EASTLEIGH have donated all the tennis balls collected from the Reading owner protest to Nightingale Primary School.
The FA Cup second-round tie between Eastleigh and Reading came to a halt on Sunday, December 3 when the travelling Reading fans threw tennis balls, flares and fake money onto the Silverlake pitch.
The game comes to a standstill as the Reading fans protest against their owner Dai Yongge. #Spitfires | #EmiratesFACup | #ReadingFC pic.twitter.com/R4cwNzb2LS
— George Rees-Julian (@rees_julian) December 3, 2023
The action was done in protest against Reading owner Dai Yongge and marked the first time that Royals fans had carried out a protest like this away from their home stadium this season.
All of the tennis balls collected from Sunday's #EmiratesFACup game against Reading have been donated to Nightingale Primary School! 🎾#Spitfires pic.twitter.com/dPnI6kB7mr
— Eastleigh FC (@EastleighFC) December 7, 2023
The Spifitres eventually won the game 2-1 and progressed to the third round of the competition thanks to a late goal from Paul McCallum.
England and Arsenal legend Ian Wright, who was on punditry duty for ITV, said before the game: "How did they (the owners) get in this position when they’ve got previous form of doing this? Reading are the sixth oldest club in the EFL. I’m totally with the Reading fans.”
He later took to social media to add: "Solidarity with you all. Fans were brilliant today."
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