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Reading

Reading Football Club was formed in 1871 and played their early matches at Reading Recreation Ground, the club later played at Reading Cricket Ground, Coley Park and Caversham Cricket Ground before moving to Elm Park on 5th September 1896 and then to the Madejski Stadium in 1998. Initially, the club played only friendly and cup matches. They also appeared in the FA Cup competition, and the club's record defeat occurred as long ago as 1894, when they were beaten 18-0 by Preston North End in the first round. That same year Reading became founder members of the Southern League. The club's stay in the Southern League was undistinguished, though it did win the Championship of the Second Division in 1911

At the start of the 1920-21 season, the Southern League clubs were elevated to form Division Three of the Football League and in 1925-26, Reading won the Championship of Division Three (South). Reading's best run in the FA Cup came the following season, when they were defeated 3-0 by Cardiff City, the eventual winners, at Wolverhampton in the semi-final. Reading lost their place in Division Two in May 1931, and remained in Division Three (South) until the outbreak of World War Two. The club won the Southern Section Cup, beating Bristol City in the two-legged final in 1938, and when taking part in the regional London War League and Cup competitions, gained another honour by beating Brentford in the London War Cup Final of 1941 by 3-2 at Stamford Bridge.

When League football resumed after the war, Reading quickly came to prominence once again. The club's record victory, 10-2 versus Crystal Palace, was recorded in September 1946, and Reading twice finished runners-up in the Third (South), in 1948-49 and 1951-52, but they were denied a return to Division Two as only the champions were promoted. When Reading finished fifth in the Division in 1957-58, they became founder members of the non-regional Division Three, remaining there until the club's centenary season of 1970-71. This proved to be one of the least successful in the club's history, and at the end of it Reading were relegated to division four on goal average. In the 1982-83 season, however, Reading FC almost ceased to exist. Relegation back to Division Four was bad enough, but the club had to fight off a threatened merger with Oxford United and the sale of Elm Park. Eventually Reading survived and at the end of the season Roger Smee, a former player with the club, was installed as Chairman.

In 1998, compensation for the relegation to Division Two came from the prospect of Reading Football Club leaving Elm Park (its home for 102 years) and relocating to the Madejski Stadium, a splendid purpose-built, 25,000 all-seater ground where there is limitless opportunity for development and progress.