Reading Football Club, founded on 1 January 1871, is a professional football club based in Reading, Berkshire, competing in EFL League One. The club’s long history, stretching from Elm Park to the modern Select Car Leasing Stadium, means shirts tied to key seasons and cup runs are sought after by supporters, and Walkouts lists signed, framed and match-worn shirts with clear provenance for collectors and fans alike.
The team played at Elm Park from 1896 until 1998 before moving to the Madejski Stadium, later renamed the Select Car Leasing Stadium for sponsorship reasons. That ground has hosted promotion nights and memorable cup ties, and the move in 1998 marks a clear dividing line in the club’s kit and memorabilia eras.
On the pitch Reading set several records, most notably their 2005-06 Championship campaign where they accumulated 106 points, and their first top-flight season in 2006-07 when they achieved an eighth place finish. The club won the title in the 2011-12 Championship season to reach the Premier League, and earlier silverware includes the 1987-88 Full Members' Cup, a 4-1 victory over Luton Town at Wembley. FA Cup semi-final runs in 1926-27 and 2014-15 also form key provenance moments for match shirts.
For collectors the narrative around a shirt matters as much as the fabric. Anniversary releases, short-run commemoratives and player-issue variants from the Elm Park and Madejski eras draw attention, while region-specific retail runs can carry subtle differences in print and labelling. Fans value provenance notes that tie a shirt to a fixture, and condition and verification are routinely documented alongside images.
Specific collector triggers include commemorative milestones such as a club centenary, here referenced as Centenary 1971, which can underpin limited edition releases, and the continued appetite for fanshop shirts issued at the time, particularly early runs and player-issue variants. These pieces are often chased for their link to local events, sponsor transitions and supplier eras that mark Reading's visual identity across decades.
Season magnets also dominate demand; shirts from the 2005-06 season carry strong provenance due to the record points total, and authenticated examples accompanied by a COA are preferred by buyers seeking documented history. Walkouts lists a rotating selection of framed and match-worn shirts, with clear notes on match provenance and availability, and Free worldwide shipping is offered on many items, making key pieces from 2005-06 and the 2011-12 Championship readily accessible to collectors and fans.
