Could we be involved in a relegation battle?

[Snowball]

It's all very well to say that history means nothing,but it's a huge mistake to ignore it.

Newport Count lost 3-2 in the quarter finals of the European Cup Winners Cup
and look at them now, 6th tier, ground capacity 4,500

Historical data tells us where we were, what kind of support could be expected

Solid Championship status is MAGNIFICENT for a club like Reading and to make it into the Premiership
without busting the club was just incredible.

If we except we are a top third Championship side with excellent facilities and genuine hope
most seasons of being close contenders for promotion to the promised land, that ought to please
and normal fan. If, one day we are an established Premiership side, one not tipped to be relegated,
that will mean that a previously "established Premiership side" isn't.


DIVISION 4 1971/72
1 Grimsby Town 46 28 7 11 88 56 63
2 Southend United 46 24 12 10 81 55 60
3 Brentford 46 24 11 11 76 44 59
4 Scunthorpe United 46 22 13 11 56 37 57
5 Lincoln City 46 21 14 11 77 59 56 almost went bust, went out of the league?
6 Workington 46 16 19 11 50 34 51 went out of the league
7 Southport 46 18 14 14 66 46 50 went out of the league
8 Peterborough United 46 17 16 13 82 64 50
9 Bury 46 19 12 15 73 59 50
10 Cambridge United 46 17 14 15 62 60 48
11 Colchester United 46 19 10 17 70 69 48
12 Doncaster Rovers 46 16 14 16 56 63 46
13 Gillingham 46 16 13 17 61 67 45
14 Newport County 46 18 8 20 60 72 44 went totally bust reformed playing 8th tier, now 6th tier
15 Exeter City 46 16 11 19 61 68 43 went out of the league
16 Reading 46 17 8 21 56 76 42
17 Aldershot 46 9 22 15 48 54 40
18 Hartlepool 46 17 6 23 58 69 40
19 Darlington 46 14 11 21 64 82 39
20 Chester 46 10 18 18 47 56 38 went out of the league
21 Northampton Town 46 12 13 21 66 79 37
22 Barrow 46 13 11 22 40 71 37 went out of the league
23 Stockport County 46 9 14 23 55 87 32
24 Crewe Alexandra 46 10 9 27 43 69 29

[Thaumagurist*]

Snowball, you forgot to mention that Aldershit went bust and out of the league. Also I think Colchester went out of the league at some point and now are back in the league. Exeter and Lincoln are back in the league. Cambridge is not in the league any more as well.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Pointless comparison, 71/72 was the first time we had ever been at that level, we were the big boys in a low league, and did not adapt well, however it was always likely that we would move back to our percieved level, which we did,.

[Terminal Boardom]

The answer to the question is YES

Of course we "could" be involved in a relegation battle.

The question should be WILL we be involved in a relegation battle.

And Snopake, I suggest you get a new proof reader. Your current one is shit.

[Arch]

The answer to the question is YES

Of course we "could" be involved in a relegation battle.

The question should be WILL we be involved in a relegation battle.

And Snopake, I suggest you get a new proof reader. Your current one is shit.

You sound like my nine-year-old who hasn't yet quite grasped the pragmatics of language. 'Could' in this case pretty obviously means 'is it a serious possibility'. There's an uninteresting sense of 'could' in which we could get zero points, but no one is tempted to take that seriously. However, quite a few people think it's a live option that we might end up in a relegation battle even if they don;t think it's the most likely scenario and would not be willing t say we will.

[readingbedding]

If I was a bookie, I would lay odds of 100-1 for RFC to be relegated season 2009/10.

[Ian Royal]

If I was a bookie, I would lay odds of 100-1 for RFC to be relegated season 2009/10.

You woudn't be a bookie long. Odds like that sooner or later someone would clean you out.

[readingbedding]

No one would clean me out.

It's now gone up to 10000-1.

[Ian Royal]

No one would clean me out.

It's now gone up to 10000-1.

I'll have £10 of that please. I'll need to see a copy of your bank statement so I know you can cover me though.

[readingbedding]

I wouldn't be so crass to ask for your bank statement just in case you couldn't afford the £10 bet, so I've placed the £10 bet for you.

Good luck.

[Terminal Boardom]

The answer to the question is YES

Of course we "could" be involved in a relegation battle.

The question should be WILL we be involved in a relegation battle.

And Snopake, I suggest you get a new proof reader. Your current one is shit.

You sound like my nine-year-old who hasn't yet quite grasped the pragmatics of language. 'Could' in this case pretty obviously means 'is it a serious possibility'. There's an uninteresting sense of 'could' in which we could get zero points, but no one is tempted to take that seriously. However, quite a few people think it's a live option that we might end up in a relegation battle even if they don;t think it's the most likely scenario and would not be willing t say we will.

Which is precisely why I am suggesting that the question should be reworded to "Will we be involved in a relegation battle"?" And thanks for comparing me to your 9 year old. Thank heavens I am not though as I am sure that I would have called Childline by now!

[From Despair To Where?]

Snowball, you forgot to mention that Aldershit went bust and out of the league. Also I think Colchester went out of the league at some point and now are back in the league. Exeter and Lincoln are back in the league. Cambridge is not in the league any more as well.

Darlo also went out of the league IIRC. Now there's a classic case of how not to run a club. Nutter of a chairman, 25,000 seat stadium with a seafty certificate for 4,500, average crowDs of 2,000 and perenially on the brink of going Belly up due to follies of said nutter chairman.

Div 4, feck all fans and trying to sign Asprilla on the proceeds of your chairman's latest bank job.

Whilst a relegation battle is a possibility, I don't think it is a realistic result of the coming season for the simple reason that, although SJM is reigning in the spending, there has always been money available when the situation has needed it and it would not make business sense for SJM to not spend it. He may want to make do and see for the time being but if we are struggling, money will be spent in January.

[Platypuss]

Anyone want to amend their votes?

[loyalroyal4life]

Anyone want to amend their votes?

bet you do, lets see what happens saturday

[Arch]

I can't believe the number of "no" votes. I'm a massive RTG and I voted yes. Even now I don't think we will be, but could be? Even in an interesting sense of 'could'? Of course!

[Ups and Downs]

I just voted Yes. I'm usually the most optimistic of Reading fans but having sat though that shite tonight, I don't think these kids have got it in them to improve to the point when they'll actually start scoring or perhaps even winning games.

Totally clueless! i know everyone thinks Coppell didn't give the young lads a fair try out, but that could be for one very good reason-They are not bloody good enough! And Coppell was a man who gave many many young and unexperienced players their breaks in the game, so I can't see why he wouldn't have wanted to. Yet, a few months after his departure, all of a sudden they are all ready and willing to do their bit, well i jut don't think that will be enough.

At this stage, I don't see a single thing in any of this new breed of lads that suggests they can turn it around or come good in the 2nd half of the season, so with this in mind I can only see a relegation scrap on the cards.

[The whole year inn]

I just voted Yes. I'm usually the most optimistic of Reading fans but having sat though that shite tonight, I don't think these kids have got it in them to improve to the point when they'll actually start scoring or perhaps even winning games.

Totally clueless! i know everyone thinks Coppell didn't give the young lads a fair try out, but that could be for one very good reason-They are not bloody good enough! And Coppell was a man who gave many many young and unexperienced players their breaks in the game, so I can't see why he wouldn't have wanted to. Yet, a few months after his departure, all of a sudden they are all ready and willing to do their bit, well i jut don't think that will be enough.

At this stage, I don't see a single thing in any of this new breed of lads that suggests they can turn it around or come good in the 2nd half of the season, so with this in mind I can only see a relegation scrap on the cards.

I think some of them will come good, but Reading desperately need some old heads out there.

Throwing all of our academy into the first team at once is NEVER, EVER going to work, even if you do have lovely shiny references from Mourhino and a laminated bumper book of tactics. It may look nice, but that young side will be knocking about in the bottom 6-8 for the whole season if they are lucky

An approach between Coppell and what we are witnessing now is needed. Experienced spine of 5-6 core players with youngsters bought in gradually, with a plan B if they do not perform..

I am thinking that the reason that Coppell was so reluctant to start these guys is that they were not up to it, and we have seen precisely nothing to suggest otherwise.

[Royalwaster]

Totally agree - look at teams like ManUtd when they play their reserves in the cup, they usually lose too (with the exception of Arsenal I guess - but their reserve team on paper costs probably 10x our first team). So they've learned to keep in some senior pros and only add 4 or 5 into the team. Looking at the team sheet tonight, it was like our whole midfield and attack was made up of kids. I think it's being terribly tough on them - it could actually damage their progress let alone help them make it in the big time. I'd say you don't want more than two or three complete youngsters in a team at any one time, and probably even less than that in a team that's completely been rebuilt.

[Scarface]

We already are in a relegation battle. Last night we had a front 3 of league one players, so why is everyone surprised.

[papereyes]

I think that it is fair to assume that there will be at least 3 teams worse than us this season.

Fuck off back to 2006/07