A bench in Calcot has been unveiled to commemorate Reading FC’s first ever black player, Andy Alleyne.
A trailblazer at the club, Alleyne became Reading Football Club’s first ever black player when he made his debut for the club in 1972.
After impressing for the reserve side, Alleyne was selected to play in Reading’s Division Four fixture against Southport on October 21, 1972.
Playing at right-back, he made it a debut to remember when he netted with an incredible strike from the halfway line in front of 4,836 fans at Elm Park.
The bench was first commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of his debut and is finally now in place in Corsham Road following work from Hospital Radio Reading and Holybrook Parish Council.
Alleyne passed away from bowel cancer in June 2012 and the bench is now in place just behind the house where he and his family lived in the eastern part of Calcot Linear Park.
The Parish Council hosted an opening ceremony on Sunday which was attended by Andy’s family and council chairman Cllr Claire Tull among others.
