Football’s coming home – Reading set for permanent Madejski move

Barclays FA Women’s Super League club Reading will return to the club’s traditional home of The Madejski Stadium from next season according to BBC Sport sources.

The Royals have been playing the vast majority of their home fixtures at Adams Park in High Wycombe in recent seasons with just occasional games hosted back in Reading at The Madejski Stadium.

Reading had been expected to stage more games at The Madejski Stadium, particularly with Kelly Chambers’ side having played a significant part in the club’s move to a new training facility at Bearwood and it has now been revealed that they are coming home on a permanent basis from the start of the 2020/2021 season.

Four of Reading’s fixtures in 2019/2020 were staged at The Madejski Stadium. The Royals eventually found a way of overcoming second tier side Lewes by beating them 3-2 in their FA Women’s Continental League Cup match in RG2 in October before Chambers’ side lost 1-0 to West Ham United in the same competition.

The only Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture to be staged at The Madejski Stadium this season was a thriller, although the result was not in Reading’s favour. The Berkshire club were 3-1 up against struggling Bristol City before The Robins fought back to record a 3-3 draw.

Reading’s final appearance of the season at their spiritual home saw them thrash Crystal Palace 6-0 in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup, a game which saw Lisa-Marie Utland net five of her side’s six goals.

The Royals have recorded some impressive four-figure crowds in fixtures held at The Madejski Stadium in recent years.

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