The best RFC game you've ever been to?

[Waylenstreet]

Reading 5 Arsenal 7 4th round of the Cup 2012.

OK we lost..but it was the maddest most exciting game I have ever seen !

[harry]

My candidates:
1978 League Cup - 1-0 v Wolves. 4th Div giantkillers knock out 1st Div thanks to Pat Earles's goal
Simod Cup Final win v Luton
4-2 v McGee's Wolves in League Cup in 97/98. Parky's screamer
1-1 away to Brentford for promotion in 2002
5-0 v Derby 2005-6 to confirm us as champions
3-2 v Boro 1st game in Prem
6-0 v West Ham in Prem 2006-7
3-1 v Sheff Utd 2006-7 - De La Cruz's goal where he ran from our area, Gillespie getting sent off just after coming on & Wally Downes taking issue with Colin
3-1 v Liverpool 2007-8
7-1 v Bolton & Millsy last season

I think the 6-0 v West Ham takes it for me.

[harry]

Reading 5 Arsenal 7 4th round of the Cup 2012.

OK we lost..but it was the maddest most exciting game I have ever seen !

A neutral might agree.
This would be my candidate for worst game (probably 2nd to Bristol Rovers). It wasn't OK. We lost.

[Norfolk Royal]

That 4-0 win at Elm Park against Aldershot on an Easter Bank Holiday around 1977 was about as good as it gets imo.

[Waylenstreet]

Reading 5 Arsenal 7 4th round of the Cup 2012.

OK we lost..but it was the maddest most exciting game I have ever seen !

A neutral might agree.
This would be my candidate for worst game (probably 2nd to Bristol Rovers). It wasn't OK. We lost.

I have been a RFC supporter since the days that I could walk in my short trousers the ten minutes to Elm Park.
That doesn't mean I can't enjoy a spectacle as it unfolds..even if the outcome isn't what I wanted..the thread title asks for the best game, not the best winning game.

[KC Royal]

The 3-4 v Man Utd in 2012 takes some beating as a spectacle, but from a Reading perspective it has to be the 3-2 v Middlesbrough in 2006. Remember going out for a mate's birthday afterwards and towards the end of the night with a bit of time to myself getting a bit emotional.

The 6-0 v West Ham isn't far behind (while still pissed from the night before).

Happy memories!

[Zana Badawi]

For me, there's a few but it was probably the 4-3 away win at Forest in 2010/11, amazing topsy turvy game of football that we deservedly won in the last minute. We were on a great run at the time and there was an overwhelming feeling we were going up, even though it didnt end that away.

By far the most entertaining game I've been to. A real 'You had to be there' game.

I also remember a game at Ashton Gate, not sure of the season, but was memorable for two reasons
1) There were 5 goals in the first 15 minutes
2) We took what seemed like a HUGE following.
Cant remember if it ended 3-2 or 3-3, though. Think it was the latter

The 2001/2002 Peterborough/Darius Henderson game is legendary.

But there was one game at Burnley with Sidwell in the team where we scored 5 and for about half of the second half we were absolutely unplayable. Burnley weren't a particular lower league powerhouse back then, but it was like a Conference team had scored a big draw in the FA Cup, and we were the Premiership giants.

[From Despair To Where?]

But there was one game at Burnley with Sidwell in the team where we scored 5 and for about half of the second half we were absolutely unplayable. Burnley weren't a particular lower league powerhouse back then, but it was like a Conference team had scored a big draw in the FA Cup, and we were the Premiership giants.

Burnley's defending was atrocious that day. I'd say 4 of our 5 goals were down to defenders tripping over the ball or over their own feet.

[Zana Badawi]

Burnley's defending was atrocious that day. I'd say 4 of our 5 goals were down to defenders tripping over the ball or over their own feet.

I put it down to the fact that, quite simply, they didn't know what to do.
I was generally wowed. I take it you have a different view? That we were gifted?

[Man Friday]

2001 Playoff semi v Wigan. Second leg. That was the first time I remember a really good atmosphere at the Madejski.

+1, except sub "first" with "only".

[Royality creeps In]

That 4-0 win at Elm Park against Aldershot on an Easter Bank Holiday around 1977 was about as good as it gets imo.

Remember this having been to the game against Pompey on Easter Friday and the 0-0 against Bournemouth the following day.
3 games in four days. The current prima donnas (bless them) would not be able to cope!

[Royal Lady]

3 that come to mind immediately are beating West Ham 6-0, beating Cardiff 3-0 away in the play offs and the Leicester away game which saw us promoted - all 3 will live long in mind

[JC]

1985 Reading 4 Plymouth 3

We were top of the table after the 13 wins in a row and Plymouth were 2nd.

3 down with 25 minutes to go and the ground starting to empty. Dean Horrix pulls one back from the spot on 65. 3 goals in 79,80 and 83rd minutes to win it. Unbelievable

[Jack Celliers]

1985 Reading 4 Plymouth 3

We were top of the table after the 13 wins in a row and Plymouth were 2nd.

3 down with 25 minutes to go and the ground starting to empty. Dean Horrix pulls one back from the spot on 65. 3 goals in 79,80 and 83rd minutes to win it. Unbelievable

... And a red card as well. It was brilliant stuff.

I loved the end of the Wigan play-off but spent most of the first 85 minutes waiting for us to play properly. Then I noticed somebody in front trying to get the crowd singing again. I stood up, joined in and next paused for breath when my wife phoned to tell me there were people on the pitch. I was on the pitch at the time so couldn't hear a word.

Best defeat was Peterborough away the year before. We played fantastically with Caskey controlling everything. The whole second half was just wave after wave of blue and white swarming towards our noisy terrace. They got a penalty for head-ball and stole the game.

[Avon Royal]

Peterborough 1 - 2 Reading

2 late Henderson goals to turn the game on its head. Home captain red carded, home fans going mental, Salako bombing up the line to Pards after the winner, massive terrace surge.

Lovely stuff.

[Platypuss]

That 4-0 win at Elm Park against Aldershot on an Easter Bank Holiday around 1977 was about as good as it gets imo.

April 1979
My very first Reading game.

[From Despair To Where?]

Burnley's defending was atrocious that day. I'd say 4 of our 5 goals were down to defenders tripping over the ball or over their own feet.

I put it down to the fact that, quite simply, they didn't know what to do.
I was generally wowed. I take it you have a different view? That we were gifted?

We played well that day, were the better team and Salako scored a couple of decent goals but Burnley had the worst defence in the division that season and we were gifted 3 goals from errors you rarely see outside a Danny Baker football gaffes video. Defenders treading on the ball on the edge of the area, rugby tackling Darius Henderson in the box, that sort of thing. I suppose quite simply, they didn't know what to do because they were utterly clueless. It was embarrassingly easy.

Burnley's downfall was their poor defense, which was the worst in the league: 5 goals conceded against both Grimsby and Reading, 6 against Rotherham, 7 against Sheffield Wednesday and Watford, and 89 overall, the worst in the First Division and third-worst in the entire Football League.

There are 2 wins at Turf Moor that live long in the memory though, 2-1 in 1995 and 3-0 in 2006. The first a classic away win in a torrential downpour and freezing conditions and the second an excellent team performance

[From Despair To Where?]

Best defeat was Peterborough away the year before. We played fantastically with Caskey controlling everything. The whole second half was just wave after wave of blue and white swarming towards our noisy terrace. They got a penalty for head-ball and stole the game.

I remember that one, it was during the fuel protests and I spent about 2hrs the night before trying to get a full tank of petrol. Their keeper had the game of his life and, as you say they win with a 90th minute penalty given for Barry Hunter heading the ball out for a corner.

[Zana Badawi]

Burnley's downfall was their poor defense, which was the worst in the league: 5 goals conceded against both Grimsby and Reading, 6 against Rotherham, 7 against Sheffield Wednesday and Watford, and 89 overall, the worst in the First Division and third-worst in the entire Football League.

There are 2 wins at Turf Moor that live long in the memory though, 2-1 in 1995 and 3-0 in 2006. The first a classic away win in a torrential downpour and freezing conditions and the second an excellent team performance

Those are pretty damning stats to be fair, but it has to be said you sure sucked the fun out of that memory.
IIRC, and that's not a certainity, that the 5 goal Burnley game came within two weeks of another successful foray up north. Did we not also brush aside Sheffield United with nonchalance as well. Although, of course, we did that every year.

[Barcelona Blue]

Reading 4, Plymouth 3, easy ..never forget that one..the action, the south bank,THE comebak..amazing stuff..not sure of the year but in the 80´s, prob mid eighties-85-86