The high's and lows of being a Reading fan......

[No Fixed Abode]

Lows

Coppell's parking space fiasco
Chronicle report on hooliganism
Nigel Howe allegedly sleeping with an ex-managers wife
5p throwing at Cambridge
Breaking the minutes silence v Swindon away (Game on Valentines day)
Pitch invasion at Walsall when Keith Jones scored a perfectly good goal but it was disallowed
Massive riot after an Oxford United away game at the Manor Ground
Stoke City riots at Elm Park
Swansea and Cardiff City riots at Elm Park
Trouble between the fans in the friendly with Aldershot
The abuse of Nick Blackman
"BRING IT ON"
Ginger day

[Davezk]

If you think we got messed around, Leicester fans have to pay £100 just to attend their opening match (excluding season ticket holders).

[Mr Optimist]

Strap, why do you consider the brief Porterfield era as one of the worst?

Ok it wasn't brilliant but a couple of midtable div 3 seasons where we actually started to pass the ball to a teammate, on the floor, with more than three consecutive passes was a hundred times better than the last two years of the Branfoot era.

Thought it was a small part in our transition from Sunday park football to the football under McGhee during 1992-1994.

[Royal Lady]

When we were in Divisions 3 and 4 - you kind of expected that the club was going to be in Div 3 and Div 4 - once we got promotion to what is now the championship, and had a new stadium, I, like some other fans, thought we'd hit our highest level - the Bolton play off final was the game where I actually thought "we could actually end up playing in the top division one day" - and we did and now we've been there a couple of times, and know we can do it, then we have more expectation on our club than we ever did in the 70s or early 80s and before.

The club now continually give us the old "spin" about challenging for the Premier League etc etc, thus raising our expectations - if they'd continue to play down our chances - I doubt there would be quite so many disillusioned fans right now. The takeover fiascos haven't helped - and I, personally, take any "promise" made by anyone to do with the club with a pinch of salt now, after the AZ debacle. Which is a shame, but this season I will expect nothing of RFC and if I'm right, I won't be disappointed and if I'm wrong, I'll be absolutely delighted. However, what I don't want, is to see us spunking thousands of pounds away in wages for players who are not up to the job. I'd rather see the U21s play in championship games and have a will and desire to win, together with immense pride at pulling on the shirt, than some of the dross I have watched.

[No Fixed Abode]

I'd rather see the U21s play in championship games and have a will and desire to win, together with immense pride at pulling on the shirt, than some of the dross I have watched.

Whilst that would be good at any club - if those U21s were any good, they would be off to a bigger club in a heartbeat......that's the way football is these days.

If you're not Chelsea, Man United, City or Arsenal, young players will leave as soon as a bigger club comes in for them.

[From Despair To Where?]

I seem to remember James Henry resisting the overtures of Chelsea as a youngster.

[No Fixed Abode]

I seem to remember James Henry resisting the overtures of Chelsea as a youngster.

Good career move than turned out, if the rumours were true.

[sandman]

I'd rather see the U21s play in championship games and have a will and desire to win, together with immense pride at pulling on the shirt, than some of the dross I have watched.

Whilst that would be good at any club - if those U21s were any good, they would be off to a bigger club in a heartbeat......that's the way football is these days.

If you're not Chelsea, Man United, City or Arsenal, young players will leave as soon as a bigger club comes in for them.

As those clubs find out when the truly big clubs on the continent come in for their players. Although the smaller English clubs do get players that don't make it and aren't quite good enough to play regularly for the big foreign clubs.

[From Despair To Where?]

More than just rumours, it was widely reported with quotes from both clubs and players at the time that he rejected Chelsea in favour of signing his first professional contract at Reading

I would say it was a good career move, regular first team football at Championship level, which is realistically where he should be rather than rotting in Chelsea's reserves for 5 years with no hope of first team football and ending up on the scrapheap at 23. Playing in front of 25,000 people at Molyneux every fortnight or playing in front of 25 people at The Rec every fortnight. I know which one I'd choose.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yes, and out of interest, just where is Ryan Bertrand going to go out on loan to, this coming (his seventh with Chelsea) season Kes?

[Gordons Cumming]

Goodness me! So many are complaining that now is the lowest point they have experienced as RFC fans!!

Try starting to follow RFC in 1971-72 season! Try watching the Porterfield or Bullivant teams!!

Last season we finished 7th in the 2nd tier, which in case it has been forgotten, was the equal 9th best finishing position we have achieved in 88 years.

Not to mention the average attendance of 19161 being the 7th best in 88 years of League football for RFC.

Granted the ownership debacle was (and still is) one of the most embarrassing episodes in the club's 140 odd years history, and DOES need to be sorted pronto. However, we have a manager who at least is a genuine bloke who does seem to have a degree of integrity, unlike some of the past lot, (Bodgers, Pardew, McGhee et al).

We have a significant number of Academy/U21 players who do seem to have a genuine chance of making the grade. We also seem to have a bit of team spirit brewing away in the background.

Now I admit to being an old fart, but some of you on here have very short memories. If you genuinely feel these times are the LOW points in your times supporting RFC, then either a) you haven't been supporting RFC for very long, or b) you're suffering from a severe case of memory loss. In either case, go to your local library, get out old copies of Rothmans/Sky Yearbooks and actually discover the history of the club!

Just to put things into perspective, last season's 7th place wasn't even our worst in the last 12 years. Since 2002/03, we've finished 24th, 29th, 27th, 21st, 8th, 18th, 24th, 29th, 25th, 21st, 19th and last season 27th place in the English Football pyramid of the top 92 league teams. Only ONCE before 2002/03 have we finished anywhere near these places, 24th in 1994/95, in our ENTIRE football league history.

So PLEASE, get some perspective. Yes, we have ownership issues. Yes, we haven't signed anyone who has made any lasting impression on the team recently, (although fingers crossed Danny Williams gets fit soon - and that presumes you don't count McCleary, Gunter et al). But SERIOUSLY, is this worse than watching us getting stuffed home and away 5-1 by Bury? Or being dumped out of FAC1 by Brentwood? I could go on, but there's little point. The Playstation/Twatter/Facebook generation, with attention spans of goldfish, think all is lost unless we are playing "beautiful" football, and lording it over all and sundry 24/7!

Jeez, kids today!

Aye!You trying the young people that today .............and they won't believe you, they won't.

[floyd__streete]

You've all missed the point here

The football has been mediocre, but true.....we've seen worse, far worse. But why do we go in the first place? The football is secondary in some ways to the experience. The experience now? A stadium devoid of any atmosphere whatsoever, miles from anywhere (least of all, pubs), populated by sub-Soccer AM generation drones lapping up the latest glib gimmicks thought up by a social-media-gone-boring PR team.

I could just about struggle through another season of that on a regular basis were it not for the fact that we are now a club owned by some unscrupulous finance company who are trying to shift the business to a bunch of unknown foreigners we have little hope of getting to know/understand before they themselves inevitably shift it on to the next bunch of questionable, cashless chancers.

The club these days is about as unique and charming as a branch of Tesco.

[Nameless]

Do we accept any of the blame for that ?

Atmosphere is 100% down to us. We can moan about it all we like but it's the one thing we can actually do something about.

But no one can be bothered...

[Mr.Swainey]

You've all missed the point here

The football has been mediocre, but true.....we've seen worse, far worse. But why do we go in the first place? The football is secondary in some ways to the experience. The experience now? A stadium devoid of any atmosphere whatsoever, miles from anywhere (least of all, pubs), populated by sub-Soccer AM generation drones lapping up the latest glib gimmicks thought up by a social-media-gone-boring PR team.

I could just about struggle through another season of that on a regular basis were it not for the fact that we are now a club owned by some unscrupulous finance company who are trying to shift the business to a bunch of unknown foreigners we have little hope of getting to know/understand before they themselves inevitably shift it on to the next bunch of questionable, cashless chancers.

The club these days is about as unique and charming as a branch of Tesco.

I tried making a similar point recently and was shot down.

[floyd__streete]

Do we accept any of the blame for that ?

Atmosphere is 100% down to us.

Disagreed. A club who openly admit to wanting to attract families above all else. "For every thug we ban, we gain a family of four". How many 'thugs' have ever followed RFC? Seriously now. A few beered up 20 somethings over the years, but our historic reputation as a fanbase is about as fearsome as the cast of Rainbow. And now the sons of the "family of four" have reached the age where they are attending on their own steam and are the ones most likely to be taking the lead in generating the atmosphere. And they generally have all the wit, intellect (not to mention vocal capacity) of The Inbetweeners, having been brought up on a diet of 'Bring it On!' and 'Twirl your scarf'.

[Martin41]

You've all missed the point here

The football has been mediocre, but true.....we've seen worse, far worse. But why do we go in the first place? The football is secondary in some ways to the experience. The experience now? A stadium devoid of any atmosphere whatsoever, miles from anywhere (least of all, pubs), populated by sub-Soccer AM generation drones lapping up the latest glib gimmicks thought up by a social-media-gone-boring PR team.

I could just about struggle through another season of that on a regular basis were it not for the fact that we are now a club owned by some unscrupulous finance company who are trying to shift the business to a bunch of unknown foreigners we have little hope of getting to know/understand before they themselves inevitably shift it on to the next bunch of questionable, cashless chancers.

The club these days is about as unique and charming as a branch of Tesco.

I tried making a similar point recently and was shot down.

As i said the other day. If you don't like it don't go.... Your choice. But if you do go try and make the atmosphere better, you might be only 1 person, but it has to start somewhere!!

[Mr.Swainey]

You've all missed the point here

The football has been mediocre, but true.....we've seen worse, far worse. But why do we go in the first place? The football is secondary in some ways to the experience. The experience now? A stadium devoid of any atmosphere whatsoever, miles from anywhere (least of all, pubs), populated by sub-Soccer AM generation drones lapping up the latest glib gimmicks thought up by a social-media-gone-boring PR team.

I could just about struggle through another season of that on a regular basis were it not for the fact that we are now a club owned by some unscrupulous finance company who are trying to shift the business to a bunch of unknown foreigners we have little hope of getting to know/understand before they themselves inevitably shift it on to the next bunch of questionable, cashless chancers.

The club these days is about as unique and charming as a branch of Tesco.

I tried making a similar point recently and was shot down.

As i said the other day. If you don't like it don't go.... Your choice. But if you do go try and make the atmosphere better, you might be only 1 person, but it has to start somewhere!!

I'll be at Wigan singing 'if you're a Wigan fan, surrender all your pies'

[floyd__streete]

If you don't like it don't go....

IN!

IN for not giving my money to some unscrupulous finance company. IN for not contributing a penny towards the wages of that p*ss-taking disgrace Royston Drenthe.

IN for visits to proper football grounds such as Forest, Charlton, Birmingham etc. to watch Reading next season instead.

[Nameless]

Careful of the games you pick - you'll end up putting money into the pockets of some well dodgy people ! Avoid Leeds and Birmingham for a start....

[floyd__streete]

Careful of the games you pick - you'll end up putting money into the pockets of some well dodgy people ! Avoid Leeds and Birmingham for a start....

Neatly made point, but at least putting a small amount of money towards wretched ownership of our peer clubs doesn't represent me directly financing similarly unscrupulous people at RFC. I compared RFC to Tesco earlier, so to extend the metaphor - Every Little Helps.

#thanksAnton