Back from the game - Cardiff (A) - Wembley special.

[Allyh84]

oxf*rd beautiful! Plus with such a makeshift side as well with 2 wingers out, and I swear Cummings was playing in front of Long towards the end!?

Fed 7
Harte 7
Mills 7
Zurab 7
Khiz 7
Karacan 8
Legs 8
McAnuff 9
Cummings 8
Long 10
N Hunt 8

I am so proud of the team, what a night! The atmosphere and singing in the last 20/30 minutes was unforgettable. I've never hugged so many strangers whilst swinging my shirt over my head after our goals. I loved our fans giving the Ayatollah to the Cardiff fans as well. Good to see their well 'ard fans showing their disgust by rebelling and throwing their shitty little placards onto the pitch. And why is it always Ian Harte who gets the most stick from opposition fans?

URRRRRRRRRRRRRZ

[andrew1957]

Fantastic performance - just wanted to say congratulations to Brian and all the lads - top notch. All the defense and Fed were immense. LOL to those who thought Fed should not be brought back. Karacan and Leigertwood were fantastic all night and really put a shift in. Cummings playing out of position did a great job. Jobi did not have a great first half but came into it more and more and what a goal! Hunt harried and chased everything and so unlucky not to score and Long has been just fantastic all season.

Number 13 great all night.

Really looking forward to Wemberleey.

To be honesty I will applaud them whatever the result. Before February we would all have been delighted to have the chance of going to Wembley - but I think the momentum is with us now and I really expect us to win. Should be a great game. If Swansea better us on the day then fair play to them, but I know our lads will give 110% and it was take a great performance to beat us.

[Rex]

Though it would be kind of alright to get the team into the prem, this season has panned out up to my unrealistic expectations.

[nailseabiscuitman]

Can I just put a good word in for some Cardiff fans as they aren`t all complete planks. We parked up next to a car load of CCFC fans and I saw them look as we got out of our car and made a joke to them about if the car would be ok there. No problem they assured us. They caught up with us on the way to the ground and pointed out the best way in and also a better way back to the car. We had a very friendly chat and parted with a friendly handshake with them wishing us luck. Bumped onto them back at the car after the game and they congratulated us, although gutted with the result, shook our hands again and wished us luck in the final . (they reaaallly want us to beat Swansea )
This is how football should be and I am sure in a reverse situation not all of our fans would act the same way.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Yeah, for the record I saw or heard of no problems from Cardiff supporters (except for the two scrotes who ran onto the pitch after the end) and I didn't hear of any problems anywhere.

All the Cardiff supporters I've been in contact with have been fair and magnanimous - even my next door neighbour who put a congratulatory note through the door for me to find when I got home at 1.30 am.

Cardiff's reputation still exists but they've done so much to change it, and things are now far less intimidating than the days of Ninian Park.

[facaldaqui]

One of those nights you remember 10/20 years from now. We really pissed on the Welsh parade. Everyone from Sky BBC Radio 5 live were desperate for a Swansea Cardiff final. Just watched the FL show Mark Bright reckoned Cardiff should have had 5 stone wall pens.
Never praised us once. While Mark Chapmon on 5 live spent half an hour talking about Dave Jones future. On the plus front Claridge has predicted a Swansea stroll in the final. From a bloke who blow his career earnings on gambling.

I hope the "experts" keep on hating us...it is good karma.

I think what they don't get--and what you don't appreciate unless you watch Reading week in and week out--is what a tackling, disrupting team we are. We may look dull because we have no sparkling creative midfielder; but what we have is the constant attritional disruptiveness of Leigertwood, Karacan, and, when required, Tabb. Add to that the fact that we tackle from the front, with Long, Hunt, and even Kebe constantly getting a foot in, a lot of teams can't get a rhythm going against us--and that includes Everton and Man City. Cummings on the wing just makes us even more frontally defensive.

I should think it's horrible to play against. It's true that Swansea have beat us twice, but that was before we got good. If it goes our way, we could break their hearts. Long before the game is over.

[Sarah Star]

I think what they don't get--and what you don't appreciate unless you watch Reading week in and week out--is what a tackling, disrupting team we are. We may look dull because we have no sparkling creative midfielder; but what we have is the constant attritional disruptiveness of Leigertwood, Karacan, and, when required, Tabb...

True. Watching yesterday I thought Karacan was superb at doing this and had one of his best games.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Also we closed the game out absolutely superbly. There was no way we were going to let it slip in the last 15 minutes yesterday. Thoroughly committed, thoroughly professional.

[Schards#2]

Whilst i'm not a fan of rating the quality of our fans, I thought last night's support was the best I've ever seen from Reading. Virtually 100% singing 90% of the game.

Easier when you're romping to Wembley I suppose but still a cracking effort.

[Z175]

:lol:

Definite polarising of opinions on there - the sane ("not Webb's fault that we fcked it up for the 4th season in a row") vs the rabid ("it's all the fault of Old Bill / FA / English / God).

They just forgot the the playoff semis are played under the "away refs" rule. They should have taken advantage of this and our place and not celebrated their 0-0!

[RobRoyal]

Also we closed the game out absolutely superbly. There was no way we were going to let it slip in the last 15 minutes yesterday. Thoroughly committed, thoroughly professional.

Indeed. Cardiff barely had the ball in that last 15, which reflects on a great achievement. Despite a couple of nervy moments early in the first half, we really saw it out without too many problems.

Once again Cardiff were very reminiscent of us two years ago. Once things turned against them they looked utterly beaten. Someone mentioned the rather less than brave attempt by Boothroyd to close Federici down as he left his box to clear a long ball. Very telling.

[handbags_harris]

That, last night, was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. We couldn't have done it to a nicer bunch of scotes. MichaeLOL ChopROFLa, Jay BothROFLoyd, CROFLaig BeLOLLOLamy, ChROFLis BuROFLke, Stephen BywateROFL, DaROFLcy BLOLake, PeteROFL Whittingham, Jon PaROFLkin, Dave ROFLobeROFLt Jones, ConspiROFLacy TheoROFLists, CaROFLdiff City FootbaLOLLOL CLOLub, your boys took one hell of a beating

I also managed to get one of those "I'LL BE THERE" happy clapper things which I will be altering in some way, will be taking to Wembley and I will find a camera to shove it in front of...I thought about putting an extra flap to knock down after a couple of seconds stating "REALLY?", but any ideas of how to alter it would be appreciated

[facaldaqui]

Also we closed the game out absolutely superbly. There was no way we were going to let it slip in the last 15 minutes yesterday. Thoroughly committed, thoroughly professional.

Indeed. Cardiff barely had the ball in that last 15, which reflects on a great achievement. Despite a couple of nervy moments early in the first half, we really saw it out without too many problems.

Once again Cardiff were very reminiscent of us two years ago. Once things turned against them they looked utterly beaten. Someone mentioned the rather less than brave attempt by Boothroyd to close Federici down as he left his box to clear a long ball. Very telling.

I thought they caved even worse than we did. As early as about the 65th minute, it was clear they'd gone psychologically. I don't think the current Reading'd give up the ghost like that at 2-0 down.

[3 veesinarow]

It was a proud, proud moment to be one of the 2054 - a real you-had-to-be-there experience. The team repaid the 90 minutes of continuous support with the work ethic, togetherness and commitment required to see us through to another Wembley day. The goalscorer will always grab the headlines, but Mills was outstanding throughout and the block of Chopra's shot in the first half was quite simply superb.

Fair play to CCFC for their stewards allowing us to stand throughout without ever once trying to get us to sit down, but less so for keeping us in at the end and then funnelling us down through the small staircases to get out - why build a stadium with those massive exit doors and then keep them shut at the very moment they should be used? Still, that gave us the chance to continue the chorus of jubilant songs and get in more than a few laughs at the two pitch invaders stood handcuffed on the pitch.

Disappointed to hear a very small group of lads giving it the Dave Jones chant - no class, simply no class. We want to be seen and heard as banterful and charismatic fans, but that was simply very poor. You have the right of freedom of speech, boys, but others have the right of freedom of reply. Stick to 90 minutes of football chants that actually help the team - stuff such as shoes-off and the ironic Ayatollah are much better at creating an enjoyable atmosphere.

Roll on the 30th. Swansea will be a stiff challenge, but we will prevail.

[facaldaqui]

That, last night, was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. We couldn't have done it to a nicer bunch of scotes. MichaeLOL ChopROFLa, Jay BothROFLoyd, CROFLaig BeLOLLOLamy, ChROFLis BuROFLke, Stephen BywateROFL, DaROFLcy BLOLake, PeteROFL Whittingham, Jon PaROFLkin, Dave ROFLobeROFLt Jones, ConspiROFLacy TheoROFLists, CaROFLdiff City FootbaLOLLOL CLOLub, your boys took one hell of a beating

Don't forget our secret weapon, Jay EmanuLOL-Thomas.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

What a night the fans were immense. Am absolutely hanging today but well worth it.

Top top effort from the Reading fans - sang throughout & for a good 30 mins after the final whistle as well. Made me proud to be a Reading fan last night.

Well done lads - suddently I'm more confident about the final than I was before....just what the doctor ordered.

[papereyes]

Latest back from the game in a while.

I are broken.

But that was fun.

[papereyes]

Right.

Was genuinely nervous before game. Worse at 1-0. Sick with tension at 2-0.

It passed when they sent Parkin on. At that point I knew.

[rabidbee]

Being the only carer for a 30-something kid with Asperger's and ADHD on an exciting day out meant that I just didn't have time to get anxious before the game, as I was more concerned with making sure he didn't play his annoying early-90s electronica, that we were able to park close to the stadium, and that he got his lucky pre-match KFC. It wasn't until 10 minutes into the first half that I could really start to enjoy the game. Still, the smile on his vacant little face in the car after the game, as he clutched his 4-pack of Budvar to his chest, meant it was all worth it.

And Jobi's goal gave me the perfect excuse to clock him one on the mouth during the celebrations, which helped ease my tension considerably too. Ooops!

[Row Z Royal]

Being the only carer for a 30-something kid with Asperger's and ADHD on an exciting day out meant that I didn't have time to get anxious before the game. It wasn't until 10 minutes into the first half that I could really start to enjoy the game. Still, the smile on his vacant little face in the car after the game, as he clutched his 4-pack of Budvar to his chest, meant it was all worth it.

And Jobi's goal gave me the perfect excuse to clock him one on the mouth during the celebrations, which helped ease my tension considerably too. Ooops!

Is Paps really in his 30s?