READING FC’s principal sponsors are giving 30 free tickets to young footballers for every home match this season.
Select Car Leasing will be inviting children at nearby clubs the chance to attend 23 Championship and 11 Women’s Super League games as part of its Tickets for Kids initiative.
Kidmore End FC under 10s, with their parents and siblings, were at the Select Car Leasing Stadium to watch Reading defeat Stoke City 2-1.
The Gallowstree Common side, who play in the Berkshire Youth Development League, witnessed striker Lucas Joao score twice to secure three points for the Royals.
The club’s treasurer and coach, David Bird, said: “The kids all had a fantastic time.
“For some it was their first game, and for others it was the first time they’ve ever seen Reading win.”
Whitley Youth under 15s will be making the short trip down to the ground to support Reading as they take on high-flying Norwich on Tuesday, October 4.
Team manager Maria Cox will bring 11 players, one of whom is her own son Reece, and their parents along to the night game.
Ms Cox said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to take the entire team to Reading FC to watch the match against Norwich.
“As a lifelong Reading fan, having been to watch the team when they played at Elm Park, it’s going to be a really special night for me.
“Lots of the boys in the team follow Reading. Our goalkeeper is already a season ticket holder, but for a lot of the players this will be the first time they will ever have seen a professional match.
“We’re going to use the occasion as a team-building event. We’ll also treat it as an opportunity to watch and to learn, spotting patterns of play and where the Reading players position themselves.”
Ms Cox is a community development worker at the Whitley Community Development Association, based on Northumberland Avenue.
She describes the team as a ‘second family’ for youngsters who wear the shirt.
“At Whitley Youth, we simply want to encourage the boys to carry on playing, even with all the distractions that come with being a teenager.
“And we’ve had some tough times. Some of the players actually lost parents during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“So for us to be able to give them a night to remember with this ticket donation really does make a difference.”
The Reading-headquartered company’s Tickets for Kids initiative was first launched last season.
It is open to junior football teams with players aged under 16.
The ballot process for the competition was open between August 4-25, with each club able to put forward one application.
Winners and matches were drawn and allocated at random.
Mark Tongue, director at Select Car Leasing, said: “As a company, we’re passionate about giving back to grassroots sport.
“I grew up playing football in the local area and, as a youngster, I would have loved the chance to go and watch my beloved Reading FC.
“So to now be able to provide such opportunities to hundreds of youngsters is one of the most rewarding things we can do as a socially-responsible business.”
Reading FC’s head of commercial, Tim Kilpatrick, added: “We’re extremely fortunate to work with a principal partner in Select Car Leasing, who are so passionate about our community and our future generation of fans.
“Community and grassroots engagement is key to the club’s growth and success, so we’re proud to work with Select in welcoming new clubs and hopefully new, lifelong, fans to the stadium for each and every matchday.”
