Tuesday night saw the annual Reading Sport Awards take place at the Hilton Reading and have showcased the wealth of sporting talent in the town since first being launched in 1998.
The annual awards shine a spotlight on clubs, schools and colleges that have celebrated a special sporting achievement in the past twelve months along with individuals who deserve recognition for their long service or outstanding achievement.
Everyone at Reading City Football Club would like to congratulate our long-standing partner John Madejski Academy who took home the coveted ‘School of the Year’ award.
Since 2018, we have proudly been partnered with John Madejski Academy. A partnership which has led two over 200 games being played where a graduate or current student of their Football Performance Programme has consecutively featured for our First Team competing at Step 5 of the FA’s National League System giving talented young players a pathway into men’s football and into the football pyramid.
The partnership also provides our Reading City Youth Academy with a pathway for their Post 16 education, our pathway is therefore unmatched & the best for youngsters in Reading.
As a club we have a proven record of pushing players on to higher levels in the non-league pyramid with former graduates of the John Madejski Academy Football Performance Programme leaving RG30 to play at Step 4 and Step 2 of the FA’s National League System.
Since 2018, Students of the John Madejski Academy Football Performance had the honour of representing Reading City Football Club in the FA Youth Cup, reaching the Second Round Proper in the 2021/22 Season.
Earlier this year, our partnership with John Madejski Academy grew even stronger. With the club now fielding it’s own Under 18s Squad a historic pre-season friendly was held at the John Madejski Academy where we faced our counterparts to prepare for our inaugral season in the Allied Counties Football League.
This year’s FA Cup Campaign also saw a combined Reading City Football Club and John Madejski Academy squad competing for the cup with members of our own Under 18s squad featuring for the first time as our partnership continues to go from strength to strength.
Club Chairman, Martin Law had this to say:
“On behalf of everyone at Reading City Football Club, I would like to congratulate our friends at John Madejski Academy who were deservedly crowned school of the year at this years Reading Sport Awards. They have had a terrific year with their performance Squad winning their fourth National Football Youth League title in eight seasons both their Boys & Girls First Teams winning their National Football Youth League Premier Division.
A huge well done to everyone at John Madejski Academy. Whilst we predominantly work with their Football Performance Programme here at Reading City Football Club. It’s brilliant to see the hard work and dedication that goes into all sports at JMA recognised.”
