Sidwell on at the end

rhroyal · by **rhroyal** » 07 Mar 2010 20:20

Was this just a piss take from Martin O'Neil? One of the best players you ever had, who you couldn't keep hold of, has this sort of insignificant role in our team who just beat you. It's the only real interpretation I can have, as they were 4-2 up at that stage. It's not even like he took Carew off for an ovation.

PEARCEY · by **PEARCEY** » 07 Mar 2010 20:21

Wrong. They were 3-2 up as he came on just before the pen was about to be taken.

Winchester Royal · by **Winchester Royal** » 07 Mar 2010 20:24

Don't think O'Neill will have given a second thought to what we thought of Sidwell coming on.

Horsham Royal · by **Horsham Royal** » 07 Mar 2010 20:28

You could take it the other way and say it was O'Neill giving us the chance to welcome back one of the player's that was instrumental in our rise.

But I tend to agree with WR.

jumpers for goalposts · by **jumpers for goalposts** » 07 Mar 2010 20:31

More the fool Sidwell- The guy has spent the prime of his career sitting on the Chelsea and Villa bench, when realistically his level is that of a lower Premier League team. Yes he's earnt millions doing that, but who knows what a club like M'boro, Wigan, Fulham, or even Us, would had acheived if he'd stayed and played regular football for them. Would make the League a hell of a lot more interesting if him and his ilk decided to chase first team football rather than money. Obviosuly doesn't have as a great a love of the game as some of his fellow pros is all I can conclude.

T.R.O.L.I. · by **T.R.O.L.I.** » 07 Mar 2010 20:34

^ LOL at that.

Offered the chance to test himself with the best in England / the world at Chelsea. Didn't make it there so went to the next level down. No football fan in their right mid would begrudge Sidwell for testing himself. Nothing but respect and gratitude here for one of the best players to pull on the Reading shirt.

Big Foot · by **Big Foot** » 07 Mar 2010 20:35

Agreed, applauded Sidwell when he came on at the end

alton-royal · by **alton-royal** » 07 Mar 2010 20:35

He gave a lot to reading in his time for us, fair play to him when the chelsea offer came in, he just wanted to play with some of the best players in football and hes proberly learnt a lot.
I applauded him when he came on, just a thankyou for his time with the club

jumpers for goalposts · by **jumpers for goalposts** » 07 Mar 2010 20:39

T.R.O.L.I. ^ LOL at that.

Offered the chance to test himself with the best in England / the world at Chelsea. Didn't make it there so went to the next level down. No football fan in their right mid would begrudge Sidwell for testing himself. Nothing but respect and gratitude here for one of the best players to pull on the Reading shirt.

I don't dispute he was one of our finest, but surely he's not naiive enough to believe he's good enough to play for Villa, a side now wanting to break the top 4? Both Mourinho and MON don't seem to rate him particularly highly and that has to tell the guy something. The next level down is an average Premier League side, which could have been us, had he stayed. I don't blame him for going in the first place, just wish he'd do something about it now, rather than waste his prime years sitting on the bench- it's just a terrible waste of a good footballer

URZZ · by **URZZ** » 07 Mar 2010 20:52

jumpers for goalposts The next level down is an average Premier League side, which could have been us, had he stayed.

You're claiming if Sidwell had stayed, Reading would still be an average Premiership club? One player can make a difference in a football match, but not in a league status.

I think that's a massive statement to make, yes he was one of the best players to ever play for us but, and as much as I hate to say it but Reading aren't 'Premiership' and any fan in their right mind would admit that, we are one of the better teams in the Championship and I think it is our division.

Despite the 06/07 season too, wonderful wasn't it? But realistically, we are Championship.

Terminal Boardom · by **Terminal Boardom** » 07 Mar 2010 20:59

Sidders is one of the all time greats to ever wear the hoops. I applauded as an acknowledgement of what he achieved with us and, more importantly, how he conducted himself while in his final season. And if someone offered you a massive pay rise to work with some of the best in your chosen industry you would turn it down? Don't be so oxf*rd hypocritical! And did Sidders join in with the celebrations at the end? No. He was the first Villa player to leave the field.

And I believe that had Sidders stayed, we would not have been relegated in 07/08 but this is all water under the bridge.

Thanks Sidders and good luck for the future.

Smoking Kills Dancing Doe · by **Smoking Kills Dancing Doe** » 07 Mar 2010 21:08

Shame he's never really been able to establish himself at Villa, got some very good player ahead of him. Could be on the move in the summer, he'd walk into most Prem sides.

Been watching reading 20 years, the best Reading player I have ever seen, just sums up all I love about football. Gave us his all and was always there when we needed him.

Super Sid...

Archie's penalty · by **Archie's penalty** » 07 Mar 2010 21:12

+1 for the past two posts. Love ya Sidders!

jumpers for goalposts · by **jumpers for goalposts** » 07 Mar 2010 21:37

Terminal Boardom And if someone offered you a massive pay rise to work with some of the best in your chosen industry you would turn it down? Don't be so oxf*rd hypocritical! .

I never said he should have turned it down! What frustrates me is how he's milling around wasting his career, now that he hasn't made the grade at the top level of the game. Yes he's learning from better players, but what good is that if you don't get to put that into practice! A football career is different to that of you or I, as it's so short. We could easily piss around on a higher salary, not really going anywhere as we can justify it with bills to pay- Sidwell is already set up for life financially. I just wish I could watch the guy play on a regular basis, as he was a true legend for RFC, and i'd love nothing more than to see one of my favourite players back on the field and making those box to box runs, be it for, or more likely against us.

MeMeMe · by **MeMeMe** » 07 Mar 2010 21:53

He doesn't play for us anymore and hasn't for a long time.... who cares what he does... not me !

PEARCEY · by **PEARCEY** » 07 Mar 2010 21:56

MeMeMe He doesn't play for us anymore and hasn't for a long time.... who cares what he does... not me !

Its all about YouYouYouMeMeMe

working class hero · by **working class hero** » 07 Mar 2010 22:03

RFC cannot compete on wages - and it is not worth trying.

Players like Sidders / Shorey / Sonks / Kits / Doyle and Hunt all left to make more money elsewhere. If we had kept them all we might never have been relegated. Or we might be in the Prem having been promoted last season.

Or we might be where we are now. Who gives a cuss?

Enjoy the team we have and praise those who gave good service and then left.

sandman · by **sandman** » 07 Mar 2010 22:23

URZZ
jumpers for goalposts The next level down is an average Premier League side, which could have been us, had he stayed.

You're claiming if Sidwell had stayed, Reading would still be an average Premiership club? One player can make a difference in a football match, but not in a league status.

I think that's a massive statement to make, yes he was one of the best players to ever play for us but, and as much as I hate to say it but Reading aren't 'Premiership' and any fan in their right mind would admit that, we are one of the better teams in the Championship and I think it is our division.

Despite the 06/07 season too, wonderful wasn't it? But realistically, we are Championship.

Plenty of people have said that if Sidwell hadn't left we wouldn't of got relegated the following season jfg isn't the first to make that claim.

As for the Championship being our division, a few years ago you could of said that about League 1. Clubs smaller than Reading have established themselves in the Premier League so who's to say that we couldn't of done the same if Sidwell had stayed. He had to try Chelsea but I also have to agree that his talent is being wasted at Villa.

Maguire · by **Maguire** » 07 Mar 2010 22:37

T.R.O.L.I. ^ LOL at that.

Offered the chance to test himself with the best in England / the world at Chelsea. Didn't make it there so went to the next level down. No football fan in their right mid would begrudge Sidwell for testing himself. Nothing but respect and gratitude here for one of the best players to pull on the Reading shirt.

Bang on ^^

rabidbee · by **rabidbee** » 07 Mar 2010 23:06

T.R.O.L.I. ^ LOL at that.

Offered the chance to test himself with the best in England / the world at Chelsea. Didn't make it there so went to the next level down. No football fan in their right mid would begrudge Sidwell for testing himself. Nothing but respect and gratitude here for one of the best players to pull on the Reading shirt.

Yep yep.

I thought O'Neill brought Sidwell on to give him a bit of applause, and also to help shut down the midfield in the last few minutes. As has been pointed out, it was only 3-2 at the time, so it was fair enough.

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