List of Reading F.C. records and statistics

Reading's progress through the English football league system from 1920 to present

Reading Football Club hold the record for the number of successive league wins at the start of a season, with a total of 13 wins at the start of the 1985–86 Third Division campaign[1] and also the record for the number of points gained in a professional league season with 106 points in the 2005–06 Football League Championship campaign.[2] Reading finished champions of their division on both of these occasions.[1][3]

The club's largest win was a 10–0 victory over Gibraltar on 10 July 2019 in a pre-season friendly. Their biggest league win was a 10–2 victory over Crystal Palace on 4 September 1946 in the Third Division South.[1] Reading's heaviest loss was an 18–0 defeat against Preston North End in the FA Cup 1st round on 27 January 1894.[1]

The player with the most league appearances is Martin Hicks with a total of 500 from 1978 to 1991.[1] The most capped player is Kevin Doyle, who earned 26 for Ireland while at the club.[1][4] The most league goals in total and in a season is Ronnie Blackman with 158 from 1947 to 1954 and 39 in 1951–52 respectively.[1] The player with the most league goals in a game is Arthur Bacon with six against Stoke City in 1930–31.[1] The first Reading-based player to play in the World Cup is Bobby Convey at the 2006 World Cup with the United States.[1] The record time for a goalkeeper not conceding a goal is Steve Death at 1,103 minutes in 1978–79, which is a former English league record.[5]

Reading's highest attendance at Elm Park was in 1927, when 33,042 spectators watched Reading beat Brentford 1–0.[6] The highest attendance at the Madejski Stadium is 24,160 for the Premier League game with Tottenham Hotspur on 16 September 2012.[7]

The highest transfer fee received for a Reading player is the £8 million received from Crystal Palace for Michael Olise in July 2021, beating the £7 million fee that 1899 Hoffenheim paid for Gylfi Sigurðsson in August 2010.[8][1][9] The most expensive player Reading have ever bought is George Pușcaș, for an estimated £8,000,000 from Internazionale on 7 August 2019.[10]

Honours

League competitions English 2nd tier Winners (2): 2006, 2012 Runners Up (1): 1995 English 3rd tier Winners (3): 1926, 1986, 1994 Runners Up (5): 1932, 1935, 1949, 1952, 2002 English 4th tier Winners (1): 1979 Highest league finish Premier League 2007, 8th Place

Cup competitions FA Cup Semi-final: 1927, 2015 Quarter-final: 1901, 2010, 2011, 2016 EFL Cup Quarter-final: 1996, 1998 Full Members Cup Winners (1): 1988 London War Cup Winners (1): 1941 Football League Third Division South Cup Winners (1): 1938

Youth and reserve competitions Premier League Cup Winners (1): 2014 Runners Up (1): 2017 Berks & Bucks Senior Cup[11] Winners (5): 1879, 1892, 1995, 2022, 2024 Runners-Up (4): 1941, 1997, 1998, 2000

Managerial

• LMA Manager of the Year
  • Steve Coppell 2005–06, 2006–07
• LMA Championship Manager of the Year
  • Brian McDermott 2011–12[12]

Player records

Appearances

• Most appearances: Martin Hicks (603; 1978–1991)[13]
• Most league appearances: Martin Hicks (500; 1978–1991)[1][13]

Goals

• Most goals: Trevor Senior (191; 1983–1987, 1988–1992)[14]
• Most goals in a season: Trevor Senior (41; 1983–84)[14]
• Most league goals: Ronnie Blackman (158; 1947–1954)[1][14]
• Most league goals in a season: Ronnie Blackman (39; 1951–52)[1][14]
• Most league goals in a game: Arthur Bacon (6 vs. Stoke City; 1930–31)[14]
• Most penalties: Ray Reeves (21)[14][15]

Goalkeeping

• Longest time without conceding a goal: Steve Death (1,103 minutes; 1978–79; former English league record)[5][16]

Transfers

• Record transfer fee paid: George Pușcaș (£7,500,00 from Inter Milan August 2019)[17]
• Record transfer fee received: Michael Olise (£8,000,000 to Crystal Palace; July 2021)[18]

Internationals

• Most capped player (whilst at Reading): Kevin Doyle (Republic of Ireland)[1]^[quantify]
• First Reading-based player to play in World Cup: Bobby Convey (2006; United States)[19]

Appearances

The following players have played more than 398 times for Reading, in all competitions.[13]

Pos.	Player	App.
1	Martin Hicks	603
2	Steve Death	537
3	Dick Spiers	505
4	Michael Gilkes	487
5	Stuart Beavon	481
6	Maurice Evans	459
7	Steve Richardson	457
8	Jimmy Wheeler	453
9	Phil Parkinson	426
10	Ady Williams	398

Goalscorers

The following players have scored more than 85 times for Reading, in all competitions.[14]

Pos.	Player	Gls
1	Trevor Senior	191
2	Jimmy Wheeler	168
3	Ronnie Blackman	167
4	Tony MacPhee	104
5	Tommy Tait	103
6	Denis Allen	95
7	Jimmy Quinn	94
8	Douggie Webb	93
9	Les Chappell	90
10	Pat Earles	85

Team records

• Biggest win: 9–0 v Exeter City (19 September 2023, Football League Trophy)[1]
• Heaviest defeat: 18–0 v Preston North End (27 January 1894, FA Cup 1st round)[1]
• Longest winning sequence at the start of a season: 13 victories in 1985–86.
• Most points in a single season in any English professional league: 106 points (2005–06)[3]
• Longest winless sequence at the start of a season (club record): 6 (2 draws and 4 defeats), (2018–19)
• Heaviest home defeat: 7-0 vs Fulham, (11 January 2022)
• Longest winless sequence: 15 defeats (4 March 2023 - 8 August 2023)

References

1. "Club Honours and Records". Reading F.C. 11 July 2012. Archived from the original on 14 February 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
2. "Points record". The Football League. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
3. "Reading 2–1 QPR". BBC Sport. 30 April 2006. Retrieved 4 May 2006.
4. "Reading Internationals". Royals' Record. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
5. "United stretch lead after Van der Sar record". CNN world sport. Cable News Network. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
6. van Eijden, Han (2011). "Elm Park Reading". Old Football Grounds. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
7. "Reading FC News - Record Attendance Set". Reading Football Club. 16 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
8. "Reading FC receive record fee as Michael Olise moves to Crystal Palace". Wokingham.Today.
9. "Sigurdsson leaving in Club record deal". Reading Football Club. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
10. "Reading sign Inter Milan striker Puscas". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
11. "1871 - Berks & Bucks Senior Cup". 1871 - the ultimate Reading FC website. Archived from the original on 20 April 2005. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
12. "Reading | News | Latest News | Latest News | McDermott picks up prestigious award". Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
13. "Most Appearances". royalsrecord.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
14. "Top Scorers". royalsrecord.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
15. "Farewell to an old legend". 14 December 2007.
16. "Record - 1,103 minutes without conceding". Reading F.C. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
17. "Tiago Ilori: Liverpool defender signs for Reading". BBC Sport. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
18. "Reading FC receive record fee as Michael Olise moves to Crystal Palace". Wokingham.Today.
19. "Reading Internationals". royalsrecord.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2018.