List of Reading F.C. records and statistics explained

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.^[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. Reading's heaviest loss was an 18–0 defeat against Preston North End in the FA Cup 1st round on 27 January 1894.

The player with the most league appearances is Martin Hicks with a total of 500 from 1978 to 1991. The most capped player is Kevin Doyle, who earned 26 for Ireland while at the club.^[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. The player with the most league goals in a game is Arthur Bacon with six against Stoke City in 1930–31. The first Reading-based player to play in the World Cup is Bobby Convey at the 2006 World Cup with the United States. 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] [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)^[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)^[14]
• Most league goals in a season: Ronnie Blackman (39; 1951–52)^[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)^[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)
• 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)
• Heaviest defeat: 18–0 v Preston North End (27 January 1894, FA Cup 1st round)
• 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)
• 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)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Club Honours and Records. Reading F.C.. 15 September 2012. 11 July 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130214194722/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/records-232960.aspx. 14 February 2013.
2. Web site: Points record. The Football League. 7 May 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120210133233/http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Points/0%2C%2C10794~634798%2C00.html. 10 February 2012.
3. News: Reading 2–1 QPR . . 30 April 2006 . 4 May 2006.
4. Web site: Reading Internationals. Royals' Record. 6 May 2012. 8 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170208044032/http://www.royalsrecord.co.uk/players/caps.html. dead.
5. Web site: United stretch lead after Van der Sar record. 31 January 2009. CNN world sport. Cable News Network. 19 April 2012.
6. Web site: van Eijden. Han. Elm Park Reading. 2011. Old Football Grounds. 1 June 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20090630021437/http://www.oldgrounds.co.uk/elm_park_reading.htm. 30 June 2009.
7. Web site: Reading FC News - Record Attendance Set. Reading Football Club. 30 September 2013. 16 September 2012.
8. Web site: Reading FC receive record fee as Michael Olise moves to Crystal Palace. Wokingham.Today.
9. Web site: Sigurdsson leaving in Club record deal. Reading Football Club. 6 May 2012. 31 August 2010.
10. News: Reading sign Inter Milan striker Puscas . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2023-03-06.
11. Web site: 1871 - Berks & Bucks Senior Cup. 4 March 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050420021707/http://www.btinternet.com/~rfc1871/reserves/berksandbuckscuphistory.htm. 1871 - the ultimate Reading FC website. 20 April 2005.
12. Web site: Reading | News | Latest News | Latest News | McDermott picks up prestigious award . 2013-04-18 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120518014030/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10306~2772976%2C00.html . 18 May 2012.
13. Web site: Most Appearances. royalsrecord.co.uk. 19 July 2018. 19 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180719083924/http://www.royalsrecord.co.uk/players/appear.html. dead.
14. Web site: Top Scorers. royalsrecord.co.uk. 19 July 2018. 8 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170708053021/http://www.royalsrecord.co.uk/players/scorers.html. dead.
15. Web site: Farewell to an old legend. 14 December 2007.
16. Web site: Record - 1,103 minutes without conceding. Reading F.C.. 19 July 2018.
17. News: Tiago Ilori: Liverpool defender signs for Reading. 2017-01-09. BBC Sport. 2017-01-18.
18. Web site: Reading FC receive record fee as Michael Olise moves to Crystal Palace. Wokingham.Today.
19. Web site: Reading Internationals. royalsrecord.co.uk. 19 July 2018. 8 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170208044032/http://www.royalsrecord.co.uk/players/caps.html. dead.