It's always been sh*t. It's always been sh*****t.....

[Jackson Corner]

I do remember a particularly thrilling 5-3 win at Elm Park against Watford. I'd say it was about 1982, in a Mickey Mouse Cup competition.

Yes I remember this was it the football league trophy? It was the knock out stages and they were top flight at the time Barnes, Blissett etc. They were 3-1 up with 5 minutes to go. I left was walking up Tilehurst road heard a roar, turned round just as I got to the Southbank we scored again 3-3. Won 5-3 after extra time. I'm not going Saturday but my record at Vicaridge Road is:
Attended 5 W 0 D 3 L 2 F 2 A 7 P 3

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Hey look it's my shadow.

Keep your hands out of your trousers GenericRoyalFan it's got nothing to do with Alex McCarthy either.

Calm down

[LUX]

there's the phantom goal game a couple of years ago. 2-2?

I was at inflatables (0-3 defeat), which was appalling.

I've also seen us lose away there, in successive weeks, in September 1978 (or so). Cup and league, seven two over the two games iirc.

I think we won at home 3 0 in our promotion 75-76 season. I was there of course.

[leicsRoyal]

The first line of the fans verdict, in the match report, from our home encounter probably sums up what delights we and a few million tv viewers have to look forward to.

Quote:

' what an absolute pile of crap '

[Schards#2]

Re Coventry and Walsall:

Yes, yes and yes

I was all of those, and the Watford one was the worst. Not only no chances but a spectacularly low quality of football played in totally uninspiring surroundings.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

That 4-2 defeat saw Andy Freeman's only Reading 1st team appearance. It lasted 5 mins and was at the time the shortest ever RFC 1st team career. Peter Castle beat that 7 years later, again at Watford. Everything about Viacarge Road smacks of FAILURE.

[Croydon Royal]

It was Peter Castle and Darren(?) Campbell wasn't it? Campbell was a right winger, Castle a CB.

Yeah you're right - I remember seeing Campbell in traing a few times. Small but lively. Still, I was right with the "never saw him again" bit!

Campbell was brilliant on one of the Football Manager editions. He went on to play for someone in the Ryman League - I remember seeing him play against Whyteleafe a couple of years back, but I can't remember who (may have been Tooting & Mitcham).

[FiNeRaIn]

That 4-2 defeat saw Andy Freeman's only Reading 1st team appearance. It lasted 5 mins and was at the time the shortest ever RFC 1st team career. Peter Castle beat that 7 years later, again at Watford. Everything about Viacarge Road smacks of FAILURE.

I'd rather be locked in a dungeon than at vicarage road being tortured on saturday. I can't believe they are showing this on sky.

[Terminal Boardom]

That 4-2 defeat saw Andy Freeman's only Reading 1st team appearance. It lasted 5 mins and was at the time the shortest ever RFC 1st team career. Peter Castle beat that 7 years later, again at Watford. Everything about Viacarge Road smacks of FAILURE.

I'd rather be locked in a dungeon than at vicarage road being tortured on saturday. I can't believe they are showing this on sky.

Look on the bright side. If you ARE watching on Sky, you can always change channel

[Silver Fox]

And 3 years ago this week there was a decent 4-0 home win.

Coldest I have ever been at football

[FiNeRaIn]

I don't share any dislike for watford fans as I've come away from some of these games feeling a strong bond with them like we survived a natural disaster and carried each other to safety. Torrential rain, gale force winds, arctic temperatures, miles of thick grey clouds blocking out the sun while dogged defences completely bypass the midfield with long balls played in half empty grounds. Proper grotty, never convenient always woeful championship fixture. Even when a team has won the standard has been so bad it would make Doncaster Vs Scunthorpe seem like a high tempo end to end el classico played in hostile conditions. I can feel a panic attack being brought on by the flash backs.
Can't they just remove this fixture from the league calender?

Watford vs Reading....just fvck off.

[Maguire]

And 3 years ago this week there was a decent 4-0 home win.

Coldest I have ever been at football

Watched it in the Nags

[Svlad Cjelli]

And 3 years ago this week there was a decent 4-0 home win.

Coldest I have ever been at football

Watched it in the Nags

Watched it from the control room.

[From Despair To Where?]

Oh remember being halfway down the M4 one winters day when the game was called off

I remember that. Had to chip ice off the inside of my windscreen, it was that cold that day. Got as far as Wycombe before it was called off. IIRC, the resheduled fixture was the 4-2 debacle.

And anyone who thinks Vicarage Rd is cold has never been to Boundary Park. Watford in the grips of an icy winter is positively tropical in comparison to Oldham in September with the wind whipping off Saddleworth Moor.

[Tilehurst End]

And 3 years ago this week there was a decent 4-0 home win.

Coldest I have ever been at football

Around -5 if I remember correctly.

Was there for a 2-1 defeat many moons ago when I think Friday put us ahead, they equalised and then scored the winner about 10 minutes into dubious injury time played by Mr Kirkpatrick.

First time I'd failed to get back on the bus before the theme music for sports report!

[Warfield North Stand]

I remember a particularly depressing 4-2 defeat at Vicarage Rd when we made the terminally hopeless Devon White look like Ronaldo and the scoreline seriously flattered us.

We missed our train back to Luton this night( at Uni, yes Luton. I failed my A Levels!!). We were just about to find that big night club to waste a few hours when the Airport shuttle bus between Gatwick, LHR and Luton turned up and we were saved. It was shit and wet and I beleive I was supposed to be doing my disatation instead!!
Happy days

[Silver Fox]

And 3 years ago this week there was a decent 4-0 home win.

Coldest I have ever been at football

Watched it in the Nags

Yeah, I remember how we LOL'd at you missing some actual goals against Watford

then tried to move our feet and realised you were sat in front of a fire

[Compo's Hat]

I might actually put a few quid on 0-0.

9/1 on skybet

Always bet on no goalscorer as own goals don't count... and could go off favourite for first goalscorer!

[Maguire]

[Watched it in the Nags

Watched it from the control room.

How many real ales do they have in there

[gazzer, loyal royal]

It was Peter Castle and Darren(?) Campbell wasn't it? Campbell was a right winger, Castle a CB.

Yeah you're right - I remember seeing Campbell in traing a few times. Small but lively. Still, I was right with the "never saw him again" bit!

Campbell was brilliant on one of the Football Manager editions. He went on to play for someone in the Ryman League - I remember seeing him play against Whyteleafe a couple of years back, but I can't remember who (may have been Tooting & Mitcham).

he was at Staines town for a while. Was in the same academy team as Cox. He was tipped to be the one who made it
i've been to Watford a few times

0-1, when we had a chance of the play offs, last game of the season, Ashley Young scored from a deflection off Murts shin
0-0 premier league, Bikey at right back, woeful
0-3, end of Mcdermotts half season in charge, should have had a blatent pen early on and got thumped. Danny Graham scored twice to treble his tally for the year

given up going after these, but shall give it another go on Sat

Cov away in the 0-0 was crap. The closest to a goal was Tabb from 30 yards that went about 5 yards wide.