*SUPER STEVE SIDWELL APPRECIATION THREAD*

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

All this Mick Gooding and Simon Osborne were better players bollox. Did they get us promoted to the Prem?? did they help us finish top 10 in the Prem?? No they won us League 1 and got us to a play off final.

Sidwell is our best ever centre mid, the success the team have had with him in the side clearly backs that up... How come the top 4 weren't banging down the door when Osborne went QPR?!

[pieface]

[quote="Smoking Kills Dancing Doe"]All this Mick Gooding and Simon Osborne were better players bollox. Did they get us promoted to the Prem?? did they help us finish top 10 in the Prem?? No they won us League 1 and got us to a play off final.

Sidwell is our best ever centre mid, the success the team have had with him in the side clearly backs that up... How come the top 4 weren't banging down the door when Osborne went QPR?![/quote]

Please do not play down the success of winning league one this was a vital step in the clubs goal of getting to the premership.Just as important as everyother step.Shame on you playing it down and the players who were involed!Also we could look at Mick Gooding and look back at how much effort he put in, and transfer it to how much he was getting payed to put this in compared to Sidwell.

[Harold]

All this Mick Gooding and Simon Osborne were better players bollox. Did they get us promoted to the Prem?? did they help us finish top 10 in the Prem?? No they won us League 1 and got us to a play off final.

Sidwell is our best ever centre mid, the success the team have had with him in the side clearly backs that up... How come the top 4 weren't banging down the door when Osborne went QPR?!

Dont you think it has more to do with Sidwell being in a better team than both Gooding and osbourne? I for one think that osbourne was a more naturally gifted and techincal player than Sidwell.

[handbags_harris]

Different players playing in inferior teams. I believe if Osborn had been playing in this team he would be every bit as good as Sidwell. Gooding I believe would not. Either way, it's irrelevant. Sidwell has been just one part of the unprecedented success this club has had over the last few years, but he is very replaceable. We have now had one cracking season in the top flight so we are able to attract a higher calibre of player than this time last year. Those that think Sidwell is irreplaceable need to get a grasp of reality.

Unfortunately Mr Sidwell appears to have strung us along over this last year and it's left a very sour taste. I don't believe he ever had any intention of staying, although ultimately the club have been proved right in their decision to keep him and play him this season. If we'd have let him go last preseason I feel that he would have been irreplaceable. Now though, he's not.

As for the reports that he's having a medical at Chelsea on Monday, that just goes to confirm in my mind that all he was looking to do was line his pockets. Do we really think Sidwell is better than, say, Ballack? Lampard? Makelele? Essien? At best, provided Chelsea don't get rid of any of their main midfielders (I feel Ballack may go) Sidwell will be 5th choice there. For footballing reasons, it was a wrong move. However I don't believe he's going for footballing reasons.

Thanks for your time and effort Sidwell, you certainly did your utmost for the RFC cause, but after this long drawn out "will he sign, won't he sign" saga I for one will not be welcoming him back with open arms.

[Maguire]

All this Mick Gooding and Simon Osborne were better players bollox. Did they get us promoted to the Prem?? did they help us finish top 10 in the Prem?? No they won us League 1 and got us to a play off final.

Sidwell is our best ever centre mid, the success the team have had with him in the side clearly backs that up... How come the top 4 weren't banging down the door when Osborne went QPR?!

Dont you think it has more to do with Sidwell being in a better team than both Gooding and osbourne? I for one think that osbourne was a more naturally gifted and techincal player than Sidwell.

He may have been a more a technical player, certainly he had different strengths, but he wasn't a *better* player. Take a look at his career and you can see that.

I agree with SKDD - all things considered, he's probably the best central midfield player Reading have ever had.

[From Despair To Where?]

Sidwell has been a great player for us and I think he's been pretty fair with the club to be honest. He's stated his position clearly for the past year. Who can blame him for whatever decision he makes. Time will tell whether it's the right one, career wise.

However, one player is not bigger than the club and we will move on.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

All this Mick Gooding and Simon Osborne were better players bollox. Did they get us promoted to the Prem?? did they help us finish top 10 in the Prem?? No they won us League 1 and got us to a play off final.

Sidwell is our best ever centre mid, the success the team have had with him in the side clearly backs that up... How come the top 4 weren't banging down the door when Osborne went QPR?!

Dont you think it has more to do with Sidwell being in a better team than both Gooding and osbourne? I for one think that osbourne was a more naturally gifted and techincal player than Sidwell.

He may have been a more a technical player, certainly he had different strengths, but he wasn't a *better* player. Take a look at his career and you can see that.

I agree with SKDD - all things considered, he's probably the best central midfield player Reading have ever had.

Sidwell is responsible for us being a better team. I think Harper's technically better than Sid, but no one is saying he's a better player.

[Woodcote Royal]

how has he been upfront and honest!He said he would sing if 20 thousand pound a week was offerd to him by Reading.If he was honest and upfront he would have put pen to paper when it was offerd.

It really does gob smack me that people think he has been honest and upfront.I dont no where this has come from but proberly someone who has not watch the whole sarga unfold.If he said at the beginning the seasoin he was planning on leaving then i would say good luck to him.As he would have been upfront not going through the seasoin pretending he thinking about staying so that he keep people sweet.

Couldn't agree more.

We have no shortage of those I would normally credit with more intelligence who have swallowed Sidwell's bollox hook line and sinker all season.

If he'd been honest in the first place I , too, would have a lot more time for him now.

He's still over rated, though, and I have to agree that that Mick Gooding in his prime was a better all round player.

Sidwell hasn't pulled up any trees in this years Premiership and neither has he been close our best player over the last 2 campaigns.

In fact, he's been upstaged by a 30+ Icelander on a number of ocasions and has his Arsenal routes, not to mention a blinding agent, to thank for a number of big clubs being interested in him.

The fact these clubs missed out on Doyle and Shorey, and still aren't breaking down the door to sign them, shows just how little they understand about our unepected success.

"It must be down to that bloke from the Arse. All the rest come from Orient, Brentford, York and Cork"

[royals pete]

Why do some think he has strung the club along.?

He has played to his contract. AND provided a premier league season of top performances for a low (on premeier standards) take home pay.

We can't underestimate his worth to the club..I have certainly enjoyed watching. Its not him widing anyone up; its the continual input of flak against him that builds and builds and eventually starts to take everyone away from the actual performances.

Whatever....just get it right Steve and Good Luck.

ps don't go to West Ham !!

[AthleticoSpizz]

Steve Sidwell could've obtained a career-ending injury this past (and successful) season. His lack of a contract could've left him without much of a future.....and even less cash.

I never saw Steve bottle a challenge (although admittedly, his bookings per game rate fell this season)

I concurr with Woodcote however, he is overrated...and bulled up by the national press

But (by nature of the title), you meatheads, this is an APPRECIATION thread

find your own link to the (many) scornful ones

[Chaney]

didnt get in the 1st 3 in the player of the year vote, not entirely sure how many votes he got, I really dont think this as anything to do with the the fact he is leaving, he as been good I agree but there have been at least 4 players consistantly better, its a shame really because this is the 1st significant departure from the successful side from the last 2 years, as said in the earlier post RFC will continue, hopefully onward and upward, I trust sir Steve to deliver an adaquate replacement before next year

[AthleticoSpizz]

didnt get in the 1st 3 in the player of the year vote, not entirely sure how many votes he got, I really dont think this as anything to do with the the fact he is leaving, he as been good I agree but there have been at least 4 players consistantly better, its a shame really because this is the 1st significant departure from the successful side from the last 2 years, as said in the earlier post RFC will continue, hopefully onward and upward, I trust sir Steve to deliver an adaquate replacement before next year, thank you and good luck Steve

[The Quiet Man]

Some thoughts on Steve Sidwell. I think RFC will miss his energy, intensity and never say die attitude. There may be replacements out there but whoever they are they will take time to bed in and will certainly cost a lot of money.

Overrated? I think he has epitomized the drive and determination of the club and is one of the few individuals we have who could drive on those around him and that may well be not what is required at a more sophisticated club.

Best midfield player for RFC? Not for me, Richie Bowman was the best central midfielder I've seen in blue and white. Mick Gooding was the closest to Sidwell in that he never gave up (was possibly a better passer).

I think both him and the club have made the right decisions this season as to him seeing out his contract (he could have thrown his toys out of the pram at the start of the season and got his move). Once he leaves RFC and is paid by somebody else I couldn't give a flying f*ck how he does.

Anyway thanks for the time you were at RFC Steve and if you ever come back as an opposition player may you lose heavily.

[spickroyal]

Good luck sidders...I fear you may need it...

http://msnsport.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=466292&CPID=8&clid=8&lid=3&title=Sidwell+set+for+Blues+medical

[Gilksey]

Sidwell is responsible for us being a better team. I think Harper's technically better than Sid, but no one is saying he's a better player.

Harper is a better player than Sidwell.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Sidwell is responsible for us being a better team. I think Harper's technically better than Sid, but no one is saying he's a better player.

Harper is a better player than Sidwell.

Gunnar trumps them both (imho), but .................Thanks once again Steve, you made being ginger acceptable too

[Royalshow]

thanks Sidders

[PREMIERSHIP_ROYAL]

just thanks sidders and good luck at the cheatski

stand up for steve sidwell on sunday?

[Katie Marsden]

Good luck sidders...I fear you may need it...

http://msnsport.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=466292&CPID=8&clid=8&lid=3&title=Sidwell+set+for+Blues+medical

With Obi Mikel, Ballack and Sidwell in their midfield aswell as Essien and Drogba going missing for 5 weeks for the African Nations I can't see Chelsea making much of a title challenge next season.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Good luck sidders...I fear you may need it...

http://msnsport.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=466292&CPID=8&clid=8&lid=3&title=Sidwell+set+for+Blues+medical

With Obi Mikel, Ballack and Sidwell in their midfield aswell as Essien and Drogba going missing for 5 weeks for the African Nations I can't see Chelsea making much of a title challenge next season, but you may get a game or two. But hey, thanks anyway Steve