new Reading fan from the states

[Stamtown]

Hi all,

Due to my passionate hatred for baseball, dismal outlook for the Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, and the lack of an MLS team here in Philadelphia, i've decided I need a premiership team to follow and support to fill the void.

It came down to Man City and Reading. Man City because I am so used to depression, alcholism and utter lack of glory from being a Philadelphia sports fan, and Reading because of their underdog moxie, blue collar work ethic and ties to the region (my girlfriend went to high school with Bobby Convey and saw him skinny dipping one morning in the pool once, she swears thats all that happened). I've decided to throw my hat in with Reading after following them through the offseason and the two spirited performances so far in the premiership, plus I'm told the agony of Man City fandom is something you need to be born into anyway.

In any case, I hope you accept me into your ranks and don't think of me as a bandwagon jumper. I feel like I'm getting pretty well up to speed from reading the boards and various articles around the net, but I'd like to gather some opinions about what you guys think is the most important thing to know about being a Royals fan...something about the team history, fan culture, coaches, players, etc...just so I can better feel things out.

Thanks!

[Row Z Royal]

As is in "Jaap Stamtown"?

Welcome to Hobnob.

[Gordons Cumming]

Welcome

Before someone asks, as I know the juveniles will ( and even RL and GG )
is Bobby's you-know-what impressive?

They asked if Marcus had got abig one ( gun that is )

Get used to this sort of reply on here and you'll be OK.

[Row V]

Welcome to the Board from Sunny(!) NJ.

[Alan Partridge]

Welcome, Not a boxing fan then seeing as though your favourite son Rocky Balboa, arguably the greatest heavyweight champion of all time is Philadelphia's own. Maybe that's why your attracted to our underdog status?

[who are ya?]

In any case, I hope you accept me into your ranks and don't think of me as a bandwagon jumper.

Not at all..

[Only one Trevor Morley]

Hi all,

Due to my passionate hatred for baseball, dismal outlook for the Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, and the lack of an MLS team here in Philadelphia, i've decided I need a premiership team to follow and support to fill the void.

It came down to Man City and Reading. Man City because I am so used to depression, alcholism and utter lack of glory from being a Philadelphia sports fan, and Reading because of their underdog moxie, blue collar work ethic and ties to the region (my girlfriend went to high school with Bobby Convey and saw him skinny dipping one morning in the pool once, she swears thats all that happened). I've decided to throw my hat in with Reading after following them through the offseason and the two spirited performances so far in the premiership, plus I'm told the agony of Man City fandom is something you need to be born into anyway.

In any case, I hope you accept me into your ranks and don't think of me as a bandwagon jumper. I feel like I'm getting pretty well up to speed from reading the boards and various articles around the net, but I'd like to gather some opinions about what you guys think is the most important thing to know about being a Royals fan...something about the team history, fan culture, coaches, players, etc...just so I can better feel things out.

Thanks!

Good first post and wlecome aboard - although I'm concerned that you even flirted with Man City and that a naked Bobby Convey was somehow a determining factor - but there you go!

I could go on for hours about our history - but summing it in one paragrpah would go something like this.

Formed 1871.run of the mill third division (now League 1) League club with flirtations with both Dividion 4 (now League 2) and Division 2 (now Championship - still with me?) until 1980. In the Eighties exciting things started to happen, we won 13 matches in arow from the start of the season to create a new record. We won a cup (Simod). We nearly got merged with Oxford by a crook known as robert maxwell and were within a hairs breath of becoming the Thames Valley Royals.......1990 was a key date - Madjeski bought the club and took us towards the Premiership - along the way we nearly reached the Premeirship in 1995, we got promoted on 3 occasions and relegated once, we reached the play offs on 3 occasions and never got promoted through tem, we left Elm Park for the Madjeski........ basically its been an exciting time......

Great players include Robin Friday, Neil Webb, Kerry Dixon, Trevor Senior, Michael Gilkes, Trevor Morley......

Things are never dull. We seem to attract drama, we never spend too much money and we are dreadful in the cups..........

Enjoy.

[Stamtown]

yes...jaap stamtown!!!!

Jaap Stam is my favorite player of all time, I just love what a complete ogre he is...i'll have my awesome Steroid Stam avatar up soon

Haha i didn't think to ask about the size...i'll have to find a diplomatic way to pose that question to her

[RoyalChicagoFC]

.......1990 was a key date - Madjeski bought the club and took us towards the Premiership - along the way we nearly reached the Premeirship in 1995, we got promoted on 3 occasions and relegated once, we reached the play offs on 3 occasions and never got promoted through tem, we left Elm Park for the Madjeski........ basically its been an exciting time......

...and, somewhere along the line, he changed the spelling to Madejski.

Welcome Philly. I'd pass along thanks for what the Phillies just came into town and did the the s--t-ssed Cubs, but it wouldn't matter to you.

Check out the HNA? chatroom --available thru the interaction index on the main page and NOT the link visible at the top of this one-- during matches. A real hoot!

[percy_freeman]

and if you are a sexual deviant you can check out.....http://boards.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=942&p=16
See you there!

[Jerry St Clair]

i've decided I need a premiership team to follow and support to fill the void.

then

In any case, I hope you accept me into your ranks and don't think of me as a bandwagon jumper.

Er, but you are.

[Stamtown]

despite my complete disdain for all things baseball, i still get tricked into watching the phillies now again and actually caught the cubs series - they usually play well at the end of the season right before they rip your heart out and fall one game short of making the playoffs. ugh!

thanks for the welcome and the summary, trever

[FiNeRaIn]

Welcome!

Don't tell finch/legend about bobby being naked, he'll get jealous( yes he is a fellow guy) but has an obsession with him.

Good to have you onboard.

[Stamtown]

its true jerry... i wish i could have been there for the league 1 trials and tribulations, but its too hard to follow that league from the states - I tried following other teams in the premiership before but none have had really all that much appeal to me until this one!

quick question - who are the royals greatest rival?

[RoyalChicagoFC]

quick question - who are the royals greatest rival?

Sw*ndon Town and, to a lesser extent, Oxf*rd United --both of them relegated from lesser divisions last season, and the latter right out of the Football League.

In the Prem, nobody really, but there's a bit of heat of recent vintage with Pompey and Fulham.

[wehateoxford]

dont forget west ham chicago, not a rivalry but not exactly mates

[Legend]

Welcome

Before someone asks, as I know the juveniles will ( and even RL and GG )
is Bobby's you-know-what impressive?

They asked if Marcus had got abig one ( gun that is )

Get used to this sort of reply on here and you'll be OK.

Yes, yes he is impressive.

[RoyalChicagoFC]

dont forget west ham chicago, not a rivalry but not exactly mates

Tru dat, and for reasons not worth burdening the poor fellow with at this time. We could add WoLOLves and Crystal Panazzio as non-geographically-based rivalries developed at the second level but currently on hiatus, plus Sheffied United so long as the insufferable Warnock's still running that show and six points remain on the line. A fair bit of loathing hereabouts for QPR and, if perhaps only in a historical/geographical sense these days, Wycombe would rate as well.

[Royal Jelly]

Surely the fact that you've got a Reading Station (or once did?) in Philadelphia, and are only a short drive from the home of the other Reading Royals (I know, I made the pilgramige just to say I've been to the other Reading) should have tipped you in our direction rather than the fact that you're missus has seen Bobby's todger

Anyway, welcome. I spent a day watching Baseball in your rather large stadium a couple of years ago, and despite not having a clue what was going on, and staying for the 10th game (or set, whatever its called) long after it'd all finished, I had a great time.

This may have been more to do with the fact we spent the day drinking, but either way, Philadelphia remain my favourite rounders team.

[Philly Flyer]

Welcome to the board! Where are you in PA? Berks County perhaps??Maybe you could hook up with brother in Bucks County who comes with me to the Mad Stad when he visits. You would enjoy a game here...the atmosphere now is similar to the Core States Arena (sorry, Walkoveryou Center) when the 76ers made it to the NBA Finals a few years back.