Guardian Championship 2011-12 Fans Blog...

[Royal Tezza]

... makes for hilarious reading in places. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/football-league-blog/2012/may/01/championship-2011-12-bloggers-end-season-report

West Ham United

Dream or nightmare? Currently in purgatory, pending play-off results. But overall, this season has been positive and some good philosophies have been drilled into the club – namely not losing, and winning away. Going up will be great but I have no real qualms about spending another year in this league, and waving to Southampton and Reading as they sink back down next season, whilst doing the double over Sheffield United, it will be worthwhile just for that.Top marks Kevin Nolan has weighed in with important goals and been a class leader on the pitch.

Bottom of the class John Carew – thought he might contribute with a few goals but he's about as effective as a mannequin.

The gaffer It's been tetchy at times, but after Grant and Zola, I'm very happy to have someone as experienced as Sam. He could have taken some of our criticism on the chin however.

Best moment Winston Reid's winner against Millwall, after Julien Faubert body checked their keeper, put a smile on all of our faces.

Worst moment Reading smashing us at home after outplaying them for 40 minutes was a bit of a KO
Best fans Watford fans are always an inoffensive bunch

Worst fans Reading fans didn't make many friends over here, especially with their sock waving references to Collison v Kebe
Simon, West Ham Blog

[Royal Tezza]

Here's our bit:

Dream or nightmare? I think it's safe to say that Reading's season, in particular the second-half of it, has been an absolute dream. The form that we've been in since Christmas has been almost unbelievable and, pessimist that I am, I was waiting for the game where it would start to unravel. But that game never really came and to first win promotion and then the Championship trophy as well — incredible. It would be fair to say that the signing of Jason Roberts was a turning point in our season — his experience and guile helped to eke out victories where we might otherwise have struggled to complete the job. And it's clear that he has been an important figure in our dressing room as well. And with a new owner coming in, the future looks bright. Anton Zingarevich has made all of the right noises so far, so we hope he will build on the good work that Sir John Madejski has done for the club.

Top marks Officially our player of the season was Alex Pearce but, for me, it was his partner in central defence Kaspers Gorkss who deserves the plaudits for organising our back line, making it the meanest in the division and his experience has rubbed off on younger players around him.

Bottom of the class Hard to pick a donkey after a season like this one, but Simon Church has perhaps been our weakest player. The signing of Jason Roberts showed how much we needed the extra quality in attack and I'd be surprised to see Church feature much next season.

The gaffer I can't praise Brian McDermott highly enough. After taking us to the play-off final last season, before losing his best players in Shane Long and Matt Mills, the gaffer has created a title-winning team, despite having to rebuild the side. And he turned down Wolves, where I live and commute to the games from. Legend.

Best moment An easy one this – the pitch invasion when we were promoted was the season's highlight. I couldn't make the game when we won the Championship six years ago, so personally it felt great to be involved in the celebrations this time around.

Worst moment The loss at home to Watford in September was our fifth in a row and, I'll admit, did make me question my decision to buy a season ticket and drive down from Wolverhampton every other week for the games …

Best fans I was amazed at how many Nottingham Forest fans stayed behind to applaud us after we beat them at the Madejski Stadium to secure promotion. Even during the madness of the pitch invasion, that stuck with me.

Worst fans A small portion of the Crystal Palace visiting fans to the Madejski didn't exactly cover themselves in glory, ripping up advertising hoardings and trying to offer everyone out for a fight. But the ones I met outside the ground later were fine!

Todd Nash, Reading fan (@toddnash)

[Royal Prince]

Can't argue with much of what the Reading fan is saying, though odd how his memories for best and worst fans appear to only stretch back over the last couple of weeks.

For me worst fans were easily West Ham. Nothing much against the club, but I seem to recall counting just 37 left in the away end at the full time in the Madejski. Great support lads!

Best fans, although outside of the Championship admittedly, were for me Stevenage. Sang throughout despite our vocal performance being as flat as a pancake! (though there was nothing on the pitch to really inspire us!).

[Z175]

PETERBOROUGH UTD:
Worst fans Reading. You're challenging for promotion and take fewer than 1,000 fans to a game in March. Poor.

A quick check discloses we took 972 fans, so only 28 short. Nearly 15% of the 6,717 crowd that Tuesday night supported the Royals. This is Peterborough who took less than 500 fans to the Madejski, 3% of a Tuesday night 16k.

As digs go, this guy must have a hidden agenda!

POMPEY:
Worst fans Reading, with piped-in music after goals and silence at all other times, despite their success.

Can't afford a tannoy system?

3 votes for worst fans. We'll admit we're not the biggest or the least plastic, but has our success made us unpopular?

[pea]

Think our guy gave a very fair piece and was one of the only fans who didn't sound like their 'Worst Fans' section was just sour grapes. Fair play to the saints fan who put 'Nobody' as his answer for that bit.

The West Ham fans 'best moment' says it all about their club and fans.

[loyalroyal4life]

Here's our bit:

Dream or nightmare? I think it's safe to say that Reading's season, in particular the second-half of it, has been an absolute dream. The form that we've been in since Christmas has been almost unbelievable and, pessimist that I am, I was waiting for the game where it would start to unravel. But that game never really came and to first win promotion and then the Championship trophy as well — incredible. It would be fair to say that the signing of Jason Roberts was a turning point in our season — his experience and guile helped to eke out victories where we might otherwise have struggled to complete the job. And it's clear that he has been an important figure in our dressing room as well. And with a new owner coming in, the future looks bright. Anton Zingarevich has made all of the right noises so far, so we hope he will build on the good work that Sir John Madejski has done for the club.

Top marks Officially our player of the season was Alex Pearce but, for me, it was his partner in central defence Kaspers Gorkss who deserves the plaudits for organising our back line, making it the meanest in the division and his experience has rubbed off on younger players around him.

Bottom of the class Hard to pick a donkey after a season like this one, but Simon Church has perhaps been our weakest player. The signing of Jason Roberts showed how much we needed the extra quality in attack and I'd be surprised to see Church feature much next season.

The gaffer I can't praise Brian McDermott highly enough. After taking us to the play-off final last season, before losing his best players in Shane Long and Matt Mills, the gaffer has created a title-winning team, despite having to rebuild the side. And he turned down Wolves, where I live and commute to the games from. Legend.

Best moment An easy one this – the pitch invasion when we were promoted was the season's highlight. I couldn't make the game when we won the Championship six years ago, so personally it felt great to be involved in the celebrations this time around.

Worst moment The loss at home to Watford in September was our fifth in a row and, I'll admit, did make me question my decision to buy a season ticket and drive down from Wolverhampton every other week for the games …

Best fans I was amazed at how many Nottingham Forest fans stayed behind to applaud us after we beat them at the Madejski Stadium to secure promotion. Even during the madness of the pitch invasion, that stuck with me.

Worst fans A small portion of the Crystal Palace visiting fans to the Madejski didn't exactly cover themselves in glory, ripping up advertising hoardings and trying to offer everyone out for a fight. But the ones I met outside the ground later were fine!

Todd Nash, Reading fan (@toddnash)

Pretty much spot on here!

[Stuka]

Reading came up a couple times on the 'worst fans' bits! The mention about Peterborough away was unfair, was at the game and didn't seem too quiet to me; and it was a school night.

I'd reciprocate West Ham if I was filling it in for reasons we've gone into at length on this portal.

[TBM]

Bye Bye Championship

[Stuka]

^haha good point

[RobRoyal]

Let's face it, our away following is small. We're always going to be vulnerable to a bit of abuse for that, especially when we're successful.

[Maguire]

Let's face it, our away following is small. We're always going to be vulnerable to a bit of abuse for that, especially when we're successful.

Who cares? Being criticised by a Peterborough fan (ave attendance 9111) is just chucking rocks at the throne.

Attendance beef is the dominion of keyboard warriors who haven't got anything better to worry about. Same as singing.

[urz13]

Ours is small, but one of the better ones. Compare that to Blackpool, who's is small bit also extremely quiet.

[Platypuss]

Attendance beef is the dominion of keyboard warriors who haven't got anything better to worry about. Same as singing.

^^ Power Post

[Rex]

Ours is small, but one of the better ones. Compare that to Blackpool, who's is small bit also extremely quiet.

Dildo advert.

[RobRoyal]

Let's face it, our away following is small. We're always going to be vulnerable to a bit of abuse for that, especially when we're successful.

Who cares? Being criticised by a Peterborough fan (ave attendance 9111) is just chucking rocks at the throne.

Attendance beef is the dominion of keyboard warriors who haven't got anything better to worry about. Same as singing.

Oh I quite agree. Besides, I never really understand the criticism of fans of another club for not being numerous enough. What are they supposed to do about it?

[Silver Fox]

'greed and 'greed some more

Although the West ham fan has a point wrt sock waving belmontery

[Royal With Cheese]

'greed and 'greed some more

Although the West ham fan has a point wrt sock waving belmontery

Although if it annoyed them it's OK with me.

[Ian Royal]

'greed and 'greed some more

Although the West ham fan has a point wrt sock waving belmontery

Agree also, apart from the sock waving... it achieved it's goal if it got under the skin of those evolutionarily challenged idiots.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

'greed and 'greed some more

Although the West ham fan has a point wrt sock waving belmontery

Agree also, apart from the sock waving... it achieved it's goal if it got under the skin of those evolutionarily challenged idiots.

Worst moment Reading smashing us at home after outplaying them for 40 minutes was a bit of a KO

wow, luckily for us the game is played over 90 minutes. and as i said to every west ham fan on the way home after the game who told me they battered us for 40 minutes

"how many chances did you make after the goal". we were 2-1 up when they had their next meaningful chance

and the sock waving did exactly what we wanted it to do - get under their skin

[Friday's Legacy]

Fancy rating away fans on their inoffensiveness. West Ham really do need to grow a pair.