New Additions: Trevor Senior

This postcard of Trevor Senior dates from the early 90's. During two spells for the Royals between 1983 and 1992 he netted 184 times in 362 league and cup games, making him our all-time record scorer. In the 1983-84 season he was top-scorer in all four divisions of the Football League with 36 goals. One of the most popular players to represent Reading, Trevor is fondly remembered by Royals fans.

 

New Additions: 1905-05

This postcard was sent on August 29th 1905. Our correspondent Percy seems to be an exiled Spurs fan living in Reading. He writes to his friend Chas 'this is the sort of team Tottenham got to play against (rotten)'. Both teams played in the Southern League then and the previous season Reading had finished above Spurs after winning both games against them, so perhaps a touch of sour grapes.

 

New Additions: Elm Park 1913

Supporters at Elm Park on September 20th 1913, during a Southern  League match in which Reading beat Cardiff City by one goal to nil. This part of the ground was along side the Tilehurst Road, which was later built up with concrete terracing and had a roof added. It was fondly remembered by generations of fans as the 'Southbank'.

 

New Additions: Elm Park 1995

A postcard from Stuart Clarke's 1995 exhibition 'The Homes of Football'. The wall the boys are standing on is the same spot I started watching Reading from in the early seventies.

 

 New Additions: Panini 2009-10

Reading looked relegation certainties at the turn of the year, but after replacing Brendon Rogers with Brian Mcdermott a fantastic run saw them finish the season close to the play-offs.This season saw The Royals achieve one of their finest results in the F.A. Cup, defeating Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield. The set can be seen in 'card scans 6'.

 

 

New Additions: Panini 2008-09

Despite looking a good bet for an immediate return to the Premier League, Reading faded in the new year and had to settle for a place in the play-offs, where they lost in the semi-final to Burnley.

 

 

New Additions: Merlin 2007-08

This season marked Reading's second Premier League campaign and unfortunately it ended in relegation. The set can be seen in 'card scans 6'.

  

 

 New Additions: 1971-72

The 71-72 season marked my first visit to Elm Park. I can't remember who the opponents were but I think the whole family went so we could get tickets for the Arsenal cup-tie and I was hooked! Although we had a mediocre season in the Fourth Division we ran the Gunners close, losing 2-1 against the team who had won The Double the previous season. One of Reading's all time greats, Steve Death, is featured here. His lack of height probably cost him a top-flight career.

 

New Additions: Ted Hanney

I found this fantastic postcard of Ted Hanney. The Reading born centre half played for The Biscuitmen before The First World War and for the Great Britain team in the 1912 Olympics. He also played for Man City and Coventry before returning to Elm Park in the early Twenties.