Noel Hunt, 20+ goals -2011/12 Championship

[Ian Royal]

How many stars did we have in 2005? Sidwell, Harper, Kitson, Shorey, Little, Hahnemann - all rated as extremely good Championship players. Lita came with a massive reputation.

No one stood out in our team particularly, because half of our team were too good for the division by that point.

If we win the first couple of games we may have another massive season. Yeah, well that's a shockingly meaningful sentence isn't it.

If we lose the first couple of games we may be relegated.

Auntie - Bollocks - Uncle. Use these to think of a well known saying.

[Snowball]

You mean we EXPECTED to walk the Championship in 2005-06?

Sidwell, Elwood
Harper, Karacan
Kitson, Long
Shorey, ... OK
Little, Kebe
Hahnemann - Feds/McCarthy

- all rated as extremely good Championship players. Lita came with a massive reputation (in League 1)

We showed this season what a few wins does for the team.

I'm saying (esp with the league being so competitive) we need a VG start and we could (then) be champions.

I am NOT saying that a couple of early defeats would cause relegation because McDermot can turn things round,
BUT, in order to WIN the division we need to start well (IMO)


Not sure why this discussion is taking place though, as we don't know the first 11 yet, or the squad

[winchester_royal]

Hahnemann > Federici
Murty >>>>> Griffin
Sonko > Mills
Ingi > Pearce
Shorey >>>>>>>>>>>>> Harte
Little > Kebe
Harper >> Karacan
Sidwell > Ledge
Doyle >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hunt
Kitson = Long (if he stays)

Sorry Snowball, love your optimism, but there is no way in hell that the current team even somes close to the 05/06 one.

[Snowball]

Hahnemann > Federici
Murty >>>>> Griffin
Sonko > Mills
Ingi > Pearce
Shorey >>>>>>>>>>>>> Harte
Little > Kebe
Harper >> Karacan
Sidwell > Ledge
Doyle >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hunt
Kitson = Long (if he stays)

Sorry Snowball, love your optimism, but there is no way in hell that the current team even comes close to the 05/06 one.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, eh?

So obviously, absolutely 100% of this list KNEW RFC would win the league by a massive margin.

How were these players rated BEFORE the season?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Hahnemann > Federici
Murty >>>>> Griffin
Sonko > Mills
Ingi > Pearce
Shorey >>>>>>>>>>>>> Harte
Little > Kebe
Harper >> Karacan
Sidwell > Ledge
Doyle >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hunt
Kitson = Long (if he stays)

Sorry Snowball, love your optimism, but there is no way in hell that the current team even somes close to the 05/06 one.

Let's not forget that the other great things both teams had was fitness and teamwork. I'd say that :

Fitness 106 team ======= 2011 team
Teamwork 106 team >>> 2011 team

[SCIAG]

Hahnemann > Federici
Murty >>>>> Griffin
Sonko > Mills
Ingi > Pearce
Shorey >>>>>>>>>>>>> Harte
Little > Kebe
Harper >> Karacan
Sidwell > Ledge
Doyle >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hunt
Kitson = Long (if he stays)

Sorry Snowball, love your optimism, but there is no way in hell that the current team even somes close to the 05/06 one.

I think you're being a bit harsh on Griffin and Hunt (for one thing, I think it's fairer to compare the strike partnership than the individuals), and even harsher on Convey and McAnuff.

[winchester_royal]

Hahnemann > Federici
Murty >>>>> Griffin
Sonko > Mills
Ingi > Pearce
Shorey >>>>>>>>>>>>> Harte
Little > Kebe
Harper >> Karacan
Sidwell > Ledge
Doyle >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hunt
Kitson = Long (if he stays)

Sorry Snowball, love your optimism, but there is no way in hell that the current team even somes close to the 05/06 one.

I think you're being a bit harsh on Griffin and Hunt (for one thing, I think it's fairer to compare the strike partnership than the individuals), and even harsher on Convey and McAnuff.

Oops, good point.

Convey >>>>> McAnuff

[Snowball]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was
prior to the 2005-06 season?


Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?

Did any predict winning the league?

Did anyone expect automatic?

How many predicted the POs?

How many thought mid-table?

Did any predict a relegation struggle?

Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

[Snowball]

Over in rumours someone said Hunt does little else but score goals.

If you add in assists his Championship record is better per minute played than Doyle's Championship record and Long's for 2009-10-11

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was
prior to the 2005-06 season?


Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?

Did any predict winning the league?

Did anyone expect automatic?

How many predicted the POs?

How many thought mid-table?

Did any predict a relegation struggle?

Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

Scroll back and find the relevant thread, someone was going to eat their hat if we were top by xmas.

[STAR Liaison]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was
prior to the 2005-06 season?


Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?

Did any predict winning the league?

Did anyone expect automatic?

How many predicted the POs?

How many thought mid-table?

Did any predict a relegation struggle?

Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

Can't remember the feeling on here but I do recall at the first Fans Forum of the season in August the manager then said that it was the hardest he had ever seen the league and there were about half a dozen teams that would be close to promotion by the end of the season - and he didn't count Reading as one of them

Anyone saying now that after the defeat to Plymouth, let alone before the season started when we had just signed 2 unknown Irishmen, they thought we would walk the league has defective memory syndrome IMO.

[Sarah Star]

The guy I sit next to at the Mad Stad tells me he never thought we'd win the league until Leicester Away. He usually predicts that we'll lose anyway.

[rfc2001]

No chance he's not good enough, misses too many good opportunities. Reading need to stop buying crappy players from league 1 and get one really good striker in.

[Avon Royal]

Has any striker ever scored 20+ in a relegation battle?

[Gordons Cumming]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was
prior to the 2005-06 season?


Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?

Did any predict winning the league?

Did anyone expect automatic?

How many predicted the POs?

How many thought mid-table?

Did any predict a relegation struggle?

Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

Can't remember the feeling on here but I do recall at the first Fans Forum of the season in August the manager then said that it was the hardest he had ever seen the league and there were about half a dozen teams that would be close to promotion by the end of the season - and he didn't count Reading as one of them

Anyone saying now that after the defeat to Plymouth, let alone before the season started when we had just signed 2 unknown Irishmen, they thought we would walk the league has defective memory syndrome IMO.

I knew Doyle would be good from the start.

[Terminal Boardom]

Has any striker ever scored 20+ in a relegation battle?

Kerry Dixon 1982/83

[Terminal Boardom]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was
prior to the 2005-06 season?


Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?

Did any predict winning the league?

Did anyone expect automatic?

How many predicted the POs?

How many thought mid-table?

Did any predict a relegation struggle?

Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

Having witnessed a performance of inept magnitude at Wigan on the last day of the previous season, I saw absolutely nothing that could prompt the outcome of the following season. All I can suggest is that anyone with a copy of the 2005/06 dvd of the season watch it again to see just how good we were. One of the keys to the success was that we had a very good squad. The depth and cover was there so when players were injured, more than adequate replacements came in and did a solid job.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was
prior to the 2005-06 season?


Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?

Did any predict winning the league?

Did anyone expect automatic?

How many predicted the POs?

How many thought mid-table?

Did any predict a relegation struggle?

Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

Having witnessed a performance of inept magnitude at Wigan on the last day of the previous season, I saw absolutely nothing that could prompt the outcome of the following season. All I can suggest is that anyone with a copy of the 2005/06 dvd of the season watch it again to see just how good we were. One of the keys to the success was that we had a very good squad. The depth and cover was there so when players were injured, more than adequate replacements came in and did a solid job.

We also had specialists - we shipped out the "utility" players who could play anywhere (but not very well) like Andy Hughes (left wing/left-back) and had specialist players in every position.

[Snowball]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was
prior to the 2005-06 season?


Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?

Did any predict winning the league?

Did anyone expect automatic?

How many predicted the POs?

How many thought mid-table?

Did any predict a relegation struggle?

Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

Having witnessed a performance of inept magnitude at Wigan on the last day of the previous season, I saw absolutely nothing that could prompt the outcome of the following season. All I can suggest is that anyone with a copy of the 2005/06 dvd of the season watch it again to see just how good we were. One of the keys to the success was that we had a very good squad. The depth and cover was there so when players were injured, more than adequate replacements came in and did a solid job.

And incredible luck with the defence and most key players avoiding injury

League Appearances

46 0 Ivar Ingimarsson
46 0 Ibrahima Sonko
45 0 Marcus Hahnemann
40 0 Nicky Shorey
40 0 Graeme Murty

45 0 Bobby Convey
44 1 James Harper
41 4 Kevin Doyle

[Snowball]

Does anyone (genuinely) remember what the general feeling was prior to the 2005-06 season?
Did anyone expect a record-breaking season?
Did any predict winning the league?
Did anyone expect automatic?
How many predicted the POs?
How many thought mid-table?
Did any predict a relegation struggle?
Did anyone say "We're doomed"?

Having witnessed a performance of inept magnitude at Wigan on the last day of the previous season, I saw absolutely nothing that could prompt the outcome of the following season. All I can suggest is that anyone with a copy of the 2005/06 dvd of the season watch it again to see just how good we were. One of the keys to the success was that we had a very good squad. The depth and cover was there so when players were injured, more than adequate replacements came in and did a solid job.

RFC 2-4 Swansea, so it's written in the stars that we'' get 107 points next season!