On this day in 1999, the new Madejski Stadium saw it's first 20,000+ league crowd as giants Manchester City came to Reading.

A difficult season for Tommy Burns' men, the first back in the third tier since 1994 after relegation in Elm Park's final season, the Royals meandered to an 11th-placed finish.

More than 18,000 witnessed the first league game, a 3-0 win over Luton Town, but crowd's averaged around the 10,000 mark as performances on the field failed to draw in punters like the off-field move had planned.

However, Manchester City had fallen on hard times and were in their first ever third tier campaign.

Fighting for promotion, thousands trecked down from Maine Road and went home happy after beating Reading 3-1.

Future striker Shaun Goater, a legend for the Citizens, scored and Terry Cooke grabbed a brace.

Keith Scott grabbed a stoppage time consolation, and it would take another eight games for Reading to win.

Gaining promotion in a famous play-off final win over Gillingham, Manchester City are now on a different stratosphere to the Royals.

It would not be until May 2001 that 20,000 would cram into the now SCL Stadium for a league fixture.