Should auld acquaintance be forgot?

[floyd__streete]

Schadenfreude, the staple food of the football fan. It is of course so very childish and unbecoming to sneer in the face of others, but football is the only place where civilised adults like myself can be childish and unbecoming, away from the strait jacket of 9-5.

This season I am mostly enjoying the misfortunes of:

Sheff U: Erstwhile promotion rivals of 05/06. Spent a shedload trying to get back up (£3 million in Ched Evans?) and now look like slipping into the third division. I hope that the Blades fan who attempted and failed to trip me up after our 1-0 win at Brammall Lane in 2004 is enjoying his season

Plymouth: Erstwhile promotion rivals of 93/94, when they stacked it of course . A club with a curiously inflated sense of its own size and self-importance, hence the ridiculous 48k stadium plans now sadly shelved. You really aren't a sleeping giant or a hot-bed of football. And you have Peter Ridsdale . And you're going down again

Walsall: The play-off final defeat in 2001 is still my worst ever day following RFC. This crappy West Midlands village can rot for eternity for ever as far as I am concerned, the sound of their pitiful turn-out of 12,000 at Cardiff celebrating faintly in the distance still haunts me. Picking up a bit lately, but it is the hope that kills you eventually

Bristol Rovers: Never forgiven them for having the temerity to smash us 0-6 on our own turf . Remember those fraught Mad Dog vs Holloway matches too? Down you go, chaps

Stockport: Another erstwhile promotion rivals of 93/94, they also stacked it. Long ball shite back then with the two giants Francis and Preece. They also had that horrible b@stard Jim Gannon. Everyone in Stockport supports Man City anyway so they won't be missed when they're in the Conference next season


Any more pathetic, personal grudges I should have included? Anyone care to venture any more. [Hopefully I won't now get some sl8ing from humourless self-righteous dick who can't recognise that a posting is intended to be rather tongue-in-cheek unless there is some emoticon to suggest as much at the end of the message].

[handbags_harris]

Swindon Town: arguably top of the list of Reading fan's hatred, forever remember the Steve McMahon chants when Archie stuck away a tidy hat-trick, while Swindon fans gave it the billy big bollocks treatment from the Town End. Another club with a strangely inflated sense of worth (only 8k at home lads, and that's on a good day). One of three or four clubs who can rot in hell for all I care.

Preston North End: Ahhhh, the Invincibles. Only they're not so invincible any more. Deepdale's Bill Shankly Kop being particularly chock-full of massive chavs on the right of the away support on every visit chanting completely incomprehensible chants. The record we had up there, perennially never getting a result (oh how sweet that 3-0 was in August 05). And they had Billy Davies there, poison Jock dwarf. No love of them, very gratifying to see they're utter sh*t despite changing manager.

[LUX]

Chelsea,surely.

Today's result must be, in the circumstances and on at least three levels, the pits for them. Fantastic.

Must admit I always look for Aldershot and Oxford's results, hoping they've lost. But they look safe/possible play-off contenders .

Would be very happy if BHA and AFCB both screw up in their promotion drive.

[PlasticRoyale]

Middlesborough

[Pseud O'Nym]

I really want to see Pompey relegated.

[LUX]

there has been a bit of history with Wolves recently, but I do not want them to go down. Three ex-Royals legends, plus McCarthy =

[10539.4 Miles Away]

Don't think there is anything pathetic about any of those grudges floyd! I'll to put a big +1 against Walsall, I flew back from working in Germany for the final and was properly gutted that we had just been beaten by bloody Walsall. 93/94 was my first year as a season ticket holder and of all the contenders that year Stockport are the ones that really stick in my memory, bloody great year and as a result I have a sort of soft spot for Stockport.

Others in my list:

Swindon - Were ahead of us for seemingly years when I was much younger, and with relatives in Swindon they took every opportunity to remind me that they were, at the time, better than us. I thought I would lose interest in their demise, but it still brings a smile to see them languishing below us.

Southampton - For many years ahead of us in the league but as far I could fathom there was no good reason why. Very glad they have found their level in League 1.

[AndyRFC]

Derby County for being a heap of poo and celebraitng us going down like they'd won the league

Plymouth can also do one. Southampton for being deluded and Liverpool as well

[Winchester Royal]

The MASSIVE club that is Brighton, an apparent sleeping giant, Mark Mcghee the moaner, them being champions in 2002 when we ballsed it up, Bobby Zamora generally being a twat, Withdean being a shithole. They're flying in League One which most likely means we'll have to play them next season, but they'll be in their new ground then so we won't have to sit on some scaffolding behind the running track.

[leon]

I've always strongly disliked the Scummers and Portsmouth because basically their fans have always been cocky w*nkers and as a result I'm enjoying their demise. A similar level of hatred for Leeds, wolves and Chelsea (utter f*cking scum)

[Wimb]

Stupid little grudges but a great thread

Bolton: Not exactly 'suffering' but seeing how financially up the creek they are makes for potential long term amusement when Davies retires and Elmander leaves on a free, 95 aside we should have helped send them down in 07/08 but stacked it ourselves.

Wigan The utterly appalling lack of support, even at home against the top 4 is frustrating to see the least. It's not a footballing town, the fans have had their 'moment/s' in the sun and it's only because of Uncle Dave they've survived this long, time to sink back down to the Championship and L1.

Wolves
McCarthy, end of.

Portsmouth
Cheated, pure and simple now they deserve to suffer, the fans had their 5 trips to Wembley ffs.

so very petty so very bitter but

[Terminal Boardom]

Bolton for me. Since '95, I have never worn or purchased an item of Reebok clothing. Once, my Dad turned up at my place. As always, shoes removed at the dooor but for some reason he had no slippers. On his feet? Reebok socks. I gave him the choice :

1. Take the socks off as well
2. Go home and get the slippers.

He was not impressed but he chose to remove the socks!

[rfcjoe]

there has been a bit of history with Wolves recently, but I do not want them to go down. Three ex-Royals legends, plus McCarthy =

But seeing Stephen Hunt relegated for a 3rd time would be superb.

[southbank1871]

Sheff U: Erstwhile promotion rivals of 05/06. Spent a shedload trying to get back up (£3 million in Ched Evans?) and now look like slipping into the third division. I hope that the Blades fan who attempted and failed to trip me up after our 1-0 win at Brammall Lane in 2004 is enjoying his season

I'll also never forgive them for a l8 winner in the FA Cup on a Friday night at Brammall Lane in about 97 or 98. There I am already thinking about the replay at Elm Park, when Lee Sandford of all people pops up with a winner. Cue a depressing 4 and half hour journey back to the 'ding on the Young Royals coach ( ).

[Mr Angry]

Rotherham - again, that promotion chasing season with Walsall and the ridiculous red card for (IIRC) Rooster that cost us the game, and auto promotion which led to the Play Off final.

Bradford - a toilet of a town (see Rotherham) but my irrational hatred of them stems to one person, and one incident - Dean Windass head-butting Ivar and the ref somehow sending Ivar off!! Every time he reports for Sky Sports, I laugh at the ignorant Northern thug.

Wycombe - a few years ago, they punched above their weight and were in the same division as us; they seemed to think we were their rivals and bigged themselves up on Off at Eleven. Have never liked them since.

Ipswich - the very first season of the play-offs, they needed to win to guarantee to get into them; Steve Richardson scores a late equaliser and their fans go potty. At the final whistle, other results go their way, but the in-breds stormed towards the away end (as it was in those days) As the police and stewards watched the Reading fans, they totally ignored the hail of coins and bottles that came our way. Barstewards. On the way out of the ground to my car, a couple of their fans tried to have a go; I was so pi$$ed off, it was only time I've ever punched an away fan. The win in 2005 was VERY sweet.

Wolves/Leeds - dislike going to ether ground because of the neanderthals that support them, and for the fact that you have to turn your watch back to 1974; FLARES?? PERMS??? SCARVES TIED TO THE WRIST??? Jeez......................

[exileinleeds]

Have to say I am thoroughly enjoying WHU season.

This is the only season I can remember Chelsea being faintly entertaining. Watching their singularly unpleasant fans squirm is excellent.

Had £10 on Wolves being relegated as soon as Hunt signed- but I don't really want to win it- not sure I could stand Doyle back at the mad stad in the wrong jersey.

I am disappointed with Spurs- I loathe Rednapp and for that reason alone I do not want them to have a top 10 finish, let alone qualify for Europe.

[prostak]

Bolton: Not exactly 'suffering' but seeing how financially up the creek they are makes for potential long term amusement when Davies retires and Elmander leaves on a free, 95 aside we should have helped send them down in 07/08 but stacked it ourselves.

The team got by fine without Elmander when he was crap, the vast majority of debts are to one man (not a bank) who is incredibly unlikely to ever call these back in one go, and Davies has got a couple more seasons left in him. Keeps me from having to decide who to support anyway...

[Ian Herring]

My reasons are even more parochial and unreasonable and this makes me happy.

Bradford City - for bringing their entire 'Ointment' crew to Elm Park way back in the 80s and giving it large out of the back of a shagged-out old van in Kent Road. Their 'top boy' looked like Plug out of the Bash Street Kids - on Ritalin.

Swansea City - for their 'Jack Army' visit when they tore up bits of the old ground. Filthy swarm of vile valley scumbags, nasty bastards.

Ditto Cardiff visits passim - especially the vicious and unpleasant F.A. Cup replay at EP.

Fulham for their 'We'll never play you again' chant at the Mad Stad when they were on the march on the back of the Grease Grocer's cash injection towards becoming the 'Manchester United of the South'. They did, and they didn't.

Bolton - for many reasons oft-repeated, but most of all for having a supermarket on the away end of their old ground. Typical northerners.

Man City for their insufferable billy-big-bollox nonsense at all times.

Any Colin W*anker side

Leading on to the Fakes - games between us are always a bit edgy and nasty, the Car Coat Cockneys don't like us big time, it's mutual.

Chelsea. Completely, utterly classless.

Liverpool, just because.

In fact, most of those ponces that shipped up at Smallmead Fields during our two year rent period in the Hairband League.

Hmm. A few.

[floyd__streete]

Am I the only one who gets so excited at the sight of a long-looking Herring post that he rubs his hands together several times whilst reading the first sentence? Almost certainly , but that doesn't make his input any less fantastic. Great observation re: QPR; their fans were billy big bollox with their attitude before and after the game and seemed to relish beating Reading on our patch at last.

Gr8 work from the rest of you lovely people also, most of these grudges I agree with. We may not have the most supporters, we certainyl do not have the noisiest, but Reading fans have always had long memories and been retty decent at dishing out (often unwarranted) stick to the opposition - see the grief Colin got first half Friday. Love you guys, sometimes.

[Victor Meldrew]

Bournemouth for me.
The envy they have for us, as we have moved up from their level in all aspects,is enormous and they think of us in the same way as most of us see Chelsea-a big-spending chairman has taken us way above our station.I have respect for what the last 2 managers have done but not for their fans.
Leeds is another fairly obvious one for so many reasons.
Other than that I don't any longer have many bad feelings about clubs but at a push I would probably include Chelsea and Southampton but having a number of mates that follow them the antipathy is a bit mellow.
I never thought that I would get over Bolton but they have done so well to stay in the Prem.