Away Day Tales: Episode 3 - Griffin Park (20th April 2002)
Having started my Away Day Tales talking about 2 defeats (Liverpool at Anfield and Oxford United at The Manor Ground), I'm going to break the mould and talk about better times - a draw.
The poll at the end of my last article proved to be tight with my vote being the decisive one. So let me take you back 9 years to the last match in the 2001 / 2002 season.
It had a been a good season for Reading and our push for promotion had gone down to the final game. We were sitting 2nd in Division 2 (now called League One) and our final match was away to 3rd placed Brentford. Avoid defeat and we would be promoted.
☝ Taken from the matchday programme
Being another uncovered terrace, we were fortunate with the weather and were bathed in sunshine from the moment of our arrival. We got the perfect spot at the back of the terrace and prepared ourselves for a nervy afternoon away to a team that had lost once at home all season.
We defended stoutly but on 51 minutes the deadlock was broken and Brentford scored. Shit. We started to prepare ourselves for another play-off experience and inevitably, another play-off failure. Griffin Park exploded. The noise deafening. Brentford were going up. Brentford's manager Steve Coppell (later to be Reading's manager) barely flinched in celebration. Brentford were clearly on top and things really didn't look good.
Until 13 minutes to go, Adi Viveash hoofed a free kick forwards, Parky flicked it on and it fell to the man you hoped it would in the 6-yard box. Jamie Cureton. With the coolness that only he was capable of, at a time when it was needed more than ever, he prodded the ball over Paul Smith and we went fucking mental. Seriously mental. If there was a roof above us, it would've been blown off. (It's actually difficult to type this without getting emotional even now.) For the 1st time in my life, I was going to see my beloved Reading get promoted.
What felt like many lifetimes later, the final whistle went and the celebrations really began. My friends had optimistically painted a banner that morning which read: "We are going up" and it was time to unravel it for the world to see. Has a draw ever brought such joy? I very much doubt it. The Brentford fans didn't accept defeat very well.
It's telling that in the highlights, 2/3rds is footage of us celebrating.
When the team bus returned to the Madejski Stadium, jubilant fans awaited them. Many players deciding to celebrate with them on top of the team bus, I can't remember any other team ever celebrating like this.
So a draw instead of my usual tales of defeat. But so much sweeter than many a victory that could be written about.
I think this is the first time I've written about the game more than the journey to get there! I think we went by car. I can't remember 🤣
I'd love it if you could suggest another ground for me to write about in the comments. It'll be flares and fireworks in Rotherham otherwise.
Previous Away Day Tales
Episode 1 - Anfield (20th October 2012)
Episode 2 - The Manor Ground (17th March 1998)