Madejski Stadium (Select Car Leasing Stadium)

Sunday, 17 April 2022, 16:31
13 mins read

Eamonn Dolan Stand The Madejski Stadium was opened in 1998, after spending 102 years at their former home of Elm Park. The stadium is of a fair size and is totally enclosed, with all four corners being occupied. Three sides are single tiered, whilst on one side the West (Main) Stand is two-tiered, including a row of executive boxes. This stand has a curve in its roof and the team dugouts are located in front. Unlike the West Stand, the others stands have a more conventional look to their roofs, although there is a gap between the roofs and the back of the stands, that contains perspex, to allow more light to reach the pitch. The ground has been designed with the supporter in mind as the fans are housed very close to the pitch and the acoustics are very good.

The home end of the stadium on the north side is named the Eamonn Dolan Stand, after their formerย Youthย Academyย Manager. The stadium also has a video screen in the South East corner. The stadium, named after Reading’s chairman John Madejski is shared with London Irish Rugby Club.

The Club have received planning permission to increase the capacity of the stadium to 38,000. This would involve further extending three sides of the stadium (the West Stand would remain as it is) and replacing the roof and would take around three years to complete. This would be achieved by first by increasing the size of the East Stand, adding around 7,000 additional seats. The following year the North Stand would be extended adding another 3,500 seats and a year later a similar construction would happen at the South end of the stadium. However, it is unclear when work will commence and it would probably be dependant on the Club gaining promotion to the Premier League.

One thing that has happened, however, is a rebrand. Reading signed a sponsorship deal with Select Car Leasing, a local company owned by Reading fans. This was a sponsorship deal for Reading’s Madejski Stadium, and it was penned down for ten years. Reading officially rebranded the Madejski Stadium to the Select Car Leasing Stadium in July 2021.

Reading initially played their home games at the Reading Recreation Ground. After that, they bounced around a few places, including the Reading Cricket Ground, Coley Park and Caversham Cricket Ground. In 1896, Reading started playing their home games at Elm Park. They spent almost a century there until the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Inquiry report (Taylor report) required all teams in the top 2 tiers of the Football League to have an all-seater stadium.

Due to the Taylor report, Reading had to look for another stadium as they had just gained promotion to the First Division. As a result, the Madejski Stadium was built and Reading moved in 1998. The Royals have played their home games at the Madejski Stadium ever since.

Visiting Supporters Sign Away fans are located in one end of the stadium, in the South Stand, where up to 4,300 can be accommodated (although the normal allocation is 2,327). The facilities in this stand are good with plenty of leg room and the views of the pitch are superb, as there is good height between rows and the stand is pretty steep. Away fans can really make some noise in this stand, so make the most of it. The atmosphere is also boosted by a drummer in the home section. Entrance to the stadium is by ticket only and if tickets are still available for away supporters then they can purchase them on the day at the South Stand ticket office located between gates 9 & 10. You enter the stadium by inserting your ticket into a ticket reader which scans the barcode on the ticket and illuminates a green light to go in. Turnstiles open 90 minutes before kick off.

The Madejski Stadium is a functional ground and has been well maintained over the years, soย it still seems to have a newish feel about it. However, like a number of other modern stadiums it lacks character and coupled with the fact that there are few facilities around the stadium such as pubs for away fans, then there is not a lot to ‘write home about’. However, the stewarding and overall welcome by the Club have improved in recent years and they are more mindful of visiting fans. At half time those away fans who need a cigarette are allowed outside the stadium to do so.

Food on offer inside the stadium includes; Gourmet Burgers (ยฃ6), Cheeseburgers (ยฃ4.90), Burgers (ยฃ4.70), Hot Dogs (ยฃ4.40), Steak and Local Ale Pies (ยฃ4.10), Chicken Balti Pies (ยฃ4.10), Guest Pie (ยฃ4.10) and Vegetarian Pies (ยฃ4.10).ย  The Club also offers a portion of hot food and an alcoholic drink for ยฃ8.40.

Fan Zone SignThere is a small Fan Zone outside the East Stand that has a couple of mobile bar units which normally both home and away fans can use. Otherwise there no pubs as such close to the stadium. However I did locate a Holiday Inn which was around a 15 minute walk away.ย ย However I did locate a Holiday Inn (Reading South) which was around a 15 minute walk away. The hotel had a small bar inside it, but then attached had a larger Irish themed separate bar area, called Callaghans. This bar had Sky Television, but as you would expect was very crowded with away fans and served drinks at what I can only term as ‘hotel prices’. Across the road from the hotel is a very good fish & chip shop. To find this hotel, leave the M4 at Junction 11 and take the A33 towards Reading, turn right at the first roundabout into Imperial Way. Go down this road and you will come to the hotel on your left. You can also park there at a cost of ยฃ7 per car. There is also street parking to be found in this area. On my last visit, the Holiday Inn was mobbed, so I went in search of another pub. Passing the Holiday Inn on my left I turned left onto Basingstoke Road and walked up over a hill to find a pub on the right called ‘The World Turned Upside Down.’ This chain pub had a mixture of home and away fans and also was popular for food. From the pub, it is around a 15 minute walk to the stadium.

Dave Harris adds; ‘If you arrive early, then you could drive to Three Mile Cross where there are a couple of good pubs to be found. Come off the motorway at J11 and head away from the stadium (signposted A33 Basingstoke). After 200 yards take the first exit at the roundabout into Three Mile Cross’.

Next to the ground on a Retail Park are the following food outlets; McDonalds, KFC & Pizza Hut. Otherwise, it may be an idea, especially if you are making the journey by train, to drink in the centre of Reading before the game. Dave McKerchar adds; ‘The Three Guineas which is attached to the station has been designated as an away fans pub. It offers a range of eight real ales, food and has televised sport’. There is also the Greyfriar on Greyfriar Road which is also listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and normally has a mixture of home and away fans. Mark Newman a visiting Bristol City fan informs me; ‘The majority of bars near to Reading station have doormen on them, and unless you had ID to prove you are local you will not be admitted. We did though stumble across the Walkabout which admits visiting supporters. It has BT and Sky Sports and offers food. To find this bar then as you come out of the station walk straight ahead from the station in the direction of John Lewis, along Station Road. When you get to the crossroads and the beginning of the pedestrianised area, turn left into Friar Street. In the distance on the left you will see a Yates Bar (home fans only) but just before this on the left is a strange looking alleyway, if you walk down here then you’ll find the Walkabout’.

Alcohol is available inside the stadium to away fans, where you can get pints of Heineken (ยฃ5), Guinness (ยฃ5), Amstel (ยฃ4.60), Theakstons Bitter (ยฃ4.60) & Symonds Cider (ยฃ4.60), plus Red or White Wine (ยฃ4.70 for a small bottle).

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If you are travelling along the M4 from the west you can see the stadium on your left. Leave the M4 at Junction 11, bear left on to the A33 relief road which leads you directly to the stadium. The Madejski Complex is well signposted from Junction 11.

Kevin Gray informs me; ‘Please note that as a recent visitor to Reading it is worth advising away fans that getting off the M4 at Junction 11, westbound can be a bit of a pain. On match days a long tail back can start on the motorway as far as one mile away from this junction. This should be approached with caution and patience. As kick off approaches it can take 40 minutes to complete the journey from the back of the Junction 11 queue to the designated parking sites. So allow extra time for your journey’.

Car Parking

There is some limited parking available at the stadium itself for a cost of ยฃ10, but it can be a bit of lengthy process to get out of the car park at the end of the game. Richard Buckingham adds; ‘You can also park on the site of the now demolished greyhound track, close to the stadium. From the M4 at Junction 11 take the A33 towards Reading town centre. Follow the dual carriageway past the stadium and McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut outlets, then look for the ‘Alternative Parking’ signs ahead. On the left you will reach a small slip road into the parking site (which incidentally is an official stadium car park). It has 500 spaces and costs ยฃ10 to park there. It is stewarded and has the advantage of a quick post-match exit either back to J11 or towards Reading. The car park is a 5-10 minute walk away from the ground.’

There are also a number of unofficial car parks in the area sited at local businesses. Bon Hale a visiting Sheffield United fan informs me; ‘We parked in at a warehouse car park located on Acre Road at a cost of ยฃ5. Passing the Madejski on your left, follow the A33 for about half a mile, then turn back on yourself, passing Bennet Road on your left, and then take the next left into Acre Road. You will see sign “match parking”, where there is a large warehouse on the left. It is gated with security. It is then only a short walk to the ground from here. We also spotted another matchday car park in Bennet Road but this cost ยฃ10.’ย There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Madejski Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Mark Sugar informs me; ‘Don’t park in the nearby Business Park, unless there is an individual unit charging for matchday parking. You may find yourself with a parking ticket if you do’.

Park & Ride

Alternatively, there is a Park and Ride facility at Mereoak (post code RG7 1PB) near to Junction 11 of the M4, which has buses running to Reading town centre via the Madejski Stadium. From Junction 11 of the M4, take the A33 towards Basingstoke and the Park & Ride is signposted. Parking is free but the bus costs for a return ticket; Adults ยฃ3.50, Under 19’s ยฃ1.70, or there is a group ticket available at ยฃ7 (for up to 4 people).

Post Code for SAT NAV: RG2 0FL

Reading Railway Station is situated just over three miles away from the Madejski Stadium. Probably the easiest way to get to the ground is to catch the F1 ‘Football Special’ bus, which leaves just down from the Railway Station on Station Hill (as you exit the station from the main entrance turn right and head down the steps, the buses line up on the left hand side). The bus service starts at 1pm for Saturday afternoon games. Dave Stuttard a visiting Leicester City fan informs me; ‘I would recommend getting in the bus queue no later than 45 minutes before kick off as all football traffic goes down the same dual carriageway to the stadium’. The fare is ยฃ4 return (or ยฃ3.50 single) for adults and ยฃ2.50 return (ยฃ2 single) for children and normally takes about fifteen minutes to get to the ground. Please also have the correct fare in hand as the drivers do not give out change.

Mark Newman a visiting Bristol City fan tells me; ‘The Football Special bus drops you at the opposite end of the stadium to the away end, but it is only a five minute walk around the stadium to the away entrance. After the game has ended it is a different issue. Due to the police/stewards closing gates preventing fans from walking back around the stadium. you instead have to go down to the main road and follow this all the way back around to the pick up point, which is a about a 15 minute walk. However the bus service is frequent, and I have never experienced any problems using it’.

Paul Willems a visiting Bristol City supporter adds; ‘the bus from the station is good provided that away fans do not cause any trouble. If you do then the buses (quite rightly, editor) refuse to pick you up after the game. I have a bitter experience of this, when the slowest police escort in history by Thames Valley Police got me back to the station at 7.30 pm!’

Nicholas Small provides the following walking directions from the railway station to the ground:’I would estimate that the ground is about three miles away from Reading Station, and that unless you walk quite quickly, the journey could take over an hour: Leaving the station, head straight up the road in front of you, crossing over Friar Street onto Queen Victoria Street and heading towards the town centre. Upon reaching Broad Street, you will find yourself opposite the John Lewis store. Cross and head down a narrow passageway (Chain Street) which runs down the right hand side of John Lewis. Soon, you reach a churchyard, which you can cross, bearing right, to the corner of Gun Street and Bridge Street. Cross to the other side of Bridge Street and continue down, turning right into Fobney Street. At the end here, you will soon encounter a couple of blue footpath/cyclepath signs, which point the way to the Madejski Stadium. These will lead you down the left hand footpath alongside the busy A329, which becomes the A33 after about 1200 yards. Keep following this road and eventually you will come to a roundabout. Take the road ahead and continue walking along the roadside. You will briefly walk along a dirt track by the roadside as the A33 crosses a waterway, before walking down the bank to the towpath. The towpath now continues straight ahead towards the stadium, still following the blue cycle path signs. You can’t miss it from here, but it is still at least a further 15 minutes walk away’.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:

Home Fans*
West Stand (Upper): Adults ยฃ35 Over 65’s ยฃ23 Under 25’s ยฃ17, Under 18’s ยฃ14
West Stand (Lower): Adults ยฃ28 Over 65’s ยฃ18 Under 25’s ยฃ13, Under 18’s ยฃ10, Under 13’s ยฃ8
East Stand (Lower): Adults ยฃ28 Over 65’s ยฃ18 Under 25’s ยฃ13, Under 18’s ยฃ10, Under 13’s ยฃ8รขโ‚ฌโ€น
Eamonn Dolan Stand:ย Adults ยฃ25 Over 65’s ยฃ16 Under 25’s ยฃ13, Under 18’s ยฃ8, Under 13’s ยฃ7
South Stand:ย Adults ยฃ25 Over 65’s ยฃ16 Under 25’s ยฃ13, Under 18’s ยฃ8

Away Fans**
South Stand:ย Adults ยฃ25 Over 65’s ยฃ16 Under 25’s ยฃ13, Under 18’s ยฃ8

* Home fans who become club members can get up to a ยฃ5 discount on the price of a home ticket.
** Away fans who are Season Ticket Holders at their Club or are Club membersย can get up to a ยฃ5 discount on the adult ticket price and ยฃ3 of a concession price.

Official Matchday programme ยฃ3.

Reading vs Swindon rivalry: Meetings between these sides are called the M4 derby. This is because of they both sit near to the motorway with 50 miles of road and the North Wessex Downs separating them.

Reading vs Oxford rivalry: The Didcot Triangle is an unofficial league based on meetings between Reading, Oxford and Swindon when they are in the same division. The reason for this is because the three towns form a triangle that’s centred on Didcot. Meetings between Reading and Oxford are called the Thames Valley derby.

Reading vs Aldershot rivalry: Aldershot used to be Reading’s traditional rivals until Aldershot folded in 1992. Aldershot were reincarnated as Aldershot Town, and although both teams have never met, the rivalry still exists with less than 20 miles between the two towns.

Reading FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).

If you require hotel accommodation in Reading then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use.ย Just input the dates below that you wish to stay and then select from the map the hotel of interest to get more information. The map is centered to the football ground. However, you can drag the map around or click on +/- to reveal more hotels in the Town Centre or further afield.

For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on theย  Level Playing Field website.

Record Attendance

At The Madejski Stadium:
24,184 v Everton
Premier League, 17th November 2012.

At Elm Park:
33,042 v Brentford
FA Cup 5th Round, 19th February 1927.

Average Attendance
2019-2020: 14,407 (Championship League)
2018-2019: 14,991ย (Championship League)
2017-2018: 16,656ย (Championship League)

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: contact@footballgroundguide.com and I’ll update the guide.

Content retrieved from: https://footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/championship/madejski-stadium-reading.html.

Images courtesy of Getty Images, Athena Picture Agency and Swansea City Football Club.
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