How long before the fans turn?

['lista]

Remember the penguins on the Falkland Isles!!

Why? Well, I'll tell you - when the RAF planes fly over groups of penguins on the Islands, they all, to a bird, watch the planes flying and they will lean back watching them until they all fall over. It is apparently quite a sight to watch thousands of penguins falling like this. The moral is just because everyone does a stupid thing, it doesn't stop it being a stupid thing!!

(No flightless birds were hurt during the writing of this post)

Nope. Sorry, this is a myth.

[RoyalBlue]

As we will suddenly find our best form in the Palace game, it won't be then. After that game we will continue our new found form and go on to win the League by a mile (again).

In any case, the fans won't turn - people like you might, but not the fans. !

And how can you categorically say what fans will or won't do? I'm sure many fans like you won't turn. Others, like myself, may well turn on any combination of the Ego, the board, Hammond, Coppell, Downes. The fact that we are angry about the way the club/team is being run and choose to express that doesn't make us any less caring/fanatical about the club. In fact, it might mean we are even more so!!

Cue discussions about 'supporters' - and once again I would argue that supporters can vent their spleen at the appropriate people/time whilst still continuing to actively support the team on the pitch.

Some of you turn every week it seems!

And, every week, some wally starts a thread slagging A) Coppell B) Mr Mad C) Doyle, Lita, Hunt (Just Steven so far, Noel next week; probably) or any other member of the team (with the notable exception of Marcus who appears to be unable to do any wrong) D) Their misfortune to have been born/live within a hundred miles of Reading E) All of the above.

It's boring!!

If you're thinking of leaving to support another club, perhaps you should. After-all, you've probably only been here for the last two years!

Not thinking of leaving to support another club, other than those my kids play for!, but try multiplying that by 20. I'm sure the same applies to may others on this board.

[nev monkey]

As we will suddenly find our best form in the Palace game, it won't be then. After that game we will continue our new found form and go on to win the League by a mile (again).

In any case, the fans won't turn - people like you might, but not the fans. !

And how can you categorically say what fans will or won't do? I'm sure many fans like you won't turn. Others, like myself, may well turn on any combination of the Ego, the board, Hammond, Coppell, Downes. The fact that we are angry about the way the club/team is being run and choose to express that doesn't make us any less caring/fanatical about the club. In fact, it might mean we are even more so!!

Cue discussions about 'supporters' - and once again I would argue that supporters can vent their spleen at the appropriate people/time whilst still continuing to actively support the team on the pitch.

Agreed. I care passionately about RFC & get very frustrated because of it. My missus comes sometimes, calls herself a fan & tuts when we lose. Ultimately though she won't get distressed like I do because she doesn't really care.

[Streets]

The lack of investment over the last 2 years has been a huge let down for the real long term RFC fans. I think we all need the lift of a big name signing, and if we don't get that and we don't win most of our games it will only be a short time before the fans start to lose hope and turn on Coppell.

Agreed. But we need more than the one good/big signing. The first eleven is good, very good. The squad is piss poor.

Patience are thin but out of respect for what Steve Coppell has done here at Reading Football Club, anyone booing HIM is a complete and utter ****.

[Hampshire Royal]

Remember the penguins on the Falkland Isles!!

Why? Well, I'll tell you - when the RAF planes fly over groups of penguins on the Islands, they all, to a bird, watch the planes flying and they will lean back watching them until they all fall over. It is apparently quite a sight to watch thousands of penguins falling like this. The moral is just because everyone does a stupid thing, it doesn't stop it being a stupid thing!!

(No flightless birds were hurt during the writing of this post)

Nope. Sorry, this is a myth.

Fair enough (mind you, I still prefer the myth of thousands of penguins falling over backwards rather than doing the sensible thing of trying to keep quiet or run away), but the same basic principle is still true, indeed it can be added to by saying that 'just because thousands of people say a stupid thing, it doesn't stop it being a stupid thing'.

[Big Ern]

If the fans turn...and I think there is a good chance if we slip up against C Palace, then I think they are more likely to turn on the Chairman as opposed to Steve Coppell.

[Dirk Gently]

Difficult to predict - because for about 75% of the posters on HNA? when we win a game we are the greatest team the world has ever seen, and when we lose a game we are crap and everyone deserves sacking.

All credit to the other 25% who are consistent in their views and their arguments regardless of what happened in the last match. I'll leave each of you to decide which category you each belong in...

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

One of the big problems is that the management say one thing but then do something else-

Good example is when Coppell openly stated that he had been too loyal to a number of his players - well I haven't seen him drop any of his golden children, so its difficult to believe some of the stuff coming out of the club and thats what causes some backlash.

One day we're buying a left back another we're told Stephen Hunt is now our left back - One day we are told, I am happy with 4 strikers, then we sign David Mooney! us then assuming Doyle must be going we are then told by Coppell that Doyle isnt for sale.

If there werent so many riddles and a bit more straight talking ,I think a lot of the fans may not like what is being said but would respect the honesty of it.

[Platypuss]

Remember the penguins on the Falkland Isles!!

Why? Well, I'll tell you - when the RAF planes fly over groups of penguins on the Islands, they all, to a bird, watch the planes flying and they will lean back watching them until they all fall over. It is apparently quite a sight to watch thousands of penguins falling like this. The moral is just because everyone does a stupid thing, it doesn't stop it being a stupid thing!!

Stupid things like, er, quoting urban myths as fact?

[Victor Meldrew]

Remember the penguins on the Falkland Isles!!

Why? Well, I'll tell you - when the RAF planes fly over groups of penguins on the Islands, they all, to a bird, watch the planes flying and they will lean back watching them until they all fall over. It is apparently quite a sight to watch thousands of penguins falling like this. The moral is just because everyone does a stupid thing, it doesn't stop it being a stupid thing!!

Stupid things like, er, quoting urban myths as fact?

Not sure about the penguins nor RFC but I agree with HR,e.g David Beckham is a fantastic footballer-so many stupid people have said that it is now treated as fact whereas.........

[Hampshire Royal]

Remember the penguins on the Falkland Isles!!

Why? Well, I'll tell you - when the RAF planes fly over groups of penguins on the Islands, they all, to a bird, watch the planes flying and they will lean back watching them until they all fall over. It is apparently quite a sight to watch thousands of penguins falling like this. The moral is just because everyone does a stupid thing, it doesn't stop it being a stupid thing!!

Stupid things like, er, quoting urban myths as fact?

It's a special sort of person that will look only at the words and not try to see the (obvious) message conveyed by them. Myth or not, the message is the same.

Oh well!!

[papereyes]

Difficult to predict - because for about 75% of the posters on HNA? when we win a game we are the greatest team the world has ever seen, and when we lose a game we are crap and everyone deserves sacking.

All credit to the other 25% who are consistent in their views and their arguments regardless of what happened in the last match. I'll leave each of you to decide which category you each belong in...

What % base their views on what the club is doing so would be supportive when the club is making proactive moves in the transfer market and continuing its progress made since it moved to the Madejski and would be critical when it isn't.

Just want to know.

[Wokingham via Waterloo]

Hmm. I'm not well placed to judge issues on the pitch as I've only followed from afar since getting married and being a dad but I agree with the earlier posts concerned with the mixed messages off the pitch. I've been proud of the way the club has been run, even when we had a (slightly laughable) reputation in the third tier as a moneybags team. I wrote a letter to JM to say as much when I let my season ticket lapse. It's a large part of what made me glad to be a Royal, and much of what made success all the sweeter.

I know it's been done to death elsewhere, but having not mortgaged us to the hilt to get to the premiership or stay there, the current lack of on-pitch investment is difficult to fathom. I'd be happy if the club came out with a consistent, clear message about what the plan was, e.g. give youth its head, or "we're a selling club" etc, but the PR coming out of the club is muddled and depressing. I'd been looking forward to getting back to some proper football this year, but I don't see the point. It's one thing to spend money when you think you're playing your part in the evolution of a club and to an extent the town, but another when big sums have come in and disappeared and there's no consistency coming out of the chairman, chief exec and manager about what the plan now is. I think the transfer deadline might be a big turning point if they don't sort it out.

[Streets]

I believe we are no more than a home game or two away from some strong vocal criticism, not so much at the players or the manager, but at the club for its refusal to invest even a small fraction of its Premiership booty into the team. A defeat and another terrible performance against Palace could well be the catalyst.

I think this is going to be a long and painful few years for Reading supporters under a management whos heart just isn't in it any more.

Have to agree with that.

If the fans turn...and I think there is a good chance if we slip up against C Palace, then I think they are more likely to turn on the Chairman as opposed to Steve Coppell.

Have to agree with that too.

Coppell has worked miracles here. Yes he should have been less loyal, he's still making that mistake with the likes of Doyle who need a serious kick up the arse, but I feel also that the fans will look at the chairman before they lay blame on Coppell.

[facaldaqui]

I don't think they'll turn, not after the unprecedented treats they've had in the last few years. It would be ungrateful to turn. If we become just an average mid-table side, perhaps there will be some uncomfortable moments and a loss of gate: the atmosphere will be judgement enough. But all long-term Reading fans know that mid-table in the championship is still dreamland compared to most of our history. And it puts us in hope of reconstructing for improvement back to the prem in the future.

As for Coppell being uninterested: impossible. If Coppell lost interest, he'd walk away. He's more honest than most managers and wouldn't con us.

Dare I say it, but Charlton hit a purple patch against us. We may have had faults, but their execution was premier class. Doubt it will be every week, but it was then. I'd be surprised if many teams could repeat that against us.

[Man Friday]

Some of you turn every week it seems!

And, every week, some wally starts a thread slagging A) Coppell B) Mr Mad C) Doyle, Lita, Hunt (Just Steven so far, Noel next week; probably) or any other member of the team (with the notable exception of Marcus who appears to be unable to do any wrong) D) Their misfortune to have been born/live within a hundred miles of Reading E) All of the above.

It's boring!!

If you're thinking of leaving to support another club, perhaps you should. After-all, you've probably only been here for the last two years!

No, about 35 so buggered if I'm going to take any more bullsh*t from th eboard about ambition whilst we're selling players for £5M and spending £500K in return.

[rg6royal]

Well I watched Maidenhead play today and it was actually a good game. Have I turned?

[Man Friday]

Hmm. I'm not well placed to judge issues on the pitch as I've only followed from afar since getting married and being a dad but I agree with the earlier posts concerned with the mixed messages off the pitch. I've been proud of the way the club has been run, even when we had a (slightly laughable) reputation in the third tier as a moneybags team. I wrote a letter to JM to say as much when I let my season ticket lapse. It's a large part of what made me glad to be a Royal, and much of what made success all the sweeter.

I know it's been done to death elsewhere, but having not mortgaged us to the hilt to get to the premiership or stay there, the current lack of on-pitch investment is difficult to fathom. I'd be happy if the club came out with a consistent, clear message about what the plan was, e.g. give youth its head, or "we're a selling club" etc, but the PR coming out of the club is muddled and depressing. I'd been looking forward to getting back to some proper football this year, but I don't see the point. It's one thing to spend money when you think you're playing your part in the evolution of a club and to an extent the town, but another when big sums have come in and disappeared and there's no consistency coming out of the chairman, chief exec and manager about what the plan now is. I think the transfer deadline might be a big turning point if they don't sort it out.

Spot on. Agree with last sentence as well.

[RoyalBlue]

I don't think they'll turn, not after the unprecedented treats they've had in the last few years. It would be ungrateful to turn.

So are Reading fans completely different from those of every other club?!

Ungrateful or not, they will turn - that is the nature of the beast that is a passionate football fan.

Coppell will no doubt get some stick but I suspect that most will be directed at the man who has so obviously enjoyed reaping all of the plaudits during the good times i.e JM.

[Spud]

In answer to the question, the day after deadline day, sorry Kiwi but agree with Schards and I'm a 35 year man. No business in the next week, esp left back wise and I'll be one straw closer to telling Mr M to stick it. That comment is not based on his years of support for the club but his more recent years of support for himself. You can fool some of the people all of the time..etc etc etc