Reading Football Club, Madejski Stadium, Junction 11, M4, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 0FL

Pitch Size: 105 metres x 68 metres
Ground Capacity: 24,161 (all seated) - 2,327 normal away allocation.
Coach Parking: On site, or off site by Police direction.
Railway Station: Reading Central (3 miles)
Shuttle bus services are provided between the Stadium and the Station.
Club Shop: Madejski Stadium
Megastore - Opening Times: 9am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday - Contact 0118 968 1234
Nearest Police Station: Castle Street, Central Reading (3 miles): 0118 953 6000
Record attendance: 24,134 vs Manchester United, January 2008

Home Supporters
West Stand: Main stand, includes family enclosure, hospitality entrances, restaurant, Conference Centre, community, administration, Megastore, main ticket office, players entrance and concourse bars. Seating at Ground and Upper Levels. Entry at Turnstile Gates 1 -4.

North Stand: behind the goal, Concourse Bars. Tickets and Turnstile Gates 5 & 6.

East Stand: reserved seating, Jazz Cafe. Tickets and Turnstile Gates 7&8.

Away Supporters
South Stand: capacity up to 2,327. Concourse bars. Tickets and Turnstile Gates 9 & 10.

Disabled Supporters Information
A total of 128 wheelchairs spaces are available in all stands. Entry is at ground level and the places are set well back from the pitch, offering excellent viewing and weather protection.

Smoking policy
The seated bowl, concourses, staircases, toilets and hospitality areas are all smoke free, and there are designated smoking areas as follows:

West & North Stand - Smokers are permitted to leave by way of reversible turnstiles at Gates 1-6, five minutes prior to half time. A steward will issue a pass-out ticket stating the gate number and date. Spectators will be able to return through the correct turnstile by giving up the voucher to the turnstile operator. The turnstiles will be closed five minutes after the start of the second half. No further re-admission will be permitted.

East Stand - Smokers are permitted to smoke outside Gates 7 and 8, within the secured compound, at a period of time after kick off as determined by the Safety Officer. This would normally be about 15 minutes after kick off.

South Stand - Smoking is not permitted in the South Stand and smokers are not permitted to leave or re-enter the Stand.

Hospitality guests - Outside main reception.

Madejski Stadium was opened on the site of a former household waste dump in August 1998, at a total cost of more than £50m. The high-class Royal Berkshire Conference Centre and the Millennium Madejski Hotel, as well as the £1m Indoor Training Centre.

It all adds up to an impressive facility for Reading Football Club, a highly ambitious club whose multi-millionaire Chairman John Madejski is determined to take taste life in the Premiership.

On the pitch, it hasn't all been plain sailing and the Club's early days at Madejski Stadium were spent in the murky depths of Division Two. But since 1999, the Royals' have enjoyed a dramatic upturn in fortunes - gaining promotion to Division One in 2002 and reaching the Premiership in 2006.

The magnificent playing arena has won high praise from sports fans all around the world, as has been named Europe's Best Mid-Sized Arena by American TV Sports Channel ESPN.

The stadium staged its first international sporting event in September 1999, when England's under 21 side gave minnows Luxembourg a 5-0 thumping in front of a crowd approaching 20,000. Since then, Reading has played host to more under 21 internationals as well as a memorable under 20 fixture against Germany in February, when local boy Nathan Tyson capped a memorable debut with two stunning strikes to give England victory.

Rugby League World Cup action has also taken place at Madejski Stadium, with New Zealand thrashing the Cook Islands in the autumn of 2000, while rugby union is regularly on the menu, with top English Premiership side London Irish playing all their home games here.

A number of concerts have taken place here, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Elton John.

Facts & figures
The Stadium's highest attendance to date was 24,122 for the Premiership game with Aston Villa in February 2007.

The first game staged here was a 3-0 victory against Luton Town on 22nd August 1998, played in front of 18,108 supporters.

The Stadium houses 28 Executive Suites, all with excellent views overlooking the pitch.

Reading FC Chairman John Madejski earned his fortune by founding the hugely successful Auto Trader magazine, and was awarded the OBE in 2000.

The four-star deluxe Millennium Madejski Hotel is operated by the Millennium Copthorne group.

The metallic posts topped with cylindrical discs surrounding the stadium are methane gas vents, built to accommodate the underground build-up of gases - the stadium was built on the site of a household waste dump!

There are long-term plans to build a rail link from the town centre to nearby business centre Green Park.

The pitch incorporates a complicated system of synthetic fibres interwoven with the natural grass - the renowned 'Desso' system, installed at a substantial cost.

The Royal Berkshire Conference Centre boasts one room with a capacity of 700, and four accommodating 100.

The Stadium's East Stand houses the Jazz Café, a fashionable live music venue.

Radio station Reading 107 are also housed in the East Stand.