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London Irish

General Information

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Ground Information

There have been many developments over the years, including a move out to Madejski Stadium where London Irish now play all their home matches, but it is The Avenue that the Exiles find their spirtual home.

Sunbury-on-Thames has been the home of London Irish since 1931 when the club bought 11 acres of land off the then Avenue Road for the ‘huge’ sum of £1,280.

The intention was to provide a home from home for wandering Irish men and women regardless of creed or politics and a welcoming and hospitable venue to entertain rugby players and supporters from all over the world. Excluding the period 1940-1959 when the first XV played at Blackheath, the Sunbury grounds have been the home of the Exiles since then.

Over the decades the property has been developed to provide playing, training, administration and hospitality facilities that befit the club’s status among the leading clubs not just in England but also in Europe.

Today the Avenue provides not only the administration and training headquarters for the professional squad, it is also the base for the London Irish England Rugby Academy and the Amateur Club.

The Madejski Stadium, a 24,200 capacity all-seater ‘bowl’ design, opened in August 1998 and has quickly established a reputation as one of the best of its kind.

Built to a total cost of £50m, the Stadium complex also houses a first class Conference Centre and four-star deluxe hotel, and ESPN recently voted the stadium as the best mid-sized arena in Europe. In addition, in the summer of 1999 ‘Match of the Day’ magazine readers voted the Stadium as the third best stadium in the country behind Old Trafford and Highbury!

There has also been national and international recognition as the Stadium was chosen to host England under 21 football internationals, the Rugby Union 2001 European Shield Final and the Rugby League World Cup fixture between New Zealand and the Cook Islands in November 2000.

The Stadium is named after Reading Football Club Chairman John Madejski OBE, DL who successfully founded the ‘Auto Trader’ magazine and contributed a significant amount of his personal fortune to the construction of the Stadium.

Madejski Stadium is located less than a mile from Junction 11 of the M4, and has more than 2,000 parking spaces. On football matchdays, parking facilities are also available at the nearby Compaq offices and Reading Speedway Stadium. Shuttle bus services from the town centre are also available to supporters.

The A33 relief road gives a direct link from the motorway, but the roads in the area are very busy, and queuing can be expected exiting the M4 and then all the way to the Stadium. Car parking is extensive, but very popular and under extreme demand, so travelling by train to Reading Central and then by shuttle bus is recommended whenever possible.

Directions to the Ground

Leave the M4 (Juction 11) and head for Reading on the A33. At the first roundabout, take the second left onto the Reading Relief Road, passing the stadium on your left. At the next roundabout (past McDonalds) take the first left onto Northern Way and follow signs to car parks.
The nearest railway station is Reading but a shuttle bus service operates on matchdays.
2,000 parking spaces are available at the ground and there are other car parks nearby.

By Rail:

Great Western Trains

Leave London Paddington at least 5 times per hour and take approximately 23 minutes. www.greatwesterntrains.co.uk
South West Trains
South West Trains from London Waterloo to Reading take approximately 90 minutes via Clapham Junction, Putney, Richmond, Twickenham, Egham, Bracknell and Wokingham amongst other mainline stations. www.southwesttrains.com

Virgin Trains

Virgin Trains travel via Reading from London Paddington. www.virgin.com For general train timetable enquiries, call 08457 48 49 50, or go to National Rail’s online timetable at www.nationalrail.co.uk or click on the train icon above. Reading Station return (shuttle) buses: Fastrack frequent service starts from outside the Railway Station, two hours prior to kick off. £2.60 adult and £1.30 child return. The return service leaves from the bus stop near the stadium in Northern Way.

Parking:
Red Car Park at the Madejski Stadium
There is limited car park availability at the Stadium in the Red Car Park. The cost of parking is £7 and operates on a ‘first come first serve basis’
The Worton Grange (formally HP)
Car park will open on a match by match basis.Imperial Way Roundabout A33: Signposted Matchday Parking. Ten minutes walk from the stadium. Directions: From Junction 11, M4, proceed towards Reading along the A33 dual carriageway, turn right at the 1st major roundabout onto Imperial Way and Worton Grange car park will be visible on the right hand corner. 1000 spaces £8 tariff.
Town Centre car parks and Railway Station Bus Service
Parking available within town centre car parks (appropriate parking fee applies). Garrard Street Reading Station Reading Station return (shuttle) buses - Fastrack frequent service starts from outside the Railway Station, two hours prior to kick off. £2.80 Adult return, £1.40 Child return and £4.30 Family of 5. The return service leaves from the bus stop near the stadium in Northern Way.

Admission Prices

Irish have ticket prices ranging from as little as £7 to Under 16’s to £35 for Adults.  Different stands vary in price.  They also offer student prices, Over 60’s and Family tickets.

For more information, please visit https://www.london-irish.com/TicketPricing.ink

Local Rivals

Harlequins, Wasps, and Saracens.

Attendance Figures

Last Year in the 2007/08 Guinness Premiership Season, Irish finished 6th in the attendance table with an overall attendance of 109,449.
2006/07 2nd 163,103
2005/06 4th 120,511
2004/05 6th 103,110
2003/04 4th 117,231
2002/03 4th 109,128
2001/02 6th 79,791

Hotel Accomodation

Crescent Hotel
35 Coley Avenue
Reading, Berkshire
RG1 6LL
Tel: 01189507980
Fax: 01189574299
[email protected]

Millennium Madejski Hotel
Junction 11, M4
Reading
UK RG2 0FL
T: 0118 925 3500
F: 0118 925 3501

Copthorne Hotel Reading
Pingewood
Reading
Berkshire RG30 3UN

T: 0118 9500 885
F: 0118 9391 996