Reader was born in West Bromwich, where he attended Beeches Road School and St Phillips School. He joined West Bromwich Albion as an amateur in January 1885 and turned professional in August of the same year. Reader made his league debut in October 1889 in a Division One match away to Aston Villa. He won an FA Cup winners medal with Albion when they beat Villa 3–0 in the 1892 final. In 1894 he won his only England cap, in a 2–2 draw with Ireland in Belfast. He helped Albion reach the FA Cup Final once more in 1895, but this time was on the losing side as Aston Villa won 1–0. Following Albion's move to The Hawthorns in 1900, Reader became the only player to have represented the club in a competitive match at three different grounds, namely Four Acres, Stoney Lane and The Hawthorns. After 370 senior appearances for Albion, Reader retired from playing football due to illness in April 1901. He then took up the role of trainer-coach at the club, and later became a ground steward at The Hawthorns until 1950. He died in West Bromwich in March 1954, aged 88.