Dariusz Wdowczyk

[WoodleyRoyal]

Don’t miss Wednesday’s Reading Post for an exclusive and moving interview with former Royals star Dariusz Wdowczyk.

The Polish centre-back was implicated in a match-fixing scandal in his homeland in 2008 and was given a three-year suspended jail sentence, and banned from working in football for seven years.

In the first of a two-part feature Wdowczyk talks about his criminal past, as well as his time at Elm Park where he achieved cult status with fans.


looking forward to this will be a very intresting read me thinks

[Royal Rother]

"Great player but had a heart the size of a pea..."

So says Mick Gooding.

[roadrunner]

I used to deliver the EP to his house in Westwood Glen, Tilehurst. Always in awe of him when I knocked for payment on a Thursday or Friday. Had the biggest satalite dish I've ever seen on a house.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Excellent player never understood why he picked Reading when he could have still played at a higher level.

[Ark Royal]

Excellent player never understood why he picked Reading when he could have still played at a higher level.

After playing at Celtic, anything would have been a higher level.

Anyway, an astonishingly gifted player with a wand of a left peg, but unfortunately made of biscuits. Some of his fifty yard crossfield balls to feet just took the breath away. Remember his debut and thinking how the fu ck did we get this guy?

Part of one the best-ever Reading teams and team announcements at away games were good for laughs when the MC was trying to pronounce his name. Fair play to the Port Vale announcer who just gave up and said "..all you Reading fans know who he is anyway." and the "Spell that, you cu nt" yelled out when he got booked at Pompey.

Our Polish International.

[Terminal Boardom]

"Great player but had a heart the size of a pea..."

So says Mick Gooding.

Exactly the words that MG said to me about Dariusz. Players have files and there are various notes and comments regarding firness etc. Dariusz' was about the size of the OED. Brilliant player and I remember the Port Vale MC as if it was yesterday. TBF AR, you always said "Spell that you cu nt" whenever he got booked

[Gordons Cumming]

I blame him for us not getting to the Premiership 10 years earlier than we did.

[FiNeRaIn]

Excellent player never understood why he picked Reading when he could have still played at a higher level.

After playing at Celtic, anything would have been a higher level.

Silly comment, the SPL was a lot better back then, much better than division one. Did you not follow football then?

[Gordons Cumming]

Excellent player never understood why he picked Reading when he could have still played at a higher level.

After playing at Celtic, anything would have been a higher level.

Silly comment, the SPL was a lot better back then, much better than division one. Did you not follow football then?

I think he was being sarcastic.

[loyalroyal4life]

Anyone know where can get list of games he played in? Just want to see if memory serves me right and he scored against exeter (i think) at elm park in 1-0 win?

[Ark Royal]

Excellent player never understood why he picked Reading when he could have still played at a higher level.

After playing at Celtic, anything would have been a higher level.

Silly comment, the SPL was a lot better back then, much better than division one. Did you not follow football then?

Yes, but does not say much for the standard when an established international preferred to play in the English second level. During that time, Celtic also went five years without a trophy - in a two-horse race. SPL may have been better, but only for Rangers.

[Ark Royal]

Anyone know where can get list of games he played in? Just want to see if memory serves me right and he scored against exeter (i think) at elm park in 1-0 win?

IIRC, Dariusz never scored for Reading and only played for us in the second tier, so that excludes Exeter. I think Jeff Hopkins scored the winner in the game you are thinking of in 93/94.

[Maquisard]

Indeed, according to the bible that is Heaven on Earth, he never scored.

How (and when) did I spill so much coffee on my most prized possession? Oh well, it needs to be updated anyway.

[Jerry St Clair]

Best player I've ever seen in the hoops, along with Glen Little.

He might have had the heart of a pea, but at least he gave a shit.

[loyalroyal4life]

Anyone know where can get list of games he played in? Just want to see if memory serves me right and he scored against exeter (i think) at elm park in 1-0 win?

IIRC, Dariusz never scored for Reading and only played for us in the second tier, so that excludes Exeter. I think Jeff Hopkins scored the winner in the game you are thinking of in 93/94.

Thanks, will look those details of the game up as that was my 1st ever game!

[PEARCEY]

Elegant,cultured centre-half and a million miles away from what we were used to. The best Reading centre-half I have ever seen.

[Ark Royal]

Anyone know where can get list of games he played in? Just want to see if memory serves me right and he scored against exeter (i think) at elm park in 1-0 win?

IIRC, Dariusz never scored for Reading and only played for us in the second tier, so that excludes Exeter. I think Jeff Hopkins scored the winner in the game you are thinking of in 93/94.

Thanks, will look those details of the game up as that was my 1st ever game!

On second thoughts, it might have super-sub Uwe Hartenberger. That will bug me now for the rest of the day!

[WoodleyRoyal]

we beat them 6-4 at their place in 93! Brilliant game, Quinn got the 5th after we had blown a 4-1 lead to go 4-4, Taylor scored the 6th

[Franchise FC]

we beat them 6-4 at their place in 93! Brilliant game, Quinn got the 5th after we had blown a 4-1 lead to go 4-4, Taylor scored the 6th

The only game where 5 different players scored two each

[Franchise FC]

I blame him for us not getting to the Premiership 10 years earlier than we did.

I thought I was the ionly one that thought that
If he'd brought down Damian Defreitas he'd have been sent off and we'd have won.