Hard to see any progress for the forseeable future

[Svlad Cjelli]

The OP would be right if you believe that all that is required to build a successful team is money.

But there's a lot more to it than that - whilst spending money increases a team's chance of success, it doesn't guarantee it, and there are other ways to get success.

[Ian Royal]

While of course luck has played it's part, you don't get that lucky in football over this long a time. It's mainly down to hard work and a lot of good decisions, by the managers and by the people who employ the managers and sign off on new players and contracts.

[Royal Rother]

I cant help but think we have been incredibly lucky finding a manager and players that can create this kind of spirit.

Madejski's been very lucky in his choice of managers hasn't he?

[readingbedding]

As for Madejski, there are some on here who would happily see us drift downwards whilst improving/maintaining our balance sheet in the belief that the rest of football will meltdown around us and we will emerge as one of the last men standing. They are rather like people who build nuclear bunkers in their back garden. Much as I admire and appreciete what Madejski has done, I don't see how the club can go forward with him at the helm and would now like to see someone new who wants to move things forward

[PieEater]

And my definition of mid-table mediocrity is a team that goes through most of the season with little hope of play offs and little serious fear of relegation. So I'd say something like 10th to 18th, as that gives three places either side of relegation and play offs. Maybe 11th to 17th.

Which reminds me of a bit of football trivia. Which team in the football league has not been promoted but had one relegation in the last 40 years.

[ZacNaloen]

Newcastle?

* oh damn not in FL anymore

[Ian Royal]

Coventry? They were in the top flight for aaaaaaggggggggggeeeeeesssssss before they got relegated and they've done sweet FA since...

Isn't there another team somewhere (Rochdale?) that have done nothing for absolutely ever until the got promoted in the last season or so?

[Ian Royal]

Newcastle?

You don't remember last season!? And it's not that long since their last time in the second tier - early 90s / 80s.

[Wycombe Royal]

As for Madejski, there are some on here who would happily see us drift downwards whilst improving/maintaining our balance sheet in the belief that the rest of football will meltdown around us and we will emerge as one of the last men standing. They are rather like people who build nuclear bunkers in their back garden. Much as I admire and appreciete what Madejski has done, I don't see how the club can go forward with him at the helm and would now like to see someone new who wants to move things forward

[readingbedding]

As usual Schards has got it pretty much spot on to be quite honest; a good barometer for a decent, truthful posting on HNA is whether Reading Bedding disagrees with it.

[Royal Rother]

As usual Schards has got it pretty much spot on to be quite honest; a good barometer for a decent, truthful posting on HNA is whether Reading Bedding & winchester_royal disagree with it.

[readingbedding]

Firesale.

[Royal Rother]

As for Madejski, there are some on here who would happily see us drift downwards whilst improving/maintaining our balance sheet in the belief that the rest of football will meltdown around us and we will emerge as one of the last men standing. They are rather like people who build nuclear bunkers in their back garden. Much as I admire and appreciete what Madejski has done, I don't see how the club can go forward with him at the helm and would now like to see someone new who wants to move things forward

Just to be clear...

As for Madejski, there are some on here who would happily see us drift downwards whilst improving/maintaining our balance sheet in the belief that the rest of football will meltdown around us and we will emerge as one of the last men standing. They are rather like people who build nuclear bunkers in their back garden. Much as I admire and appreciete what Madejski has done, I don't see how the club can go forward with him at the helm and would now like to see someone new who wants to move things forward.

Maybe RB can't use the quote facility. Confusing sometimes...!

[readingbedding]

Dull, uninspiring, get used to mid table Championship football at best, hard to see progress for the forseeable future.

And all because we were losing a talisman of a manager and have a chairman who was not prepared to invest in the club as he wishes to sell it.

I'm amazed no one saw this coming a year ago.

[BR2]

I put a bet on at Corals on Friday for us to get promoted this season at 4/1. The odds are now 11/4.

Bit slow there HR?
I had bets with Betfair before the Pompey game:-
Promotion 7.6/1
Top 6 finish 2.35/1
An interesting season where two promoted clubs are bang there with a chance and pre-season favourites such as Middlesboro have struggled.
In a few weeks' time we may be talking about how we will struggle in the Premier League with all our old boys or loan players now being mainstays of our side but for the moment the club has made some progress by getting to this position but with the aforementioned forming the nucleus of our side I do feel that we haven't built a side for the Premier League whereas previously we did.
Whatever happens over the coming weeks it has been an enjoyable second half of the season.

[floyd__streete]

The recent run has been far from dull and inspiring of course, particularly Saturday. BUT apparently promotion isn't a formality yet, even from this promising position. And if we fail from here on in, with the certain player sales which would surely follow.....well, that would certainly stymie our progress again wouldn't it.

[PieEater]

Coventry? They were in the top flight for aaaaaaggggggggggeeeeeesssssss before they got relegated and they've done sweet FA since...

Correct, but the question was meant to be retorical as you mentioned Coventry in your post

[Royal Rother]

The recent run has been far from dull and inspiring of course, particularly Saturday. BUT apparently promotion isn't a formality yet, even from this promising position. And if we fail from here on in, with the certain player sales which would surely follow.....well, that would certainly stymie our progress again wouldn't it.

Not necessarily.

Kebe's and Long's development in the last year has not just been down to Kebe and Long. The factors that helped them develop their game and fulfil their potential (to one degree or another) will still be there within RFC.

Few would have thought their progress was possible a year + ago and it seems reasonable to think same could be achieved with at least a couple from Manset, R-Kanu, Church, Cummings, Antonio et al...

[Ian Royal]

Coventry? They were in the top flight for aaaaaaggggggggggeeeeeesssssss before they got relegated and they've done sweet FA since...

Correct, but the question was meant to be retorical as you mentioned Coventry in your post

I guess both parts of that, but wanted to show off that I actually knew something.

[Wimb]

I think we need to get used to mid table championship football at the very best until there is a sea change at this club.

Madejski - clearly, his heart is not in it to the extent it was previously. He would love to sell out but can't find a buyer. He will keep the club sound and stable but has no intention of investing further funds or trying to push the club forwards.

Coppell - if the spirit of the championship had survived, he would definately have been the right man for the job, but it hasn't. The chairman is not fully behind it anymore, many players have left to pursue their own self interest and many still here would like to leave. The golden team has long gone and we have to move on and build a new team. Coppell doesn't, IMHO, have the hunger to do this.

Whilst not being a member of the carpark squad, I applauded their actions as, at the time it was the right thing to do. Had we known that the spirit of the championship side was already totally dead, in hindsight, we should have let Coppell go and started afresh.

As for Madejski, there are some on here who would happily see us drift downwards whilst improving/maintaining our balance sheet in the belief that the rest of football will meltdown around us and we will emerge as one of the last men standing. They are rather like people who build nuclear bunkers in their back garden. Much as I admire and appreciete what Madejski has done, I don't see how the club can go forward with him at the helm and would now like to see someone new who wants to move things forward.

Can't see either leaving anytime soon so supporting Reading's going to be a whole lot duller and uninspiring than in recent years

To be honest.... Schards got it largely right, though we did have some excitement with the 2 play-off runs and 2 good cup runs, plus the emergence of Siggy and Long...