Promotion Celebrations with the Fans

From here on in, I will let the pictures tell the story. How on a cold damp Saturday afternoon in March 2006, in one corner of an empty Walkers Stadium in Leicester, the players, management and 3,000 travelling fans celebrated promotion to the Premiership. It was maybe sad that promotion could not have been won at the Madejski Stadium in front of more fans, but for all those fans that were there, it was maybe made all the more special because they were the privileged few.

With the Championship still to play for, the rest of the home fans would still have a chance to celebrate the next target, promotion as Champions.

Travelling Royals Fans hear the promotion news

News of promotion gets through to the players

and it's smiles all round

This scarf says it all as fans show their joy at winning promotion

Marcus Hahnemann salutes the fans

Steve Coppell gets ready to lose his coat...!!!!

John Madejski and Steve Coppell show their joy

Steve Sidwell goes a little "over the top"

Glen Little applauds the travelling fans.

As Glen Little left the chaning room, he hung his matchday pass round my neck, not sure why but it made a nice momento of the day.

The "Management" team come together to celebrate promotion

Just in case anyone was in any doubt....!!!!

More happy faces..............

.....and a "silly" one.....!!!!

Graeme Murty arm in arm with kit man Ron Grant

New boy Shane Long applauds the crowd

Reading fans to wild with delight................

some more than others.........!!!!!

After sometime celebrating with the fans, pictures taken, and generally everyone having a great time, the players and staff slowly began to make their way back to the changing rooms. With nothing left to photograph and needing to catch my breath, I began to disassemble my camera for the second time since the game had finished. Now pack away, and chatting with my opo, I felt a tug on my sleeve. It was Craig Mortimer, now Communications Manager at Reading FC, "Hey mate", he whispered, "come with me and bring a camera", he sounded out of breath having run across the pitch to fetch us. What, bring a camera, it's not that easy to just bring a camera. I quickly unpacked my gear a-g-a-i-n, attached lens and flashgun, and was told to follow him. We ran, he ran, I followed at a more sedate pace, I wasn't going to leave my gear unprotected beside the pitch, while I was going god knows where. By the time I caught him up, just inside the tunnel, it was my turn to be out of breath, and with no time to explain,  on again into the stand.

When he finally stopped outside a door some way inside the stand, I only had the briefest of chances to see where we were, before the door was opened and I was shoved through............

To be continued.......