Cheering Owen before kick off

[Jerry St Clair]

Was anyone else perplexed by the rapturous applause Owen got when his name was read out before kick off?

Call me old fashioned, but opposing players should only be given this sort of reception in exceptional circumstances (i.e. they are Phil Parkinson or have just won the World Cup).

Not for fair-to-middling, injury-prone forwards who've played no previous part in Reading FC history whatsoever.

[Stranded]

Not at all was expecting it. He would have got that reaction pretty much anywhere last night.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Semi agreed. I didn't clap him when his name was read out but I would have clapped him off had he been substituted

[Silver Fox]

I thought it was fair enough, if anyone had cheered him if he'd scored then slaps would have been dished out. I was more concerned that Emre was afforded the traditional ripple as he was stretchered off

[el_presidente]

Was anyone else perplexed by the rapturous applause Owen got when his name was read out before kick off?

Call me old fashioned, but opposing players should only be given this sort of reception in exceptional circumstances (i.e. they are Phil Parkinson or have just won the World Cup).

Not for fair-to-middling, injury-prone forwards who've played no previous part in Reading FC history whatsoever.

couldn't agree more, I took no part in the applause. It's all down to the hype that seems to believe Owen is the second coming and will lead England to a new land in the sun. Which, dare I suggest, the less experienced members of our support perhaps buy in to.

Watching Sky Sports News was like "An Audience with Michael Owen", including about a 10 minute interview with him.

However I would like to thank Mr Owen for being obviously miles short of match fitness thus meaning we were basically playing 10 men for the last 70 minutes.

[PieEater]

I applauded him as I hope he'll save England.

[el_presidente]

I applauded him as I hope he'll save England.

hahaha

yeah mate and the moon is made of green cheese

[Jerry St Clair]

Not at all was expecting it. He would have got that reaction pretty much anywhere last night.

I assume the "pretty much" qualifier includes Sunderland!

[Arthur Pint]

Not for fair-to-middling, injury-prone forwards who've played no previous part in Reading FC history whatsoever.

Liverpool, Newcastle and Real Madrid of 179 goals in 299 starts and 78 England Caps and 36 goals, I wish I was that "fair-to-middling", I take your point about the not being Reading bit but he is (or possibly was depending on how the comeback goes!) a world class England player.

[Stranded]

Not at all was expecting it. He would have got that reaction pretty much anywhere last night.

I assume the "pretty much" qualifier includes Sunderland!

Yeah - obviously there would be a number of clubs where the rivalry with Newcastle means that none of their players would be applauded.

[brighton_royal]

I applauded him as I hope he'll save England.

He's not got the balls to shoot McClaren in the head.

[Gunny Fishcake]

Agreed , I never clapped him , always thought he's the most over rated footballer in recent times

[londinium]

Agreed , I never clapped him , always thought he's the most over rated footballer in recent times

I clapped him as I was glad to see one of the best strikers this country has at the moment back in the game after a long injury.

And anyone who says he is an average striker knows very little about football, his goals to games ratio speaks for its self.

[BobKnows]

Agreed , I never clapped him , always thought he's the most over rated footballer in recent times

You bunch of hard-hearted gits He's a player whose career has been decimated by injury, who knackered his leg in the most wince-inducing way possible, whilst doing his best for England. Who cares whether he's "overrated" blah blah blah. It was a nice gesture. It doesn't mean we all want to marry him and have his children...

[higher]

Agreed , I never clapped him , always thought he's the most over rated footballer in recent times

Ditto.Newcastlol paying 16+million for him cracked me up.Lost that early magic turn of pace a long while back.Rafa not daft flogging him off to Realol Madrid (Galactico my arse).
Destined to milk a few more million for his gambling funds by backward looking media idiots.
News only fit for wrapping up fish and chips in IMHO.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Agreed , I never clapped him , always thought he's the most over rated footballer in recent times

Ditto.Newcastlol paying 16+million for him cracked me up.Lost that early magic turn of pace a long while back.Rafa not daft flogging him off to Realol Madrid (Galactico my arse).
Destined to milk a few more million for his gambling funds by backward looking media idiots.
News only fit for wrapping up fish and chips in IMHO.

Err, you don't really know much about why Owen went to Madrid do you. His league goal scoring record at his respective three clubs

Liverpool - 193 (23) appearances / 118 goals
Real Madrid - 20 (15) appearances / 13 goals
Newcastle - 11 (1) appearances / 7 goals

I'd like you to find me any striker in the world with a comparable strike rate

[TFF]

Agreed , I never clapped him , always thought he's the most over rated footballer in recent times

You bunch of hard-hearted gits He's a player whose career has been decimated by injury, who knackered his leg in the most wince-inducing way possible, whilst doing his best for England. Who cares whether he's "overrated" blah blah blah. It was a nice gesture. It doesn't mean we all want to marry him and have his children...

Agreed. The guy's had a nightmare year. Anyone overcoming an injury like he's had deserves the little bit of appreciation he got last night.

We showed a little bit of class last night - as noted in the Telegraph:

Reading's fans sang: "Same old Owen, always offside," but it was more in relief than malice. They had earlier applauded just as loudly as the travelling support when his name was announced before the start.

[Jerry St Clair]

You bunch of hard-hearted gits He's a player whose career has been decimated by injury, who knackered his leg in the most wince-inducing way possible, whilst doing his best for England.

I've seen plenty of opposing players who've come back from injury and "done their best" for England.

I still don't understand why Owen was deserving of such special treatment though.

[Forbury Lion]

Watching Sky Sports News was like "An Audience with Michael Owen", including about a 10 minute interview with him.

Evening Post has virtually an entire page of Michael Owen colour photo's

[Monkfish]

Evening Post has virtually an entire page of Michael Owen colour photo's - WOOD ACHIEVED