Welcome to all Exiled Royals Supporters
For those Reading supporters who live away from the town, whether North or South, UK or abroad, then STAR Exiles is for you. We cater for all exiled Royals fans, wherever you are and whatever the reason for being away. Whether you’ve permanently upped sticks or you’re temporarily away from home at University or College – you may just be on holiday and want to meet up on your travels?
Our main aim is to put fellow Royals supporters in touch with each other primarily through our regional branches in the UK and Overseas. We hope you take advantage of the opportunity to join STAR Exiles. With hundreds of exiled members and many others who’ve contacted us, you may not be far from another Royals fan. You’ll find a warm welcome amongst our members, and we’re sure membership will be worthwhile.
Members will have the full benefits of STAR membership and if you’re able to get to the UK we can help you with matchday tickets to watch the Royals play. Despite the distances, we want you to feel involved with the Club and as much part of STAR as our UK based fans. For your convenience, there are a number of ways of joining STAR Exiles – you can contact us at overseas.royals@star-reading.org.
We no longer run our Exiles discussion forum on Yahoo Groups but keen for any members to join us on our UK & Worldwide Exiles facebook page as well as our other dedicated Exiles group facebook pages.
STAR UK EXILES
NORTHERN & SCOTLAND BRANCH –STAR Northern Royals began as the Yorkshire Royals in the 1995/6 season to cater for northern based fans. Renamed to reflect our wider membership the group has grown steadily to around 80 members.
Many of us meet up before local games and at the Mad Stad whenever possible, travelling to games together and enjoying the occasional social event. Phil Parkinson attended one of our evenings in his testimonial year and we often welcome fans from STAR coaches to our Buxton hotel venue.
For a number of years, we have arranged block seat bookings for home and away games, now including a “Northern Away Season Ticket”. If you live in the north (or know someone who does), contact us at northern.royals@star-reading.org for more details.
MIDLANDS BRANCH – STAR Midland Royals have been in existence since 2003 serving fans from the central counties of England – “Putting Reading at the heart of English football”.
Members enjoy meeting up at local games and the group organises match tickets through the RFC & STAR Exiles arrangements. We hold social evenings (particularly around Christmas) and persuaded John Madejski to join us at one event a couple of years ago! For more information contact us at midland.royals@star-reading.org.
SOUTH-WEST BRANCH -STAR South-West Royals was re-launched for the 2009/10 season slightly later than planned with a good number of Royals fans based in the region.
We aim to bring together the dozens of supporters who travel up the M4 to the Mad Stad every fortnight, and like other exiled groups we also hope to encourage more travel to away games. We look forward to many of you joining us, so please get in touch via southwest.royals@star-reading.org.
STAR OVERSEAS EXILES
If you are a Reading supporter living abroad we have a number of regional Exiles groups around the world.
United States Branch
STAR USA Royals was launched in April 2008 after much interest from soccer fans in America who decided to adopt Reading FC as their team in the English leagues. The greater goal of the group is to create a network of branches throughout the United States that can cater to the local needs of Reading fans on a more personal level. Membership is growing steadily and we are keen to hear from more US based fans.
Branch affairs are handled stateside by joint chairmen, Jeff Reihle and Mark Laudslager, and both are keen to encourage other US Royals fans to join them. We can put you in touch with other supporters in the States, sharing your interest in the Football Club via our STAR Exiles forum or maybe you live close enough to watch televised games together. Contact us at usa.royals@star-reading.org
South Georgia Branch
The formation of the South Georgia Royals followed community and training links originally set up in 2007 between youth soccer team South Georgia United and RFC staff coach Lee Herron.
Friendships were born that exceeded just the local club’s when Herron and other Reading coaches travelled to the US for training sessions in addition to visits by SGU Director of Coaching, Lee Blenman, to Hogwood. There was so much appreciation for what the club did for South Georgia that Chip Harp and close friend John Romaine worked to assure there would be a lasting association between Reading and their supporters in South Georgia.
Since this original event the group and other locals have kept vigil for the Royals through game viewing parties and Reading-themed events. Through STAR Exiles the supporters group looks forward to both a closer and more active association with the club. Further information can be obtained from the co-ordinator Chip Harp at southgeorgia.royals@star-reading.org.
Australia & New Zealand Branch
Formed in 2009 STAR Australian Royals aims to co-ordinate exiled Royals fans living in Australia and New Zealand. We already have a small group of recruits from several states and with many families having emigrated down-under over the year’s, there’s bound to be others who’ll find this branch of benefit. If this is you or you know family and friends in the region, please get in touch.
STAR Australian Royals aims to co-ordinate Royals fans living in Australia & New Zealand and is run by Paul Hill from Adelaide, South Australia. You can contact Paul at australian.royals@star-reading.org
With such vast countries to cover, our exclusive Exiles Forum will enable STAR Australian Royals members to get in touch with other Royals fans in their part of the world. Through the Forum, they can also link up with all STAR Overseas and UK Exiles, to share their interest in Reading FC.
Scandanavian Branch
A group of Swedish fans who’ve been following the Royals for a number of years, have joined forces with STAR Exiles to create our Scandinavian branch. STAR Viking Royals founder members have taken to following Reading FC after an interest in the music festival alerted them to the Club some time ago. Both Swedish and English speaking fans are welcome to join the group, which already has an active RFC Forum on the svenskafans website.
You can also visit their Facebook page.
For more information contact Gunnar at viking.royals@star-reading.org
Irish Branch
The Irish branch was formed in February 2011. The STAR Ireland Royals are co-ordinated by David Corbett from Dublin.
You can follow the STAR Ireland group on the STAR Ireland facebook site.
If you live in Ireland and want to join the Exiles group you can contact David Corbett for more information at star.ireland@star-reading.org
Jersey Branch
Jonathan Corfe started the STAR Jersey Exile Royals early 2011 and supporters on the island can contact Jonathan for more information at jerseyexile.royals@star-reading.org
Malta Branch
The STAR Malta Royals were formed in February 2011 co-ordinated by Paul Schembri who can be contacted at malta.royals@star-reading.org
You can also visit STAR Malta on Facebook where Paul has posted many photos of his trips to the UK to watch the Royals, including ‘that day at Wembley’ and his annual Beach BBQ held in July!
You can also visit and join in with Malta Exiles own Twitter page.
What's Involved in running a STAR Exiles Branch?
STAR Exiles Branches are run by members for members so we need a volunteer to act as “Chairman”, co-ordinating the group and liaising with STAR. STAR Board needs to approve setting up a new branch, so if you’re keen and there are a few other Royals fans interested, let us know and we’ll get things started.
We have established some basic Branch Committee Rules and Operating Procedures and Conditions to help you run the branch, which also ensures everyone follows the same ideas and maintains our benefits with RFC. If you organise any events or otherwise handle any money on behalf of the group you’ll need to keep accounts and agree them annually with the branch members.
Most UK branch members will appreciate the match ticket arrangements, which take a bit of time and effort, but otherwise it is up to the group to do whatever you want – within reason!! Overseas members can also get tickets but mainly try to meet up and watch live TV matches whenever they can and depending how close they are.
Everyone has different ideas what they want from a branch, but the main factor for people joining is often getting together and sharing their interest in following the Royals, meeting up at games, sharing travelling and watching live TV matches together.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure about anything, our Exiles Co-ordinator is here to help you with any questions you might have, either before you start or when your branch is up and running. We appreciate that everyone is a volunteer so you can choose to do as much or as little as you can manage.
Benefit of joining STAR Exiles
STAR Exiles are currently co-ordinated by Johnny Hunt who is available for advice and support for all Regional Branches as well as individual Exiles members both within the UK and overseas.
Johnny can be contacted at johnny.hunt@star-reading.org.
Benefits of Exiles membership include:
Regional Exiles Branches – we have established Exiles groups both in the UK and Overseas, with plans for more to come. UK members regularly meet up for games and the occasional social event, whilst those abroad share their interest watching live TV matches whenever they can. Branches are run by members for members so we always need volunteers to help.
You can download a copy of the current Exiles Branch Map showing the locations of the UK Exiles Groups and postcode areas by clicking on the map below.
Benefits of Exiles membership include:
Regional Exiles Branches – we have established Exiles groups both in the UK and Overseas, with plans for more to come. UK members regularly meet up for games and the occasional social event, whilst those abroad share their interest watching live TV matches whenever they can. Branches are run by members for members so we always need volunteers to help.
You can download a copy of the current Exiles Branch Map showing the locations of the UK Exiles Groups and postcode areas by clicking on the map below.
RFC Match Tickets – RFC & STAR recognise that it is not easy for exiled fans to accumulate Royalty points when living away and have introduced a scheme to help you get match tickets. Conditions apply but subject to a few rules we can generally arrange tickets to Royals games at home and away, which is a great help for those needing to arrange travel well in advance – especially if you are living abroad.
STAR Member Benefits – As with all STAR members you’ll receive various benefits, including STAR souvenirs and 20 Royalty points for joining STAR. You can attend the Fans Forums and you’ll also receive regular newsletters which you can choose to arrive by post or e-mail.
STAR Travel – there’s nothing stopping you getting on the STAR member coaches to Royals away matches if it’s convenient for you to travel via Reading.
STAR Member Representation – STAR regularly meet the football Club management who take a genuine interest in our members views. Johnny Hunt, the Exiles Co-ordinator is an active member of the STAR Board representing exiled fans and giving you a voice within the organisation.