by coyrls » 24 Dec 2010 10:35
by Forbury Lion » 24 Dec 2010 11:08
Gordons Cumming What Friday lacked in pace, he made up on skill.
by Mr Angry » 24 Dec 2010 11:40
Harpers So Solid Crew Well worth adding that it was before the days of the internet, and instant information, the tannoy was dire, if you could even hear it, team news was as listed in the program, and often you did not know the team until they appeared from the tunnel. Most games you would be lucky to see 3 or 4 pictures in the Post and Chronicle, very little television coverage. There was no local radio either, and we barely got a mention in national media. The main knowledge was from being there, and I would say that everyone knew Friday would have been a top league player, had he been the type to knuckle down and conform, I am damned glad he did not.
Rodney Marsh
Charlie Cooke
George Best
Friday was there in the same league, if not the same division.
by Gordons Cumming » 24 Dec 2010 13:12
by LUX » 24 Dec 2010 13:14
RoyalBlue Agreed. I know us oldies who saw him play many times get accused of romanticising, overrating him and failing to take account of the fact he was playing in a lower division. However, we have seen plenty of great players to compare him against and he did stand up to such comparisons. His skill was incredible and he added real passion, incredibly high work rate (when on the pitch), will to win and never say die attitude to it. No losing the ball and giving up from him. He would chase, hassle and challenge until he got it back.
Nowadays, the BBC's sports personalities of the year rarely have striking personalities. Friday was a really big personality (in the Daley Thompson style) albeit not an ideal role model for the young and impressionable! Despite that, as a fan in his early-mid teens at the time, I can say Friday always made time to chat with the youngsters and sign autographs, even when he was already late turning up prior to a game.
People would happily pay just to see Friday play. You never knew what you were going to get but you were absolutely certain you would get something special from him to talk about after the game.
by RoyalBlue » 24 Dec 2010 13:39
LUXRoyalBlue Agreed. I know us oldies who saw him play many times get accused of romanticising, overrating him and failing to take account of the fact he was playing in a lower division. However, we have seen plenty of great players to compare him against and he did stand up to such comparisons. His skill was incredible and he added real passion, incredibly high work rate (when on the pitch), will to win and never say die attitude to it. No losing the ball and giving up from him. He would chase, hassle and challenge until he got it back.
Nowadays, the BBC's sports personalities of the year rarely have striking personalities. Friday was a really big personality (in the Daley Thompson style) albeit not an ideal role model for the young and impressionable! Despite that, as a fan in his early-mid teens at the time, I can say Friday always made time to chat with the youngsters and sign autographs, even when he was already late turning up prior to a game.
People would happily pay just to see Friday play. You never knew what you were going to get but you were absolutely certain you would get something special from him to talk about after the game.
good post. I was one posting above about him being only a star in the fourth division, but that was just to deflect criticisms of me being OTT. Regardless of how good he was by today's standards, he was the most exciting player I've ever seen.
ps I must be the same age as you RB, and 75/76 remains my favourite ever season at RFC. Third place and promoted iirc
by Gordons Cumming » 24 Dec 2010 13:43
RoyalBlue
I came over the wall at the Town End and onto the pitch to celebrate with Dennis Nelson when he scored the third goal against Crewe at the end of that season! Would have got me arrested and banned nowadays! Next day, saw myself on the tv when the game was shown 'The Big Match'?
by RoyalBlue » 24 Dec 2010 13:51
Gordons CummingRoyalBlue
I came over the wall at the Town End and onto the pitch to celebrate with Dennis Nelson when he scored the third goal against Crewe at the end of that season! Would have got me arrested and banned nowadays! Next day, saw myself on the tv when the game was shown 'The Big Match'?
A very rare occasion. Reading on TV in the seventies.
I don't remember that.
Reading v Crewe? Big Match?
by Gordons Cumming » 24 Dec 2010 13:52
by RoyalBlue » 24 Dec 2010 13:57
Gordons Cumming Nope.
I just don't remember it.
Footage has probably been wiped.
by Man Friday » 24 Dec 2010 16:28
RoyalBlueLUXRoyalBlue Agreed. I know us oldies who saw him play many times get accused of romanticising, overrating him and failing to take account of the fact he was playing in a lower division. However, we have seen plenty of great players to compare him against and he did stand up to such comparisons. His skill was incredible and he added real passion, incredibly high work rate (when on the pitch), will to win and never say die attitude to it. No losing the ball and giving up from him. He would chase, hassle and challenge until he got it back.
Nowadays, the BBC's sports personalities of the year rarely have striking personalities. Friday was a really big personality (in the Daley Thompson style) albeit not an ideal role model for the young and impressionable! Despite that, as a fan in his early-mid teens at the time, I can say Friday always made time to chat with the youngsters and sign autographs, even when he was already late turning up prior to a game.
People would happily pay just to see Friday play. You never knew what you were going to get but you were absolutely certain you would get something special from him to talk about after the game.
good post. I was one posting above about him being only a star in the fourth division, but that was just to deflect criticisms of me being OTT. Regardless of how good he was by today's standards, he was the most exciting player I've ever seen.
ps I must be the same age as you RB, and 75/76 remains my favourite ever season at RFC. Third place and promoted iirc
I came over the wall at the Town End and onto the pitch to celebrate with Dennis Nelson when he scored the third goal against Crewe at the end of that season! Would have got me arrested and banned nowadays! Next day, saw myself on the tv when the game was shown 'The Big Match'?
by oldebiscuit » 24 Dec 2010 18:17
floyd__streeteMan Friday
What a hopeless concept the 'e-book' is. Half the joy of reading the book is that you can do so wherever and whenever you like; on the bus or train to work, on the beach etc. You don't have the joy of thumbing through the pages at leisure with a poxy e-book
by Mid Sussex Royal » 24 Dec 2010 18:27
RoyalBlueGordons Cumming Nope.
I just don't remember it.
Footage has probably been wiped.
Not sure it has. I may be hallucinating but I'm pretty sure I saw it shown somewhere not that long ago.
Just seen that a programme for that game was on sale on ebay in November this year for 99p. It didn't sell!
Cost 10p at the game!
by oldebiscuit » 24 Dec 2010 18:29
Gordons CummingRoyalBlue
I came over the wall at the Town End and onto the pitch to celebrate with Dennis Nelson when he scored the third goal against Crewe at the end of that season! Would have got me arrested and banned nowadays! Next day, saw myself on the tv when the game was shown 'The Big Match'?
A very rare occasion. Reading on TV in the seventies.
I don't remember that.
Reading v Crewe? Big Match?
by AthleticoSpizz » 24 Dec 2010 20:55
you are not hallucinating...bits of it (from Southern TV) were shown recently (indeed within the past three years) on some local programme.RoyalBlueGordons Cumming Nope.
I just don't remember it.
Footage has probably been wiped.
Not sure it has. I may be hallucinating but I'm pretty sure I saw it shown somewhere not that long ago.
by southstand67 » 24 Dec 2010 21:01
by Man Friday » 24 Dec 2010 22:57
oldebiscuitGordons CummingRoyalBlue
I came over the wall at the Town End and onto the pitch to celebrate with Dennis Nelson when he scored the third goal against Crewe at the end of that season! Would have got me arrested and banned nowadays! Next day, saw myself on the tv when the game was shown 'The Big Match'?
A very rare occasion. Reading on TV in the seventies.
I don't remember that.
Reading v Crewe? Big Match?
Game was definately televised but may have been Southern (Meridian or whatever the tv station is now called) so most of us would not have seen it.
by AthleticoSpizz » 24 Dec 2010 23:20
by RoyalBlue » 25 Dec 2010 13:42
AthleticoSpizz you were deprived
we had ITV London, Southern, Midlands and even Anglian ( ) in Whitley
good aerials in them days
southstand67 The only time I ever remember Reading being on 'Big Match' was when they showed Steve Death making a goal keeping howler - anyone shed light on that one?
by jonboy29red » 27 Dec 2010 08:51