IF you are still at school

[PEARCEY]

I used to run a boys' team in Ringwood (about 25 years ago) and had an evening at The Dell when Shilton and McMenemy's son took a coaching session.
Out of our 16 boys only one wore a Reading top (obviously my son) but surprisingly bearing in mind it was only about 15 miles away there was only one Saints top.
Most of the boys followed their dads' teams.

Incidentally when I was at school many years ago everybody interested in football followed Reading but most had a top level team that they were interested in as well.

Nail on head. The kids follow their dads team.

[Elliott]

I'm in my final year at Reading and I think there are about 10 out of 120ish in the year who have a season ticket, but I'm sure there are a good 20 others who are big fans, but can only afford to go to the odd few games a season - fair enough really...

The others are all of course the Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and even NewcastLOLe fans but of course all support Reading as a "second club" and are happy when Reading win... (not often happy then )

However, one of my friends turned down a FREE ticket to the Reading - Ipswich match, because he prefered to go and watch Aldershot - how about that for hardcore local club man!

[leww_rfc]

When I go to play football in cardiff and the surrounding areas i don't half get some weird looks for wearing my Reading hoody, but I did enjoy the day back in school after the Anfield triumph!

[Franchise FC]

Make sure it's not in East Riding !!

[floyd__streete]

Not many lads supported RFC at Aldryngton in the late 80s, in fact I can only really think of Heathrow Royal as another RFC fan from my primary school. The lads all tended to support big 5 (as was) clubs, and yes nobody followed Chelsea because they were getting 8,000 crowds at the foot of Division 1. That said, in March 1988 the Simod final caused a buzz and lads all walked around for weeks afterwards brandishing the programme from Wembley by way of gaining kudos.

At Maiden Erlegh, there was always a fair smattering of RFC followers, probably because in your mid teens if you want to watch football you are almost certainly going to get lumbered with watching your local club. Back in 1998 when a football special returning from Swindon was set ablaze I can recall a lad from our 6th form phoning up the Evening Post to report (incorrectly) that Swindon fans had set fire to the train, spawning the excellent front page headline SWINDON FANS WERE TO BLAME .

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I went to school and college near Woking, and there was about a handful of us, and a teacher!

[paultheroyal]

Around Basingstoke its predominently the "big four" with a bit of Spurs.

However, one club which does seem well supported, with a local supporters association and shirts often worn around town is Charlton Athletic.

[rg6royal]

Am at Maiden Erlegh sixth form and there's a vast number of Reading fans. Also the obvious supports of Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.

My head of year is a Bristol Rovers fan, so we get through a bit of banter on a Monday morning, also another of my teachers is a Blackpool fan.

[westongeezer]

I went to school at Egdbarrow in Crowthorne in the late 70s to eighties and the where a fair few RFC supporters there, i now live in Weston Super Mare and i have seen 3 RFC in fact one walks past my house every Sat, where my buisness is located in Bridgwater Somerset there are at least 10 Reading supporters there and they are locals....

[readingFTW]

I heard the shocking statistic that somewhere in the range 0f 80% of English people support one of the "top 5"; Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal or Tottenham. I didn't want to be one of those 'glory hunters' so I supported a team who i saw potential in to be a top flight club. I've followed Reading for about 4 years, and everyday now i'm on the forum website, and i've bought their shirt each year. My dream one day is to actually watch Reading play at the Madejski.
At my school, the Reading fan base extends to 2 people, including me. I've showed my friend, who's the school captain, the ways of Reading, and I've bought him the last 2 season's home shirt. But i suppose such a small fan base is understandable, i live in scotland afterall.

[PEARCEY]

I heard the shocking statistic that somewhere in the range 0f 80% of English people support one of the "top 5"; Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal or Tottenham. I didn't want to be one of those 'glory hunters' so I supported a team who i saw potential in to be a top flight club. I've followed Reading for about 4 years, and everyday now i'm on the forum website, and i've bought their shirt each year. My dream one day is to actually watch Reading play at the Madejski.
At my school, the Reading fan base extends to 2 people, including me. I've showed my friend, who's the school captain, the ways of Reading, and I've bought him the last 2 season's home shirt. But i suppose such a small fan base is understandable, i live in scotland afterall.

Good for you young man. Stick with Urzzzzzzzzzzzz through thick and thin...but it'll be mostly thin I'm afraid.

[westongeezer]

I heard the shocking statistic that somewhere in the range 0f 80% of English people support one of the "top 5"; Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal or Tottenham. I didn't want to be one of those 'glory hunters' so I supported a team who i saw potential in to be a top flight club. I've followed Reading for about 4 years, and everyday now i'm on the forum website, and i've bought their shirt each year. My dream one day is to actually watch Reading play at the Madejski.
At my school, the Reading fan base extends to 2 people, including me. I've showed my friend, who's the school captain, the ways of Reading, and I've bought him the last 2 season's home shirt. But i suppose such a small fan base is understandable, i live in scotland afterall.

I salute you, why follow the sheep welcome to the elite, theres nothing wrong with originality.

[rhroyal]

I remember being one of few Reading fans at school back in the day and taking a lot of stick after the Walsall loss. When I moved away from Reading in 04 this hadn't really changed. I knew of 9 or 10 other "proper" Reading in the ENTIRE SCHOOL max. There were also quite a few who didn't really care but would go to 1 game a year or so.

Around 2006/07 the Facebook revolution took off and a lot of my old school friends added me. I was amazed how many had joined groups related to Reading FC and how many wrote statuses about it. One even had the cheek to join the group "People who supported Reading FC before they were any good."

Er.....no you didn't. You supported Newcastle and you laughed at me when we lost at home to Brighton. Even then we were good, 4th in Division 1 and you still didn't support us. You probably hadn't even heard of us before we went up at Brentford. Prick.

It would be interesting to see what schools are like now after the Premiership.

P.s. My school was in Bracknell for the record, if that means anything.

[rhroyal]

I can never understand how young kids are still being sucked in by Liverpool - they're shit. amazing what two flukey cup final wins can do for a club.

Or maybe it is their dads who support Liverpool...

possibly... but come on spacey , contribute more.... what was it like for you.. did you actually support RFC when you were a kid.
Do kids always support the same team as their dad??? i can imagine if the team isn't local that it might just be a second team. My mother supports palace , her father nottingham forest , my dad supports reading , his father pompey... the thing is , the were born locally to THEIR clubs , i just always believe you should support the team from where you were born... I've never followed pompey,palace,forest just cos of my family infact there's a good amount of rivalry. the only 2nd team i've had is Partick Thistle cos of some obscure family connection that i forget, but they are not in the same country/leagues as reading

Shit. I had no particular plans to move back to the area when I'm older, but I'm hell bent on my kids being Reading fans. Maybe I need a rethink. Brainwash them from an early age with birthday presents relating to the club, take them to as many games as possible. Tell them they're not going to university if they pick up another team.....

[LoyalRoyalFan]

When I was at school, most of the kids supported the 'big four' clubs. There were a fair few though who supported Reading.

[Royal Lady]

Son of RL is the only RFC fan amongst his mates. One is Watford (cos that's where his dad is from), same with the Liverpool and Leeds Utd supporters - and they do actually go to games - so you can't blame them!

I think there were a few who "jumped on the bandwagon" during the Premiership years in particular. One, who used to have an RFC ST, has now been spotted with Chelsea paraphernalia about his person.

[Fox Talbot]

Incidentally when I was at school many years ago everybody interested in football followed Reading but most had a top level team that they were interested in as well.

Same - but probably the same school. When Reading were doing well in 1970 I reckon there must have been 15-20 out of 90 who went to matches - I know 5 of these who still do! - but no-one supported just Reading. Everyone had a different 1st Division team as part of their identity, all sorts like Wolves, Burnley, ipswich, City as well as the bigger clubs. Almost like you couldn't have 2 boys supporting the same top division team. Not that we ever saw top division clubs play or wore their kit. We watched Reading because we didn't have any choice rather than because we really liked them.

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

I used to run a boys' team in Ringwood (about 25 years ago) and had an evening at The Dell when Shilton and McMenemy's son took a coaching session.
Out of our 16 boys only one wore a Reading top (obviously my son) but surprisingly bearing in mind it was only about 15 miles away there was only one Saints top.
Most of the boys followed their dads' teams.

Incidentally when I was at school many years ago everybody interested in football followed Reading but most had a top level team that they were interested in as well.

Nail on head. The kids follow their dads team.

Sons of the Fathers indeed. In my son's class there is one Reading supporter (cos, bless im, he follows his dad's team) and then a range of Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea. Given it's in Richmond, I'm amazed that there aren't more Chelsea. It's the dad thing, for sure.

[ankeny]

In the sixties I went to Chilton Edge in Sonning Common,never heard Reading mentioned but one or two probably ventured over there but now about thirty queue up to get the football bus outside my dear old mums house in Wood Lane and see loads more waiting at Emmer Green on the way back to Reading