Worst Reading Player

[Ashfordroyal]

Ollie Kearns, without doubt.

[JC]

Ollie Kearns, without doubt.

Couldn't disagree more. I know he made an arse of himself sometimes but he scored some good goals too. 40 goals in 86 league games says he was no way the worst ever Reading player.

[From Despair To Where?]

Ollie Kearns, without doubt.

Couldn't disagree more. I know he made an arse of himself sometimes but he scored some good goals too. 40 goals in 86 league games says he was no way the worst ever Reading player.

As a callow youth in the mid 80's, without really seeing him play, I thought his goals per game ratio marked him out as a pretty decent player, but the general consensus of more knowledgeable fans was always that he was utter shite.

[West Stand Man]

As a callow youth in the mid 80's, without really seeing him play, I thought his goals per game ratio marked him out as a pretty decent player, but the general consensus of type of twat who comes on here and says Church is useless was always that he was utter shite.

Corrected for you. Ollie Kearns was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a useless player. He had a pretty good goalscoring record, as you observe. There have been many much worse than him.

[Ark Royal]

I always thought Ollie was a bit like Trevor Senior: Bambi on ice outside the box, but deadly in it. Certainly his goal-scoring to games ratio suggested he would have scored a lot more had he stayed at Reading.

[Handsome Man]

I always thought Ollie was a bit like Trevor Senior: Bambi on ice outside the box, but deadly in it. Certainly his goal-scoring to games ratio suggested he would have scored a lot more had he stayed at Reading.

From memory, we loved Trevor Senior becuase he scored goals despite no looking like a professional footballer, whereas Ollie Kearns really wasn't liked at all and people truly claimed he was crap. Was it an early form of the ginger nonsense you get nowadays?

[sheshnu]

Only been watching the team since Mates Day in what, 2001? Can't really think of any player since then who hasn't had his moments. Dean Morgan wasn't very good I suppose.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

Keith Knight
George Friel
Nas Bashir
Lea Barkus
Stuart Gray
Andy Gray

[Madstad to Nadderud]

Been watching RFC since 1979...... has to be Mark Reilly for me.

Looked / played as if he'd never seen a football pitch in his life. I've never seen anyone so bad.

I couldn't agree more. I remember seeing him play against Preston at their ground and have never forgotten his run with the ball from Reading's goal to the halfway line and then panic seemed to set in as he decided to run back to Reading's goal because he simply did not know what to do. Truly weird.

[donface]

Let's get things in perspective. Sheppard had at least 1 brilliant game and that was at Leicester. Mass Saar flattered to deceive after a wonderful first game at the Mad Stad. I don't remember Malcolm Swain but I have never heard a good word about him. Hughie Cheetham struggled with injuries during his time with us. My pet hate figure was Michael Meaker. A replacement for Simon Osborn? Don't make me laugh. Truly appalling. I also throw in Paul Bodin. Probably the worst left back I have ever seen.

As for putting Liam Rosenior in the list, he was in a very difficult situation as he was brought in to replace the fans favourite that was Murty. I don't think the fans ever gave him a chance.

Paul Brayson? Very, very poor! Paul Brooker was also a very poor player for us. Never reproduced the form or ability that he showed for other clubs.

Probably the biggest wasted talent that we have had was James Lambert. A very skillful and talented player but he had so much missing between his ears. He could so easily have become a legend but his whole attitude and approach was completely wrong.

Meaker is much maligned on here and should be forgiven all wrongs and shortcomings for two very simple reasons.

1) Watching him run down the South Bank with his cheeks huffing and puffing like an asthmatic hamster was hilarious.
2) It was his cross Adie turned in for an own goal whilst playing for Wolves (who then responded with a cheeky wink and 1-0 hand signal when the South Bank started to politley ask him what the score was).

Michael Meaker is a giant amongst men.

Bodin was shit but had a great first ten or so games for us, so at least you could tell he was supposed to be a footballer.

Mark Reilly looked like he'd been roped into games after being picked off the street.

Paul Holsgrove played like the giant goth kid at school who only reluctantly looked at a ball during PE lessons, lumping it around in a totally directionless manner, walking at a snail's pace. I was always totally dumbfounded when his name was on the teamsheet, and even more dumbfounded when the other team didn't simply run through him at every opportunity.

[Melton Royal]

Malcolm Swain,no contest,worse player ever

I was just about to post exactly this.
He is head and shoulders above any of the other 'worst' players

I wondered how long before Malc's name would come up.

He was an OK player at school, but nothing special, there were several players in that school team who also tried to go pro (I think Tom Ryan was the only other one who manged it though). I was a bit surprised when he started to play for us, but then as we would have been playing in the old 3rd or 4th Div perhaps "nothing specials" were the accepted norm. That being said, I think that his Dad had some connection with the Board at that time and that got him signed up.

Still can never forget him in Short Trousers in Year 3 at senior school!

[Cape Town Royal]

Older Mick Doherty

More recent Greg Halford

(has anyone done a thread on Most disappointing signings? If so would add Steve Moran in that list)

[Terminal Boardom]

Older Mick Doherty

More recent Greg Halford

(has anyone done a thread on Most disappointing signings? If so would add Steve Moran in that list)

Porky was the wrong man in the wrong team. He was never suited for the Branfoot style. Now, how crap and rubbish were Colin Gordon, Paul Franklyn and Billy Whitehurst?

I like the idea of most disappointing signings. But is this based on the feeling of meh at the point of signing or when we finally got rid? There have been loads of signings that generated genuine excitement - The Magnificent 7 for starters and we all know how brilliant they turned out! I readily admit to saying wtf when we signed Sidwell. We had loads of central midfielders at the time and I really could not see the point. Proved me wrong a million times over.

[Still Hate Futcher!]

Mark Reilly for me, though Khromeer, Van Der Kwaak, Crawford and most of Burn's signings come close.

I can't believe how many people have gone for Mass Sarr - he was the only remotely entertaining player during the Burns era and if it wasn't for his fitness issues/laziness he could have been class. His debut in the first ever game at the Mad Stad was one of the best performances I'd ever seen from a Reading player and even when he was crap he'd at least try something different be it a 20 yard over head kick or a bit of showboating on the half way line!

[Tony Le Mesmer]

I'll raise you Aaron Giametti.

1 2nd half sub appearance at Bradford. And got subbed. never played again.

[Jackson Corner]

Roger Joslyn?

Good shout. Had a great beard though.

[The Goat was fed]

Marek Matejovsky is one of my most hated players - but to say he is the worst is a bit harsh. Can't really add on what's been said so far.

Mark Reilly - Special kind of useless.
Nick Colgan - Rubbish.
Steve Swailes - Useless.
Paul Brayson - Fat and jokes.
Keith Scott - Old and slow.

Two seasons ago I had a tabloid moment and described Alex Pearce as the worst centre-back I'd ever seen in a Reading shirt. This was not true then, and frankly laughable now.

[pea]

Simon Church

Suggestions like Rosenior and Matejovsky are laughable compared to some of the horrific players we've watched in the lower leagues. Rosenior was a good player in a team that looked like it would steamroller this division at one point before they collectively gave up. He just looked less bothered/wasn't in the 106 team so got more flak for us capitulating

[paulholsgrove]

Let's get things in perspective. Sheppard had at least 1 brilliant game and that was at Leicester. Mass Saar flattered to deceive after a wonderful first game at the Mad Stad. I don't remember Malcolm Swain but I have never heard a good word about him. Hughie Cheetham struggled with injuries during his time with us. My pet hate figure was Michael Meaker. A replacement for Simon Osborn? Don't make me laugh. Truly appalling. I also throw in Paul Bodin. Probably the worst left back I have ever seen.

As for putting Liam Rosenior in the list, he was in a very difficult situation as he was brought in to replace the fans favourite that was Murty. I don't think the fans ever gave him a chance.

Paul Brayson? Very, very poor! Paul Brooker was also a very poor player for us. Never reproduced the form or ability that he showed for other clubs.

Probably the biggest wasted talent that we have had was James Lambert. A very skillful and talented player but he had so much missing between his ears. He could so easily have become a legend but his whole attitude and approach was completely wrong.

Meaker is much maligned on here and should be forgiven all wrongs and shortcomings for two very simple reasons.

1) Watching him run down the South Bank with his cheeks huffing and puffing like an asthmatic hamster was hilarious.
2) It was his cross Adie turned in for an own goal whilst playing for Wolves (who then responded with a cheeky wink and 1-0 hand signal when the South Bank started to politley ask him what the score was).

Michael Meaker is a giant amongst men.

Bodin was shit but had a great first ten or so games for us, so at least you could tell he was supposed to be a footballer.

Mark Reilly looked like he'd been roped into games after being picked off the street.

Paul Holsgrove played like the giant goth kid at school who only reluctantly looked at a ball during PE lessons, lumping it around in a totally directionless manner, walking at a snail's pace. I was always totally dumbfounded when his name was on the teamsheet, and even more dumbfounded when the other team didn't simply run through him at every opportunity.

[Handsome Man]

Marek Matejovsky is one of my most hated players - but to say he is the worst is a bit harsh. Can't really add on what's been said so far.

Why?

What skills did he have to survive in our first team? He couldn't win the ball, hold the ball or pass it to one of our players. I know that this was because he was on a higher plane and should have been playing with players more tuned to his wavelength, but in the real world this meant that he would risk a yellow card with every challenge, he would lose the ball whenever a bigger player got near him and he would pass the ball anywhere but where Reading players actually were. He is the worst I have ever seen in a Reading shirt.