Would it be a tragedy if we went down?

[Archie's penalty]

Feel free to dodd me but leading on from Arch's post I was just wondering if it really would be such a shame if we went down?

Look at the league positions of Norwich, Leeds, Charlton and Southampton this year. It shows that we could bounce back. We also will be financially solvent and with loads of talented youngsters to come through.

I don't want us to go down but I don't think it would be a tragedy if we did. What do you think?

[Jackson Corner]

Those four clubs are much bigger than us with a loyal fan base. I can see our attendances halving with relegation and with Mr Mad unwilling to put any more money in to the club. We will be down there for a very long time, I wouldn't even rule out a drop to div two.

[Very near...far away]

I think we're quite possibly doomed forever. And ever. And ever.

And it's all your fault.

So there.

[Arch]

One of Leeds, Norwich and Charlton is going to face the lottery of the playoffs. Even if you gave back the ten point deduction, Soton would be in 9th place. It's not all roses down there. No immediate return for Forest or Leeds and how long were Wednesday down there? I don't know how to assess 'tragedy' in this case, but it would not be good, and there would be no guarantees of a happy revival.

If we go down, it's down to bad decisions and bad performances across the board. Everyone at the club will have a share in the blame, and one or two who have already gone. This club should not be where it is, even given the financial decisions of the last three and a half years.

[Millsy]

We were a whisker away from getting back into the Prem.

Madejski bottled it, and now we're fighting relegation.

If we go down it would be more than a tragedy.

The only saving grace will be that Madejski and the board might finally p*ss off.

[fireman_jules]

If we do go down you can kiss goodbye any remaining talent, Sigurdson, Mcanuff etc

[The whole year inn]

League One is dreadful. So many teams are made up of meathead defences that hack strikers out of the game

[Franchise FC]

We were a whisker away from getting back into the Prem.

Madejski bottled it, and now we're fighting relegation.

If we go down it would be more than a tragedy.

The only saving grace will be that Madejski and the board might finally p*ss off.

Same old same old from the usual suspects.

If we pi$$ SJM enough, not only will he walk but he'll demand the rest of his outstanding loans - at which point we're the ones in administration and GUARANTEED to go down. If it happens after relegation, we'd start next season with 10 points less than everyone else.

I'd be delighted if we could find a less risk averse owner, but it doesn't seem the most likely scenario for the foreseeable, so I'd be extremely careful what you wish for.

[SLAMMED]

Yes. We would lose a lot of players.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

No, it won't be a tragedy if we went down it will give us a chance to rebuild.

It will also give all those plastics who have joined in supporting Reading in the last decade a taste of League 1 football something thay won't know much about.

[sheshnu]

One of Leeds, Norwich and Charlton is going to face the lottery of the playoffs. Even if you gave back the ten point deduction, Soton would be in 9th place. It's not all roses down there. No immediate return for Forest or Leeds and how long were Wednesday down there? I don't know how to assess 'tragedy' in this case, but it would not be good, and there would be no guarantees of a happy revival.

All those teams (even Sheff Wed now?) are playing well and entertaining their fans every week, which is really all I want from watching Reading (in an ideal world, like). So to be in any of their positions would not bother me one bit, in fact their fans probably have more fun than I do on a Saturday afternoon.

I can think of a few Premier League clubs (and a couple at the top of the Championship) who were in 'League 1' not so long ago, so if that is what fans are really interested in then there is no need for total despair just yet. I'm in no hurry to watch Reading in the Premier League again though and even this pretty awful season has had the highlight of a bit of a run in the Cup.

Also relegation might mean reduced prices for tickets, which would suit me just fine

[Comfortably Numb]

Also relegation might mean reduced prices for tickets, which would suit me just fine

you know that wont happen.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Not at all, in fact it may be necessary for us to have another crack at getting in the Premiership. We may not get promoted at the first time of asking, but we have a stable business, and will be able to invest in future seasons. Out of all the teams that have been relegated Charlton are very very similar to us. Ran a tight ship and got relegated as a result, similar attendances when we were in the same division, and got relegated in their second season in the Championship. I am confident that given a couple of seasons in L1 we will bounce back, and bounce back stronger. If we get any further in the FA Cup this season, dare I say the Semi's, we'll do even better.

[winchester_royal]

Would be a good opportunity to rebuild, and would give players like Henry, HRk, Davies, Antonio, Bignall, McCarthy etc a good chance to establish themselves in a league where they have been succesful in past.

Didn't do Leicester any harm....

[Terminal Boardom]

Would be a good opportunity to rebuild, and would give players like Henry, HRk, Davies, Antonio, Bignall, McCarthy etc a good chance to establish themselves in a league where they have been succesful in past.

Didn't do Leicester any harm....

But what I have read on here is that Leicester are walking a financial tight rope. As for it being a tragedy? Doubt if anyone will die so it can't be considered as such.

[Ian Royal]

It's totally dependent on how we react. Just as going down from the prem was totally dependent on how we reacted, as was failing to go straight back up.

We got it right in the first 6 months of going down from the prem, but then let things get out of hand in the rest of the season. We handled the failure to be promoted again very badly.

We have the potential to bounce back, but we need to keep some key (young) players. We also have the potential to start struggling financially and dop back into total obscurity.

In terms of challenging in the championship I think relegation with a good reaction could actually be the best result for us. Although surviving in the right way this season could also give us the momentum that going down and bouncing straight back would.

[Jimmy the Tree]

It's not as if we haven't been here before.

We go down, we lose money, players and fans (or think they are).

Hopefully we could re-group and rise again.

[handbags_harris]

The only tragedy in reference to football clubs is when one goes out of business. If we go down, we won't go out of business. It won't be nice, but we'll still have a football club. Therefore, IMO, it won't be a tragedy if we go down.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Remember when people said relagation from the Prem would be a good thing?

[Ian Royal]

Remember when people said relagation from the Prem would be a good thing?

See my post. It could have been. Even failure to go back up last season could (and should) have been made into a positive.