Dear Mr Chairman

[rhroyal]

A very good fishing attempt by Gordon, possibly?

[Man Friday]

This says nothing new and should be merged by the moderators.

[Royal With Cheese]

This says nothing new and should be merged by the moderators.

They only lock boards.

[Wimb]

It's not so much about living in the past, it's about recognising that there are certain limitations on the club that haven't really changed. We're still an unfancied provincial club with a fairly modest fan base. Potentially, we could draw on millions in the wider area, but we're too close to London and its alternative attractions, footballing and otherwise. If Madejski is either unwilling or unable to finance a significantly increased outlay, where will that money come from? No one else seems interested in buying the club, and we've had to reduce ticket prices since coming down. As our time in the PL showed, the huge increase in TV revenue is quickly swallowed by inflated wages, and banks are much less willing to give clubs unlimited credit it seems.

Madejski seems perhaps overly cautious, but fair enough, it's his money. And frankly, he's the one who is the successful businessman; unless there are loads of self-made millionaires on here, I figure he's the one who knows what he's talking about. People are just going to have to accept that he has opted for limited risk, I think ever since the collapse of ITV Digital.

And personally, whilst that first season was fun, I think the Premiership is shit anyway. Why would I want to pay £35-40 a week to watch us try to cling to bottom-16 status? We're competative at this level, it's cheaper, there are more games and they're more fun. Nuff said.

Exactly my thoughts good sir

[Gordons Cumming]

As I just lost a friend last night the word perspective comes to mind...............................

It's this constant irrational moaning that gets me.

Such is the nature of the internet I guess,..............before www we just didn't hear so much of it.

[RoyalBlue]

So Reading FC has no ambition? Maybe.................

Whoever thinks that, and doesn't like it, move along to support a team that does.You wont be missed (not by me anyway)

Leave Reading FC to it's own real supporters as you lot are becoming very boring.

Reading FC (ambitious or not ambitious, makes no diference to me I'll still support them)

Life's too short for all this moaning.

If we were in the Prem Gylfi would have stayed, we weren't, so he left (we got 7 million ) move on............(yawn)

I'm sure the Chairman will love you trying to discourage people from paying to watch the team!

Truth be, he doesn't actually need your help in that respect because he is doing a damn fine job on his own!

Just because we don't support him, his massive ego and empty rhetoric does not mean that we don't and/or are disqualified from supporting our football team. You need to learn that there is a very clear distinction between the two.

We will be around long after Madejski loses interest/is driven out.

Boos for everything to do with Madejski and cheers for the team!

[Gordons Cumming]

So Reading FC has no ambition? Maybe.................

Whoever thinks that, and doesn't like it, move along to support a team that does.You wont be missed (not by me anyway)

Leave Reading FC to it's own real supporters as you lot are becoming very boring.

Reading FC (ambitious or not ambitious, makes no diference to me I'll still support them)

Life's too short for all this moaning.

If we were in the Prem Gylfi would have stayed, we weren't, so he left (we got 7 million ) move on............(yawn)

But it's not as simple as that is it? Football supporters don't, can't really, move on to another team. For many of us, no doubt you included, "Reading 'til I die" is a statement of fact, not just a song. However much I rant about things on here and however much I disagree with the direction the club may take, i will always follow them. That is not to say that I can't be dissolusioned, pissed off, frustrated, whatever about the current obvious lack of ambition.

I see it rather like if one of your children hugely disappoints you, you don't have the option of giving up on them and focussing your attention elsewhere as they are still your children and you still love them.

Supporting a team doesn't mean you cannot criticise them periodically and it doesn't make you less of a supporter if you do. To suggest that, if you don't like it you can simply flounce off to another club is a completely empty argument.

Good point. Just a bad day.

[rob the royal]

As I just lost a friend last night the word perspective comes to mind...............................

It's this constant irrational moaning that gets me.

Such is the nature of the internet I guess,..............before www we just didn't hear so much of it.

Fair enough.

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

The worst thing about the AE lock-down is having to venture onto this board.

Please back the club properly or sell up & oxf*rd off.

+1

Have to say I agree with all of that.

So do I

^^^ Mental problems ^^^

/\/\/\ delusional problem/\/\
"Sod the icebergs, we're unsinkable, full steam ahead"

Please outline, rationally where our chairman hasn't "backed" the club. Actually don't bother because you and the other mongs will come up with the same old shit about chucking money about BECAUSE THAT SOLVES EVERYTHING

[Row Z Royal]

/\/\/\ delusional problem/\/\
"Sod the icebergs, we're unsinkable, full steam ahead"

Please outline, rationally where our chairman hasn't "backed" the club. Actually don't bother because you and the other mongs will come up with the same old shit about chucking money about BECAUSE THAT SOLVES EVERYTHING

Next he'll be telling us that the government money to support the banks should have been a gift.

[Wimb]

It's a tough one, it's not the players fault and i don't think it's McDermott's fault, he's been dealt a worse hand than Jeremy Beadle.

Take your best player away but here's £50,000 to spend.

I think Harte might do ok, he'll chip in a few goals and assists from dead balls, unlike Gylfi though he's in a crucial defensive position and I'm not sure his defensive work will be anywhere near as good as his set pieces. Harte will probably cost a few goals as well as score some. Something that with where Gylfi played he couldn't do really.

I agree with the last paragraph Reading as a club do not deserve any type of success, they have tried to do things ridiculously on the cheap for the last 4-5 years so it's no surprise that they have got gradually worse and are now in the situation of having 3 pretty mediocre forwards. I quite like Noel Hunt but I think he massively benefited by playing alongside Kevin Doyle and also his fitness is still a big concern.

I'd hardly say McD has been dealt a bad hand when you consider the talent/depth within the squad as a whole. I think plenty of Championship managers would love to have the talent that we have in our squad, one which is now looking far more balanced as a result of adding Khiz and Harte to it.

I do find it laughable when people equate the success of a squad to how much money is spent on it. Tommy Burns spent an absolute fortune when we were in Division 2 and it got us into a relegation battle. Steve Coppell on the other hand barely spent and won the league in record fashion. It's obviously better if you can afford to go out and spend money but the risks of spending when you don't have a big income are well documented and I can't blame a hierarchy that wants to run the club on as even a footing as it can.

How much money did Blackpool or Burnley spend to get promoted? how big were their squads? For that matter how big was ours when we went up? This squad has ALREADY SHOWN it's capable of winning games against the very best and has done so without Sig in the team.

How on earth does a team/club 'deserve' promotion..... surely the only way someone deserves something is by earning it and that my friends is up to those XI on the pitch not those in the boardroom.

[trueroyal1871]

We always used to criticize the likes of Nottm Forest and Leeds for living in the past when they visited us, singing about glories 20 odd years ago which they can barely remember. I agree, clubs should not live in the past. They should look progressively forward.

That is why the following pro-Madejski argument infuriates me:

"I remember watching us in Division 3 at Elm Park and travelling to Chesterfield away. Now you should just be thankful for our new stadium and our Championship set up."

Yes, we should be thankful. However, that doesn't mean we should sit on our achievements so far and be happy with our current level of success. I know we've been spoilt in recent years and I don't have a problem with failure on the pitch when we're trying to move forward.

The problem is, for all the world we don't appear to be looking forward. We're happy where we are, thankful for the Mad Stad etc. It seems like travelling to the likes of Anfield and Old Trafford in the Premiership did not create a thirst for more. The club's drive for the next level has gone. At least when Madejski originally arrived the club was looking to better itself and move forward, surely it was then worth hanging around to see how the club would fare with its plans.

Now we're happy with what we've got and there is nothing to look forward to, we have no intentional to better ourselves and to move forward again. I once said that I've probably seen our peak, 8th in the Premiership. It goes further than that right now, I can't see us challenging for promotion out of this league in the near future. This is why people are disillusioned, not because we're not thankful for what Madejski has done in the past.

I think Madejski has offered all he can for the club. Unfortunately, you can't just go out there and find a suitable chairman just like that and until this happens I'm happy to settle for a few years mediocrity. Equally, whether he leaves or not is not our decision to make, so we'll have to settle with what we've got and get behind the team for a while longer.

I just wanted to vent my spleen at those who think that past achievements provide a good excuse for sitting back on our laurels and failing to look forwards.

This sums up exactly how I feel about the situation. I know it pisses us all off when we're not where we think we should be but we've got almost a full season left to look forward to and we still don't where we could end up. There is nothing wrong with being competitive in this division and allowing Brian to build his own squad over a 2 or 3 seasons before we have another crack at promotion.

[rabidbee]

It is stupid but it is also the way the industry works.

I have issue with that last word.

[Millsy]

Please back the club properly or sell up & oxf*rd off.

Lee oxf*rd Hendrie!!!!

Agree 100%

Obviously those with their heads stuck up JM's backside and those who still believe Reading to be a little side will have clever things to say.

The fact is what has happened since the 2nd season in the Premiership has been disgraceful and Madejski has simply bottled it.

I personally like the guy and feel for him, but he has to go.

Just like my beloved Coppell was actually holding us back when it became clear his heart wasn't in it anymore, our beloved Madejski is holding us back now.

Madejski - thanks you've been a legend. But please look to sell asap to someone who can continue the great work that you can't.

[rabidbee]

Madejski - thanks you've been a legend. But please look to sell asap to someone who can continue the great work that you can't.

If only this had occurred to him.

[winchester_royal]

Loving the idea that there are loads of people out there who are just desperate to buy a small club in Berkshire and invest huge amounts of money.

[Sir Dodger Royal]

When you consider not many years ago we were buying players from Stoke and they had financial issues as they were not a well run tight fisted club like Reading.

Despite all the criticism of Stoke they are in the Premiership and for two seasons have adopted a positive pro active approach to staying in the league. That continued yesterday and I do not expect Stoke to be relegated. Also teams like Wigan, Bolton, Fulham and Blackburn have survived with smaller gates than Reading would get in the Premiership. They have also invested when they have sold players so it is clear that the Reading model is crap and doesn't work.

The Pigeons in Dodger's garden can see it but the old past it senile coot running this Club can't and never will. Please **** off ASAP you great big w****r.

Real Facts.

[brendywendy]

personally id rather you went than JM

so Please **** off ASAP you great big w****r yourself!

[Millsy]

Madejski - thanks you've been a legend. But please look to sell asap to someone who can continue the great work that you can't.

If only this had occurred to him.

If only.

[weybridgewanderer]

Please back the club properly or sell up & oxf*rd off.

Lee oxf*rd Hendrie!!!!

If you make him an appropriate offer I am sure he will sell to you and you can make the investements you want him to make