fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Madejski Stadium?
I was looking forward to this as we have recently stopped conceding goals. Readings home form has been poor this season, and I've been to the Madejski twice before, and my team has won 1-0 both times. Plenty of cause for optimism.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled by car with good friends Gobi and Ollie for this game. We left at 4pm and got to Reading for just after 6.30pm. We went to the KFC drive-thru just outside the stadium and ate in the car in the stadium car-park directly opposite the megastore.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As we were right outside, we went in to the megastore to purchase programmes (£3.00 each) and a badge (£2.50). We then walked around the stadium to the away end and went inside after the usual searches.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
The Madejski Stadium looks very impressive from the away end, and is a bowl so every stand looks the same. The concourse was spacious and there was an actual queuing system installed for the tea-bar. TV screens were showing Sky Sports News and all stewards were very helpful.
The Madejski Stadium
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was not one for the neutral, but thoroughly productive if you were a QPR fan. We contained Reading all through the game and came forward occasionally. We then won it in the 90th minute as Nedum Onuoha scored one of the scrappiest goals you will ever see. The toilets were all clean and spacious, but the pies were among the worst I've ever had at a game. They weren't cheap either at £3.50 each.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was easy as we simply came out and walked around till we saw the megastore then crossed the road to the car and made a swift exit. We were all home by 12.30am.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A fantastic Thursday night out with good company, a late winner and 3 points ensuring my 100% record of 1-0 wins at the Mad Stad stayed intact. Happy days!
Half Time Scoreline: Reading 0-0 QPR
Full Time Result: Reading 0-1 QPR
Attendance: 16,365 (1,376 away fans)
Reading v MK Dons
Football League Championship
Saturday 22nd August 2015, 3pm
Cliff Wade (MK Dons fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Madejski Stadium?
Being the first season in the Championship League for the Dons, this was the first time I have visited Reading. I do not mind the club, and thought they acquitted themselves well when they were in the Premiership under Brian McDermott a few years ago. I liked the style of football they played at that time, and it was no surprise to me when Reading re-appointed McDermott in December 2015. In fact, I thought he would be an ideal next manager for the Dons if and when Karl Robinson leaves us! In another life, if I lived in the Reading area, I could see myself supporting the club rather than be tempted by those in London, not too far away. As for the Madejski Stadium, knowing it is not that old, I was looking forward to seeing a match there as I had heard the facilities are good and that everyone gets a good view of the pitch. For all the arguments and debates about "old school stadiums versus new stadiums", such as the older ones having "character" etc – what can be said is that new stadiums always provide excellent views of the games, with no annoying pillars or obstructions in the way.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
On this occasion, I had stayed the night at a hotel in Reading the night before as I do not work Fridays so I had come down the day before to do a good walk by the Thames in nearby Henley-on-Thames (one of my favourite areas !) However my hotel was a few miles away from the ground (Winnersh) and so had to park nearer. In the end, I parked near the University of Reading. It was then at least a 30 minute walk to a pub called "The World Turned Upside Down", where there was a charity event on and a mix of Reading and Dons fans, and a good atmosphere. I watched the lunchtime Premiership match at the pub, but slightly miscalculated the time it takes to walk from the pub to the ground. I thought it was only a 10 minute walk, but was more like 20 minutes, as you have to navigate a few busy roads using pedestrian crossings, and then when I got to the stadium area it was a further five minutes as the away section was right at the other end.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Madejski Stadium?
From the outside, the Madejski Stadium and immediate surrounding area is not too dissimilar to Stadium MK, in that it is a modern ground set in a retail park complex. Yes, I appreciate such grounds lack the character of "old school" city centre grounds – but the other side of the coin is that the facilities, seats and views of the pitch in new stadiums are far superior – so in the whole "old v new" debate, there are pros and cons on both sides. I did note a training complex near the ground which impressed me. Also when walking to the away end, as with many stadiums there is the usual hotel built into the ground. By the time I got into the away section, I was later than I wanted to be – only ten minutes before kick off, and a bit annoyed at myself, but I suppose that happens when you go to a stadium for the first time and not that familiar with how long it takes to walk there. As such then, I was too late to get into the main singing section of Dons fans which was disappointing, but I still climbed (and I mean that – it is quite a steep walk up the stairs !) to the very top, and was able to stand the whole match and still could join in with all the chanting ! There was a good following of Dons fans, which I had hoped for as MK is not that far from Reading, and we were all in good voice. Stadium MK may sometimes be accused of lacking atmosphere amongst the Dons fans, but when we go away we are fantastic and normally sing for the whole 90 minutes, even when we are losing ! As for the rest of the stadium, it was fairly full, and as fully expected, the views of the pitch were excellent.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The first thing to say is that the atmosphere was very good. This is wholly down to the fact that the main home section of singing Reading fans is right next to the away end on one side, and both the Reading fans and Dons fans were fantastic…with good direct chants and banter between us, responding to each other's chants etc – with a fair degree of wit ! I think more clubs should consider having their main home contingent next to away fans, as it makes for a great atmosphere. So yes, I was impressed with the Reading fans in how vocal they were, though I am sure they would admit we were very vocal and loud too. I would say though that it just seemed to be that home section near us who were loud….the other two sides of the stadium seemed pretty quiet. But this is the case with many grounds.
As for the match itself, although it ended 0-0, it was an intriguing draw of "cat and mouse" football. I think a draw was a fair result, although we were gutted that a shot by our Simon Church hit the post. I believe Reading were favourites to win the match….and at the end, it seemed as if our fans were happier…many Reading fans left 5 minutes early, accompanied by the inevitable "is there a fire drill ?" chant from our fans….whereas we stayed to the end and applauded the team, along with the salute to Karl Robinson ("Robbo, you're a Don / Robbo Robbo you're a Don !") As I said the Reading fans did not really stay and applaud their team, which hinted at their disappointment. As for facilities….they were fine, the stewards did their jobs with no problems witnessed by myself, but I cannot comment on the Reading pies!
YouTube Clip Of The MK Dons At The Match:
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Not bad really, in the sense that it did not take that long to exit both the stadium and the complex around the ground…although it did take a while to navigate the busy roads nearby as I walked back to where I parked. It probably took the best part of an hour to get back to my car, but that is fine as it was choice to park where I did.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out :
I enjoyed the day. Although there was some "chant – banter" with the Reading fans, there was nothing particularly malicious, and thought they seemed a friendly lot. My impression of Reading was actually confirmed – somewhat of a "family club" with passionate local fans…in that sense, very similar to the MK Dons in fact. Yes it was a modern ground, which lacks character around the stadium and perhaps a tad soul-less (just like Stadium MK) but once you are in the ground, you forget all that, and on balance I prefer the modern facilities and pitch-view of the game as opposed to older stadiums. Overall, an "8 out of 10" experience!
Reading v Swansea City
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday, August 2nd, 2014, 3pm
James Spring (Neutral)
1. Why you were looking forward to visiting the ground?
The Madejski Stadium is a ground I’ve been looking to tick off for a while and when a fellow ground hopper I know mentioned going to this game I was immediately interested. When I realised I’d only pay £7 for a ticket it seemed like too good a chance to turn down – it was either this or Weymouth v Gloucester City in another friendly, so off we went.
2. How easy was your journey?
Journey was fairly straightforward. Got a train from Weymouth at about 09:30am and my mate joined at New Milton. We changed trains at Southampton Central and arrived at Reading station just after noon.
We knew the ground was not within walking distance of the railway station, but I had read on this site about the football special bus service to the stadium. So the plan was to hop on a bus, which was fairly easy as they stopped on the road right outside the train station. There were even a few people walking around in high visibility Reading FC jackets in the town centre directing Swansea fans which was good.
3. What you did before the game?
We had a short walk around Reading town centre and grabbed something to eat, before heading off to the ground at about 1.30pm. The few supporters we came across seemed friendly enough. The bus you want is the number 50, and they came along fairly regularly. Return ticket was about £4, and the journey took about 15 minutes. When we got to the ground we had a look around the club shop and took a few photos of the outside of the ground before heading for the turnstiles.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and other sides of the ground?
The ground is pretty much exactly what I expected. Your typical 21st century souless concrete bowl with a cringey PA announcer (although the pre-match playlist was good!).
Entry to the ground is gained by scanning your ticket through the electronic turnstile, so you can’t pay on the gate. The concourses are quite wide and at half time the queues weren’t big, but mind you – neither was the crowd as a whole. Only the East stand and the lower tier of the main stand were open to Reading fans.
We were sat almost on the halfway line in the East Stand and the view of the pitch is perfect, you can’t miss anything really. To be honest, there’s not much more to say, the rest of the ground is basically identical with the exception of the West Stand being two tired, but of a similar height. The only thing that’s slightly different about the ground is the fact it has its own wind turbine!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, food, toilets stewards etc…
The game itself was pretty good. Reading started strongly but Swansea were awarded a 14th minute penalty which Wilfred Bony smashed against the post. But two goals in as many minutes from Wayne Routledge on the half hour mark, left Swansea in control, but Reading pulled one back just before half time when Nick Blackman hit a stunning effort into the top corner from 30 yards. So 2-1 at half time.
The visitors however ran the second half, and Bafetimbi Gomis was sent clean through to score a 3rd on 60minutes. They could have made it 4 or 5 by the end.
As far as the atmosphere was concerned, the Swansea fans made some noise and the Reading fans were pretty quiet. When they did find their voices, it was only to sing your usual anti Wales songs. It did get a bit silly towards the end of the game however when a group of Reading fans decided to walk towards the away end to give it the big’un. One man was then carried out of the stadium by stewards when he literally tried to walk across the corner of the pitch to get at the Swansea fans. Quite idiotic really. Thankfully we didn’t find any trouble outside the ground or on the buses back into town.
The food, was poor. I fancied a burger, and there were some burger vans outside the ground, but I didn’t fancy paying £3.90 so thought I’d get one in the ground. Incredibly, you can buy a 5 inch pizza inside the stadium but not a burger! I thought I’d sample a hot dog, which was a mistake. £3.70, and it was the sort of hot dog that makes you feel sick after one bite, disgusting. So bland I wouldn’t feed it to my dog! Also £2 for a coke! Rip off. Or maybe I’ve gotten too used to non-league football?
Toilets were fine – again no queues, and the stewards seemed nice enough. Didn’t even notice them until it got a bit feisty at the end really. No problems at all, even though I was wearing a Notts County shirt.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
There was a whole line of buses back into Reading Town centre waiting outside the ground after the game, and they were also well organised. They had a couple of stewards there directing those with tickets and those who needed to buy a ticket into separate queues, so those of us with tickets didn’t need to wait. Home and away fans mixed with no problems and we were back in town within 10 minutes. I’d imagine it might take a bit longer after league games with a much bigger crowd.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of day out:
Despite not being too impressed by the ground it was still a good day out and a decent game of football for a friendly. Also another ground ticked off. Wouldn’t go out of my way to go back, but if Notts played there I wouldn’t hesitate. Simple away trip.
Reading v Sheffield United
FA Cup 4th Round
Saturday, January 26th, 2013, 3pm
James Prentice (Doing The 92)
1.Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Originally, two friends and I had planned to go to see Brighton v Blackburn’s Championship clash, but after both sides progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup the fixture was switched. Unable to get tickets for Brighton’s game with Arsenal, we still made the trip down to London (might as well make use of cheap, non-refundable rail tickets!). Rather than go to one of the few remaining capital grounds left to do, it was decided to go to a slightly more tricky venue to reach and the final vote went to Reading for their FA Cup 4th round tie with Sheffield United. I had heard nice things about the ground and Reading’s fans being a fairly pleasant bunch (albeit mainly from a Royals fan I work with), so we plumped for an afternoon our in Berkshire.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We left our home town of Lincoln nice and early and, after a slight delay, arrived into King’s Cross at around 10.00am. From there we nipped over to Paddington and caught a train to Reading, the second leg of the outbound journey taking around 25 minutes. After a couple of lunchtime pints in the Monks’ Retreat (Wetherspoon’s pub), we headed back past the railway station to catch one of the football special buses from the nearby bus station in Garrard Street (which, by the way, is signposted upon exiting the railway station). The journey to the Mad Stad took around 15 minutes and we were dropped right outside upon arrival.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
The big dilemma with Reading is what to do before the game. They really could do with a couple of pubs outside the ground so that fans are able to have a drink before the game, as there is literally nothing to do in the surrounding area (unless you fancy a look round the nearby B & Q). That said, I did notice a screen outside the stadium showing the lunchtime clash between Stoke and Man City, but apart from a few burger vans there is nothing between the Mad Stad and the M4 motorway.
We got to the ground early rather than stay and have a couple more pints so we got a place on one of the buses (I had heard that leaving it late may mean you miss out and face a 3.5 mile hike to the ground). After collecting our tickets, eventually decided to get in early and had a drink on the concourse and watched the remainder of the early kick off. The Reading fans certainly seemed quite a pleasant bunch – certainly what you’d expect from a refined county like Berkshire!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground was built in 1998 and I remember fans that went there within its first few years raved about how futuristic it was. While plenty of ‘soulless bowls’ have sprung up around the country since then, the Mad Stad still looks pretty impressive and seems a little more authentic than some others. I was sat in the only two-tiered part of the stadium and had a seat right next to the Directors’ Box. The views across the pitch were excellent. The other sides are all symmetrical of one another and the relatively steep incline seems to offer decent views of the action. The ground is totally enclosed, which helped create an atmosphere even though it was only half full.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc…
The concourses were your usual breeze block affair and to be honest I had been hoping for a bit more considering the stadium was supposed to have been built with no expense spared. The food on offer was fairly standard and beer is available, although I believe they do not sell alcoholic drinks to away fans. Home fans are rarely bothered by stewards and the same was to be said for the Mad Stad, although whether that was the case for the away fans is questionable given that a few Sheff Utd fans got quite ‘rowdy’ throughout the game.
As for the match, Reading effectively killed the contest early on by going ahead through Noel Hunt. The Blades, to their credit, came back but had left their shooting boots at home, spurning a few decent opportunities. Reading doubled their lead just before half time with a really decent second, and outclassed the opponents with a third and fourth after the break. It was a pretty routine victory for the Royals and it was hard to believe that only two years ago both sides were run-of-the-mill Championship, such is the gulf that now exists between them. Even though the Reading fans appeared at first glance to be quite ‘safe’ (the club is, after all, sponsored by Waitrose), they certainly bit back at the visiting fans with some great chants…although I will refrain from repeating them on a family-friendly football ground website such as this!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game we headed for the shuttle bus and there were six or seven of them waiting to take fans back into town – a very well-drilled operation that ran like clockwork. There were lots of fans queuing up for the buses but stewards were on hand to shepherd people in quickly and efficiently. Before we knew it we were on a train bound for Paddington and, after something to eat and a couple of post-match pints, we headed for King’s Cross and made it back to Lincoln for about 10.40pm.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I liked the Mad Stad and the fact that Reading played well, the ground is nicely designed and the ticket was only £15 (bargain) made up for the fact that it is some way away from the town centre and is plonked right in the middle of nowhere. I am not a fan of out-of-town grounds and long for the days where stadia are only ten minutes’ walk from the station and are surrounded by pubs and chippies, but the Mad Stad had just enough about it to win my approval.
The trip meant I became a step closer to holy grail of the visiting all of the 92, which I really hope to have completed in a couple of seasons’ time. It was a long day out and it’d have been much easier to go to one of my remaining London grounds, but I was and am glad to have gone the extra mile and ticked Reading off the list…I can save some of the easier grounds for later.
Reading v Fulham
Premier League
Saturday October 27th 2012, 3pm
Tom Fry (Fulham Fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground?
I personally had never set foot in Reading, so was looking forward to going for the first time. Fulham had also sold out their allocation in pretty quick time, so it was bound to be a good day out, full of atmosphere and hopefully three points.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Jumped on the train from Gatwick to Reading station which took just over an hour. Very easy direct journey and no messing about with changing trains.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
As you come out of Reading station, a pub called The Three Guinea’s is instantly on the right where most of our away following had set up camp. All were in good spirits as the drink flowed, staff at the pub are very easy going. Some Reading fans did take offence to our chanting outside though and one or two came over to have a word, but nothing major kicked off.
We then jumped on the buses from the station to the ground, which are specially laid on for match days. Very good service in my opinion, although make sure you have the correct change as we found out the hard way first time around! Cost is £4 adults and £2 children for a return journey. Fans of both sides happily mingled together and chatted away about how there season was going, favourite away trips and just general chat.
This journey normally takes around 10 minutes, however give yourself enough time to get from the buses to the away end, as where the buses stop is basically on a roundabout outside the ground which is still a fair walk to the South Stand.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Mad Stad is like most of these modern stadiums now; big bowl look to it with all the mod-cons and a hotel outside of it. The away end itself has a big concourse with all the usual food and drink available, and a nice touch by the staff behind the kiosks who were all wearing Fulham shirts to make us feel welcome.
The away end itself has good views all around. We were in row A and even from there it was pretty easy to tell on the pitch where the players and the ball were. Good leg room between the rows of seats as well, however do note that you will get wet if you’re sitting in the front 10 or so rows if it’s raining, as we got absolutely drenched!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Wow! A 3-3 thriller which consisted of Fulham staging a second-half showing which Brian McDermott described as a ‘Harlem Globetrotters’ like performance. We also managed to throw away another lead, this time twice in the final 10 minutes! The fact that Berbatov celebrated his goal right in front of me made it a quality day though. Even managed to get myself a cheeky cameo appearance on Match of the Day whilst going mental celebrating that goal!
Atmosphere itself was good from the away fans, with constant digs at old player Pavel Pogrebnyak, the hilarious chant of ‘we’ve got Bairdinho’ and the usual QPR bashing. A bloke in a horse outfit also turned up, to the amusement of the stewards! However I expected better from the home fans. Fair play to support to the right hand side of the away end who stood and sang all game with the banter flowing freely, but apart from that, an annoying drum on the opposite side of the ground and a few clappers, it was all very quiet from the Reading fans. I really, really dislike music being played after a goal too, especially that tune that usually accompanies the darts!
Stewards were very laid back, if not a bit too laid back to be honest. No moans about standing, and even when it started raining and we moved towards the back in the disabled gangway to shelter, nothing was really said until the rain stopped.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground is as easy as getting there. Queue for the buses and straight back into the centre of Reading and the station’s right in front of you. I really would recommend this service to anyone going rather than driving there, as apparently the area around the motorway backs up for miles before and after games.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Another quality day out. The game itself was an absolute corker, I took a neutral fan with me and he had a great time! The away fans were in good voice, and getting in the celebrations of Berbatov’s goal just topped the day off brilliantly. Just a shame we couldn’t hold on and get three points on the road!
Reading v Watford
Championship League
Saturday September 10th 2011, 3pm
Patrick McNicholas (Watford Fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
We have had a good set of results against Reading in previous seasons. From our 2-0 Premiership win in 2006, to our relegation survival 3-0 win in the 2009-2010 season. Upon hearing of a large away following for the game, I decided to go with some friends. I had been the previous season, and enjoyed the occasion. We were also hunting our first win of the season which and with Reading losing their last four, I felt that we could achieve this at the Madejski.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Last season I went by train. My hometown to St Pancras, then onto Waterloo, and finally to Reading station. There is a shuttle service to the stadium from the train station at (if I remember correctly) £3 (or less!). All in all a straight forward journey, done in about two hours or so.
But this time I opted for the supporters coach. We left Vicarage Road, headed through Watford, then quickly onto the M25. After about 35-40 minutes on the M25, we were in Reading. Despite the usual matchday traffic, we were parked up within about an hour or so of leaving Vicarage Road.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
The coach dropped us off outside the away end and we made our way directly into the ground, almost completely avoiding any contact with the Reading fans. (Though, if the previous season's experience was anything to go by, where we mingled with Reading fans since leaving the station, they're a friendly bunch!). We picked up a bite to eat in the reasonably priced refreshments area, then made the climb to the top of the away end to experience the build up to the game.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The stadium is one of the many modern day 'oval' styled stadiums, one which I have become accustomed to, so I didn't think much of it. The away end is primarily situated behind but to the left of the goal, with a good view from most seats in the area. I've only experienced a view from the back of the away end, but I enjoyed the view throughout the whole match.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
After taking the lead through Mark Yeates' superbly taken free kick, the away fans really came into life, which provided a good away atmosphere compared to the relatively quiet home fans (albeit the drum on the other side of the ground, and a small section of singing fans to our right). With John Eustace adding a second in the second half, and the continuation of the good away support from the 1,600 or so travelling Hornets, the game ended with a thunderous cheer for our first win of the season. Many fans stayed at the end to applaude the team, and even watch some players warming down. The stewards were fine with this. However, this was the first time I was happy with them, as Reading stewards on more than one occasion made a huge fuss about us sitting down during the game. The facilities were good at the newish stadium, plenty of room in the concourse, and yes, the food was good!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Last year was relatively straight forward, with us getting the shuttle service back to Reading train station, which, despite the usual queuing for the bus and traffic leaving the area, was as straight forward as any shuttle service can be.
This season, again, was straight forward. We hopped back onto the supporters coach, and slowly but surely made our way through the 20,000 strong matchday traffic. We were back in Watford in about an hour.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Reading will remain to be one of my favourite away days, due to its ease in travel, fairly cheap ticket prices, and generally kind and un-intimidating style of the home fans.
Reading v Watford
Championship League
Saturday September 10th 2011, 3pm
Matthew Batchelor (Watford fan)
As I'm only 12 years old I have not visited many away games. As a big Watford Supporter I chose to go to an away match for my birthday, and Reading seemed the perfect trip. I was also looking forward to visiting the Madjeski after reading lots of good reports on the stadium.
As my family and I live near Brighton on the South Coast, me and my Dad packed into our Citroen car at around 10am and made the two hour trip to Reading. We had no hold ups on the M25 or the M4 and got to Reading at around 12 noon. We tried to find some parking on the streets, however as the ground is located next to some Industrial parks and there is a strict two hour parking curfew we found this very hard. We spent nearly 10 minutes doing this and after a while we took this websites advice and parked at the Acre Road warehouse car park for a cost of £7.
We then visited the convenient KFC and got something to eat while both sets of fans mingled and chatted. After about an one hour we made the short walk to the ground and made the customary walk right around the stadium.
As we had previously paid for our tickets online and had recieved them in the post a couple of days before, we got into the stadium painlessly and made the massive hike to the top of the stand. As you come out of the concourse the stadium looks pretty impressive although a little bland as nearly all the stands were the same apart from the West Stand which has a row of excutive boxes which run the length of it. The legroom was very impressive and spacious. The acoustics were excellent and as the Reading faithful were located just to our right there was quite a bit of banter. The concourse was nothing special but did its job.
The game was nothing special, however Watford came away with 3 deserved points. The game started well for Watford and we scored with only 12 minutes on the clock from an excellent free-kick dispatched by Mark Yeates, which sent the 1,338 Watford fans wild with delight.
At half time we went to the food counter and both purchased a reasonably priced hot chocolate before making the trip back to our seats. The only downside to the away section, is at the back there is a small gap between the roof and the back wall. And as it was raining and we seated at the back of this stand, we got soaked!
The second half kicked off with Reading puting pressure on Watford, however during that period John Eustace came out of nowhere and placed the ball in the top of the corner from a low cross. This sent the Watford faithful into full song and completely drowned the Reading crowd.
After the final whistle me and my Dad applauded the players and our manager before joining the long line of spectators trying to get out of the stadium. 5 minutes later we were walking through the crowds to get back to our car. There seemed to be no trouble between the Reading and Watford fans. There was a big traffic jam going towards the M4 but that quickly passed and before we knew it we were back on the motorway. From there it was quick journey back to the South Coast.
Overall a good day out and very good result for the Golden Boys.