Reading Football Club chairman Rob Couhig has announced a £5 million upgrade programme for the Select Car Leasing Stadium to be carried out this summer. The project aims to improve facilities at the home ground in Reading, Berkshire, ahead of the 2026/27 football season.
The planned improvements include a complete reconstruction of the pitch, which involves digging down several feet to replace the base. The stadium will also be fitted with new synchronised floodlights and modern LED advertising boards. For matchday visitors, the club has confirmed plans to refurbish the bathrooms and introduce a new fan village. Additionally, safe standing areas are set to be installed around Club 1871 and in the top rows of the away end.
Beyond physical upgrades, the club intends to change how the stadium is managed. Mr Couhig plans to hire a full-time venue director to help increase the use of the Select Car Leasing Stadium. The goal is to move beyond the current 25 to 30 matchdays per year and host concerts and other community events on more than 100 days annually.
These investments follow the 2025 takeover of the club by Redwood Holdings Limited, a company owned by Rob Couhig and Todd Trosclair. The stadium, which is located near Junction 11 of the M4 motorway, currently faces annual operating costs of £2.5 million. The club also pays £1.5 million in yearly rent, an expense that accounts for roughly £1 out of every £3 in matchday revenue.
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