Elm Park Years

[OldBiscuit]

In terms of attendances at EP, whilst an incredible 24,046 (the official recorded attendance) squeezed in for the Southampton cup game in 1978 - I was there and remember just seeing a sea of heads - just how they got 33,042 in there for the record gate against Brentford in 1927 in a largely 'the same' Elm Park is unfathomable.

For safety/security reasons, post the Bradford fire (or was it Heysel?), for several games the capacity at EP was reduced to 8,000 - a fifth of the record attendance! I think this was during the Mike Lewis era, so official gates and receipts thereof would have been taken with a pinch of salt in any event!

The attendance versus Southampton may have been 24,046 but I know for a fact that quite a few forgeries were on the market for that game.
The official ticket was just a white card with the details printed in black ink, so poor that even a schoolboy could have made a copy.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Always thought that the stated attendance was 21 or 22k?

Radio 210 Thames Valley announced it

This was very much our big day of its time....big chat at school before and after the game.

Fast forward a few years....

Radio 210 had half-decent coverage (Steve Beddow anyone?) to become 210 Gold, then 2TenFM, to become Heart which doesn’t do footballol ......at all....and yet, people still whinge about BBC Berks coverage to this very day

[STAR Liaison]

In terms of attendances at EP, whilst an incredible 24,046 (the official recorded attendance) squeezed in for the Southampton cup game in 1978 - I was there and remember just seeing a sea of heads - just how they got 33,042 in there for the record gate against Brentford in 1927 in a largely 'the same' Elm Park is unfathomable.

There's a full page article on the 33.042 gate in the programme for the very last game at Elm Park (May 1998).

Briefly - all pay at the gate, at least 5000 came from Brentford, boys gate locked at 2.20pm but other gates stayed open until KO, couple of thousand crouched around the touchline - so very difficult to take a corner (!), barrier collapsed at Town End, people packed so tight they couldn't raise their arms to light a fag, a section of the crowd 'did not enjoy an uninterrupted view of the game', apparently no complaints about the club's handling of the game.

In 1927 the stand would have been bench seating and held 4000 or so. The terracing was different - probably worse because it was shallower! Next biggest attendance was 30, 621 v Arsenal in 1935.

[South Coast Royal]

Seeing mention of the crowd for that Saints game I have looked back at other crowds over 20,000 since 1955 as a reference point and because my mate John went to the FA Cup game that year when the attendance was 26,500 and we drew 1-1 (never mind the replay).

Other cup games:-
1960 2-1 v Norwich 22,161
1966 2-3 v Sheff Wednesday 22,488
1968 0-7 v Man City 25,659 ( this was after drawing 0-0 away but that City side went on to be top level champions and on the night were sensational)
1972 1-2 v (lucky) Arsenal 25,756
!978 v Saints as mentioned previously.
In that season we were champions of Div 4 so this result was some performance at Fortress Elm Park where we only lost one home game all season v Scunthorpe and goal difference was 49-8
Highest League crowd was 15,302 v Pompey.

In the league there were:-
1960 2-0 v Saints 23,692-they ended up being champions
1962 0-3 v Pompey 23078-they ended up being champions .

From 1978 to 1998 we didn't often get crowds much above 10,000 even when we were in the equivalent of The Championship and it wasn't just because of crowd restrictions at the ground.
Moving to the Mad Stad led to bigger average crowds which is often the case when clubs move from a small ground to a larger modern one.

Like most of others seemingly I hanker for those Elm Park days, particularly when on cold nights you could move around to keep warm as opposed to being sat frozen for 90 minutes, despite the comparative success of the Mad Stad era.
It felt less serious and more fun and the whole thing less sanitised (and not just the gents at the back of the South Bank).

Don't get me wrong the Mad Stad era successes have been great but, as with the past few seasons, apart from the Cup semi-final, currently the football is all a bit bland and dull.

For those that didn't see us at Elm Park it is difficult to explain why , even in the 4th division, it felt more enjoyable than lower to middle Championship football but for some of us it was.
The big FA Cup games were few and far between but were exciting and hopefully the club will make a real effort next week for the Sheff Utd game to brighten a season which (apart from the first home game v Cardiff) has been one of general mediocrity.

[Ark Royal]

Seeing mention of the crowd for that Saints game I have looked back at other crowds over 20,000 since 1955 as a reference point and because my mate John went to the FA Cup game that year when the attendance was 26,500 and we drew 1-1 (never mind the replay).

Other cup games:-
1960 2-1 v Norwich 22,161
1966 2-3 v Sheff Wednesday 22,488
1968 0-7 v Man City 25,659 ( this was after drawing 0-0 away but that City side went on to be top level champions and on the night were sensational)
1972 1-2 v (lucky) Arsenal 25,756
!978 v Saints as mentioned previously.
In that season we were champions of Div 4 so this result was some performance at Fortress Elm Park where we only lost one home game all season v Scunthorpe and goal difference was 49-8
Highest League crowd was 15,302 v Pompey.

In the league there were:-
1960 2-0 v Saints 23,692-they ended up being champions
1962 0-3 v Pompey 23078-they ended up being champions .

From 1978 to 1998 we didn't often get crowds much above 10,000 even when we were in the equivalent of The Championship and it wasn't just because of crowd restrictions at the ground.
Moving to the Mad Stad led to bigger average crowds which is often the case when clubs move from a small ground to a larger modern one.

Like most of others seemingly I hanker for those Elm Park days, particularly when on cold nights you could move around to keep warm as opposed to being sat frozen for 90 minutes, despite the comparative success of the Mad Stad era.
It felt less serious and more fun and the whole thing less sanitised (and not just the gents at the back of the South Bank).

Don't get me wrong the Mad Stad era successes have been great but, as with the past few seasons, apart from the Cup semi-final, currently the football is all a bit bland and dull.

For those that didn't see us at Elm Park it is difficult to explain why , even in the 4th division, it felt more enjoyable than lower to middle Championship football but for some of us it was.
The big FA Cup games were few and far between but were exciting and hopefully the club will make a real effort next week for the Sheff Utd game to brighten a season which (apart from the first home game v Cardiff) has been one of general mediocrity.

Excellent research SCers. Going back a little further, the record league attendance at Elm Park was 29,134 for the visit of Notts County (and Tommy Lawton) on 24th Sept 1949. Both my uncles were at that one and one of them was at the '35 tie against Arsenal.

[South Coast Royal]

Great family history there Ark.
My dad had only a passing interest in Reading but he did play local league football.
My two brothers and I have always followed Reading and living in Beecham Road, 2 roads away, and going to junior school in Wilson Road, just 1 road away, meant that we were regulars including for some Reserves games and even crept in to see a bit of training.

As for further family I had an uncle Fred (didn't everyone in those days?) who was a season ticket holder in the stands but gave it up around 1963 as he thought the club lacked ambition-it took me a few years to understand what he was on about!!
I also had a great uncle George and he and his wife Auntie Dolly used to go and George's brother played for Reading in the 1920s.
Lastly, their daughter June and her husband Ronere regulars.

[Ark Royal]

Great family history there Ark.
My dad had only a passing interest in Reading but he did play local league football.
My two brothers and I have always followed Reading and living in Beecham Road, 2 roads away, and going to junior school in Wilson Road, just 1 road away, meant that we were regulars including for some Reserves games and even crept in to see a bit of training.

As for further family I had an uncle Fred (didn't everyone in those days?) who was a season ticket holder in the stands but gave it up around 1963 as he thought the club lacked ambition-it took me a few years to understand what he was on about!!
I also had a great uncle George and he and his wife Auntie Dolly used to go and George's brother played for Reading in the 1920s.
Lastly, their daughter June and her husband Ronere regulars.

Lovely stuff. My elder uncle's initials were actually R.F.C., so he was basically doomed right from the off. When he passed away a couple of years ago, his daughter phoned me and told me that his initials were now mine! We initially lived in Prince of Wales Avenue, but my nan lived in Rutland Road, so we all used to meet up there for a cuppa before strolling to Elm Park ten minutes before kick off. She worked at the club for decades as a tea lady, lodged apprentices and triallists and boasted of dating Bert Eggo back in the late '20s.

[South Coast Royal]

Great family history there Ark.
My dad had only a passing interest in Reading but he did play local league football.
My two brothers and I have always followed Reading and living in Beecham Road, 2 roads away, and going to junior school in Wilson Road, just 1 road away, meant that we were regulars including for some Reserves games and even crept in to see a bit of training.

As for further family I had an uncle Fred (didn't everyone in those days?) who was a season ticket holder in the stands but gave it up around 1963 as he thought the club lacked ambition-it took me a few years to understand what he was on about!!
I also had a great uncle George and he and his wife Auntie Dolly used to go and George's brother played for Reading in the 1920s.
Lastly, their daughter June and her husband Ronere regulars.

Lovely stuff. My elder uncle's initials were actually R.F.C., so he was basically doomed right from the off. When he passed away a couple of years ago, his daughter phoned me and told me that his initials were now mine! We initially lived in Prince of Wales Avenue, but my nan lived in Rutland Road, so we all used to meet up there for a cuppa before strolling to Elm Park ten minutes before kick off. She worked at the club for decades as a tea lady, lodged apprentices and triallists and boasted of dating Bert Eggo back in the late '20s.

Funny that you mention Rutland Road.
My younger brother bought a house there in the 90s-when the Building Society survey was done for the mortgage the report made a big thing about being near the ground, traffic issues etc.
Pete genuinely couldn't see any downside and only saw it as a plus that he was living a minute away from the ground!!

He also at one stage rented the ultimate, the house next to what became the away entrance, so even nearer and he could even watch the 2-55 race on TV before going to the game.

[AthleticoSpizz]

I believe that, that, house still bears an upright from the original away end gate frame attached to it....or at least it did the last time that I went by.

Great posts btw fellahs!
Thanks gents

[Para Handy]

Think I've posted this on here before.

My main memory of the Southampton game is the girl behind me kindly pressing her chewing gum into my hair. My Mum had to cut it out of me. I'm fondly thinking she did it because she liked me. The girl that is...

[Para Handy]

Oh. And we also ran a "special" down to the away game. Don't have those sort of things anymore!

I think I've got a Chronicle report somewhere of that.

Also, the Dell that night was the most scared I'd be crushed to death in my life. Apart from Scotland v. England in Euro 96 but another story..

Modern fans have no idea what the 70s or 80s were like. I was 16 or so. Getting out of the ground was a fecking nightmare. Cages. Police. Crush. Absolutely couldn't breathe.

[BR0B0T]

Think I've posted this on here before.

My main memory of the Southampton game is the girl behind me kindly pressing her chewing gum into my hair. My Mum had to cut it out of me. I'm fondly thinking she did it because she liked me. The girl that is...

gr8 pic...

Does anyone know what happened?

[Nameless]

Think I've posted this on here before.

My main memory of the Southampton game is the girl behind me kindly pressing her chewing gum into my hair. My Mum had to cut it out of me. I'm fondly thinking she did it because she liked me. The girl that is...

gr8 pic...

Does anyone know what happened?

See earlier in this thread....

In case of doubt it was an artificial leg.

[AthleticoSpizz]

[Para Handy]

Think I've posted this on here before.

My main memory of the Southampton game is the girl behind me kindly pressing her chewing gum into my hair. My Mum had to cut it out of me. I'm fondly thinking she did it because she liked me. The girl that is...

gr8 pic...

Does anyone know what happened?

[Mr Angry]

Reading v Arsenal FA Cup 1972 was the heyday of skinheads/suedeheads and football violence. As a 14 year old living in Reading - our hooligan following mainly consisted of schoolboy wannabes, like me. Anyone harder (older) in those days supported the big London clubs or Man U/Liverpool.

Elm Park that February day was bursting with the biggest crowd for years, over 25,000. There had been rumours circulating all afternoon that the local Hells Angels, the Wessex Freewheelers had been seen near the ground and were spoiling for a fight.

After a hard fought 2-1 loss (as is usual against Arsenal) the Reading mob, me tagging along, were chased along the Oxford Road back into town. As we got to the bridge at Reading West station, like a scene out of a spaghetti western 4 or 5 tooled up Freewheelers appeared, one I swear had what looked like sawn off shotgun. Bolstered by a contingent of local West Indian hard nuts panic ensued among the Arsenal mob and they turned tail back chased back in the direction of Elm Park by Reading’s finest.

After that I remember it kicking off all over town with Arsenal coming off worse as they headed back to the station.

My day ended in ignominy. Mistaken for a real football hooligan I was arrested on suspicion of throwing a bottle and ended up in the cells at the old Reading Police station in Valpy St until a less than happy dad picked me up.

Those were the days!

I was at this game as a young lad. Remember standing at the front of the town end behind the goal and standing in awe of the Arsenal team which included Frank McClintock, Bob Wilson and the rest.
I think we scored two own goals.
On the Big Match next day. My first time on TV

Also there on the day, somehow ended up on the Southbank.

One of the Reading own goals into the goal at the Tilehurst End was simply magnificent - Armstrong down the left wing for Arsenal, crossed the ball towards the middle of our penalty box where it was met, with a powerful header from flush in the middle of his forehead, by our centre half Morgan. Stevie Death had no chance as the ball whistled into the top corner like a cannon shell; it was headed so powerfully, that you could see speed lines behind it..........fantastic goal, and the best headed goal I saw at Elm Park until Jimmy Quinn in his heyday.........

[South Coast Royal]

Reading v Arsenal FA Cup 1972 was the heyday of skinheads/suedeheads and football violence. As a 14 year old living in Reading - our hooligan following mainly consisted of schoolboy wannabes, like me. Anyone harder (older) in those days supported the big London clubs or Man U/Liverpool.

Elm Park that February day was bursting with the biggest crowd for years, over 25,000. There had been rumours circulating all afternoon that the local Hells Angels, the Wessex Freewheelers had been seen near the ground and were spoiling for a fight.

After a hard fought 2-1 loss (as is usual against Arsenal) the Reading mob, me tagging along, were chased along the Oxford Road back into town. As we got to the bridge at Reading West station, like a scene out of a spaghetti western 4 or 5 tooled up Freewheelers appeared, one I swear had what looked like sawn off shotgun. Bolstered by a contingent of local West Indian hard nuts panic ensued among the Arsenal mob and they turned tail back chased back in the direction of Elm Park by Reading’s finest.

After that I remember it kicking off all over town with Arsenal coming off worse as they headed back to the station.

My day ended in ignominy. Mistaken for a real football hooligan I was arrested on suspicion of throwing a bottle and ended up in the cells at the old Reading Police station in Valpy St until a less than happy dad picked me up.

Those were the days!

I was at this game as a young lad. Remember standing at the front of the town end behind the goal and standing in awe of the Arsenal team which included Frank McClintock, Bob Wilson and the rest.
I think we scored two own goals.
On the Big Match next day. My first time on TV

Also there on the day, somehow ended up on the Southbank.

One of the Reading own goals into the goal at the Tilehurst End was simply magnificent - Armstrong down the left wing for Arsenal, crossed the ball towards the middle of our penalty box where it was met, with a powerful header from flush in the middle of his forehead, by our centre half Morgan. Stevie Death had no chance as the ball whistled into the top corner like a cannon shell; it was headed so powerfully, that you could see speed lines behind it..........fantastic goal, and the best headed goal I saw at Elm Park until Jimmy Quinn in his heyday.........

Trevor Senior was decent in the air, as was Kevin Bremner, but Quinny was fantastic at being in the right place at the far post.

[Del Goose]

Also true as a goalie