This is not one of the most important RFC matches

[rhroyal]

Today's game will probably not have a massive long impact on the welfare of our club. To compare it games such as Derby in 2008 away or Brum at home last season would be silly.

Instead, this is our time in the limelight. It's a brief return to the big time. It's a historical game for the club. This match will live in the memory as long as any play-off final or relegation decider. There's every chance that today could provide one of our most euphoric moments as Reading fans; a semi final place in a great competition and a trip to Wembley.

Who cares about the long term importance, today is bloody massive. It's also a rare opportunity, a big occasion for which I'm dead excited but not so much nervous. The implications of last season's game against Brum had my mind distracted all week. This time, I'm massively excited. I can't wait, but it comes without the nerves of knowing how much is in reality riding on this match.

Whether we win or lose, it will be a special day at the Mad Stad today. It's one of the few times I wish I wasn't in Hong Kong, I'd massively love to be at today's match. I hope those of you lucky enough to be there can make a real cauldron of atmosphere that makes me proud as a Reading fan. More so, I hope this can translate to the players and that they'll put in a performance that can make us all truly proud with people all over the world watching. Today could bring back memories of beating Coventry on penalties in 1988. However, this is the F.A. Cup. it's so much more the big time.

C'MON UURRRRZZZZZZZZ!!!! I CAN'T BLOODY WAIT!!!!

[Royal_Delight]

Today's game will probably not have a massive long impact on the welfare of our club. To compare it games such as Derby in 2008 away or Brum at home last season would be silly.

Instead, this is our time in the limelight. It's a brief return to the big time. It's a historical game for the club. This match will live in the memory as long as any play-off final or relegation decider. There's every chance that today could provide one of our most euphoric moments as Reading fans; a semi final place in a great competition and a trip to Wembley.

Who cares about the long term importance, today is bloody massive. It's also a rare opportunity, a big occasion for which I'm dead excited but not so much nervous. The implications of last season's game against Brum had my mind distracted all week. This time, I'm massively excited. I can't wait, but it comes without the nerves of knowing how much is in reality riding on this match.

Whether we win or lose, it will be a special day at the Mad Stad today. It's one of the few times I wish I wasn't in Hong Kong, I'd massively love to be at today's match. I hope those of you lucky enough to be there can make a real cauldron of atmosphere that makes me proud as a Reading fan. More so, I hope this can translate to the players and that they'll put in a performance that can make us all truly proud with people all over the world watching. Today could bring back memories of beating Coventry on penalties in 1988. However, this is the F.A. Cup. it's so much more the big time.

C'MON UURRRRZZZZZZZZ!!!! I CAN'T BLOODY WAIT!!!!

Would have to agree with that. But the Derby game and the Brum game both left the fans with a sour taste in the mouth after that. Won Derby 4-0 only to get relegated and losing to Brum left us in the Championship and losing it players the next season.

It may not be the most important RFC game ever but IMO, it could prove helpful in the long run. Getting money from the FA cup, winning the cup,even putting RFC on the map! Winning the game tonight may help the players gain even more confidence for the next quarter of the season as by beating a huge team such as Villa( bigger than Liverpool in terms of form and players), lets the players know they can take on bigger challenges.

Playoffs is still a possibility and the momentum the players gain tonight will definitely help.

THE FA CUP AND PLAYOFFS ARE WITHIN OUR REACH! C'MON URZZZZ!

[Murts-is-Lej]

Getting money from the FA cup, winning the cup,even putting RFC on the map!
THE FA CUP AND PLAYOFFS ARE WITHIN OUR REACH! C'MON URZZZZ!

If we win the cup do we get to play in the Europa League next season?
And to think I was slightly worried about having to play Rochdale next season...

[Royal_Delight]

Getting money from the FA cup, winning the cup,even putting RFC on the map!
THE FA CUP AND PLAYOFFS ARE WITHIN OUR REACH! C'MON URZZZZ!

If we win the cup do we get to play in the Europa League next season?
And to think I was slightly worried about having to play Rochdale next season...

I don't think so. 2 seasons ago Cardiff reached the finals and the FA said they could not play in the Europa League( then the UEFA cup). Not so sure, can someone justify this?

Worried that we may get relegated at first too but hey, hope plays an important part right? My gut tells me Brian can save the club from relegation, but my gut has told me crap at times too.

[rhroyal]

Cardiff would have been allowed into Europe. However, it was because they were playing Pompey they didn't. Winners qualify for Europe. If the winners have qualified through the league, the runners up take their place. If we were to play Chelsea or Spurs in the final we'd get into Europe. The controversy for Cardiff was because they were Welsh, but they were given clearance eventually. A few years previous, Millwall got into Europe after losing to Man Utd.

[james15]

Today's game will probably not have a massive long impact on the welfare of our club. To compare it games such as Derby in 2008 away or Brum at home last season would be silly.

Instead, this is our time in the limelight. It's a brief return to the big time. It's a historical game for the club. This match will live in the memory as long as any play-off final or relegation decider. There's every chance that today could provide one of our most euphoric moments as Reading fans; a semi final place in a great competition and a trip to Wembley.

Who cares about the long term importance, today is bloody massive. It's also a rare opportunity, a big occasion for which I'm dead excited but not so much nervous. The implications of last season's game against Brum had my mind distracted all week. This time, I'm massively excited. I can't wait, but it comes without the nerves of knowing how much is in reality riding on this match.

Whether we win or lose, it will be a special day at the Mad Stad today. It's one of the few times I wish I wasn't in Hong Kong, I'd massively love to be at today's match. I hope those of you lucky enough to be there can make a real cauldron of atmosphere that makes me proud as a Reading fan. More so, I hope this can translate to the players and that they'll put in a performance that can make us all truly proud with people all over the world watching. Today could bring back memories of beating Coventry on penalties in 1988. However, this is the F.A. Cup. it's so much more the big time.

C'MON UURRRRZZZZZZZZ!!!! I CAN'T BLOODY WAIT!!!!

I do agree with what you have written, it also is massive for us financially, the award money for all that we have done in the FA Cup just goes up and up.

[parky]

Getting money from the FA cup, winning the cup,even putting RFC on the map!
THE FA CUP AND PLAYOFFS ARE WITHIN OUR REACH! C'MON URZZZZ!

If we win the cup do we get to play in the Europa League next season?
And to think I was slightly worried about having to play Rochdale next season...

I don't think so. 2 seasons ago Cardiff reached the finals and the FA said they could not play in the Europa League( then the UEFA cup). Not so sure, can someone justify this?

Worried that we may get relegated at first too but hey, hope plays an important part right? My gut tells me Brian can save the club from relegation, but my gut has told me crap at times too.

The winners of the FA cup get a place don't they? Pompey won the cup that year and played in Europe, unless the team that wins the cup are already in europe the place goes to the runners up or if both teams are in europe already through the league an extra place is given in the league.

I.E
2008 - Pompey win, played in Europe.
2007 - United vs Chelsea, Extra place in the league (almost ours)
2004 - United Vs Millwall, Millwall got European place as united already in Europe.

I think that's correct

[Scrappy]

Personally I think it's the biggest "one off" game since Brentford in 2002. Purely because its all down to us whether we go through or not and we are not relying on other results. Today we witness history. For the first time in 83 years we are at the Quarter Final stage of the FA Cup. Whether the cup have the same magic or not anymore, it's still a very prestigious competition and one which I would love to win, even at the expense of relegation.

[Royal Lady]

This is a massive game in RFC's history - we've done bloody well to get this far - so I just hope the players don't throw it away today and really give it their all. Fans, of course, need to play their part too - and I'm sure we will.

I've got butterflies in my tummy - just thinking what could be - very similar to how I felt at half time in the play off final at Wembley all those years ago. If we can hold out and either get an early goal, or not be a couple of goals down early on, I think we stand as good a chance as any of getting a result this afternoon. Villa didn't play well against Palace - the scoreline didn't reflect their playing power on the day (2 penalties remember) - and we turned Palace over at their place - so we DO have more than just a chance. I'll be disappointed if we don't progress after today - but we've done brilliantly and all credit to McD and the players for giving us some belief both in the cup and, now, in the league.

[Sun Tzu]

Derby away wasn;t a big game.

How could it be ? We won comfortably yet still got relegated. The result was utterly irrelevant to our fate. the big games that season were the ones we lost but should have won and would have saved us.

Today is huge. We may never see another quarter final of this prestigious competition in our life time. I wish some people would stop over analysing stuff and just enjoy a massive event.

[Man Friday]

Of course it's one of the most important. What's the point of existing as football club if not to win trophies. Life isn't just about staying alive like on a ventilator or something. It's about doing stuff - in this case obtaining silverware. I'd happily see us bottom of League 2 to see us winning the F.A. Cup. Quite simply a lifetime's dream.

[ankeny]

Most clubs go on at us about our "History",to get to Wembley would shut them up.Personally I agree with Henry Ford on that one,there is a lot of clubs with history in the lower leagues,fat lot of good its doing them now

[Platypuss]

Glory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> survival

[Maquisard]

Glory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> survival

+1000

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Glory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> survival

so you'd swap places with Portsmouth?



And a rather moot point now, but the reason Cardiff would not have played in the UEFA Cup had nothing to do with them being a championship team, but because the UEFA allocation is for English clubs, not welsh ones. English winners of the Welsh Cup never used to be allowed into the old cup winners cup for the same reason.

[rhroyal]

Glory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> survival

LOL!! Notts County had glory back in the day. Who's the bigger club now?!

[Man Friday]

Glory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> survival

so you'd swap places with Portsmouth?

Yes.

[Man Friday]

Glory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> survival

LOL!! Notts County had glory back in the day. Who's the bigger club now?!

But that's the whole point. It's not about who's the biggest club now. It's about winning trophies. Your average League One footballer is a lot wealthier than the top players from the Sixties and Seventies but I'd rather be a Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters or Gordon Banks with my medals but relatively modest wealth than some League One nobody with a smart car and big house.

[The whole year inn]

Glory >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> survival

so you'd swap places with Portsmouth?

Yes.

[leww_rfc]

I wanna see the image