Reading vs Non-League

[stealthpapes]

First up, the 2020s.

Warning: This is a story that does not go well for us.

2024-25 - November (H) vs Harborough Town 5-3 (aet)
2023-24 - December (A) vs Eastleigh 1-2
"There are Amazonian tribes deep up the jungle that have never heard of football and never heard of Reading fc but even they knew we were conceding from that corner"
2021-22 January (A) vs Kidderminster 1-2
I think this is the record for lowest rated team to ever beat Reading.

Went to two of the three. At the time, Kiddy away was possibly the most nailed on, 'we're gonna stack this, right' game I've ever been to. Just a shambles from front to back.

Next (well, give me a moment to open up Wikipedia), the 2010s.
I am 99% sure we didn't play anyone non-league competitively in this decade ...

[Sutekh]

I think that since moving to the Mad Stad Reading have played the following non league sides either home or away in the FA Cup

Halifax
Yeovil
Grays
Welling
Harborough
Kidderminster
Eastleigh
and adding Carlisle on Saturday

[stealthpapes]

2010s - yeah, nothing - always in at Round 3 and when you get United three times ...

long 2000s - i.e. from 1998

2001-02 November (H) vs Welling 1-0
twenty year gap. NGL, don't remember this, and it sounds dreadful.
2000-01 November (H) vs Grays Athletic 4-0
efficiently done
1999-2000 November (H) vs Yeovil 4-2
one of the scorers is first player in my checking that has no personal page on wiki. who was he? how did he play?
nobody knows.
nobody mourns.
1999-2000 December (H) vs Halifax 1-1 then (A) 1-0
again, do not remember this one bit and it just reeks of grim.

These are right in a spell when I didn't really follow Reading FC that closely (first year or two of university) so ...

any memories? any good stories?

[bakerlou]

2010s - yeah, nothing - always in at Round 3 and when you get United three times ...

long 2000s - i.e. from 1998

2001-02 November (H) vs Welling 1-0
twenty year gap. NGL, don't remember this, and it sounds dreadful.
2000-01 November (H) vs Grays Athletic 4-0
efficiently done
1999-2000 November (H) vs Yeovil 4-2
one of the scorers is first player in my checking that has no personal page on wiki. who was he? how did he play?
nobody knows.
nobody mourns.
1999-2000 December (H) vs Halifax 1-1 then (A) 1-0
again, do not remember this one bit and it just reeks of grim.

These are right in a spell when I didn't really follow Reading FC that closely (first year or two of university) so ...

any memories? any good stories?

Surely that Welling fixture was resolved after a second replay? Or have I not remembered it correctly?

[stealthpapes]

if you want to take the lead on the 1980s, bakerlou, be my guest

[bakerlou]

if you want to take the lead on the 1980s, bakerlou, be my guest

You made me go and look it up for myself you devious bastard.

Anyway, no.

2010s - yeah, nothing - always in at Round 3 and when you get United three times ...

long 2000s - i.e. from 1998

2001-02 November (H) vs Welling 1-0
twenty year gap. NGL, don't remember this, and it sounds dreadful.
2000-01 November (H) vs Grays Athletic 4-0
efficiently done
1999-2000 November (H) vs Yeovil 4-2
one of the scorers is first player in my checking that has no personal page on wiki. who was he? how did he play?
nobody knows.
nobody mourns.
1999-2000 December (H) vs Halifax 1-1 then (A) 1-0
again, do not remember this one bit and it just reeks of grim.

These are right in a spell when I didn't really follow Reading FC that closely (first year or two of university) so ...

any memories? any good stories?

Surely that Welling fixture was resolved resolved on a cold November afternoon, unlike that exchange in 1989 which took a third replay to get a result? Or have I not remembered it correctly?

[Crowbar6753]

2010s - yeah, nothing - always in at Round 3 and when you get United three times ...

long 2000s - i.e. from 1998

2001-02 November (H) vs Welling 1-0
twenty year gap. NGL, don't remember this, and it sounds dreadful.
2000-01 November (H) vs Grays Athletic 4-0
efficiently done
1999-2000 November (H) vs Yeovil 4-2
one of the scorers is first player in my checking that has no personal page on wiki. who was he? how did he play?
nobody knows.
nobody mourns.
1999-2000 December (H) vs Halifax 1-1 then (A) 1-0
again, do not remember this one bit and it just reeks of grim.

These are right in a spell when I didn't really follow Reading FC that closely (first year or two of university) so ...

any memories? any good stories?

Went to the Halifax v Reading replay and the conditions and the game were atrocious with howling wind and rain throughout the match and back then the away end wasn't covered!! The game was terrible as was the pitch and it went to extra time i believe. The game did get on the local news as part of one of the stands blew off in the high winds lol.
Luckily i lived in Harrogate at the time and its only an hours drive home, however, felt sorry for the handful of fans who probably didn't get home until the early hours.

[LUX]

I was at Wealdstone away in the mid to late 70’s. Lost 2-1 to two goals scored by George Duck. Fun on the terraces with rogue Aldershot fans. Plus we got chased back to the coaches. Or was the “they’re coming” a hoax? Anyway, we all ran.

I also went to Hereford away, who were then second tier ( so should not be in this thread ) and we were the underdogs. We duly lost, only one nil, but without a shot on goal. Hereford then went dramatically backwards to non league and even extinction.

[stealthpapes]

Next up - the 90s

1997-98 January (A) vs Cheltenham 1-1 then (H) 2-1
1991-92 November (A) vs Slough 3-3 then (H) 2-1
This would be quite the draw these days, the Gervais derby if you will. Wikipedia does not record Slough's goalscorers, leaving them unremarked, friendless balls bobbing in a digital sunset.
HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDeWG8Hj0k
1990-91 November (A) vs Colchester 1-2
Forget 1992-3, there is no page for this RFC season. Just the bare facts - Colchester, of the conference, beat us 2-1. No attendance. No scorers. If a game happens and no one knows who played, who scored, who watched, did it really happen?

[Fox Talbot]

Blimey, and you've still got a few horrors to come when you get to 70s and 80s, Bishops Stortford at home a particular low point.

SPOILER ALERT





On the other hand, IIRC no defeats between 1938 and 1969.

[Fox Talbot]

Next up - the 90s

1997-98 January (A) vs Cheltenham 1-1 then (H) 2-1
1991-92 November (A) vs Slough 3-3 then (H) 2-1
This would be quite the draw these days, the Gervais derby if you will. Wikipedia does not record Slough's goalscorers, leaving them unremarked, friendless balls bobbing in a digital sunset.
HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDeWG8Hj0k
1990-91 November (A) vs Colchester 1-2
Forget 1992-3, there is no page for this RFC season. Just the bare facts - Colchester, of the conference, beat us 2-1. No attendance. No scorers. If a game happens and no one knows who played, who scored, who watched, did it really happen?

1-2, HICKS, 3761. Two games later McGhee appointed.

[Crowbar6753]

Next up - the 90s

1997-98 January (A) vs Cheltenham 1-1 then (H) 2-1
1991-92 November (A) vs Slough 3-3 then (H) 2-1
This would be quite the draw these days, the Gervais derby if you will. Wikipedia does not record Slough's goalscorers, leaving them unremarked, friendless balls bobbing in a digital sunset.
HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDeWG8Hj0k
1990-91 November (A) vs Colchester 1-2
Forget 1992-3, there is no page for this RFC season. Just the bare facts - Colchester, of the conference, beat us 2-1. No attendance. No scorers. If a game happens and no one knows who played, who scored, who watched, did it really happen?

1-2, HICKS, 3761. Two games later McGhee appointed.

Went to this game as well, was posted in Colchester with the Army and went to a fair few of their games. They were riding high in the Conference and between them and Wycombe they pretty much destroyed the league that season. To be fair this wasn't really much of a shock.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Was one of the 5791 that witnessed the mighty 1-0 (Minty Murray) EP victory over Wealdstone (featuring club legend George Duck) FA Cup Nov 76

[Sutekh]

Next up - the 90s

1997-98 January (A) vs Cheltenham 1-1 then (H) 2-1
1991-92 November (A) vs Slough 3-3 then (H) 2-1
This would be quite the draw these days, the Gervais derby if you will. Wikipedia does not record Slough's goalscorers, leaving them unremarked, friendless balls bobbing in a digital sunset.
HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDeWG8Hj0k
1990-91 November (A) vs Colchester 1-2
Forget 1992-3, there is no page for this RFC season. Just the bare facts - Colchester, of the conference, beat us 2-1. No attendance. No scorers. If a game happens and no one knows who played, who scored, who watched, did it really happen?

1-2, HICKS, 3761. Two games later McGhee appointed.

Went to this game as well, was posted in Colchester with the Army and went to a fair few of their games. They were riding high in the Conference and between them and Wycombe they pretty much destroyed the league that season. To be fair this wasn't really much of a shock.

Saw that. George Friel played (and looked out of his depth).

[Sutekh]

Next up - the 90s

1997-98 January (A) vs Cheltenham 1-1 then (H) 2-1
1991-92 November (A) vs Slough 3-3 then (H) 2-1
This would be quite the draw these days, the Gervais derby if you will. Wikipedia does not record Slough's goalscorers, leaving them unremarked, friendless balls bobbing in a digital sunset.
HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDeWG8Hj0k
1990-91 November (A) vs Colchester 1-2
Forget 1992-3, there is no page for this RFC season. Just the bare facts - Colchester, of the conference, beat us 2-1. No attendance. No scorers. If a game happens and no one knows who played, who scored, who watched, did it really happen?

92-93 was the season we beat Brum and then Orient before losing 4-0 at home to Man City in a round 3 replay. Mention it particularly as we got on the telly (ITV live terrestrial) with the Brum & City games, which was a big thing then.

[Clyde1998]

2010s - yeah, nothing - always in at Round 3 and when you get United three times ...

long 2000s - i.e. from 1998

2001-02 November (H) vs Welling 1-0
twenty year gap. NGL, don't remember this, and it sounds dreadful.
2000-01 November (H) vs Grays Athletic 4-0
efficiently done
1999-2000 November (H) vs Yeovil 4-2
one of the scorers is first player in my checking that has no personal page on wiki. who was he? how did he play?
nobody knows.
nobody mourns.
1999-2000 December (H) vs Halifax 1-1 then (A) 1-0
again, do not remember this one bit and it just reeks of grim.

These are right in a spell when I didn't really follow Reading FC that closely (first year or two of university) so ...

any memories? any good stories?

Not a FA Cup match, but we beat Hereford 2-1 away in 2000-01 and lost 4-1 at Barnet in 2001-02 - both in the League Trophy during the period when a small number of Conference sides were invited.

[South Coast Royal]

Blimey, and you've still got a few horrors to come when you get to 70s and 80s, Bishops Stortford at home a particular low point.

SPOILER ALERT





On the other hand, IIRC no defeats between 1938 and 1969.

In the late 50s and 60s we always seemed to be playing somebody like Kettering or Kings Lynn and winning 4-2 so there was no great sense of nervousness about the possible outcome.

The old memory is even better than I thought because on checking , this is what actually happened:-

1959 Reading 4 Kings Lynn 2
1960 Reading 4 Kettering 2
1963 Enfield 2 Reading 4

After the late 60s it then got a bit hit and miss but we did have:-

1970 Reading 6 Bishops Stortford 1
1972 Reading 6 Blyth Spartans 1 (a replay)
This game IIRC was played on a Wednesday afternoon at a time when there were Electricity strikes and in the 4th round we lost a little bit unfortunately 2-1 to Arsenal.

The mid-70s were dreadful in that we lost 1-0 at Hendon and Hereford and then 2-1 at Wealdstone but by 1979 we reverted to type by winning against Kettering..............obviously 4-2.

I'll take a 4-2 tomorrow but struggle to believe that we will score 4.

[South Coast Royal]

Blimey, and you've still got a few horrors to come when you get to 70s and 80s, Bishops Stortford at home a particular low point.

SPOILER ALERT





On the other hand, IIRC no defeats between 1938 and 1969.

In the late 50s and 60s we always seemed to be playing somebody like Kettering or Kings Lynn and winning 4-2 so there was no great sense of nervousness about the possible outcome.

The old memory is even better than I thought because on checking , this is what actually happened:-

1959 Reading 4 Kings Lynn 2
1960 Reading 4 Kettering 2
1963 Enfield 2 Reading 4

After the late 60s it then got a bit hit and miss but we did have:-

1970 Reading 6 Bishops Stortford 1
1972 Reading 6 Blyth Spartans 1 (a replay)
This game IIRC was played on a Wednesday afternoon at a time when there were Electricity strikes and in the 4th round we lost a little bit unfortunately 2-1 to Arsenal.

The mid-70s were dreadful in that we lost 1-0 at Hendon and Hereford and then 2-1 at Wealdstone but by 1979 we reverted to type by winning against Kettering..............obviously 4-2.

I'll take a 4-2 tomorrow but struggle to believe that we will score 4.

[South Coast Royal]

Apologies for the duplication, duplication.

[stealthpapes]

2010s - yeah, nothing - always in at Round 3 and when you get United three times ...

long 2000s - i.e. from 1998

2001-02 November (H) vs Welling 1-0
twenty year gap. NGL, don't remember this, and it sounds dreadful.
2000-01 November (H) vs Grays Athletic 4-0
efficiently done
1999-2000 November (H) vs Yeovil 4-2
one of the scorers is first player in my checking that has no personal page on wiki. who was he? how did he play?
nobody knows.
nobody mourns.
1999-2000 December (H) vs Halifax 1-1 then (A) 1-0
again, do not remember this one bit and it just reeks of grim.

These are right in a spell when I didn't really follow Reading FC that closely (first year or two of university) so ...

any memories? any good stories?

Not a FA Cup match, but we beat Hereford 2-1 away in 2000-01 and lost 4-1 at Barnet in 2001-02 - both in the League Trophy during the period when a small number of Conference sides were invited.

lol I have even less memory of those games!