Anyone else think we will lose?

[Schards#2]

I think you're pretty naive about the mentality of some of the people on here if you don't think they're just itching to be proved right. It gives them a chance to call everyone else an idiot and say I told you so which seems to be very important on this portal. How many times a day do we see people calling others an idiot just because they have the temerity to disagree with their opinion?

What you have to realise is that our first play off defeat happened 16 years ago and our second was a decade ago. The club is more professional now and is vastly different to what it was even when Coppell first joined. The team has changed several times, we no longer play at a rickety old victorian ground and we don't train in the local park anymore this is a Premier League set up. Just because two Reading teams have lost play off finals doesn't have any bearing on this team. Do you think Swansea are using two entirely different Reading teams losing finals before as a reason why they can win?

I didn't say that Liverpool and Everton were pressure games I said that if we can go there and win we can win this game because they give you an experience in playing in the big games. Think about the pressure on Swansea, they would be the first team from Wales to reach the Premier League, now that's pressure. Quite frankly if a sportsman can't deal with pressure they won't get very far in their chosen discipline.

You could be right we could have another horror but what if we don't? Can you get fully behind the players if you start out thinking they will lose?

-1 Utter Tosh

Do you seriously think that people who spend hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds through the season following the team want to see the campaign ultimately end in failure simply so they can use their anonymous internet persona to say 'I told you so' to someone elses anonymous internet persona? Take a step back a just think about just how stupid that assertion is.

Just looking at three of the higher profile negative posters:

Me - Season ticket holder for 15 years, 35-40 games a season, spend thousands p.a on the club including cost of wife children etc

Floyd-Streete - Lifelong fan, season ticket holder, I can assure you he wants Reading to win on Monday with every breath in his body however pessimistic he may be

Big Ern - Flying half way around the world to watch the game. Are you seriously suggesting he's doing this in the hope of seeing us lose so he can put two fingers up and some people he's never met/never going to meet.

You might not agree with the negative comments but it's pretty lame to try to a tar the posters with the label of people who want the team to lose just because they may not agree with your opinion on the outcome of a game/season.

And yes, you can get fully behind the team even if you think they are going to lose. To go to top Premiership teams away from home not thinking we are likely to lose is simply delusional. Being realistic in these circumstances does not alter your degree of support.

[Royal Rother]

One should not be harsh on the pessimistic posters, irritating though they are.

Their negativity is just an instinctive reaction. It is how they get through life, preparing themselves for the worst because they cannot easily handle major disappointments. Whatever they might say, through publicly sharing their pessimism they will be less devastated should we lose than those who have been blindly optimistic.

Me? I think we will win but it won't ruin my week if we don't.

[Schards#2]

One should not be harsh on the pessimistic posters, irritating though they are.

Their negativity is just an instinctive reaction. It is how they get through life, preparing themselves for the worst because they cannot easily handle major disappointments. Whatever they might say, through publicly sharing their pessimism they will be less devastated should we lose than those who have been blindly optimistic.

Me? I think we will win but it won't ruin my week if we don't.

Disregarding Floyd-Streete's pre final playing to his audience, I would say many of these posters are 'realistic' as opposed to 'negative'. They make as dispassionate an assessment as possible of their teams chances, in the same way as they would assess any other side, and if that results in them thinking Reading will struggle then they will voice that opinion. Rather less irritating, I would suggest, than simply saying Reading will win every game of every season as that doesn't make for a great read after a while.

For my part, my heaviest ever betting season was the first in the Premiership where I felt our chances were far higher than the odds suggested both at the start of the season and on a game by game basis. I remain amazed Reading have got this far with this squad, but happily so.

[LUX]

fair enough Schards, particularly your reply to Sandman above. What is your prediction BTW? (sorry if I missed it elsewhere).


I have invested fairly heavily emotionally in RFC for 35 years and will be "upset" if we lose on Monday, but maybe more for my son. I don't fancy the "it's only a game/it's all about following your team" speech.

When we lose a routine game it "hurts" for a few days. OTOH I remember being fairly upbeat after Bolton in 95. I went back on the tube North to Stanmore and was one of the few Royals on the train. I got loads of (no doubt patronising, in retrospect) commiserations and compliments for my team, which made me feel miles better. This would perhaps be better in the "what's your gheyest moment" thread.

Oh, 2-0 to us. No penalty. Final score.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Lux - remind yourself that if we do lose it'll be great for your lad's emotional development. Yes, he'll be devastated for a few days, but it'll turn him into a better, more rounded person for the experience.

If you don't suffer the lows you can't really appreciate the highs - which is why a kid who's grown up supporting a team like Reading that's suffered losses and relegations is a much more balanced and realistic one than one who's just supported a big 4 team.

[Royal Rother]

Because football is THAT important....?!!!

[southbank1871]

Bloody hell, the 'gr8 day out' brigade - seriously, if you want a 'day out' go to Thorpe Park. It will be an absolutely horrible day, unless we somehow contrive to win the game.

Couldn't agree more. Whilst it won't ruin my summer by any means, anyone who will still enjoy the 'day out' if we lose, is not a real fan imo. Nothing wrong with that of course, just don't claim to be one.

[LUX]

Because football is THAT important....?!!!

are you going BTW?

As an aside, we were at RS at around the same time. Probably because those years coincided with the Division 4 years, would you agree that RFC fans in our school years were very far between. Basically across all 90 (?) kids in my year, there were two of us (Hi Mick: he's a lurker not a poster) who took an interest. Far more went to Speedway or, of course, Chelsea/Arsenal etc.

[juanpablo]

Bloody hell, the 'gr8 day out' brigade - seriously, if you want a 'day out' go to Thorpe Park. It will be an absolutely horrible day, unless we somehow contrive to win the game.

Couldn't agree more. Whilst it won't ruin my summer by any means, anyone who will still enjoy the 'day out' if we lose, is not a real fan imo. Nothing wrong with that of course, just don't claim to be one.

by enjoy the day out I dont mean I would be smiling if we lose its the whole day regardless of result. Why do people watch sad movies or docus that make you cry? It will be about the day including extremes of emotion, win or lose its gonna be memorable. Sad to admit I cried at walsall, bolton was just shock, but after not really enjoying many home games in the second prem season and especially season straight after in the championship, the actual prize isnt the be all and end all for me

[Red]

Nice to see the "I'm a better fan than you" brigade are out in force, telling people they can't enjoy the day.

Whatever guys.

[Royal Rother]

Lux, prior commitments mean probably not going, though that could change tomorrow. TV will suit me fine if that's what it is.

I don't remember a single RFC supporter at RS to be honest although I only very rarely went to games back then, (much the same as now!). My Saturdays were spent watching horse racing rather than footie at Elm Park.

[Schards#2]

fair enough Schards, particularly your reply to Sandman above. What is your prediction BTW? (sorry if I missed it elsewhere).


I have invested fairly heavily emotionally in RFC for 35 years and will be "upset" if we lose on Monday, but maybe more for my son. I don't fancy the "it's only a game/it's all about following your team" speech.

When we lose a routine game it "hurts" for a few days. OTOH I remember being fairly upbeat after Bolton in 95. I went back on the tube North to Stanmore and was one of the few Royals on the train. I got loads of (no doubt patronising, in retrospect) commiserations and compliments for my team, which made me feel miles better. This would perhaps be better in the "what's your gheyest moment" thread.

Oh, 2-0 to us. No penalty. Final score.

I don't feel able to make a prediction.

I think, player for player, Swansea are a better side, however, so were Cardiff. But there was something about the demeanour of Cardiff as a club that wasn't good or confident (not unlike Reading V Burnley) and that gave me confidence we would win. Swansea seem to have some sense of entitlement, it was going to be an all Wales final and, now it isn't, Swansea will carry the welsh mantle into the Premiership. The Reading of McDermott thrive as underdogs and if Swansea are in any way over confident, we will exploit this.

I will try and enjoy the day as the other two were just horrific days. With kids going now who can't wait to see Wembley etc, I will try to make the most of it at least until kick off. I doubt i'll enjoy the game though, at Cardiff I spent the whole second half just wanting the final whistle!

[Alan Partridge]

Whilst not a member of the great day out brigade, i genuinely don't think it's as important as previous finals for both Reading and Torquay for me.

Reading HAD to get out of Div 2/League 1 with the ground, the money they invested it was essential to get out of that league and to the Championship. Promotion now would be great but I don't think it's the be all and end all. Reading will be a competitive Championship club/side again next year and it's about their level. In the Premiership the numbers scare Mr Mad and Reading will always be fighting that in the big boys playground. Blackpool put in a great account of themselves and Reading if they go up will do similar. They'll add one or two cheap signing sand go with what they've got. Only this squad didn't amass 106 points and 2 defeats all season. That Walsall defeat was crushing, losing to a tionpot outfit like that with 10,000 fans neatly tucked away in the corner was one of the worst feelings I can remember. The Championship for Reading is a good level, League 1/Div 2 isn't anymore.

Similarly for Torquay, I go to the game feeling fairly optimistic but not overly concerned. I was a nervous wreck before the Cambridge game knowing what would happen if the team lost, Torquay would be where Cambridge are now the wrong end of the BSP table instead of a League 2 playoff final. if they go up then it'll be great but if not again, League 2 is their level and they should do ok next year with lots of southern based games. Financially it may even be better for them to stay where they are.

[southbank1871]

Nice to see the "I'm a better fan than you" brigade are out in force, telling people they can't enjoy the day.

Whatever guys.

As you well know Reders, this portal is all about opinions.

Fair enough Juaners, it's the notion that anyone could not really care if we won or lost that I can't understand, that they're just happy to be there. I'm not fussed about getting to the PL, I'd just quite like to experience a play-off final where you're not watching thousands of the opposition fans celebrating.

[Svlad Cjelli]

If the match is so terribly important to you that you'll be so massively distraught if we lose, then I'd suggest you're not emotionally equipped to follow a football team.

[Red]

TBF whilst I can sit here and claim I'll enjoy the day trip whatever, of course I'll be gutted if we lose.

But not as much as some people who I imagine will take weeks to get over it. If that makes me a less of a fan then I'm absolutely ok with that - although admittedly the fact I haven't been to game for 5 years probably also counts against me.

[southbank1871]

If the match is so terribly important to you that you'll be so massively distraught if we lose, then I'd suggest you're not emotionally equipped to follow a football team.

Is that to me Dirkers? It's only football at the end of the day and I won't lose any sleep over it, but I'll still be gutted.

[Svlad Cjelli]

If the match is so terribly important to you that you'll be so massively distraught if we lose, then I'd suggest you're not emotionally equipped to follow a football team.

Is that to me Dirkers? It's only football at the end of the day and I won't lose any sleep over it, but I'll still be gutted.

Not in the slightest, no - it's not to anyone.

Just trying to make the point that anyone who follows a small team like Reading and who isn't both ready and able to cope with disappointment is likely to have problems.

[southbank1871]

That is true.

*No The Goat Was Fed-o*

[Royal Lady]

That is true.

*No The Goat Was Fed-o*