Greatest/wierdest/infamous/enigmatic Reading fan ever?

[Biscuit]

This thread would be improved considerably with a few photos. Anybody got any?

[1960]

The original URZ man. Southbank, hallf way line, near the front, early 1960s onwards. In quiet moments in the game he would shout URZ in a foghorn yet tobacco-racked voice and with a nice Berkshire burr on the R. I don't think he actually shouted anything else.

Seemed old to me at the time, but probably wasn't that old. Maybe dead now though.

[Behindu]

Paul Black: In the 70's always used to wear the opposition's scarf (to the home metcahes anyway). Anyone else remember that? How unusual (to put it mildly) is that?

Yep. The coat is now made into a jacket n'est pas? Top bloke though.

It's not made into a jacket - it's just so old that it's shrunk, he's grwon and it looks like a jacket !

I reckon if Blackie ever missed a game (no chance..) that coat would make it's own way there....

[Riseley]

Blackie is a character but the smart money remains on Spacey.

[SpaceCruiser]

Blackie is a character but the smart money remains on Spacey.

You're daft, you know. Maybe you should nominate yourself.

[Franchise FC]

Blackie is a character but the smart money remains on Spacey.

Maybe Blacky IS Spacey - I've never seen them in the same room !!

[3 veesinarow]

The original URZ man. Southbank, hallf way line, near the front, early 1960s onwards. In quiet moments in the game he would shout URZ in a foghorn yet tobacco-racked voice and with a nice Berkshire burr on the R. I don't think he actually shouted anything else.

Seemed old to me at the time, but probably wasn't that old. Maybe dead now though.

He was always a feature of my years on the Southbank, standing about 20 yards to my left...Not sure about the early 60s bit, but I can vouch for the fact that he's not dead! He moved to a seat directly behind us two seasons ago after being further up the stand towards the back. Unfortunately, Edge also sits directly behind us and the two of them are now a predictable and tedious double-act.
Foghorn man only has two things to say - the URZ bellow and "come on, you Royals, liven it up" in a cautionary growl at several points throughout the match, even when we're winning comfortably.
Edge only watches one TV programme - Soccer AM - uses every single chant they ever "invented" and also latches onto every single chant started elsewhere - but only on the second line - leaps to his feet for the full look-at-me effect and has started a chanting dialogue from 15 yards away with the spotty blond twat who wears full kit and strips off his shirt at away matches to get on the telly (he's even on the poxy DVD at Old Trafford )

As for saying shorts-and-flipflop man ISN'T doing it to be noticed...

[dennis nelson]

'Shorts Man' is a nice guy, not at all 'weird' and he doesn't wear shorts just to try and be a 'character'.

And no, I'm not him !

Anyone remember Henry - used to collect the corner flags after games at EP and directed the visiting coach into it's parking space in Norfolk Rd.

yes I remember Henry, he used to walk around elm park selling golden goal tickets in a blue and white hat and scarve, I think he got banned from the supporters coaches after shiting himself on a trip up north!!!!

[Jackson Corner]

'Shorts Man' is a nice guy, not at all 'weird' and he doesn't wear shorts just to try and be a 'character'.

And no, I'm not him !

Anyone remember Henry - used to collect the corner flags after games at EP and directed the visiting coach into it's parking space in Norfolk Rd.

yes I remember Henry, he used to walk around elm park selling golden goal tickets in a blue and white hat and scarve, I think he got banned from the supporters coaches after shiting himself on a trip up north!!!!

Yes I remember him old grey suit and the same blue and white bobble hat. Did he do the half time scores as well? I remember his false teeth falling out and landing in a urinal whilst on a stop up to Chesterfield, he put them straight back in his mouth...........

[Behindu]

I remember his false teeth falling out and landing in a urinal whilst on a stop up to Chesterfield, he put them straight back in his mouth...........

Hope they disinfected the urinal !

[RoyalBlue]

'Shorts Man' is a nice guy, not at all 'weird' and he doesn't wear shorts just to try and be a 'character'.

And no, I'm not him !

Anyone remember Henry - used to collect the corner flags after games at EP and directed the visiting coach into it's parking space in Norfolk Rd.

yes I remember Henry, he used to walk around elm park selling golden goal tickets in a blue and white hat and scarve, I think he got banned from the supporters coaches after shiting himself on a trip up north!!!!

Yes I remember him old grey suit and the same blue and white bobble hat. Did he do the half time scores as well? I remember his false teeth falling out and landing in a urinal whilst on a stop up to Chesterfield, he put them straight back in his mouth...........

I remember Henry's blue and white bobble hat and scarf. I think he did use to do the half time scores as well as programmes and golden gamble tickets. Seem to remember him greeting people with 'Hi fans'. Also used to carry a vacuum flask. A real character, albeit one that I think occasionally used to somewhat try the patience of the likes of Mick Foster, Colin Bishop etc.

Not sure if the dirty pants story is an urban myth but I had certainly heard the same.

Nobody mentioned 'Kirby' yet ?
Didn't know him myself but he sounded like a true Royal.

A key figure in the Jolly Porter crew. I can remember being quite grateful when they turned up at Darlington and chased off their 'boys' who were being rather troublesome at the time.

I'm pretty sure that in the times after Maggie banned organised groups of football supporters from travelling on the trains they started booking up trips as the Reading Ornithological Society. BTP seemed remarkably slow to catch onto that one.

Also remember drinking in the pub on the river at York before one game when the crew were in there. Pub had a nice food counter with a bloody great turkey on it, which suddenly disappeared courtesy of a skinhead from amongst that group and next thing was feeding the hungry!

Anyone else miss those trips to York?

[dennis nelson]

york was always a favorite of mine, I remember the turkey incident very well, it went down a treat, (the skinhead was m.w) do you remember the "punk" who was with us that day? I haven't seen him since!!! I think it was the same trip when all the boys helped themselves to a few bottles from the "offie" on the way to the ground!
most of these trips were done by using the persil saver tickets, buy 1 get 1 free, hartlepool, wigan and preston were also cracking days out, especially wigan!!!

[Nezhen]

Dennis, presumably this all happened before you were banged up in the early eighties ?.

Prison's come a long way if your able to post on here from your cell !!

[RoyalBlue]

york was always a favorite of mine, I remember the turkey incident very well, it went down a treat, (the skinhead was m.w) do you remember the "punk" who was with us that day? I haven't seen him since!!! I think it was the same trip when all the boys helped themselves to a few bottles from the "offie" on the way to the ground!
most of these trips were done by using the persil saver tickets, buy 1 get 1 free, hartlepool, wigan and preston were also cracking days out, especially wigan!!!

Now you mention it, I do remember the punk. I also remember one of the crew just managing to make it into the ground and then spending the whole match asleep at the back of the terrace!

Hartlepool was fun too.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

King Walter Loyal Royal

[knights_1990]

wally downes wins it then lads.

[AbovetheI]

Y25's very own Ali G. Back in the day that is.

He's still there (he sit's in front of me) but without costume

You can still kinda tell who he is as he still looks like Ali G. Does he still have the goatee?

"Ali, give us a song."

[gn1982]

The fat old guy with the hilariously bad ponytail who rather disconcertingly hangs around with his own gang of chav teenage boys the whole time.

Otherwise known as "The Pied Piper". Chavtastic!!!

[dennis nelson]

Dennis, presumably this all happened before you were banged up in the early eighties ?.

Prison's come a long way if your able to post on here from your cell !!

yes mate, I did get banged up, thought it was a bit harsh, I had only 1 bite out of the turkey and 2 swigs out of a bottle of vodka that someone else borrowed!! I think the judge must have been a veggie.

[Riseley]

The favourite remains the flatulent, acne ridden geek with halitosis.