Pain..

[Allyh84]

I'd miles rather lose an FA Cup qaurter-final against a huge Premier League club than lose a play-off final tbh. Different kettles of fish as well.

[weybridgewanderer]

The one time we do get it right on the big occasion at Derby, we have it taken out of our hands at a heart breakingly late stage

Still think we can make the playoffs though.

is that coz our "big game" that season was away at Wigan (0-0) or even the home game with Fulham on April 12th which we lost 0-2.

In the cup teams that go out tend to see it as their "big game" that they lost.

I'd have said we won at anfield last season and one at goodison this season. These were, arguably, as big as the game v Man City.

[prostak]

The only pain/disappointment I will feel is when this club is broken up and sold off piece by piece over the next couple years if we don't get promoted this year. I love this team. I love their heart. I love their character. I love the memories they have given us. Back to back FA Cup quarters with wins at Anfield, Goodison and 2 over West Brom. I loved their charge up the table the second half of last year after being on the cusp of the drop zone. But unless we can make a late season push and get the third promotion spot in the play-offs it might be the end of the line in terms of representing Reading for this particular group of players. They really are an easy group of lads to like. True professionals. And who knows, if McDermott keeps making runs deep into FA Cups he might be going up without the rest of the team too.

Libertine, you're fast becoming my favourite poster. Your optimism bound only by a hint of rationality is great to read.

There is no way a bigger club will poach McDermott, though.

[facaldaqui]

The only pain/disappointment I will feel is when this club is broken up and sold off piece by piece over the next couple years if we don't get promoted this year. I love this team. I love their heart. I love their character. I love the memories they have given us. Back to back FA Cup quarters with wins at Anfield, Goodison and 2 over West Brom. I loved their charge up the table the second half of last year after being on the cusp of the drop zone. But unless we can make a late season push and get the third promotion spot in the play-offs it might be the end of the line in terms of representing Reading for this particular group of players. They really are an easy group of lads to like. True professionals. And who knows, if McDermott keeps making runs deep into FA Cups he might be going up without the rest of the team too.

I think the only way Brian's getting to the premier is with Reading, as was the case with Tony Pulis. I don't know if these players are easier to like than other groups in the past--I mean, I don't find Harte, Mills, or Howard likable: they are gits. I don't think it's do or die this year; I expect our financial prudence and emphasis on young players to make us competitive for the foreseeable future, while more than a few other clubs implode.

[Jeffers217]

The only pain/disappointment I will feel is when this club is broken up and sold off piece by piece over the next couple years if we don't get promoted this year. I love this team. I love their heart. I love their character. I love the memories they have given us. Back to back FA Cup quarters with wins at Anfield, Goodison and 2 over West Brom. I loved their charge up the table the second half of last year after being on the cusp of the drop zone. But unless we can make a late season push and get the third promotion spot in the play-offs it might be the end of the line in terms of representing Reading for this particular group of players. They really are an easy group of lads to like. True professionals. And who knows, if McDermott keeps making runs deep into FA Cups he might be going up without the rest of the team too.

I think the only way Brian's getting to the premier is with Reading, as was the case with Tony Pulis. I don't know if these players are easier to like than other groups in the past--I mean, I don't find Harte, Mills, or Howard likable: they are gits. I don't think it's do or die this year; I expect our financial prudence and emphasis on young players to make us competitive for the foreseeable future, while more than a few other clubs implode.

I agree, I can't see any of our players being wanted by premiership clubs apart from Long on his current form. I mean we would not miss Federici, Mills (why anyone would want him I don't know), McAnuff (great player for us but at his age, can he really step it up in the prem?!). I think we'll keep them all personally but we definately need to strengthen

[PEARCEY]

Yep.

Bolton '95 - LOST
Walsall '01 - LOST
Villa '10 - LOST
City '11 - LOST

Our record on the big occasion is gloriously inglorious.

So Brentford 2002 doesn't count as a big occasion Floydster?

[RFCUK]

Anyone else still hurting today..?

Just been to the gym (Manc City Centre), and there were four City shirts about.. Just brought it all back..

[prostak]

I live in the povvo bit of Withington, where it's about 70/30 in favour of City. I'm just going to look straight at the pavement when I do have to walk back down Old Moat.

[PEARCEY]

Anyone else still hurting today..?

Just been to the gym (Manc City Centre), and there were four City shirts about.. Just brought it all back..

Nope. Hated it when they scored because I could see how downcast my little lad was. Fine about it this morning. We still have a lot to play for and an emerging young talent in Alex McCarthy is coming through.

[Jackson Corner]

I remember a day at Wembley April 1988 we didn't choke that day, quite the opposite.

[PEARCEY]

I remember a day at Wembley April 1988 we didn't choke that day, quite the opposite.

Wasn't it late March.....oooh and yes we didn't choke that day. Great memories of the Simod Cup that season.

[Ark Royal]

No single defeat can compare to the pain that I felt after Bolton in '95. I was down for months after that.

[PEARCEY]

No single defeat can compare to the pain that I felt after Bolton in '95. I was down for months after that.

Same here. Much worse than Walsall.

[RoyalBlue]

The only pain/disappointment I will feel is when this club is broken up and sold off piece by piece over the next couple years if we don't get promoted this year. I love this team. I love their heart. I love their character. I love the memories they have given us. Back to back FA Cup quarters with wins at Anfield, Goodison and 2 over West Brom. I loved their charge up the table the second half of last year after being on the cusp of the drop zone. But unless we can make a late season push and get the third promotion spot in the play-offs it might be the end of the line in terms of representing Reading for this particular group of players. They really are an easy group of lads to like. True professionals. And who knows, if McDermott keeps making runs deep into FA Cups he might be going up without the rest of the team too.

I think the only way Brian's getting to the premier is with Reading, as was the case with Tony Pulis. I don't know if these players are easier to like than other groups in the past--I mean, I don't find Harte, Mills, or Howard likable: they are gits. I don't think it's do or die this year; I expect our financial prudence and emphasis on young players to make us competitive for the foreseeable future, while more than a few other clubs implode.

I agree, I can't see any of our players being wanted by premiership clubs apart from Long on his current form. I mean we would not miss Federici, Mills (why anyone would want him I don't know), McAnuff (great player for us but at his age, can he really step it up in the prem?!). I think we'll keep them all personally but we definately need to strengthen

Long will be an absolutely massive loss and probably irreplaceable for the money that the chairman is likely to make available. We can not keep losing our best players and then waiting a couple of years in the hope we can develop someone, we have purchased cheap, to replace them.

Long has been fantastic this year. Not just his form when he found it but also his attitude and incredible work rate for himself and the team. I don't think any other player works as hard as him and yesterday's performance at City was another typical example of that. Legs has been good but Long has to be player of the season for me.

[Elm Park Old Boy]

I'm so so proud, but I swear we have lost several "major" games in a row, I mean Liverpool and everton in the cup didn't feel big before hand.

We have been relegated during the last mins of a season, beat by Brum to miss out on promotion, a week later beaten by burnley TWICE, then lost two successive quarter finals where we played more than admirably.

I'm sure these are our last five big games in a row, and while we are fortunate to have so many grandstand games, let's take a moment to feel sorry for ourselves.. Roll on the playoffs

didn't we win one of those crunch games 4-0? Arguably the damage was done on the smaller occasions earlier....

[Mid Sussex Royal]

No single defeat can compare to the pain that I felt after Bolton in '95. I was down for months after that.

Same here. Much worse than Walsall.

+1. The hurt didn't go until we went up in 05/06.