Who do you consider to be a rival?

[Sutekh]

Watford, annoying bunch of nobodies with ideas above their station now.

[The Cap]

My first Reading game was back in 1979 and for the most part it was always Aldershot, Swindon and Oxford!! Both Brizzle teams always came in big numbers and looked to cause trouble but i wouldn't call them rivals.
From my memories Oxford always seemed to bring the most away fans and the atmosphere was always great against them. We had that game against Bristol City that got pretty heated and was delayed for a period of time i believe, and their manager had to calm the fans down .
Cardiff also had some pretty tasty fans causing trouble in the early 80s.....Someone mentioned Bournemouth disliking us which i find pretty strange as i never really remember anything happening between both sets of fans. Maybe we gave them a shoeing at the old dean court back in the 80s

The Brizzle game was a naughty one, as they started tearing up bits of concrete from the Town End terracing and chucking it at the Reading lads. Terry Cooper was their manager and had to remonstrate with them for fear of cancellation. As for Carduff. Anybody temember that famous Cup game towards the end of the naughties? Half of Wales turned up and it went to extra time, before matie boy announced that the last train to Carduff had more or less left. The Southbank cracked up

[Clyde1998]

I'd say it's been interesting this season, as it's the first time since I've been watching Reading (20 years) where I've been able to see a game against one of our traditional rivals. Hadn't played Swindon in any competitive match since 2002 (before my first game) and Oxford since 2004 (after my first game, but still too young to go to an away match).

I'd say Southampton has always been a side I've considered to be a rival to some extent (albeit nowhere near the same level as Oxford/Swindon), due to growing up in an area where there's a sizable number of Southampton fans. We simply haven't crossed paths enough for a serious rivalry to form - we've only been in the same division as them four times since the start of the 60s. It's obviously never going to become bigger than Portsmouth from a Southampton perspective.

For my formative years watching Reading, we've not really had a serious rivalry with anyone - merely situational ones. I considered Sheffield United as a rival for a few years, although that was purely down to Warnock and the similar trajectory of the sides, as well as West Ham. Slightly before my time, I probably would've put Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth in that situational bracket. Most recently, Cardiff and Fulham spring to mind - although that's the similar trajectory factor at play.

QPR have probably been our most consistent divisional rivals in recent years, but obviously they'll not consider it a rivalry anywhere the same extent as they'll consider West London sides (and probably other London clubs) as rivals.

[Clyde1998]

Incidentally, a survey done by Trinity Mirror in 2019 showed our biggest rivals (of those in the Football League at the time) were: Swindon (74%); Oxford (70%); Brentford (52%); Wycombe (43%); Watford (30%).

I think the survey encouraged fans to pick their top five rivals, which might explain the very high figures for Brentford and Watford in the top five; the lack of ability to select non-Football League sides would also explain the lack of Aldershot in the top five.

The clubs who rated us highly were: Swindon (2nd - 70%); Oxford (2nd - 61%); Bournemouth (4th - 52%); Brentford (4th - 48%); Wycombe (5th - 41%); Southampton (4th - 38%); Swansea (5th - 19%).

EDIT: Adding missing teams.

[Clyde1998]

AFCB put us in their list, often as number 1. No idea why, no matter what divisions we are in.

I think Bournemouth comes down to the fact we're the geographically closest club to them who they've played regularly over the years - Southampton and Portsmouth have usually been in higher divisions to them (at least until recently).

[SCIAG]

I "academically" consider Oxford, Swindon, and Aldershot our rivals, but there's no venom there.

I have much more hatred for West Ham (both for Pardew and because of their Allardyce-era thuggery), Cardiff, and anyone associated with Neil Warnock.

[Clyde1998]

The club seem to be pushing Wycombe as a rivalry: https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2024/m ... -saturday/

[dontbedaft]

My first Reading match was at home to the Swine - my dad just didn't click that it was a derby and there was quite a few scuffles and police on horses etc. The Pox definitely that 3-0 defeat at the Manor Ground during Bullivant's tenure still rankles.

[Hendo]

The club seem to be pushing Wycombe as a rivalry: https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2024/m ... -saturday/

Aren't they actually the closest Football League club to us?

Not that I consider them much of a rival.

[NathStPaul]

Wycombe are too nice to be considered our rival. Always got the vibe that both sets of supporters wishes the other well.

[genome]

AFCB put us in their list, often as number 1. No idea why, no matter what divisions we are in.

I think Bournemouth comes down to the fact we're the geographically closest club to them who they've played regularly over the years - Southampton and Portsmouth have usually been in higher divisions to them (at least until recently).

All the more crazy that Bournemouth4eva supports both Reading and Bournemouth

Can you imagine someone supporting both Arsenal and Spurs?

[Snowflake Royal]

AFCB put us in their list, often as number 1. No idea why, no matter what divisions we are in.

I think Bournemouth comes down to the fact we're the geographically closest club to them who they've played regularly over the years - Southampton and Portsmouth have usually been in higher divisions to them (at least until recently).

All the more crazy that Bournemouth4eva supports both Reading and Bournemouth

Can you imagine someone supporting both Arsenal and Spurs?

He doesn't come across as entirely all there.

[skipper]

Having not played Oxford or Swindon in a competitive gane in over 20 years (Until Oxford this year), despite remembering those days, I think of Bristol City.

Probably because I attended most of those games, and they were always fiery encounters.

I'm too young for Aldershot. I despise West Ham, so I do consider them a rival.

[Royal_jimmy]

Never seen us play Aldershot but feel some dislike for them. Probably intensify if we played them.

I absolutely despise Oxford, they should be our biggest rivals alongside Aldershot. There's lots of history vs them, I can't stand their fans, the city or their stadium. They hate us as well. It feels like a proper derby and rivalry when we play them.

I have a fairly strong dislike of Swindon but don't get the volume of chants. They're in reality our 3rd largest rivals and they're less bothered about us bar a minority of their fans. I know Reading fans in Newbury or Hungerford might disagree with me though. Both Swindon and Oxford are only 20-25 minutes by train as well.

I like Wycombe, I always wish them well even though they're local. Never had an issue with them and looking forward to playing them tomorrow.

Always love beating QPR, Brentford, Saints, Fulham, Pompey and Bristol City but don't see them as rivals.

[Royal_jimmy]

The club seem to be pushing Wycombe as a rivalry: https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2024/m ... -saturday/

Funny, they're local but it's not a derby or rivalry at all.

[Greatwesternline]

I "academically" consider Oxford, Swindon, and Aldershot our rivals, but there's no venom there.

I have much more hatred for West Ham (both for Pardew and because of their Allardyce-era thuggery), Cardiff, and anyone associated with Neil Warnock.

Same. Not the warnock thuggery, but the Kebe socks. Putting them in their place when they thought they would cruise the league.

The 4-2 win at Upton Park (and the half time 2-1 lead inside the concourse remains my favourite moment following club football. That was 15 minutes of pure joy.

[maffff]

Ian Royal pulling up 5th is pretty devastating, what's happened to this place? Barely making playoffs at this rate.

[Dirk Gently]

I "academically" consider Oxford, Swindon, and Aldershot our rivals, but there's no venom there.

I have much more hatred for West Ham (both for Pardew and because of their Allardyce-era thuggery), Cardiff, and anyone associated with Neil Warnock.

Same. Not the warnock thuggery, but the Kebe socks. Putting them in their place when they thought they would cruise the league.

The 4-2 win at Upton Park (and the half time 2-1 lead inside the concourse remains my favourite moment following club football. That was 15 minutes of pure joy.

The loss of Pardew in 2003 to West Ham added to the intense feelings of rivalry with them in that period, too. The 6-0 on New Year's Day is one of my definite highlights.

Similarly, a long period of rivalry with Wolves started eight years earlier with the loss of McGhee to them - in the years after we had a couple of classic games with them - the 4-2 League Cup win with Adie's own goal and Parky's 40-yard screamer, Archie's two late winning goals and *that* play-off semi-final at Molineux.

[Sutekh]

Windsor, Yateley United and Binfield.

[morganb]

there’s Aldershot, Bracknell. Didcot, Yateley. You know. Winnersh. Taplow. Burghfield