A Reading FC fan mural is almost complete, and artist Chris Rutterford is overjoyed that there appears to be many ‘very happy people’.

As part of the football club’s 150th anniversary celebrations, mural artist Mr Rutterford was tasked with creating two murals of supporters to go up on the outer walls of the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

With one mural picturing 2006 Championship winning manager Steve Coppell and the other with 2012 Championship winning manager Brian McDermott, Mr Rutterford erected the first mural in 2021, with the second section expected to be completed before the end of the season.

No stranger to crowd murals, Mr Rutterford has been painting designs such as this for over eight years, but states the strong feeling of responsibility never dwindles.

Reading Chronicle:

Above: Artist Chris Rutterford with two supporters who are on teh mural.

 

Speaking exclusively to the Reading Chronicle, he said: “It's a big responsibility.

“The trick is to focus on one portrait at a time, give it 100% attention, and then pick yourself up and give the next person your full, undivided attention because everyone deserves that.

“It’s no good to do one and let my standards slip.

“We decided when we were halfway through, we thought it would be better to come down and hang up that section so people could see the quality of what I was making.

“I thought people who had already bought into it deserved to see themselves on the stadium.

“There were a few portraits that we didn’t have space for in the first mural and we’re now just getting the last few portraits in.

“It’s been a long journey, but I think it’s looking really good and there seems to be a lot of happy people.

With a back catalogue containing the likes of a Glasgow Rangers sports bar and a Hogmanay museum, a football stadium is a canvas like no other.

Reading Chronicle:

Above: Chris Rutterford with his partner Lubi, and Reading manager Veljko Paunovic

 

Mr Rutterford feels the significance of the mural and hopes to achieve his vision.

He enthused: “I feel a football club is a natural place for a thing like this.

“There is a frustration that Elm Park was full of character built up over a number of years, but the new stadiums are lacking character.

“I feel that putting the fans that are on the inside of the stadium onto the outside of the stadium reflects the soul of the ground.”

 

READ MORE: Reading FC side to face Reading School in rematch of 1872 fixture

 

This is just one of the many events involving the Royals to commemorate 150 years of history.

Click here to find the full list of celebrations.