Robin Friday

[Spudulika]

Great memories

The '76 promotion season was when I first really became a Reading supporter. I can't say whether Robin Friday was better than every other Reading player since, but he left a big impression and even at my young age I could recognise he was something special.

I'm sure that if a player of his ability and character were to play today, people would pay the admission price just to see him, whatever the team.

And the Tranmere match was magical - they were our main promotion rivals and we really needed to win. But we demolished them and it felt like we were unbeatable - there was no way we weren't going to get promoted that season!

[Pants of Primus]

He was a nasty, little pikey waster.

Yes he had buckets of talent but he doesn't deserve the worship

What a lovely thing to say about someone who is dead, on a website that his family read. Nice one.

Why should I hide my feelings about someone I care nothing for, who was responsible for destroying his own life?? I am entitled to an opinion and i'm entitiled to express it, just as you are yours.

I just always feel the need to pop up as a counterfoil to the endless hero worship of someone I don't feel deserves it all that much. Same with Kurt Cobain, on the back of a smattering of talent he destroyed his own life and the lives of those around him. Hardly worthy of the hero worship he receives

Of course you're entitled to your opinion. I just think that calling someone's dead father a 'nasty little pikey waster' (when you didn't even know the guy) is a little harsh. That's all.

[Scarface]

Of course you're entitled to your opinion. I just think that calling someone's dead father a 'nasty little pikey waster' (when you didn't even know the guy) is a little harsh. That's all.

Unfortunately if you speak to people that were around at the time, that is exactly what he was.

Maybe has was the most skillfull Reading player, but he was never Reading's greatest ever player and I would suggest most of the voters in that fans poll, were going on reputation rather than what he did for RFC.

[readingbedding]

Of course you're entitled to your opinion. I just think that calling someone's dead father a 'nasty little pikey waster' (when you didn't even know the guy) is a little harsh. That's all.

Unfortunately if you speak to people that were around at the time, that is exactly what he was.

Maybe has was the most skillfull Reading player, but he was never Reading's greatest ever player and I would suggest most of the voters in that fans poll, were going on reputation rather than what he did for RFC.

Right...

If you speak to people that were around that time...ok...

No offence but I prefer to go on ex-players', manager's and fans opinions of the player, rather than random 'people that were around this time'.

Perhaps they might of had an axe to grind, whoever these people were.

[Archie's penalty]

As great as he must have been, can anybody say without doubt that Friday would have held his own in the multinational premiership the current Reading squad is making look easy?

Possibly the greatest military figure who ever lived, but would Napoleon and his army survive 5 minutes in Basra? It's all relative.

touche!

[brendywendy]

Of course you're entitled to your opinion. I just think that calling someone's dead father a 'nasty little pikey waster' (when you didn't even know the guy) is a little harsh. That's all.

Unfortunately if you speak to people that were around at the time, that is exactly what he was.

.

which people?

all of the people who were around in the 70s? thats alot of people.

and if you mean just the people who were around the reading area in the 70s thats still a few

and youve spoken to them all have you?

or did you just mean all the people involved in football in the 70s?

or just involved with reading football in the 70s?
cos if thats the case youre a bumbling fishrerman, ive never heard anyone who saw him play say anything like that, quite the opposite, including everyone posting on here about how they saw him play, and he was great etc

apart from some twat who was going on about his family running a pub at the time and having to throw him out alot

[newbiscuit]

As great as he must have been, can anybody say without doubt that Friday would have held his own in the multinational premiership the current Reading squad is making look easy?

Possibly the greatest military figure who ever lived, but would Napoleon and his army survive 5 minutes in Basra? It's all relative.

Good shout. The hypothetical argument will continue for years to come, and i think you've hit the nail on the head there floyd.

I saw 'Our Robin' play on numerous occasions and was there when he scored that wonder goal, but can't really remember it that much, it sounds a bit exaggerated, but he scored great goals on a regular basis.

[newbiscuit]

He was a nasty, little pikey waster.

Yes he had buckets of talent but he doesn't deserve the worship

ATTITUDE PROBLEM ALERT! I think you should check yourself out! What do you mean by 'Pikey'? is that because you think Robin was a Gypsy? isn't that akin to calling an Afro/carribean person 'A Nigger' or an Asian 'A Paki'. I wish sc*m like you would keep off this website.

[Amongst the sheep]

I don't worship Friday, but I know what I saw, and it was very,very good.

It's been said before but a recent simalarity must be someone like Jamie Cureton. Brilliant in the third tier, but he didn't quite make the same impact a flight up and I'm sure he wouldn't in our current team. Jamie Cureton is a goal scorer at Championship level check how Colchester have been doing
Was Friday so good because of the lack of quality around him? For example, was he just given too much space? Players in those days used to ge taken out - big time - you wouldn't believe. James Harper for one, has more time in the Premiership than he did in the championship so your point holds no water.
My understanding is that he just didn't care, which makes me think he wouldn't cut it in our first team nowadays. He'd have to stop all the booze, alcohol, drugs and drunken 'elephants' in the Sindlesham Mill. Then with a different mind set and training, it's arguable that he would have made it.

Enter Steve Coppell. Or his equivalent at the time at Reading, Charlie Hurley. If you read the book on Robin's life 'The greatest footballer you never saw' you will see that he did respond to a strong manager.

And I did see him play in the 70's so can comment on first hand experience.

[comeonthebiscuitmen]

'He was more Lou Reed than Alan Shearer'

Eamon Dunphy

[papereyes]

He was a nasty, little pikey waster.

Yes he had buckets of talent but he doesn't deserve the worship

ATTITUDE PROBLEM ALERT! I think you should check yourself out! What do you mean by 'Pikey'? is that because you think Robin was a Gypsy? isn't that akin to calling an Afro/carribean person 'A Nigger' or an Asian 'A Paki'. I wish sc*m like you would keep off this website.

I like the way you've filtered scum and not the other two words.

[Gordons Cumming]

He was a nasty, little pikey waster.

Yes he had buckets of talent but he doesn't deserve the worship

ATTITUDE PROBLEM ALERT! I think you should check yourself out! What do you mean by 'Pikey'? is that because you think Robin was a Gypsy? isn't that akin to calling an Afro/carribean person 'A Nigger' or an Asian 'A Paki'. I wish sc*m like you would keep off this website.

I like the way you've filtered scum and not the other two words.

Bless him.

[anR]

Jamie Cureton is a goal scorer at Championship level check how Colchester have been doing

Of course I was referring to our squad, as Cureton didn't seem to cut the mustard in the Championship with us, regardless of selection.

My point was he was brilliant in the third tier, but I do not believe he'd have the same impact in our current squad, giving his Championship performance for us as an example.

If you read the book on Robin's life 'The greatest footballer you never saw' you will see that he did respond to a strong manager.

I don't think he responded enough though, because he basically didn't care.

I've read the said book, yes. Wasn't there that section where Hurley told Robin he could go all the way, or some such compliment? It's rather unsurprising that he didn't...

[Riseley]

The greatest player to ever wear the hoops. As per normal anyone who does not agree with me is obviously a numpty by default.

[Scarface]

The greatest player to ever wear the hoops. As per normal anyone who does not agree with me is obviously a numpty by default.

Nostalgia and cult reputation getting in the way of rational thought.

[SpaceCruiser]

The greatest player to ever wear the hoops. As per normal anyone who does not agree with me is obviously a numpty by default.

What about those who doesn't either agree or disagree with you on account of never having seen the player in action?

[Doyler]

I don't worship Friday, but I know what I saw, and it was very,very good.

It's been said before but a recent simalarity must be someone like Jamie Cureton. Brilliant in the third tier, but he didn't quite make the same impact a flight up and I'm sure he wouldn't in our current team. Jamie Cureton is a goal scorer at Championship level check how Colchester have been doing
Was Friday so good because of the lack of quality around him? For example, was he just given too much space? Players in those days used to ge taken out - big time - you wouldn't believe. James Harper for one, has more time in the Premiership than he did in the championship so your point holds no water.
My understanding is that he just didn't care, which makes me think he wouldn't cut it in our first team nowadays. He'd have to stop all the booze, alcohol, drugs and drunken 'elephants' in the Sindlesham Mill. Then with a different mind set and training, it's arguable that he would have made it.

Enter Steve Coppell. Or his equivalent at the time at Reading, Charlie Hurley. If you read the book on Robin's life 'The greatest footballer you never saw' you will see that he did respond to a strong manager.

And I did see him play in the 70's so can comment on first hand experience.

I read the book, it gave the impression that charlie hurley, although had a reputation for pinning player up against the dressing room wall if they got out of line, was fair and would give people a second chance. I think Robin respected that. It was said that hurley was like a second father to him. When Robin left Cardiff he came to hurley begging him to re-sign him. He did not have the same respect for the cardiff manager as he did for hurley and could not play for him. Hurley refused to re-sign him because he felt that his off-field antics were too much of a problem, Robin walked out and hurley never saw him again, he left football for good. it seems hurley was the only man who could get the best out of him.

[biscuitsrus]

Charlie Hurley's Blue n White Army - them were the days.

[Gordons Cumming]

The greatest player to ever wear the hoops. As per normal anyone who does not agree with me is obviously a numpty by default.

What about those who doesn't either agree or disagree with you on account of never having seen the player in action?

That hasn't stopped some people on here from giving an opinion.

[LUX]

my favourite ever player, but that is probably because it was happy carefree days for me.

(don't worry readers, I'm happy now too)


But it was only Division 4 ffs.