Firstly, I must thank, David Downs, Reading’s Historian, who sent me so much useful information that he almost wrote this page himself. Thanks, Dave. Reading was founded in 1871, playing at such places as Reading Cricket Ground, Caversham Cricket Ground, and Coley Park, before settling down at Elm Park in September 1896, after being thrown out of Coley Park for what was described as rowdyism. Now there is a word you don’t hear much these days, particularly at Reading. They stayed at Elm Park until 1998, when they were thrown out because they needed a bigger ground, and the next season moved into the Madejski Stadium.
Reading’s first club emblem was not worn on shirts, but appeared on the match day programmes, headed notepaper, and the like up until the 1960s, and was the Borough of Reading coat of arms. (PIC 1) These arms are based on the common seal of the town, which was in use as early as 1365. In the shield are the heads of five men, although they look more like the blonde who works in my local pub. The middle head is wearing a crown, and it has been suggested that it represents Edward. King of the English from 975 to 978, who was assassinated at the bequest of his stepmother Queen Elfrida, so that her own son could claim the throne. To pay for her crime the queen founded a nunnery in Reading, on the site of St Mary’s Church. The exact meaning of the letters RE is very cloudy, but there are two schools of thought. One is that they stand for the first two letters of the town. The other is that they mean Regina Elizabeth, as their first known use was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and continues today as seen on our post-boxes and royal coat of arms. On the crest is an Abbot’s mitre, encircled at its base by alternating gold escallop shells and lyres. The mitre commemorates the once magnificent Reading Abbey, the shells represent the pilgrims who used them as badges, and the Abbey’s musical fame is symbolised by the lyres. The supporters are two rams, symbolic of the town’s early wool trade. On the shoulder of the left ram is a portcullis which represents the borough. On the ram on the right are two wavy lines, a representation of the two rivers that flow through Reading, the Thames and the Kennet. The motto “A DEO ET REGINA” translates as, With God and Queen.
The crest that followed this was also worn on the shirts in the early 1950s, and as David was unable to send a copy I have made one up from eye witness accounts. Known as the ‘R’ badge it is by far the least thought-out design you will find among these pages. If you do not know what the R stands for then please do seek help. (PIC 2) In 1974, the badge which adorned the shirts also became the clubs official emblem. (PIC 3) A modern looking design, the trees on the badge are elm trees, taken from the name of the ground Elm Park. The wavy lines allude to the two rivers mentioned in the arms. At the base is the club name and year formed. During the 1980s, the then club manager Ian Branfoot, designed a new badge for the club. (PIC 4) It retains the club’s name and formation date, but is based on an Italian design with a colour-blind Branfoot depicting the club colours as royal blue, light blue, yellow, and white, contained within a shield of royal blue. A new badge was introduced for one season, that of 1997/8, to mark the closure of Elm Park. (PIC 5) Like the badge of the 1970s, the trees and rivers make a comeback. The club’s name and formation date remain, and in the banner beneath “ELM PARK 1896-1998”.
The current badge has been in use since the move to the 24,000, all-seated Madejski Stadium in 1998. A round badge was chosen for this one, and the club name and date founded is in the outer roundel. (PIC 6) The badge is quartered, and in the top right-hand is a lion. The lion is the Maiwand lion, from the war memorial in Forbury Gardens in the town centre. The bottom-left quarter has a crown which refers to the club’s nickname “The Royals”. The nickname replaced the old nickname of “The Biscuitmen”, which crumbled with the closure of the Huntley and Palmer biscuit factory in the town. Royals, was chosen as Reading is the only football club in the Royal County of Berkshire. The club colours take up the two remaining quarters, and in the centre a panelled football like those used many years ago. As far as badges go the old football still looks better than the modern balls used today, and they suggest history in the club. Younger readers would not know of the joy of heading an old panelled lace-up football, heavy with the wet of the rain, and almost breaking your neck in the process. It is also thought to have been a contributing factor to the death of the late Jeff Astle, who played his football back in those days of yore. Scotland has just banned kids from heading the ball in practice, even though balls today are much lighter and do not soak up the water, but it is always best to be safe rather than sorry.
The name Reading comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Rydding, which refers to an area that has been cleared, possibly to make way for a town called Reading. Local rivals of Reading FC are Swindon Town, Oxford and Wycombe Wanderers. For more on “The Royals” point your sceptre towards www.readingfc.co.uk
