Madejski Stadium

 ( Football Venues In England ) 

The Eamonn Dolan Stand capacity is 4,946 including 25 spaces for wheelchairs.http://mobile.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~311866,00.html Although in use for all Reading matches, the stand was normally closed for London Irish and only opened in exceptional circumstances where demand required.

The South Stand has a capacity of 4,350 including 29 wheelchair spaces and contains an area for visiting supporters. The initial allocation visiting teams received up until the 2022–23 season was 2,127 and is the half of the stand joining onto the West Stand. The other half of the South Stand is Club 1871, a home fans member area, which encourages safe standing to create a matchday atmosphere. Under the terms of their original lease, London Irish only utilised the South Stand for the most popular matches. However, with the original renegotiation and extension of the lease, the South Stand was used for all London Irish matches with an unreserved seating plan. London Irish sold season tickets for South Stand between 2008 and 2014–15. Since 2015, with falling attendance at London Irish, the South Stand remained closed for rugby and only opened if required.

The Sir John Madejski Stand (East) has a capacity of 7,286 including 18 spaces for wheelchairs. The stand also contains the stadium's video screen which is located in the corner adjoining the South Stand. The stand was open for all London Irish fixtures only until the end of the 2015–16 season and again for the 2017–18 and 2019–20 seasons.

The West Stand, the stadium's main stand, has a capacity of 7,579 including 15 wheelchair spaces and contains a lower and an upper tier. The upper level does not overhang the lower tier and the executive boxes are located between the two tiers. The tunnel and dugouts are located in this stand. During the 2016–17 and 2018–19 seasons, the West Stand was the only stand in regular use for London Irish home games. The outside of the stand contains the Voco Reading hotel, part of InterContinental Hotels Group's Voco chain. From the 2023–24 season the initial allocation for visiting fans will be located in the upper west corner.

An England B match was also held at the stadium. BBC Sport website, 25 May 2006

Other international matches.

London Irish moved into the stadium in 2000 after a year of ground sharing with Harlequins at the Stoop Memorial Ground in Twickenham. On 11 January 2008, it was announced that London Irish had reached an agreement to continue playing home games at the stadium until 2026. However, they were to leave after the 2019–20 season. London Irish played their last game at the stadium on 1 March 2020 when they were defeated by Wasps RFC. The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted the season causing a premature end to their tenancy and forcing them to return to the Stoop for the remainder of the elongated season.

Irish saw their average crowds grow to more than 11,100 after moving to Reading in 2000, holding the record for the biggest rugby union Premiership attendance at a club ground, when 23,709 people saw Irish play Wasps (then London Wasps) on 16 March 2008. This record stood until 19 September 2009, when Leicester Tigers opened their new stand to increase capacity to 24,000.

In addition to London Irish home matches, the stadium has also hosted several knock out phases of European cup rugby where a neutral ground was required or where teams were required to play at a larger capacity ground.

On 13 June 2004, Busted played at the Madejski Stadium, with an attendance of 20,000.

On 26 May 2005, Elton John played at the Madejski Stadium in front of a crowd of 24,000. Reading FC supporters were given priority, with tickets going on sale on the 9 December 2004 ahead of the general sale on 14 December. This was followed by XS Madness on 6 June, attended by 9,000. The event featured multiple performers including McFly, Rachel Stevens, Charlotte Church, Bananarama and Melanie C.

Luciano Pavarotti was due to perform the stadium on 1 July 2006, after being delayed from the 11 June due the singer's neck surgery to repair two vertebrae. His final public performance was at opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, before his death in 2007 from pancreatic cancer. He underwent surgery in early July 2006, with all his remaining concerts being cancelled.

On 3 July 2006, the Red Hot Chili Peppers played the Madejski Stadium as part of their Stadium Arcadium World Tour, with a crowd of 28,000 turning up for the event.

On 1 June 2013, the AllStarz Summer Party was held. JLS performed, with the headliner being Jessie J.

The stadium is also the final venue for the Reading Senior Cup.

Runners finishing the Reading Half Marathon cross the finish line inside the stadium. The stadium is also used as a hub for pre- and post-event services e.g. public transport terminus and bag drop during the day of the event.

A match from the 2000 Rugby League World Cup was also held here.

When no matches are taking place, the stadium can be reached from Reading town centre using Reading Buses Greenwave services.

The stadium is also close to Reading Green Park railway station, which also serves the adjacent Green Park Business Park. It is on the Reading–Basingstoke line and opened in May 2023. The new station is just under a walk from the stadium.

• Lists of stadiums
• List of football stadiums in England

Notes

Bibliography

• [2] from Reading FC official website