Robin Friday

[ankeny]

Alright,another old git talking about the greatest football never to have played for England(yes,he WAS that good)again but,how would he get on today?Having read the book again its a scandle that he did not come a top player in the old first division but he let himself down with his off the pitch lifestyle,he did not give a oxf*rd about anybody and it led to his untimely death.But that was why we loved him,opponents would kick him all over but he would get up,give him the finger and have him when the ref was looking(No prying tv cams in those days)the other way.Thing is,would he fit in the team today?Personally,he was the best player I have ever seen.

[Royal With Cheese]

Alright,another old git talking about the greatest football never to have played for England(yes,he WAS that good)again but,how would he get on today?Having read the book again its a scandle that he did not come a top player in the old first division but he let himself down with his off the pitch lifestyle,he did not give a oxf*rd about anybody and it led to his untimely death.But that was why we loved him,opponents would kick him all over but he would get up,give him the finger and have him when the ref was looking(No prying tv cams in those days)the other way.Thing is,would he fit in the team today?Personally,he was the best player I have ever seen.

LOL. Pearce is currently a better player.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Very hazy memories of a couple of odd incidents but backed up by my dad a few years ago:

1. He kissed a policeman after scoring V Rochdale - this is in some royals history book I think
2. Chucked a corner flag javlin style into empty terrace (town end) after scoring goal no idea what the game was - dad reckons Exeter.

[facaldaqui]

No pace. That's often what keeps a good ball player in the lower divisions.

[SWLR]

No pace. That's often what keeps a good ball player in the lower divisions.

No pace and too much spe ed

[Gordons Cumming]

What Friday lacked in pace, he made up on skill.

[friday fan]

best player I ever saw. You have to remember the game was very different back then it was basically one GK, 4 defenders, right half, left half, centre half then outside left and right, inside left and right and a centre forward. All teams seem to play like that and tough tackling and not so tactical as it is today. So would he fit into the game now, I don't think so but if we ever needed someone like that again we need them this season. A great memory, Robin RIP you are and always be a legend to both RFC and Cardiff and thanks to Charlie Hurley for bringing that talent to Reading for some of us who witneesed his skills we were priviledged

[Sun Tzu]

You are right, the game was different although I don't recall teams being allowed 12 players !

[Barney]

You would be hard pressed to name ANY other Reading player (past or present) that
could multiply a home reserve team crowd by 10x. That is what Robin did in the very
occasional time he played in a reserve game (coming back from injury and/or suspension).

If you never saw him play...then I am sure you must get bored hearing stories from us old farts
that keep on about him. If you DID see him play, then, like me, it was a memory of RFC that
will never be forgotten. Would he cope today ? Different game altogether, but he would
frighten the life out of defenders. He is, and always will be, a true Reading FC legend. Just brilliant.

[Thaumagurist*]

You would be hard pressed to name ANY other Reading player (past or present) that
could multiply a home reserve team crowd by 10x. That is what Robin did in the very
occasional time he played in a reserve game (coming back from injury and/or suspension).

If you never saw him play...then I am sure you must get bored hearing stories from us old farts
that keep on about him. If you DID see him play, then, like me, it was a memory of RFC that
will never be forgotten. Would he cope today ? Different game altogether, but he would
frighten the life out of defenders. He is, and always will be, a true Reading FC legend. Just brilliant.

Why have you trimmed your paragraphs?

[Man Friday]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: We were priviliged. Watching Reading was never the same again after he left.

[Negative_Jeff]

best player I ever saw. You have to remember the game was very different back then it was basically one GK, 4 defenders, right half, left half, centre half then outside left and right, inside left and right and a centre forward. All teams seem to play like that and tough tackling and not so tactical as it is today. So would he fit into the game now, I don't think so but if we ever needed someone like that again we need them this season. A great memory, Robin RIP you are and always be a legend to both RFC and Cardiff and thanks to Charlie Hurley for bringing that talent to Reading for some of us who witneesed his skills we were priviledged

You don`t say why Robin Friday wouldn`t fit into today`s game which is a shame. The 2-3-5 tactics that I think you are referring to went out of fashion ten years before Friday played for Reading, the 1966 World Cup team played pretty much a 4-4-2 with a holding midfielder in Styles. Friday`s time at Reading coincided with the great Rinus Michels "total football" Dutch team of 1974 so it was a period when tactics were evolving all the time.
You are certainly right about the tough tackling in that period though and it is interesting to think how flair players like Marsh, Bowles and Worthington, who liked to invite the tackle, would get on today when tackling has pretty much disappeared.

[surrounded by saints]

He was a fans player. You had to be there. Fortunately, i was one of those lucky enough to have seen him play for our team. HE WAS THE BEST!!

[Norfolk Royal]

Most skilful player I've seen in a Reading shirt. He lacked pace yes, but then again so does Beckham.

I often wonder what he could have achieved were he not the type of fella he was, but that's missing the point really. He was the player he was because of the type of fella he was. Overtrain him and he loses his potency, bit like Rooney perhaps.

[skipper]

Crying shame there is no real footage of him playing... I wasn't even a twinkle in my fathers eye - but i've read the book a hundred times - despite being mostly game reviews, its compulsive reading, sorry Reading.

[Dai Brainbocs]

I only saw him play for Cardiff, three or four times including the V-sign game, but you could see he had something special. When you stopped marvelling at how someone with legs that bandy could do it.

[Tilehurst End]

Only played for us for 3 years, left 33 years ago and we're still talking about him so that says it all really.

[biscuitman]

There is a legacy behind him, not only for Reading fans but also the short time he spent in Cardiff..I think he was compiled into their best 11 or something aswell. The book is a great read..the story about how he was banned from that bar in Sindlesham around 5 times was one of the many highlights!

[Barry the bird boggler]

Some have said he possibly could have been the greatest player the world has ever known had he been able to apply himself to the game and be disciplined.

This, of course, was not in his nature and quite possibly had he been more disciplined he never would have been the same player in the first place.

All credit to Charlie for taking a chance on him and giving so many memories to the supporters at the time. As it turned out he only survived in the game because of Charlie's "flexibility" with the player - as soon as he went to Cardiff it was over.

Sure I read somewhere that Robin turned up on Charlie's doorstep a few months after leaving asking him to buy him back which Charlie said he sadly couldn't do and that was the last time he saw him.

Incidentally has Charlie Hurley been back to the club as a guest since he left, think he still lives reasonably locally (Hertfordshire)?

[ankeny]

There is a legacy behind him, not only for Reading fans but also the short time he spent in Cardiff..I think he was compiled into their best 11 or something aswell. The book is a great read..the story about how he was banned from that bar in Sindlesham around 5 times was one of the many highlights!

Remember someone seeing him come flying out "The Bull"window ,it wasnt open at the time"