Retro Reading Shirts – The Royals Through the Decades

Reading FC was founded in 1871 at a public meeting in the Bridge Street Rooms, making the club older than the Football League itself. The early decades were spent competing in regional football, and it wasn't until the post-war era that Reading began carving out a consistent identity in the lower rungs of the Football League. For much of the mid-twentieth century, Reading were solidly a Third or Fourth Division club, but they cultivated a loyal local following and produced some genuinely memorable characters along the way.

The 1970s brought Reading their most famous cult figure: Robin Friday. A flamboyant, outrageously talented winger with a chaotic personal life, Friday lit up Elm Park with performances that had fans and opponents alike shaking their heads in disbelief. His two seasons at the club (1974-1976) remain the stuff of legend in Berkshire, and he is regularly cited in polls of the greatest players never to have played top-flight football. Friday left for Cardiff and ultimately the game consumed him, but his memory is immortal at Reading.

The 1970s and 1980s brought modest promotion campaigns and the occasional cup run, but no sustained assault on the upper divisions. Reading were a dependable lower-league club until chairman John Madejski transformed the club's ambitions in the 1990s. The opening of the Madejski Stadium in 1998 signalled a new era of professionalism and ambition. Alan Pardew guided them to a First Division play-off final in 2001, which they lost to Wigan Athletic.

Then came Steve Coppell. Appointed in 2003, Coppell rebuilt the squad methodically and cleverly, and in 2005-06 Reading produced one of the greatest Championship seasons ever recorded. They won the title with a then-record 106 points, losing only twice all season. Players like Nicky Shorey, Steve Sidwell, Kevin Doyle, and Shane Long formed a cohesive unit of remarkable quality. Their Premier League debut in 2006-07 saw them finish eighth – a stunning achievement. A second Premier League stint followed in 2012-13 under Brian McDermott.

Since then, Reading have fought hard to regain top-flight status, enduring financial difficulties and ownership turbulence. The 2011 Championship play-off final loss to Swansea City remains a painful memory. Yet through all the ups and downs, the Royals retain their identity and their fanbase remains fiercely proud.

Reading's roll of honour stretches across the decades, and the players who defined the club represent a fascinating cross-section of English football.

Robin Friday remains the undisputed icon. His goals, his tricks, his feuds with opposition defenders – he was a one-man highlight reel at a time when footage was scarce, which only adds to the mythology. His most famous goal, a bicycle kick of outrageous audacity, has been celebrated in documentaries and books. Friday's story is tinged with tragedy, but his place in Reading folklore is eternal.

In the modern era, no players better represent the Coppell golden age than Kevin Doyle and Shane Long. The Irish strike partnership was perfectly balanced, and their goals fired Reading into the Premier League. Doyle in particular became a fans' favourite for his relentless work rate as much as his clinical finishing.

Nicky Shorey was perhaps the finest left-back the club has produced, earning England recognition during his time at the club. Steve Sidwell was the engine of that 2005-06 side, a midfield dynamo who eventually earned a move to Chelsea.

Goalkeeper Steve Death – what a name for a footballer – was a consistent performer through the 1970s and 1980s, setting a Football League record for consecutive clean sheets in 1979 that stood for years. Adam Le Fondre, known affectionately as ALF, became a cult hero in the early 2010s for his remarkable impact as a substitute, scoring goal after goal from the bench. He epitomised the scrappy, passionate spirit that Reading fans adore.

Managerially, Steve Coppell towers above all others, but Mark McGhee also deserves credit for his promotion work in the 1990s.

Reading's iconic blue and white hooped shirts are among the most recognisable in the lower reaches of English football, and a retro Reading shirt from any era is instantly identifiable. The hoops have been a constant through thick and thin, though the precise shade of royal blue and the width of the stripes has shifted with the fashion of each decade.

The 1970s and early 1980s kits were classic in their simplicity – broad hoops, minimal branding, the kind of shirt that looks timeless hanging on a wall. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, manufacturers began experimenting with shadow patterns and asymmetric designs, producing some gloriously garish efforts that collectors now prize for their period charm.

The mid-to-late 1990s saw the Madejski era kits arrive, smarter and more professional in presentation, reflecting the club's growing ambitions. The early 2000s kits under various manufacturers built towards the iconic Championship-winning seasons.

The 2005-06 Championship winning strip is the most sought-after by fans and collectors alike. Clean, confident, and worn during that record-breaking campaign, it represents Reading at their very peak. The Premier League era kits of 2006-08 carry enormous sentimental value for supporters who lived through those remarkable seasons. With 85 options available in our shop, there is a retro Reading shirt to suit every era and every collector.