| Full name | Reading Town Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Town | |||
| Founded | 1966 (as Lower Burghfield) | |||
| Ground | Scours Lane, Reading, Berkshire (Capacity: 2,000 (162 seated)) |
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| Chairman | Roland Ford | |||
| Manager | Mark Bartley | |||
| League | Hellenic League Premier Division | |||
| 2010-11 | Hellenic League Premier Division, 13th |
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Reading Town Football Club are a Semi-Professional English football club in the Hellenic League Premier Division, based in Reading, Berkshire.
The club previously played in the Combined Counties Football League, but with the agreement of the leagues involved, swapped places with Badshot Lea in time for the start of the 2008-09 season.
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The club was formed in 1966 as Lower Burghfield and over the years changed its name several times, being known as XL United, Vincents United, Reading Garage and ITS Reading Town. The club started life in the Reading Combination League. In the early 1980s they were the Premier Division Champions on four occasions, culminating in the 1983-84 season when they made a clean sweep, winning not only the league title but three league cup competitions as well. The following season saw them move to the Reading & District League where they finished as runners-up in the Premier Division and went onto win the Reading Senior Cup. The 1985-86 season saw them once again finish as runners-up in the Premier Division, but this time around they had to settle for runners-up in the Reading Senior Cup.
In 1989-90 they joined the Chiltonian League, finishing third in the Premier Division. In 1993-94 they changed their name to Reading Town and relocated to their present Scours Lane ground. Ultimate success came in the 1994-95 season when they won the Premier Division Championship, gaining promotion to the Combined Counties League. In 1995-96 season they finished a creditable 7th in the league and also won the Berks & Bucks FA Senior Trophy. The 1996-97 season saw the installation of floodlights at the ground and the team went onto attain 6th place in the league and were beaten finalists in the Berks & Bucks FA Senior Trophy. However, it was in the FA Vase, entering for the first time, where they achieved the greatest success. They reached the 4th Round Proper, before succumbing to beaten semi-finalists Banstead Athletic in a closely contested tie.
In 1997-98 they finished as runners-up in the league after heading the table for most of the season. However one point from their last three games cost them dear and they were overtaken on the final day of the season by Ashford Town (Middlesex). This season also saw them enter the FA Cup for the first time in their history. At the start of 2001-02 season Town appointed former Manchester United and England star Neil Webb as Manager. But Webb was unable to transfer his success as a player to the management role and after a poor start to the season he resigned in November.
For season 2002-03 Town appointed 23-year old Colin Millard as manager making him one of the youngest managers in the country and his enthusiasm and dedication to the job turned around their recent fortunes and a mid-table position was attained. In 2003-04 Town finished in 3rd place in the league behind AFC Wimbledon and AFC Wallingford respectively.
The last couple of seasons have seen the Scours Lane side finish in a respectable mid table position. Millard left the club at the end of the 2006-07 to become Assistant manager at Bracknell Town of the Southern League. Neil Goff and Glenn Goudie were appointed as the new joint managers of the club for the 2007-08 season. Goff was the former assistant manager of Reading Town when Millard was in charge; Goudie's previous role at the club was the goalkeeping and defensive coach. Goudie was the former manager of Royal Mail FC in the Reading League.
In October 2007 Millard resigned as Assistant Manager at Bracknell Town and was re-appointed as Manager, with Goudie and Goff reverting to the position of Joint Assistant Managers. Reading Town finished 12th in the Combined Counties league at the end of the 2007-2008 season. This was after a worrying Christmas period where the team were battling against relegation - the capture of 4 or 5 new players, including the influential signing of Raymond Spence from Farnborough, meant that the club stormed up the league winning 9 of their last 12 games.
In June 2008 Reading Town announced that they were to move across to the Hellenic Premier league from the 2008-2009 season onwards. Reading Town finished in 8th place in their first season in the Hellenic League. They also won the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy in the 2008-09 season.
The clubs main sponsor for season 2009/10 was Nicholas Letting Agents of Caversham.
Town finished 3rd in the Premier Division after leading the league for most of the season. They were beaten finalists in the Hellenic League Floodlit Cup and the Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy but gained some consolation by winning the Southern Combination Cup for the first time.
Colin Millard resigned as Manager at the end of season 2009/10 and was replaced by former Henley Town boss Roddy Slater. Roddy's stint in charge lasted only one season and he resigned at the end of 2010/11 to be succeeded by Mark Bartley with Marcus Richardson as his Assistant.
Reading Town play in the Tilehurst area of Reading, at Scours Lane Stadium, which is located near to the River Thames.
The stadium has a capacity of 2000, of which 162 is covered seating. The stadium also has a bar that serves snacks and refreshments to fans at half-time, as well as a TV to follow the latest scores.
Scours Lane is the second-highest capacity football-specific stadium in Reading, next to Madejski Stadium, home of Football League Championship side Reading.
The record attendance for a Reading Town game is 1,067 against AFC Wimbledon at Scours Lane on 3 May 2003.
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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8unofficial supporters website, last updated December 2010
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