Hard to see any progress for the forseeable future

[Platypuss]

Can you imagine the deluge of spastistics we'd be wading through if it had been Snowball rather than Schards who had said it?

[3 veesinarow]

For the first time in a few years I'm excited to be a Royal again. And all thanks to the genius that is Sir John for bringing us this far then realising his limits and bringing about the change we need. We need a statue of this great man.

This isn't aimed directly at you, 2ww1wc.

I'm proud to be a Royal every year - I don't pick and choose the good times to be an open supporter of the club and then hide behind an embarrassed STG wall every time we're going through the mill. The child in me has me feverishly awaiting each and every game we play with renewed fervour, whether we're a point from promotion or fighting relegation. It's absolutely fine for people to flag their reservations about the team at a particular point in time, and Mr Hindsight is, of course, always right, but it is also fine for people to go back and pick apart that view if subsequent events veer off in a different direction, as long as it's all grown-up debating. It's when it becomes childish point-scoring that the interest wanes.

Agreed about SJM - just hope his statue looks more like him than that hideous creation at Craven Cottage does of MJ and that the bronze re-thatch looks more natural than the real thing.

[Hampshire Royal]

I'm with you on this 3vees.

In my 45 years of supporting Reading (and, no, I'm not a better fan than anyone) I have assumed, no, been absolutely certain that we would be successful every season. I have ben wrong about forty times. I feel somehow special that I support Reading, and no matter where I am in the World my pride in being a Reading fan has never wavered. I've got used to 'fans' of clubs like Man U doing us down, but what hurts more is when our own fans do the same.

Although the introduction of Anton has made (we hope) the financial future look brighter, I can't help feeling that SJM's refusal to throw the sort of money, that lots of Nobbers wanted him to throw into the bottomless pit of football finance, made us the sort of club that is attractive to the 'right sort' of buyer.

[melonhead]

two very good posts right there.

[sam1]

I think the original post on this thread will be valid a few months into next season fwiw

[melonhead]

i dont.
im aiming for european football

[Bandini]

I don't think that there's the demand for this thread to be extended at the moment.

amidoinitrite?

[mr_number]

i dont.
im aiming for european football

Does anyone remember how you actually qualify for the Inter-toto cup? Well up for some away trips in July or something...

[Ian Royal]

Can someone point me in the direction of what our seachange was? Because Madejski still owns all the club, we're still run in exactly the same way. We'll still be run in the same way once Anton does have a stake in the club. Madejski always said he'd sell to someone with deep pockets who was the right fit. We just had a bit of extra cash in January... that's all.

I've always said Schards had some valid concerns - he's not retarded afterall... just incredibly arrogant and blinkered.

So the concerns were valid, but a bit over the top and the predictions were utterly wrong. And the continual defence of himself and denial that he was wrong and the fact it obviously winds him up so easily, is exactly why this gets wheeled out every time we have a vaguely successful end to a season. And that since we finished 8th in the Prem, the only time he seems to show his face on the Team Board is to be negative.

PS get used to mid-table football?
4th
9th
5th
1st / 2nd

You could just about make a tenuous argument that 9th is mid-table, though I don't agree it is... but personally I was prepared to get used to being upper mid-table and enjoying it (it's a shit load better than relegation fights or League One) and I have been delighted with how we've done and enjoyed every season.

I guess the irony is Schards pumps in far more money for something he clearly enjoys much less than me.

[Avon Royal]

I've always said Schards had some valid concerns - he's not retarded afterall... just incredibly arrogant and blinkered.

Oh the irony.............

[Ian Royal]

I've always said Schards had some valid concerns - he's not retarded afterall... just incredibly arrogant and blinkered.

Oh the irony.............

No, it's all right, I know I'm arrogant.

[Avon Royal]

Can't fault your self awareness.

[Ian Royal]

Can't fault your self awareness.

It's the price one must pay for being so overwhelmingly brilliant.

[jazz]

Oh dear. What a bunch of thrumps. Have some joy.

[Sebastian the Red]

Any update on this?

[leon]

Any update on this?

Well you are twice the man you were

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Any update on this?

We have progressed this season

[WestYorksRoyal]

The false hope of the AZ takeover seems a long time ago.

[Snowflake Royal]

Always good to LOL @ Schards

Enjoy the fact we eventually had his sea change then became shit for not far off a decade.

[biff]

"While not a member of the carpark squad".

I was there next to RL. I wonder if she's less mental now.