From Sunbury to Reading

Home?
By BrianC and Loobs
April 12 2004

Over the next couple of weeks we will be publishing a series of articles looking at our club and the changes that have taken place in the transition from Sunbury to Reading. In this first article of the series we look at for our departure from Sunbury and our curtailed tenancy at the Stoop

1 – Farewell Sunbury

For some considerable time, until the 1998/9 season the London Irish home base was at The Avenue in Sunbury. This was, indeed still is, owned by the club. For many years, particularly after the advent of professional rugby and the Dunbar/Zurich Premiership, London Irish had been trying to redevelop the ground. It was frankly too small for the professional era. As the ground was in a residential area, Spelthorne Council, with some justification (and a vocal set of objectors) although it didn’t feel like that at the time, rejected all the clubs applications to develop it.

Whilst there was much to find fault in at Sunbury, too small, lack of facilities, etc, etc, those of us who knew it developed a deep affection for the place. It oozed London Irish history. The bar was great, win or lose it was jumping after games. The food and drink, by the standard of sports venues, was good. Above all it was ours; it was home. Pressure of numbers and inability to develop The Avenue meant that we had to move, the 1999/0 season saw us doing this to The Stoop in a two year ground sharing arrangement.

My memories of our time at The Stoop are mostly fond ones. There were initial teething problems, in particular it took a while to get the bar sorted out, but The Stoop is a great rugby ground. The East stand bar was a spacious and comfortable venue for the Craic. Perhaps most important of all it was still a local venue for the supporter base. On and off the field we made a success of the Stoop, so much so that we terrified our landlords. Matters came to a head when the Sunday Times wrote an article comparing the atmosphere at the Quins and LI home games. It was entitled ‘Quins Put to Shame as Craic Team Take Over The Stoop’. Our two year agreement was terminated a year early and we found ourselves at very short notice in search of a new ground in which to play. I believe it was Gabriel who at the time on the Rivals board resurrected the phrase ‘Never trust an English landlord.’

In the next article we’ll look at our arrival in Reading and the ‘Reading Four’ effect.