Reading FC Woment are ‘coming home’, the club has announced with certain games to be played at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
According to a statement released by the club on Thursday last week, Reading FC Women are back under the Reading FC club umbrella, selected games to be played in the Select Car Leasing Stadium and players will train and have access to Bearwood Park training ground.
Two years after the club almost disappeared, two years after enforced demotion from the WSL, and two years after the Reading FC Community Trust saved the team, Reading FC Women are home.
The statement put out by the club states that “Rick Catania and Alec Lundberg will serve as Co-Operating Managers of Reading Women, helping to oversee the strategic development and growth of the women’s and girls’ programme as it returns to the wider football club.”
It continues: “The club can also confirm that Women’s First Team Manager Ed Jackson-Norris and Head of Women’s and Girls’ Football Emma Hopkins will remain in their current roles as part of the new structure, continuing the work that has helped sustain and develop the programme in recent years.”
Reading Football Club was one of the first professional clubs in the country – preceeding even Arsenal – to bring all its Women’s matches into its main venue in 2020 following the departure of London Irish Rugby Club to Brentford.
Then, the team were playing in the top-tier FA WSL and boasted Fara Williams, Danielle Carter and Rachel Rowe, as well as briefly, Welsh legend Jess Fishlock.
In 2024, it was confirmed that Reading would be demoted to tier five despite surviving a relegation battle in the WSL 2. The Reading FC Community Trust took over the running of the team and games have been played at Slough Town’s Arbour Park for the last two season in the Southern Region Women’s League Premier Division.
Football in Berkshire contacted Reading Football Club about where the team would play when not at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. A spokesperson told us there will be an announcement in due course about the team’s home ground.
