South Stand Question

[dragpeace]

I'm an ex-pat Reading supporter living in the States. I'm bringing my two teenagers with me over Christmas and just bought tickets to the Swansea match. I haven't been to the Mad Stad in years, and the tickets are in the South Stand (R30 - looks like last row!). Isn't the South Stand the away end? Can someone please let me know? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking forward to seeing Reading in the PL - my days of going weekly were all at Elm Park!

Graham

[Vision]

I'm an ex-pat Reading supporter living in the States. I'm bringing my two teenagers with me over Christmas and just bought tickets to the Swansea match. I haven't been to the Mad Stad in years, and the tickets are in the South Stand (R30 - looks like last row!). Isn't the South Stand the away end? Can someone please let me know? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking forward to seeing Reading in the PL - my days of going weekly were all at Elm Park!

Graham

South stand is segregated. Away fans one side and the home fans the other.

[dragpeace]

Thanks for the quick response! Should be a good atmosphere then. I was surprised that South Stand were the only tickets available. Have ticket sales been that good?

Also, should we expect to stand the whole match? Like I said, I haven't been to a match in years.

While I'm on here, how difficult is it to get tickets in Y26 (I'm told that's the rowdiest place to be)? I'd love my kids to experience the West Ham match from there (they can handle it).

Again, any advice is very welcome.

Graham

[reading_fan]

If you're right at the back of the stand you could maybe get away with standing but otherwise expect to be seated for the duration.

If you're early enough you may be able to get some tickets in or around Y26 (it's where I sit), but like me there are a lot of season ticket holders in the block so spaces are limited. Seats in other parts of the East Stand are more available but, you want to be closer to the away fans for it to be a bit noisier, although nothing like the South Bank if that's what you remember!

[Cobi]

Thanks for the quick response! Should be a good atmosphere then.

No, the opposite in fact.

The away fans come across louder to you than us in Y25, and you can hardly hear us from there because of even just the persistant chatter of the 2000 away fans. Noise really doesn't carry in our poxy stadium. You'll have a great view, and you'll hear a lot of happy Welsh fans as we get murdered on the pitch, but that's it.

[Alexander Litvinenko]

And the majority of those in the South Stand are "occasional" attenders, often with family, who are less likely to sing/cheer/know who any of the players are etc.

[dragpeace]

If you're early enough you may be able to get some tickets in or around Y26 (it's where I sit), but like me there are a lot of season ticket holders in the block so spaces are limited. Seats in other parts of the East Stand are more available but, you want to be closer to the away fans for it to be a bit noisier, although nothing like the South Bank if that's what you remember!

I do, indeed, remember the South Bank. I spent many happy Saturdays there watching Steve Death keep clean sheets.

I appreciate all of the good info, although it sounds like the atmosphere isn't going to quite live up to my expectations. I may have oversold my kids on it! In everyone's opinion, where is the best place to be, from an atmosphere perspective (especially singing)? Is it Y26? I'm told you have to call by phone to buy tickets in Y26 (i.e. they aren't available online).

At least the Welsh sing well.

We're also going to try to go to Man City away. That should be an experience, at least!

Graham

[reading_fan]

Anywhere round Y25 or Y26 should get you a better atmosphere than most of the rest of the ground, generally noisier towards the back

[mr_number]

Anywhere round Y25 or Y26 should get you a better atmosphere than most of the rest of the ground, generally noisier towards the back

But you can't buy tickets there for individual games...

[UpThePrem]

Thanks for the quick response! Should be a good atmosphere then. I was surprised that South Stand were the only tickets available. Have ticket sales been that good?

All other stands with the odd exception are already completely sold out to season tickets. The whole of the south stand is given to away fans in the Championship but only half of it in the prem.

[dragpeace]

Thanks for the quick response! Should be a good atmosphere then. I was surprised that South Stand were the only tickets available. Have ticket sales been that good?

All other stands with the odd exception are already completely sold out to season tickets. The whole of the south stand is given to away fans in the Championship but only half of it in the prem.

Wow! I didn't realize that. I'm glad I got the Swansea tickets, then! I'll make sure to get the West Ham tix as soon as they become available.

Graham

[Jerry St Clair]

Should be a good atmosphere then.

You haven't been to the Madejski before, have you?

[Once were Biscuitmen]

I'm an ex-pat Reading supporter living in the States. I'm bringing my two teenagers with me over Christmas and just bought tickets to the Swansea match. I haven't been to the Mad Stad in years, and the tickets are in the South Stand (R30 - looks like last row!). Isn't the South Stand the away end? Can someone please let me know? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking forward to seeing Reading in the PL - my days of going weekly were all at Elm Park!

Graham

It basically is, you'll notice that some of the people around will shuffle in a bit sheepishly, spend a bit more time discussing the away team than normal and then have to restrain themselves from celebrating when we concede.

The spurs match especially was great for this until there was a collective realization that the majority of the row were all Tottenham fans. Still most of them don't rock up with shirts on and don't over celebrate until the end.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

How good the atmosphere will be depends hugely on how good the game is, and also if there's any sense of "niggle" on the pitch. Little seems to stir the crowd more than a sense of injustice, although that's more of the general buzz of the crowd, rather than singing. The singing does seem to have gone downhill noticeably.

One thing definitely different is that unlike the south bank,the singing doesn't start 20 minutes before kick off (It hasn't started 20 minutes after on some days). Instead you'll get annoying music played instead, and most fans won't even bother going into the seated area until 2.55.

[semtex1871]

And the majority of those in the South Stand are "occasional" attenders, often with family, who are less likely to sing/cheer/know who any of the players are etc.

Dragpeace should feel at home then......

[M Brook]

Anywhere round Y25 or Y26 should get you a better atmosphere than most of the rest of the ground, generally noisier towards the back

It depends how you define 'atmosphere'. If you want to be surrounded by brain dead neanderthals with more acne than GCSEs who can barely string a sentence together without saying phuck at least three times and who spend 80% of the game not watching the action but being all brave and goading the away contingent whilst singing (or rather, repeating) the same 2 or 3 cringeworthy 'songs' over and over again, then head for Y25 /Y26.

The real fans are at the other end of the East stand or in the North stand.

[dragpeace]

And the majority of those in the South Stand are "occasional" attenders, often with family, who are less likely to sing/cheer/know who any of the players are etc.

Dragpeace should feel at home then......

A little harsh, don't you think? I may be an "occasional" attender, given that I now live in a different country and don't have the resources to attend matches regularly, but I can assure you that I know the players and have done more than my fair share of singing/cheering, in the past. I've been a full supporter of the club since the 70s at Elm Park. Both of my kids can name the full squad, as well, just FYI.

[peterroyal76]

And the majority of those in the South Stand are "occasional" attenders, often with family, who are less likely to sing/cheer/know who any of the players are etc.

Dragpeace should feel at home then......

A little harsh, don't you think? I may be an "occasional" attender, given that I now live in a different country and don't have the resources to attend matches regularly, but I can assure you that I know the players and have done more than my fair share of singing/cheering, in the past. I've been a full supporter of the club since the 70s at Elm Park. Both of my kids can name the full squad, as well, just FYI.

That's it dragpeace, don't let em' get to you!

[creative_username_1]

First time in the South Stand tomorrow, haven't been to a game in 5 years. Taking my son to his first game

[dragpeace]

That's it dragpeace, don't let em' get to you!

LOL! I waited a couple of days but had to respond. The irony is that I've probably watched the team more than most, as we have every match on live, here in the States (which is not the case back home, so I'm told?)! I haven't missed a minute. In the Championship, we got two or three matches a season, so no one wants us to stay up more than me!

We'll be in the away section at Man City as well, just FYI. I assume that will be a better atmosphere.