Reading

Hoop dreams

Reading v Darlington

Carling Cup Round Two

Tuesday 19th September 2006, 8pm

Reading stormed to the Premiership and have the players to cause a few upsets.

Kevin Doyle and Dave Kitson scored 36 goals between them last season, while Leroy Lita is back from injury, which ended his season early. They have added the tricky winer Seol Ki-Hyeon, a South Korean from Wolves. It's not anticipated that manager Steve Coppell will send out his strongest side, so expect to see faces like John Oster and Sam Sodje.

Man to watch Steve Sidwell Highly rated, busy midfielder and part of the Reading "ginger mafia".

Full match previews on the D@rlo Uncovered website.

There is usually plenty of room at the Madejski Stadium, with the away fans given 2,327 seats in the Fosters Lager South Stand - so no real danger of not getting in! Reduced prices £10 adults, £7 over 65 and 17-21, and £5 under 16s - match night; advance tickets - £8 adults (£5 over 65s and 17-21; £1 under 16) - on sale from Darlington FC. NB: There are automatic ticket turnstiles so tickets have to be bought in advance or from the ticket office at the stadium. The stand is no-smoking in all areas.

Reading FC:
Madejski Stadium, Reading, Berks, RG2 DFL
Tel: (0118) 968 1100 Official website
History: Formed in 1871, Reading became founders of the Southern League in 1894, the year before turning professional. Like Darlington, the Biscuitmen (as they were called until 1974) joined the new Division Three regional divisions in 1920, where they spent most of their time. In the early 1970s they were relegated to Division Four twice. They set a record 1,074 minutes without concedinga goal towards promotion in 1978/79. During a two year spell in Division Two, the club won the Simod Cup at Wembley, beating Luton 4-1. Reading flourished under new chairman John Madjeski and manager Mark McGhee from 1990. They lost a thrilling play-off final to Bolton in 1995.After relegation they finally revived under Alan Pardew. In 1998, the Royals moved from their home of 100 years, Elm Park, to their £50m new stadium on an out-of-town complex, including hotel and business park in 1998. The stadium even has its own wind turbine, which is a landmark as you drive past on the M4. The club finally gained promotion to the Premiership in 2006 under Steve Coppell after romping away with the Championship and winning with a record points total.
Record Attendance: 33,042 v Brentford, FA Cup 5, 1927 (Elm Park), 24,107 v Chelsea Carling Cup 3, 2003 (Madejski). .
Ground: The Madejski Stadium
Capacity: 24,045
Honours: Championship champions 2006, Division 2 champions 1994, Div 3 champions 1986, Div 4 champions 1979, Simod Cup winners 1988.
Record victory: 10-2 v Crystal Palace, Div 3S 1946
Defeat: 0-18 v Preston North End, FA Cup 1, 1893.
Last season: Championship 1st
Nickname: The Royals
Colours: Blue and white hoops.
Manager: Steve Coppell
Chairman: John Madejski
Players in: Seol Ki-Hyeon (Wolves, £1m), Sam Sodje (Brentford), Ulises de la Cruz (Aston Villa), Andre Bikey (Lokomotiv Moscow - loan), Peter Mate (Debreceni - loan), Graham Stack (loan - Arsenal).
Players out: John Mullins ( Mansfield), Jamie Young ( Wycombe), Chris Makin (Southampton), Scott Golbourne (loan - Wycombe), Adam Federici (loan - Bristol City), Ben Hamer (loan - Crawley).
Famous fans/players/connections: Steve Death, Martin Hicks, Jimmy Quinn, Shaka Hislop, Kerry Dixon, Darren Caskey, Trevor Senior, Neil Webb (players), Maurice Evans, Ian Branfoot, Mark McGhee, Alan Pardew (managers), John Arlott (late cricket commentator, fan), Jo Sale (5 Live travel reporter, fan), Uri Geller (fan) .
Click for Streetmap of ground and Stadium location plan

Anything worth adding? Please e-mail us any suggestions. Back to index page

Leave the M4 at Junction 11, take a left for the A33 relief road which leads you directly to the stadium. There can be queues on match days, so allow enough time.
Parking: The hard-to-get-a-space stadium car park and the alternative, nearly as hard to get parking at the nearby speedway/greyhound stadium (left past the ground) both cost £5, with space for 2,500 cars. Hewlett Packard may also operate a carpark (cost also £5) - sign-posted "park and walk" (15 minute walk). Parking at the Post House Hotel on Basingstoke Road costs £3 (10-15 minute walk). Stadium location plan

The cost is about £8-10 to the ground from the town centre
500 Cars Freephone: 0800 068 6890 or Tel: 01189 599999 .
1st Eagle Cars Tel: 0118 950 0111
ABC Taxis Tel: 0118 939 3737
Reading Cars 0118 956 1010
Millennium Cars 0118 966 6777

Darlington FC Supporters' Club
Coach tbc. Contact: 01325 243911. See Darlington Supporters' Club

Trains: Three miles away from the ground. Simple - from the station, you take the No 79 shuttle bus to the stadium, 15 minutes out of town. Turn right out of the station entrance and the buses are 200 yards away diagonally opposite at the SQ stop (£3 return, £1.50 children).
Darlington (Train times updated:) No trains back.
Regular trains from London Paddington. Rtn includes: 22.29, 22.57, 23.30. Cheapday return £12.50.
Birmingham New Street 16.33-18.05. Rtn last train 22.20 via Oxford (22.47) 22.55-23.23(Banbury) 23.33 arr 00.34 Birmingham Snow Hill. Saver return £36.60, cheaper advance fares available from £18.
Cardiff Central 16.55-arr 18.29 or 17.25 arr 19.01. Rtn: 23.17 arr 01.30. Fares: Saver return £46, advance returns from £18.

Reading is famous for its jail - which was once home of Oscar Wilde; it used to be the biscuit capital of Britain, but is now just crumbs. There are lots of offices. There's a good away fans guide on the Hob Nob Anyone? site, which includes hotel suggestions. Being close to London's environs, there are plenty of chain hotels, if you're stopping off the motorway. The Reading Visitor Centre Church House, Chain Street, Reading RG2 7HD, provides an accommodation service. Tel: 0118 956 6226.

There are no pubs at the stadium complex but plenty in the town centre. You're advised to be discreet wearing colours - sme pubs refuse admission.
Real ale:
Hook And Tackle Katesgrove Lane.
Not easy to find, but it's suggested you walk via the Oracle carpark and underpass. This is a football-friendly pub, which serves excellent food and has a good range of real ales. Click for streetmap
Another is the Hop Leaf, 163-165 Southampton Street
A friendly, unassuming welcoming pub - good beer with more or less the full range of Hopback beers, guests and a selection of fruit wines and bottled beers. A comfortable lounge and a pool table. On the outskirts of the town centre, you walk under the A33 overpass and up the one-way street, past the Red Cow on the left. Taxi is £8 to the stadium from here, except when congested. DAFTS recommended Click for streetmap
Eldon Arms, 19 Eldon Terrace, (off Eldon Road).
Opening 10.30am-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm. Tel: 0118 957 3857. CAMRA-recommended, this superb two-bar Wadworth back street tied house is 10 minutes walk from the town centre. Anne and Brian have been running the pub for twenty eight years. It has a large busy public bar and small cosy lounge. Click for streetmap
Should you need it, there is a very fulsome Reading pubs guide, which lists all those pubs worth visiting - and a few to avoid. Also the Reading CAMRA guide
Town centre/real ale:
The Hobgoblin 2 Broad Street
Small puband friendly staff, designed into a number of tiny snugs, which prides itself on a good and less obvious selection of real ales, as well as staples from the West Berkshire brewery. Good if in verty small groups and if you've time before the match, worth the visit. The local CAMRA says: "If you like beer and you only visit one pub while you're in Reading, this is the place to go." Handy for the station - in one of the main pedestrianised shopping streets, opposite Pret A Manger. Click for streetmap DAFTS recommended.
The current local CAMRA town pub is Retreat, 8 St John's Street
Pub set in terraced street, with five real ales. Open 12pm-3pm, 5pm-11pm.
Town centre/close to station:
Three Guineas, Reading station forecourt.
If you don't want to wander too far and don't mind station pubs, this has up to eight real ales. There were five on my visit. Plenty of room, Sky Sports TV screens though the sound system was blaring in and out. Worth the visit. DAFTS recommended
Sweeney and Todd, Castle Street
A combination of real ale and homemade pies. The pub part is through the pie shop and up a few stairs. A handful of beers.
Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street
Traditional pub near to the station with Bateman's and Courage beers - it promises three real ales on.

The Jazz Cafe at the stadium is for home fans only. Close by are chains such as McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut. The South Stand has concourse bars, with pies £2.50 or there are burger vans around the stadium.

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Rail timetables Virgin Trains GNER National Express Online map Hotels/B&Bs
Evening Chronicle Reading tourism Council web

Surfing there...

Apart from the usual Official website, there is Back The Boys, as well as the Eivals site Off At Eleven. Probably best though is the independent Hob Nob Anyone?

Next away match:

Shrewsbury Town (Sat September 23rd)

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