My 500 Home Games Of Following Reading

As the 2026/27 season arrives, it is a fitting moment to contemplate a significant personal achievement I reached last year while supporting Reading. I am a stats enthusiast, meticulously documenting every Reading home game I have attended, ranging from opposing teams and scores to line-ups, nationalities, and substitutions. In December 2022, during The Posh's victory over The Royals at the SCL, I celebrated my 500th home match attendance.

This article delves into the data and insights from the matches I have observed throughout this period.

My first Reading match was in 2000 when my grandfather took me to a game against Colchester. The players of that era, such as Adi Viveash and Ricky Newman, did not become celebrities to me personally, but despite losing 1-0 to a direct free-kick, I was captivated by the beauty of the game. I started attending games in the following seasons and eventually obtained my first season ticket in 2004/05, which I have held continuously ever since.

As I write this article ahead of the first league match of the new season, against Luton Town, I have attended a total of 641 games: 512 at home, 126 away, and three neutral fixtures – a testament to Reading fans' unwavering support.

Reflecting on my records, I am often reminded of the futility of watching my beloved football team. Despite being part of the club since 2000, Reading has returned to the division I first witnessed them in 26 years ago. Moreover, I have endured 49 goalless draws, amounting to over 73 hours of match-watching with no goals scored, and an additional 104 games that ended in a 1-0 outcome either way.

However, the aggregate scoreline of my matches is still in my favor at 949-784. The question remains: who will score that elusive 1000th goal?

I have witnessed matches featuring 90 different opponents across 74 stadia, with Cardiff City (21), Derby County, and Birmingham City (both 19) being our most frequent adversaries. One surprising statistic in my spreadsheet is that of the 327 players who have represented Reading, I have watched 46% of them face us as well. The EFL appears to be a constant rotation of players, and these statistics make one question those who blindly support a team.

Looking at the 10 players I have seen represent Reading the most, I noticed that no new regular names have been added to the list in a while. While Andy Yiadom recently broke into the top 10, he is no longer a regular. The last newcomers to join the top 10 are Lewis Wing and Charlie Savage, who have not been consistent for a while. The days when fans could rely on core players to appear regularly have long passed.

Analyzing the top goal scorers for my matches, it is not surprising to find Adam Le Fondre alongside three Irish club legends. Shane Long tops the list with 11 goals, followed by Alfie and Kevin Doyle, Noel Hunt, Wing's free-kick against Lincoln (20th goal witnessed), and Simon Church, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yakou Meite, and Harvey Knibbs, who all ended with 20 goals witnessed.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Sam Smith both ended with 16 goals witnessed. It seems that a goal count between 15 and 20 is the point where other clubs begin to take notice.