[7] The Town End terrace was improved in 1931 as a result of Supporters' Club's 'one shilling' scheme, whilst the central section of the South Bank was roofed in 1936.

[8] The Tilehurst End was rebuilt in 1957: the railway sleepers had become rotten and weed-infested and were replaced with four-inch high concrete steps.

Talk of a two-tiered south stand re-emerged as crowds briefly topped 15,000, but relegation to Division Four, where the club remained for five years, prevented this from happening.

[9] The increase of football hooliganism in the 1970s led to the club erecting fencing at their end of the South Bank, completely separating each of the four stands for the first time.

[10] The teams' merger and closure of the stadium was subsequently averted and the following season saw Reading's promotion back to Division Three under the guidance of Ian Branfoot.

[12] The Reading Chronicle reported his desire for a "10,000 all-seater stadium in the Smallmead area which would be linked to commercial use and incorporate a leisure complex".

In 1984, the proposal for the club's move to the Smallmead area of Reading was noted in the local government's Kennet Valley Plan.

[12] For six years between 1979 and 1985 there was no league match that attracted a gate higher than 10,000 at Elm Park, in a downward trend echoed by the rest of English football.

[12] The first match of the attracted less than 4,000 spectators,[13] however Reading were forced to lock people out of their game against Bolton Wanderers as the club embarked on a thirteen-match winning run from the start of the league season.

Reading introduced an identity card scheme ahead of the government's proposed legislation on the topic, which would've required all supporters to be registered with a Football League club.

[16] It was required for entry to the South Bank, and fences were introduced at the front of the stands to prevent home and away supporters from entering the field of play.

The Taylor Report regarding the 1989 Hillsborough disaster recommended all-seater stadia become compulsory in the top two divisions of English football, something which was to be introduced for the 1994–95 season.

[17] In 1992, the club believed they had seven years before they had to be playing at an all-seater stadium and the Footballing Licencing Authority had concerns about the safety of the Town End.

[22] The last competitive match at Elm Park took place on 3 May 1998 against Norwich City, with Reading losing 1–0, having already been relegated to Division Two, to a 57th-minute goal by a young Craig Bellamy.

[24] Reading played Sheffield Wednesday in a pre-season friendly at the ground prior to the start of the following season, winning 3–0 in front of a 7,500 crowd.

Two testimonials, for Fred Neate and Michael Gilkes, and an over-35s tournament, featuring a Supporters' Club team, followed before the contents of the ground were auctioned off.

[27] Reading's greatest ticket revenue was on 27 January 1996, when the club hosted Manchester United in the fourth round of the 1995–96 FA Cup.