Reading 4 Plymouth 3

[The Goat was fed]

I thought Kevin Bremner came on as sub, took the game by the scruff of the neck and it all went our way from then?

I heard a story that at half time as they walked off the pitch Gary Peters took a side bet with Plymouth's Leigh Cooper (a Reading lad originally) that Reading would still win, and was quids in aftwerwards.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Was the crowd really only just over 8500 ? I remember a lot of Plymouth fans as it was a top of the table clash.Must have been a lot a Xmas shoppers that day who missed the best Reading fight back.
Kevin Bremner's best ever game for Reading,and a legend for one performance.

There was more than one dodgy gate that season. Capacity restrictions post Bradford.

I recall the announcer sheepishly saying the gate was 3 below capacity at 6,000 odd for the Chesterfield game when it more like 10,000. And there were at least 45,000 in for the Wolves match.

[floyd__streete]

Envious at having missed this one. In fact I missed all 115 years prior to this as well, my first game being the following April vs Derby as a disinterested 6 year old. What a crying shame that - due to a dispute between television companies and the football authorities at the time - there is little or no footage of one of the best seasons in the history of our great club. Maybe someone somewhere is hoarding some Betamax footage taped from Coast To Coast in their attic?

[Baines]

My first season. The 13 games plus this gave me an unreasonable belief that we could win any game no matter what the score going into the final 30 minutes. This belief was tested somewhat in the following years.

[TFF]

This thread prompted me to look up my first ever solo Royals match (had been taken to one or two games as a nipper but didn't get the bug) which was a 4-1 loss at home to Doncaster Rovers. Despite the performance/result I was hooked by the whole experience and I've never looked back. 8th September 1984.

25 years a Royal tomorrow

[Jackson Corner]

I have to admit I walked. 3-0 down it looked a lost cause. I was at the Tilehurst end and made my way out the ground down Wantage road really p****d off. I was about half way down and I heard a cheer was it another Plymouth goal? No it was us being awarded a penalty as moments later a louder cheer for the goal, so I turned and started walking back to the ground and then another roar 3-2. Bloody hell we are back in this! Just as I came back in to the ground we score again 3-3 I re-join my mates who are rightly ripping the p**s out of me for leaving. It was a tottally different game from the one I had left we were running riot by this stage Bremner was all over the place tackles were flying in and it was only a matter of time before we scored the 4th, and Plymouth had a player sent off for good measure. Serves me right for being a stroppy teenager who hated watching his team lose.............

[Tony Le Mesmer]

This thread prompted me to look up my first ever solo Royals match

I wasnt allowed on the Southbank without an Adult til i was at least 14. Mainly due to the fact that every other game my parents took me to decended into such violence as to make the Brixton Riots look like a pillow fight.

Im sure 11/12 year olds would be fine on their own these days.

[Ark Royal]

Your memories? Discuss.

On the South Bank that day as Plymouth took us apart - although we weren't that bad, really - just letting in sloppy goals. South Bank crowd getting extremely critical and fractious. I got into major argument with a bloke next to me who was extremely critical and negative - as was the style mid-80's, we nearly came to blows, but as each Plymouth goal went in my arguments in favour of the team were looking more and more optimistic.

Second half started and we were soon 3-0 down, but Andy Rogers (ex-Plymouth, ISTR) was playing well, continually causing trouble, and we never looked out of the game - there was a real feeling that we'd win it, but only if we had enough time, we certainly weren't a beaten team at any stage. We always had it in us to win the game.

Can't remember the actual goals, but remember Rogers with the ball by the corner flag and having his shins hacked at by an Argyle player who was immediately booked, and from the free kick the Argyle player did exactly the same and was sent off - I think we'd pulled a couple of goals back by then, though.

When the 4th went in I ended up hugging and dancing around with the bloke I'd nearly been fighting with 45 minutes earlier.

It was Gordon Nisbet who got sent off for trying to lump Andy Rogers into the South Bank. By that time we had just gone 4-3 up and Andy was heading for the corner flag for a bit of time wasting.

[Ark Royal]

I thought Kevin Bremner came on as sub, took the game by the scruff of the neck and it all went our way from then?

I heard a story that at half time as they walked off the pitch Gary Peters took a side bet with Plymouth's Leigh Cooper (a Reading lad originally) that Reading would still win, and was quids in aftwerwards.

Mad Amx actually started the match playing in midfield with Deano and Trevor up front. Burvill came on for Gikesy and mad AMx went up front with Trevor and Deano switched to the right. Chaos ensued. Apart from Nicky Forster against Wigan, I have never seen one player have such an impact on a game.

[Ark Royal]

I thought Kevin Bremner came on as sub, took the game by the scruff of the neck and it all went our way from then?

I heard a story that at half time as they walked off the pitch Gary Peters took a side bet with Plymouth's Leigh Cooper (a Reading lad originally) that Reading would still win, and was quids in aftwerwards.

Dave Smith, the Plymouth manager, later admitted that he missed Plymouth's third goal because he was late out of the dressing room and for a large part of the second half thought it was still 2-0. He also stated that once Deano's penalty went in it was "...like the Alamo."

[DelBoyRodders]

Didn't Reading also have a goal disallowed late on in this game?

[Uncle Andy]

I left at 3 all carried out shoulder high by about 12 old bill, charged with threatening behaviour and actions likly to induce a riot for jumping about when number 3 went in. In the back of paddy wagon with a few pa fans when 4th went in. got let out when soliciter asked
for plymouth fans who could see me at the back of the middle of south bank to be questioned?

GT not GP

[ankeny]

Anyone at the Reading v Port Vale game?anyone got a date for it?We were three up and drew 3-3 at the end

[Gordons Cumming]

I thought Kevin Bremner came on as sub, took the game by the scruff of the neck and it all went our way from then?

.

I thought Bremner came on as sub too.

[Terminal Boardom]

I thought Kevin Bremner came on as sub, took the game by the scruff of the neck and it all went our way from then?

I heard a story that at half time as they walked off the pitch Gary Peters took a side bet with Plymouth's Leigh Cooper (a Reading lad originally) that Reading would still win, and was quids in aftwerwards.

Dave Smith, the Plymouth manager, later admitted that he missed Plymouth's third goal because he was late out of the dressing room and for a large part of the second half thought it was still 2-0. He also stated that once Deano's penalty went in it was "...like the Alamo."

Ark, I don't think it was Dave Smith who referred to the Alamo but on of the Argyle central defenders but I can't remember which. It was certainly referred to in the matchday programme in the 1-0 Argyle win the following season.

[Terminal Boardom]

Anyone at the Reading v Port Vale game?anyone got a date for it?We were three up and drew 3-3 at the end

Nogan hat-trick? 1994/95 season and the one before, Archie scored 3 aginst the inbreds! Joyous times.

Anyway, on a website not a million miles away from here...

Division One
15th April 1995

READING 3 Port Vale 3
(Nogan all 3)

Attendence: 8,600

With the game at 3-0 at half time following an excellent first half performance from the Royals I was expecting at least a further 3 goals in the second half -- to Reading NOT Port Vale. Quite how a team playing as shite as Port Vale were managed to get three past us is beyond me. As a result Barnsley stole our play off spot and things are looking very tight for us. Things would have been so different if the situation at half time remained.

Reading looked like they mean't business and Lee 'worth at least 0.5 million' Nogan was in shit hot form. Although he wouldn't have got any of the goals if it hadn't been for some great team work to set him up for them.

Nogan's hatrick came in an amazing 17 minute spell in the first half as Reading dominated. In the Second half the Royals just laid back and did nothing and 3 goals were scored by very average opposition.

Nogans first game from some sexy passing. Gilkes got the ball in midfield and fell over to the dismay of the South Bank... but recovered nicely and played the ball wide to the left to Kerr. Dyl took the ball in his stride and legged it down the wing and hoofed a cross over to Nogan waiting in the middle. Nogans head connected and we were one up. The second was helped along by some more dodgy defending by Port Vale. A misplaced back pass found Scottie Taylor in space who played it to Nogan also with plenty of place who unleashed a mighty shot into the net. The third came from a Lovell cross. Nogan waiting just on the edge of the box just right of middle. He let off a great half volley and his hatrick was complete.

Port Vales goals were crap. I'm not quite sure what happened to the defence, maybe they were just settting up a more exciting end to the season for us! The first one was a bit of a bundle which I lost sight of a bit and the ball trickled over the line. The second still has me mystified. A harmless Port Vale cross went across and Bernal in the middle thought he might as well stick his arm on it. So he did. I couldn't believe it when the ref gave a penalty. While on the subject of the ref... he was crap. Did his linesmen understand the offside rule? And whatabout when Gilksey was tripped right on the edge of the area when almost clean through - a definate foul maybe a penalty. The ref waved play on. Anyway, back to the handball. Andy Bernal picked up a yellow card and the ball was in the net high to Shakas right. 3-2. At 3-2 I thought Reading would start to play again and push forward to seal victory but it didn't happen.

When Vale equalised there was silence around the ground except a few hundred in the away end who were going mental in a fashion to how we had when we made it 3-0. It still could have been worse as Vale almost got a fourth... the ball going right across the goal mouth. In the second half Reading were almost non-existant except maybe one good shot: Reading had a great shot from I think Scott Taylor who ran into one defender and then another and somehow got past. Finding himself getting ever closer to the target and in a shooting position he sidefooted past another defender and blasted a great shot that was well tipped over.

Our U-Boat (Uwe) spent most of the second half warming up - ready to come on but didn't -- too late to make impression. Gilkes was on the field but didn't want to play. Nogan took his chances well. Bernal and Kerr both had great games. Bernal esp. in the first half - put in so much effort all over the place making many good tackles...

We can still make the play offs yet!

Graham

[TFF]

This thread prompted me to look up my first ever solo Royals match (had been taken to one or two games as a nipper but didn't get the bug) which was a 4-1 loss at home to Doncaster Rovers. Despite the performance/result I was hooked by the whole experience and I've never looked back. 8th September 1984.

25 years a Royal tomorrow

And Donnie next up on Saturday too!

[From Despair To Where?]

Dave Smith, the Plymouth manager, later admitted that he missed Plymouth's third goal because he was late out of the dressing room and for a large part of the second half thought it was still 2-0. He also stated that once Deano's penalty went in it was "...like the Alamo."

That was the following season where he went in early for the half time talk and missed Gary Peters' own goal that won the game for them. Thought they'd held out for 0-0 until one of his players told him they had won at full time.

As for the 4-3, when we scored the 4th, I remember hurtling up the South Bank fence and braining my self on the rather viscious downward pointing spikes at the top. Like others have said there was an invincibility about the first half of that season that even at 3-0, you knew we weren't out of the game, similar to 05/06 except with grit and bottle rather than panache and flair. The crowd being the twelth man is a bit of a cliche but I still remember the surge of belief that hit the Elm Park when we made it 3-1.

[Archies Volley II]

Anyone at the Reading v Port Vale game?anyone got a date for it?We were three up and drew 3-3 at the end

Nogan hat-trick? 1994/95 season and the one before, Archie scored 3 aginst the inbreds! Joyous times.

Anyway, on a website not a million miles away from here...

Division One
15th April 1995

READING 3 Port Vale 3
(Nogan all 3)

Attendence: 8,600

With the game at 3-0 at half time following an excellent first half performance from the Royals I was expecting at least a further 3 goals in the second half -- to Reading NOT Port Vale. Quite how a team playing as shite as Port Vale were managed to get three past us is beyond me. As a result Barnsley stole our play off spot and things are looking very tight for us. Things would have been so different if the situation at half time remained.

Reading looked like they mean't business and Lee 'worth at least 0.5 million' Nogan was in shit hot form. Although he wouldn't have got any of the goals if it hadn't been for some great team work to set him up for them.

Nogan's hatrick came in an amazing 17 minute spell in the first half as Reading dominated. In the Second half the Royals just laid back and did nothing and 3 goals were scored by very average opposition.

Nogans first game from some sexy passing. Gilkes got the ball in midfield and fell over to the dismay of the South Bank... but recovered nicely and played the ball wide to the left to Kerr. Dyl took the ball in his stride and legged it down the wing and hoofed a cross over to Nogan waiting in the middle. Nogans head connected and we were one up. The second was helped along by some more dodgy defending by Port Vale. A misplaced back pass found Scottie Taylor in space who played it to Nogan also with plenty of place who unleashed a mighty shot into the net. The third came from a Lovell cross. Nogan waiting just on the edge of the box just right of middle. He let off a great half volley and his hatrick was complete.

Port Vales goals were crap. I'm not quite sure what happened to the defence, maybe they were just settting up a more exciting end to the season for us! The first one was a bit of a bundle which I lost sight of a bit and the ball trickled over the line. The second still has me mystified. A harmless Port Vale cross went across and Bernal in the middle thought he might as well stick his arm on it. So he did. I couldn't believe it when the ref gave a penalty. While on the subject of the ref... he was crap. Did his linesmen understand the offside rule? And whatabout when Gilksey was tripped right on the edge of the area when almost clean through - a definate foul maybe a penalty. The ref waved play on. Anyway, back to the handball. Andy Bernal picked up a yellow card and the ball was in the net high to Shakas right. 3-2. At 3-2 I thought Reading would start to play again and push forward to seal victory but it didn't happen.

When Vale equalised there was silence around the ground except a few hundred in the away end who were going mental in a fashion to how we had when we made it 3-0. It still could have been worse as Vale almost got a fourth... the ball going right across the goal mouth. In the second half Reading were almost non-existant except maybe one good shot: Reading had a great shot from I think Scott Taylor who ran into one defender and then another and somehow got past. Finding himself getting ever closer to the target and in a shooting position he sidefooted past another defender and blasted a great shot that was well tipped over.

Our U-Boat (Uwe) spent most of the second half warming up - ready to come on but didn't -- too late to make impression. Gilkes was on the field but didn't want to play. Nogan took his chances well. Bernal and Kerr both had great games. Bernal esp. in the first half - put in so much effort all over the place making many good tackles...

We can still make the play offs yet!

Graham

I was there for that game - my main memory is one of the small bunch of port fail fans (probably mid 30s and a few stone above his ideal fighting weight!) walking to the back of the away stand by himself at half time. Once he wasn't in the crowd a section of us in the south bank realised that not only was he wearing a fail away shirt he also had the shorts and socks on as well - he took a fair bit of stick - especially as we were still a happy bunch at that time!

[bobbybottler]

Andy Rogers (ex-Plymouth, ISTR)

He played against us for Plyms at EP the season before.