Reading FC alter stance on youth match ticketing policy

The Royals operate one of the best Academy systems in the country and nearly 3,500 fans turned out for the PL2 play-off semi-final with Sunderland last season.

As a reward for finishing sixth in the country, Noel Hunt's Under-21s will line up in the Premier League International Cup this season.

Giants of the European game, including Ajax and Valencia, will visit the SCL Stadium this season in the group phase, the first time the club have appeared in the competition for over five years.

Tickets have now gone on sale for the visit of Ajax next Tuesday (7pm ko) and the club have explained that a £4 adult charge has been added for youth game fixtures, as has paid-for parking.

"For this season, all U21 matches at Select Car Leasing Stadium will be ticketed," the club acknowledged. "And, as we look to operate as financially sustainable as possible, we will need to charge for admission."

Explaining the decision below, the club noted: "Each event we host has significant operational costs and we need to ensure we can continue to provide a high standard of experience and safety for all attending fans. By introducing paid tickets, we can cover essential costs and offer fans an improved matchday experience, including:

• Reserved seating in the West Lower: For the first time, seating will be reserved to help maximise capacity and improve the overall fan experience.
• Enhanced catering facilities: With a clearer understanding of the expected crowd size, we are now able to provide catering services during these fixtures, adding value for supporters attending the matches.
• Parking charges: Similar to our EFL Trophy games, we will need to charge for parking to manage the safety and flow of vehicles and smooth operations for matchday logistics."

Supporters have taken positively to the decision and have, on the whole, confirmed it will make no difference to their decision to attend or not.