London Irish owner Mick Crossan relishing return home after 'slow death by a thousand cuts' during 20 years playing at Reading as they prepare for first Premiership game at stylish Brentford stadium

Had it not been for a hasty fax from Mohamed Al-Fayed, London Irish may never have left. The club's spiritual home is in West London but, for the past 20 years, they have been enduring a 'slow death' out in the rugby backwaters of Reading.

'We were left with no choice but to move to Reading in 2000,' recalls London Irish owner Mick Crossan, ahead of the club's first game at their new stadium back in Brentford today.

'At the time, I was negotiating with Chelsea owner Ken Bates and I actually thought that we, London Irish, were going to share Stamford Bridge.