1871 - the ultimate Reading FC website

Features - Games on Neutral Territory

The following is meant to be a complete list of Reading games played on neutral territory.

Update history:
20/2/2003 - Created page
22/2/2003 - Added game from 11/1875
6/3/2003 - Added details for the game in Scotland in 7/1988
8/3/2003 - Added probable game from 1910
14/9/2003 - Corrected game in Scotland in 7/1998
4/6/2006 - Reformatted page

wwww1875/76

1. 11/1875 - Reading 0 Pilgrims 1 (friendly, at The Dolphin Ground, Slough). Pilgrims were a London-based side who drew players from different clubs. As such, they had no home ground, and so I assume this should count as a neutral game.
   
   
   1877/78
   

2. 3/11/1877 - Reading 2 South Norwood 0 (FA Cup Round 1, at The Dolphin Ground, Slough). Reading were drawn at home in our very first FA Cup tie, and the game was moved because Reading Recreation Ground was thought to be too small to meet the demand to see the game. In today's terms we wouldn't probably wouldn't class this game as having been played on neutral territory.
   
   
   1878/79
   

3. 27?/3/1879 - Reading 1 Marlow 0 (after extra time) (Berks & Bucks Challenge Cup Final, at Reading Cricket Ground). Although this game was played on Reading's ground, I think that really it was a neutral venue.
   
   
   1889/90
   

4. 15/2/1890 - Reading 1 Great Marlow 3 (Berks & Bucks Challenge Cup semi-final in Maidenhead, presumably at York Road)
   
   
   1891/92
   

5. 1892 - Reading 3 Windsor Phoenix 1 (Berks & Bucks Challenge Cup semi-final, at York Road, Maidenhead)
   

6. 26/3/1892 - Reading 2 Wolverton London & North Western Railway 0 (Berks & Bucks Challenge Cup Final, at York Road, Maidenhead)
   
   
   1900/01
   

7. 14/1/1901 - Reading 2 Bristol City 1 (FA Cup Intermediate Round second replay, at County Ground, Swindon)
   
   
   1904/05
   

8. 13/2/1905 - Reading 0 Fulham 1 (FA Cup Round 1 second replay, at White Hart Lane, London)
   
   
   1908/09
   

9. 16/1/1909 - Norwich City 0 Reading 0 (FA Cup Round 1, at Stamford Bridge, London). The game was moved because Reading refused to play at Norwich's ground The Nest. In today's terms we wouldn't probably wouldn't class this game as having been played on neutral territory.
   

10. 25/1/1909 - Norwich City 0 Reading 0 (FA Cup Round 1 second replay, at Villa Park, Birmingham)
    
    
    1910/11
    

11. 28/11/1910 - Exeter City 1 Reading 0 (FA Cup 4th qualifying round replay, at St Thomas rugby ground, Exeter). Reading refused to play at Exeter's home ground of St James Park because it was too short.
    
    
    1925/26
    

12. 7/12/1925 - Reading 2 Torquay United 0 (FA Cup Round 1 second replay, at Ashton Gate, Bristol)
    
    
    1926/27
    

13. 17/1/1927 - Reading 2 Manchester United 1 (FA Cup Round 3 second replay, at Villa Park, Birmingham)
    

14. 26/3/1927 - Reading 0 Cardiff City 3 (FA Cup semi-final, at Molineux, Wolverhampton)
    
    
    1930/31
    

15. 19/1/1931 - Reading 0 Crystal Palace 2 (FA Cup Round 1 second replay, at Stamford Bridge, London)
    
    
    1932/33
    

16. 19/12/1932 - Reading 1 Coventry City 0 (FA Cup Round 2 second replay, at Stamford Bridge, London)
    
    
    1940/41
    

17. 7/6/1941 - Reading 3 Brentford 2 (London War Cup Final, at Stamford Bridge, London)
    
    
    1942/43
    

18. 17/4/1943 - Reading 1 Charlton Athletic 2 (League Cup South semi-final, at White Hart Lane, London)
    
    
    1943/44
    

19. 1/4/1944 - Reading 2 Chelsea 3 (after extra time) (League Cup South semi-final, at White Hart Lane, London)
    
    
    1951/52
    

20. 1/1/1952 - Reading 2 Southport 0 (FA Cup Round 2 second replay, at Villa Park, Birmingham)
    
    
    1987/88
    

21. 27/3/1988 - Reading 4 Luton 1 (Simod Cup Final, at Wembley)
    
    
    1994/95
    

22. 1995 - Reading 1 Slough Town 0 (Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Final, at Adams Park, High Wycombe)
    

23. 29/5/1995 - Reading 3 Bolton Wanderers 4 (after extra time) (Division One play-off final, at Wembley)
    
    
    1996/97
    

24. 1997 - Aylesbury United 2 Reading 1 (Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Final, at Wexham Park Stadium, Slough)
    
    
    1997/98
    

25. 1998 - Maidenhead United 2 Reading 1 (Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Final, at Adams Park, High Wycombe)
    
    
    1998/99
    

26. 18/7/1998 - Reading 1 De Graafschap 1 (friendly, at SVBV Barchem, Holland)
    

27. 19/7/1998 - Reading 10 Streekelftal 1 (friendly, at SVBV Barchem, Holland). Streekelftal included players from six teams including SVBV Barchem, so this game perhaps shouldn't be in the list.
    

28. 26/7/1998 - Reading 4 St Mirren 0. This was the third-place match of a four-team tournament played at Almondvale Stadium in Livingston. The previous day we had lost 1-0 to Livingston in a semi-final, which I have not classed as being played on neutral territory. The final was won by Dunfermline who beat Livingston 6-5 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
    
    
    1999/2000
    

29. 8/5/2000 - Aylesbury United 2 Reading 0 (Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Final, at Aylesbury). Although this game was played at Aylesbury's ground, it was a neutral venue arranged at the start of the competition.
    
    
    2000/01
    

30. 27/5/2001 - Reading 2 Walsall 3 (after extra time) (Division Two play-off final, at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
    
    
    2007/08
    

31. 13/7/2007 - Reading 0 River Plate 1 (Peace Cup group game, played in Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, South Korea)
    

32. 16/7/2007 - Reading 1 Olympique Lyonnais 0 (Peace Cup group game, played in Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea)
    

33. 19/7/2007 - Reading 1 Shimizu S-Pulse 0 (Peace Cup group game, played in Goyang Stadium, Goyang, South Korea)
    

Home . Features Index

First Team . Opposition . Reserves . Academy . Where Are They Now? . Columns . Kingsley . MadStad . Interactive . Links . Site Map