rabidbeemortimer royal The people that only start supporting the club now are the people that will stop when/if things start going badly, what this club needs is loyal supporters who will support this club for the long term through thick and thin not just when we are doing well.
There may never be a better time for us to pick up new fans. I think you are harsh on those that may discover Reading this season - not all of them will drift away at the first signs of failure. I've often heard folk on here state that they started following Reading after the Simod Cup, the Wembley play-off or the MadStad opening day. All highs in our recent history that have been interspersed with prolongued periods of mediocrity - whilst our fan base and attendances have steadily grown.
My first game was the Man City league cup match in '93 (or '92?). As most of my family are northern, the media coverage of the 1-1 draw at Maine Road was the first time I'd really heard about Reading. So, my first two seasons saw us get promoted and then reach a play-off final. But yeah, I've stuck around since. To be honest, I would have fallen in love regardless - it was the atmosphere of being in a football crowd, getting drenched, under floodlights, that was what got me hooked, not any success (and, consequently, failure didn't drive me away).[/quote]
Totally agree. My first was Wembly. Having gone through the excitement of travelling to the national stadium, coming so close to winning, the sheer joy of being in the lead followed by the hollow feeling of going behind and eventually losing. That feeling couldn't drown out the excitement I felt at having seen my first live footbal match. I never had a chance after getting off the train on the way there.
I'd followed Readings scores on Grandstand for about half that season, I'd folllowed the whole McGhee thing in the papers and on the news. 11 years on and there is no chance of me ever stopping supporting the Royals. I've done from Exeter as a poor Student, I'm now doing it from Cambridge as a poor ex-student.
For every two fans that drift away after the success goes at least 1 will stay on as a hardcore Royal. They may not go to every game but that doesn't lessen their support.
I'm not gonna quite believe we're their til about 1pm on Saturday the 19th. But It's going to be fantastic win lose or draw. Should we get pasted every game in the premiership, lets make sure they remember us as the best most positive fans ever. Even if we do go down, lets go down singing and shouting, and happy that we'll bounce back bigger and better.
URRRRRRRRRZZZZZZ!
