I took the opportunity to visit
Reading for the minor
Reading League cup final on Friday 14th May 2010, Woodcote/Stoke Row beating Wokingham & Embrook 'A' by the lone goal of the match. For big new ground, opened in August 1998, it has a bit of it's own character, rather than four plain, 'square' sides. It is name the Madejski Stadium, after the Reading owner & benefactor
Sir John Madejski.The only 'downside' really was that it's a fair hike back to Reading station, around three miles or so. There are buses on First Team match days, but for a small game like this it was Shank's Pony on the way back.
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The ground is also the home for
London Irish rugby union club, despite the fact Reading is around 40 miles from central London!
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This is the first view of the ground from the bus stop before the match, by the car parks.
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To the right of the above photo, across more parking areas, is some sort of Club indoor sports centre.
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Another look at the stadium from the large parking area. The built up part nearest to us is a hotel, by the ground.
The hotel is also named after the 'modest' owner!
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This is the game I'm here for, only one set of turnstiles open, unsurprisingly.
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This tells you who & what is based here.
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I had to keep my money in my pocket, as the megastore was megashut.
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On the wall a plaque remembering
one of their true legends.
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We continue around the outside of the ground, towards our entrance.
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On the wall are memorial/commemorative plaques, which are becoming quite common at larger grounds....no doubt all 'for the right price'!
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I don't know when this wall wan inaugriated, but looking at the name of it, I would hazard a guess at 2006/07, which was the first of their two years in the Premier League.
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Here is a detail of it.
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It continues along the back of the stand.
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More sections of it here in the next two snaps.
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The usual things that are not allowed. I'll pretend I never saw the 'camera' one!
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Almost turning the corner now, with the club crest prominent high up.
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This section of the wall must be specifically to honour former fans who has gone to 'the great football stadium in the sky'.
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No megastore for the rugby club!
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And a portakabin for the
Supporters' Trust.
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Here we pass some sort of executive entrance. I didn't actually note what it was.
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Some of the many ticket windows.
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At last! Here wo go into the ground, pay on the gate.
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A veritable bargain, & the programme was only ten bob.
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Here are the turnstiles from the other side.
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A look down the concourse, bland brickwork at first glance.
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Bookies on site for their first team games.
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A fixture poster gives a bit of colour.
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Plenty of catering outlets, only one open tonight.
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but the best bit, to hide te blandness I mentioned, were posters of great Reading legends on the walls. Here are some of them, the first being
Steve Death.
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The man with the plaque outside, Maurice Evans.
![](//lh3.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sR6aIW3DI/AAAAAAAAAnE/7EU68osk6bs/s400/SloughREADING%20221.JPG)
Bobby Williams.
![](//lh5.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sR-a_ImgI/AAAAAAAAAnM/ayQKvSi_Rh4/s400/SloughREADING%20223.JPG)
&
Gordon Cumming. I'm sure there were many more, I was a bit disappointed not to see one for their all-time cult hero
Robin Friday, but i'm sure he was there somewhere.
![](//lh4.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sSAnzKc1I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/iW2P-Li16Vg/s400/SloughREADING%20225.JPG)
A nice welcome sign, seems they forgot to have any dustbins though!
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Only one side of the ground was open tonight, the West Stand, and here we look over to the main East Stand.
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To our right is the South Stand.
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With the East Stand to our left.
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I move upwards, to take snaps of our stand, looking one way...
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& then the other.
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Climbing to the back row this is the view outside, which shows how high up we are.
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And from the rear, where there is a camera platform, we look across the pitch.
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And again to the North Stand...
![](//lh6.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sQRGOKGCI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/jCo-7ClDxXg/s400/SloughREADING%20151.JPG)
Plus the South.
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Moving down a number of rows we look over the pitch once more.
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In the far corner, to the left, is this corporate area.
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While opposite is the tunnel.
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Tonight we are restricted to the centre area of our stand. But there is only a strip of tape blocking off the rest of the stand, so I take my chances & ignore it.
Here we see the North Stand close up.
![](//lh4.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sQeliOt2I/AAAAAAAAAkk/EdEJRCXdJmI/s400/SloughREADING%20156.JPG)
And from this top corner we see down over the stadium.
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Before turning & looking along the West Stand.
![](//lh3.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sQkoxtG3I/AAAAAAAAAks/xE5Uqb3tQog/s400/SloughREADING%20158.JPG)
A similar shot, but a slightly different angle, to get more of the other stands in.
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Moving down toward the front it's still the Wst Stand.
![](//lh3.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sQqTsSrOI/AAAAAAAAAk0/8crzbI-O6Xg/s400/SloughREADING%20160.JPG)
At the back of this corner is a large electronic screen, not in use tonight.
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Here we glance down the lower rows of the West Stand.
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And look over the playing surface, pitchside.
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Here we are at the bottom corner of the North Stand.
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at the front there is one of the areas for disabled supporters.
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I'm now up behind the goal, I continue snapping, unaware I've been spotted by security.
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Here we look down the pitch, from behind the goal.
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And see, for the first time, the name Madejski in white lettering on the seats of the West Stand.
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These seats, up the steps, are for stewards to sit facing the crowd, not the pitch, I am guessing.
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Now I'm on my way back to my designated area, & notice another wheelchair area at the front. Before I get there I am stopped by someone who says they are 'head of scurity' in a bright flurescent jacket, who patronises & bores me about his jobsworth regulations. I bite my tongue, as I don't want to get kicked out before the match & am allowed to stay, after giving him my utmost assurance that I won't move from my seat, & that I will take no more photographs. He also makes sure that they are for my own use, & not for publication anywhere! Tosser! ;-)
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Dear oh dear! Health & safety gone mad! Who would have thought it...in a football ground?
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Back in the centre of the West Stand we look over to the 'posh' seats opposite.
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Oi! Put that camera away! It's not allowed!
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There's a fair crowd here, not sure exactly how many, but I'd guess around 500 or so.
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A few action shots follow. I was well pleased with this, as they were zoomed in for quite a distance, & the first time I had used my new camera at a match.
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The match is almost over now, & the floodlights along the roof of the stands are now on.
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Here come the medals...
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The crowd show their appreciation.
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Time for the man on the microphone to start the presentations.
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Almost there...
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The losers not smiling much.
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Grrr! One of the things I hate in 'modern' football-little brats as accessories at cup finals!
![](//lh6.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sRuPiuNeI/AAAAAAAAAms/iFZaZClExms/s400/SloughREADING%20215.JPG)
Now for the winners...more grins here!
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The cup aloft.
![](//lh3.ggpht.com/_eG-h-3kiVVA/S_sRzct6tNI/AAAAAAAAAm0/UohpKawZCmo/s400/SloughREADING%20217.JPG)
"Cham-pee-on-ees, cham-pee-on-ees!"
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