A plaque was unveiled recently for The Royals second most successful boss in history, Ted Drake (1912-1995), who was in charge from 1947-1952 when they competed in the old Third Division South (currently League One).
During his five year spell, Reading narrowly missed out on promotion to the Second Division (now Championship) finishing runners up twice in 1949 and 1952 when only the winners of the leagues could earn promotion.
The former Southampton gas inspector would eventually clinch silverware during his managerial career within three seasons of leaving Elm Park, lifting Chelsea their first major honour in history- the 1955 First Division title, becoming the first player then manager to win the top-flight of English football after his heroic spell at Arsenal as a lethal striker.
_(Image: Liam Harding)_
It was at Arsenal where he made a name for himself initially at the forefront of the attack when he lifted two league championships and one FA Cup.
He was the Gunners top talisman in every season he played at Highbury from 1934-1939, after joining from Second Division Saints where he was their greatest striker for three campaigns.
As a player with the North Londoners, Ted set the current standing record for the most goals (7) scored in an English top-tier game of football during a 7-1 demolition of Aston Villa on 14th December 1935.
Today Drake is Arsenals fifth all-time top goalscorer with 139 goals in 184 matches and is the quickest player to this day to seal 100 goals for The Gunners in 108 appearances, better than the likes of Thierry Henry, Ian Wright you name it!
In 1936 Drake sealed the only strike of the Cup Final versus Sheffield United at Wembley with 100,000 fans in attendance late on whilst his leg was strapped up in bandages at the time due to a leg injury.
The England International who scored six goals in five games, remembrance plaque reads “In loving memory of TED DRAKE whose ashes are buried at this stadium. The scorer of 139 goals in 184 games between 1934 and 1939, he was one of Arsenals greatest ever strikers.” With the Arsenal badge printed below.
His proud Great Grandson Liam Harding, who watches Reading occasionally, said in regards to the England player who scored six times in five games “admittedly my Great Grandad wasn’t as successful at Reading as he was as at other clubs for instance Arsenal and Chelsea, but remarkably he’s still regarded as one of The Royals best managers ever.
“I’m very happy to have sorted the plaque at Highbury for not only my family and future generations of Arsenal supporters but also for the wider footballing community who can now pay respect to one of the greatest players to ever grace the game with many of his records still unbroken as we speak!”
After his managerial days came to an end at Stamford Bridge in 1961, Ted became a bookmaker before finding himself in football once again as assistant manager to Vic Buckingham at Barcelona and Fulham.
Following a successful 50 year career in football, starting in 1928 at Non-League side Winchester City and finishing at Fulham in 1978, Drake died aged 82 at his Wimbledon home in 1995.