For over a century, Elm Park was the heart of Reading Football Club. Opened in 1896, it served as the Royals’ home until 1998, witnessing countless highs and lows, from Southern League battles to the club’s rise through the Football League. Nestled in the heart of Berkshire, Reading FC has long been a cornerstone of English football, with a devoted fanbase that once packed Elm Park’s terraces in all weathers.
Elm Park 1996 is a collection of photographs by Tony Davis documenting typical 90s matchdays at Reading FC’s former home, Elm Park.
Focusing on the supporters and the stadium, the photo series takes in two matches, a 0-0 draw in the old First Division with Watford during the 1995-6 season and a 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers in the League Cup at the start of the 1996-97 season.
Elm Park 1996 | Tony Davis
Collection of photographs that document matchdays at Elm Park football stadium, the former home of Reading Football Club, in 1996.
A limited edition A5 zine, containing 31 black and white photographs over 44 pages.
The limited edition A5 zine contains 31 black and white photographs spread over 44 pages, and includes an introduction written by Roger Titford – former chairman of the Reading Supporters’ Club and author of Rusting Tin & Shiny Plastic – from Elm Park to the Madejski Stadium. The zine is avaliable to pre-order now, with dispatch expected April 2025. In addition and to support the release of the photo zine, Lower Block is offering a stunning archival print by Tony Davis, capturing the atmosphere of Elm Park during Reading’s 1-1 League Cup draw against Wycombe Wanderers in 1996.
Elm Park, 1996
Elm Park football stadium 1996, the former home of Reading FC.
Archival Giclée print with a pearl finish, unframed.
“Just two years after these were shot, Elm Park would be no more. The ground had an old-school charm with a tight pitch and passionate fans packed into its terraces. Its peak capacity was around 33,000, though safety regulations later reduced it. By the 1990s, it was clear Elm Park couldn’t meet modern standards, leading to Reading’s move to the Madejski Stadium in 1998.
Elm Park was unassuming ground really, a proper football relic – it was really run down, and conditions were really poor. It was all very ordinary and very basic – rust coming through, paint peeling off, signage out of line, which always makes great photographs.
However, it also had the fact you could congregate in open spaces around the pitch, within the ground. Work friends and families, all hanging out together, in open terraces. A community cub which is how football should be. It’s exactly how I grew up watching football. It was just £8 an adult and £5 junior. It was a family thing, so you had mums and aunties there as well. Mainly blokes with a small splattering of women.” Tony Davis
Through Tony Davis’ archival photographic work, Lower Block’s photo zine, Elm Park 1996, revisits the ground during its final years, capturing the spirit, character, and nostalgia of a stadium that still holds a cherished place in the hearts of Reading supporters.
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