Reading Abbey
Kilford includes everyone, ‘We’re
a Community Club. Every Sunday our
Rosehill ground is swamped by
young people – boys and
girls – they win trophies,
they tour, they have
fun. And we have a
successful ladies
team
playing
in South East
West 1. There’s
a place for
everybody.’
A b b e y
doesn’t hang
onto
top
talent admits
Kilford
‘but
it’s
important
the high fliers go
at the right time, to
the right place with the
right introduction.’ It clearly
works as three ex-youth Abbey
players, recently moved to Academies,
have won England international honours
this season, the Willis brothers Jack, at
under 20s and Tom at under 17s along
with Ben Loader. Ex Abbey youth,
Ben Reuben, benefiting from
the Exiles programme,
has
represented
Scotland at under
16 and under 18.
‘That’s
added
four
more
youngsters
to the three
we’ve
had
in the past,’
K i l f o r d
proudly says.
The
hard
w o r k i n g
Committee has
a busy agenda
to
upgrade
the
clubhouse facilities, to
keep growing the numbers,
increasing the finance, and
somehow plugging the leakage of late
teenage players. ‘They evaporate’ admits
Kilford, ‘whether it’s work, Uni, the
opposite sex, it’s tricky to keep them.’
The Rosehill ground of 24 acres in
South Oxfordshire is owned outright,
rare for this part of high value English
real estate. It meets the RFU’s funding
criteria for 3g artificial pitches so they
have people looking to get that. How do
they do it all? Kilford explains: ‘We’re
an amateur club, we don’t pay, players
pay subs and fund raise, local businesses
support us and we stage our great summer
event, the renowned Fat Boys Sevens’.
However he admits that like all volunteer
organisations, getting enough help can
be extremely difficult and the club often
relies on a small core of people to manage
and make things happen.
Ambitious Abbey wants more success,
the buzz of excitement helping to keep
projects on target. Whatever comes next,
Kilford and his hardworking team are
determined to stay on the upward curve.
OPENING TIMES:
12PM - 2.30PM & 6PM - 11PM
TUESDAY TO SUNDAY
Picasso is a family run restaurant offering a warm, friendly
atmosphere, serving authentic spanish, galician and
continental dishes.
We offer a large selection of home made tapas to suit all
tastes. Alternatively we have a comprehensive a la carte menu
which offers a wide variety of meat, poultry and fresh fish
dishes and of course the traditional Spanish Paella.
Whether you fancy a quick bite for lunch or a relaxed evening
meal, Picasso will ensure you enjoy a true taste of Spain.
BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT CALL 0118 948 4141
Address 6 Bridge Street, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire RG4 8AA
www.sportip.biz
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