Hertiage Numbers

[Clyde1998]

Doesn't seem to have been picked up on here, but work has gone in to detailing every player who played for the club and assigning them a number based on the order at which they played. The research was done by Nigel Meek; the late Alan Sedunary and Roger Titford detailing the 1,503 players for the club in competitive matches, the first game being in 1877 against South Norwood in the FA Cup.

Number one has been allocated Stanley Haywood, as the goalkeeper in that game. Previously a half-back, he held the record appearances for the Reading FC amateur side, became club secretary and was a future mayor of Reading.

Jack Marriott was the 1,500th player to play for the club (as noted by Royal Ginger elsewhere).

Notable players and numbers include:

• 1 - Stanley Hayward (1877 vs South Norwood; FA Cup)
• 100 - W T Oliver (1890 vs Maidenhead; Berks & Bucks Cup)
• 202 - Johnny Holt (1898 vs Millwall; United League) - England international (1 cap) whilst at Reading
• 222 - Herbert Smith (1900 vs Millwall; Western League) - England international (4 caps) whilst at Reading
• 250 - ? Hulcup (1902 vs QPR; Western League)
• 500 - Harold Dale (1921 vs Millwall; Third Division
• 717 - Ron Blackman (1947 vs Bristol City; Third Division (South)) - record league goalscorer (158); third highest overall (167)
• 750 - Norman Dogdin (1950 vs Walsall; Third Division (South))
• 772 - Jimmy Wheeler (1953 vs Shrewsbury; Third Division (South)) - second highest goalscorer (168)
• 798 - Richard Spiers (1956 vs Newport; Third Division (South)) - third highest appearances (505)
• 887 - Steve Death (1969 vs Brighton; Third Division) - second highest appearances (537)
• 917 - Robin Friday (1974 vs Northampton; Fourth Division) - Player of the Millennium
• 953 - Martin Hicks (1978 vs Hartlepool; Fourth Division) - record appearances (603)
• 983 - Trevor Senior (1983 vs Blackpool; Fourth Division) - record goalscorer (191)
• 1000 - Deane Foster (1986 vs Bournemouth; Associate Members Cup)
• 1164 - Alex Haddow (1999 vs Peterborough; League Cup) - first academy graduate
• 1186 - Nicky Shorey (2001 vs Luton; League Cup) - England international (2 caps) whilst at Reading
• 1249 - Gylfi Sigurdsson (2008 vs Luton; League Cup) - first academy graduate to play at both the Euros and the World Cup (for Iceland)
• 1250 - Chris Armstrong (2008 vs Crystal Palace; Championship)
• 1287 - Chris Gunter (2012 vs Stoke; Premier League) - most international caps whilst at Reading (59 for Wales)
• 1500 - Jack Marriott (2025 vs Swindon; League Trophy)
• 1503 - Jacob Borgnis (2025 vs Swindon; League Trophy) - most recent addition

The full list is available here: https://www.readingfc.co.uk/history/heritage-numbers/

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Thanks - great read.

[leon]

I thought this was another thread on our injury list.

[Forbury Lion]

So basically like employee ID numbers most of us have.