What have West Ham Done That we havent???

[Wimb]

we have a... more loyal... fan base than most of our competition

What analysis did you use to quantify the loyalty of your fans against that of others?

The same loyalty that saw 75% of the South Stand empty by full time last season?

[MrWestHam]

Ticket prices at WestHam are considerably more than our competition and more in line with Arsenal and Chelsea. Despite that we have consistently filled the ground irrespective of form, league, perceived tactics and opposition.

We also take far more numbers to away games than most.

And this is a London side, a city that has by far the highest concentration of football teams at various standards for punters to choose from.

To be honest, I didn’t realise it was that special until I noticed how other teams attendances fluctuated wildly depending on what division they were in, who they were playing and even whether they were on tv (see another recent thread on this site). Watching highlights programmes there are whole stands empty at clubs I presumed to have a decent following like Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Aston Villa and Birmingham to name but a few.

I’m not sure it’s anything to be proud of either, it just leaves us open to being mugged off with huge ticket prices and over priced merchandise.

It’s not supposed to be a willy waving competition. Every team has it’s ardent support who would be there no matter what and I’m sure Reading is no different.

[melonhead]

yes, his name is dave. he sits in the east stand

[Colin Cheeselog]

Ticket prices at WestHam are considerably more than our competition and more in line with Arsenal and Chelsea. Despite that we have consistently filled the ground irrespective of form, league, perceived tactics and opposition.

We also take far more numbers to away games than most.

And this is a London side, a city that has by far the highest concentration of football teams at various standards for punters to choose from.

To be honest, I didn’t realise it was that special until I noticed how other teams attendances fluctuated wildly depending on what division they were in, who they were playing and even whether they were on tv (see another recent thread on this site). Watching highlights programmes there are whole stands empty at clubs I presumed to have a decent following like Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Aston Villa and Birmingham to name but a few.

I’m not sure it’s anything to be proud of either, it just leaves us open to being mugged off with huge ticket prices and over priced merchandise.

It’s not supposed to be a willy waving competition. Every team has it’s ardent support who would be there no matter what and I’m sure Reading is no different.

On account of you supporting a team that I dislike my instinct is to call you a muggy c**t, but you're so very polite and rational, It's infuriating. You're not conforming to the stereotype. My brain hurts.

[maffff]

yes, his name is dave. he sits in the east stand

Paul Black is called Dave?

[melonhead]

swhat i call him

its an only fools and horses reference

[No Fixed Abode]

Got more points.

[Royal With Cheese]

Ticket prices at WestHam are considerably more than our competition and more in line with Arsenal and Chelsea. Despite that we have consistently filled the ground irrespective of form, league, perceived tactics and opposition.

We also take far more numbers to away games than most.

And this is a London side, a city that has by far the highest concentration of football teams at various standards for punters to choose from.

To be honest, I didn’t realise it was that special until I noticed how other teams attendances fluctuated wildly depending on what division they were in, who they were playing and even whether they were on tv (see another recent thread on this site). Watching highlights programmes there are whole stands empty at clubs I presumed to have a decent following like Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Aston Villa and Birmingham to name but a few.

I’m not sure it’s anything to be proud of either, it just leaves us open to being mugged off with huge ticket prices and over priced merchandise.

It’s not supposed to be a willy waving competition. Every team has it’s ardent support who would be there no matter what and I’m sure Reading is no different.

There is no room for sensible posts from supporters of other clubs on this forum.

Begone!

[Esteban]

Their squad feels at home in the PL so they aren't entering games with as much trepidition and they expect to stay here - I guess "confidence" might have summed that up better. They've got more players with more recent PL experience. They've been a bit luckier. They had less work to do in terms of squad building than we did. Their manager has lots of PL experience.

How's that for starters?

Nail. On. Head.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

This thread is a fcuking embarrassment.

It was obvious to anyone with half a brain the squad they had was always going to stay up this year & should have won the league last season by a country mile. The only reason they didn't is because they choked & we pounced at exactly the right time.

Manchester Royals - why are you even comparing the two clubs? Be off with your utter drivel. They have owners prepared to spunk money left right & centre, they have a bigger fan base, more revenue, parachute money....The list goes on. You aren't comparing apples with apples.

Fcuk West Ham. I hate them with a passion & their muggy wideboy fans with their fcuking bubble machine. Will never forget Nolan giving it the V sign to us at UP last season after scoring despite still being behind in the match. Thick cnut.

I cannot believe this shower of shit is on the team board

[creative_username_1]

This thread is a fcuking embarrassment.
It was obvious to anyone with half a brain the squad they had was always going to stay up this year & should have won the league last season by a country mile. The only reason they didn't is because they choked & we pounced at exactly the right time.

I'd be embarrassed if i wrote this type of statement. They should have <insert what they should have done> if only <insert what happened> hadn't happened.

Yeah fook empirical evidence. They are also not mathematically safe either

[Caskeys Lovechild]

you can't invest turnover? You can only invest profit?

Here's how it works:-

1) Club makes money (from 3 keys sources - Media, Commercial, Matchday)
2) Club spends / invests money (costs, admin, salaries, transfer fees etc etc)
3) Club has profit / loss based on 1) - 2)

Matchday is 30% of revenue, and therefore significantly impacts the signings a club can make and the profit / loss they operate at.

Fu** me, I hope you don't run a business.

Right - I don't know why I'm bothering with this, as you're clearly clueless, but..... the context of this discussion is the DIFFERENCE between the two clubs/businesses - NOT the businesses as a whole.

You CANNOT invest the Turnover difference, only the difference in profit, unless you want to be plunged into debt.

For Example:
If Reading deliver a turnover of £1million per match.
And West Ham deliver a turnover of £2 million per match (see how I'm keeping this simple for you?)
West Ham do not have £1million more per game to INVEST (in players, or Capital purchases etc) than Reading, because in order to deliver that extra £1m they will have COSTS (stewarding, policing, ticket distribution, matchday staff, etc etc etc) that Reading don't have.

THEREFORE:
WHU can't invest £1million extra per game, without being put into further debt.
They CAN invest the additional profit (for arguments sake, £250k when it all comes out in the wash).

Investment = Players, training facilities, capital purchases.
Cost = Non-avoidable costs - Stewarding, Policing, Property costs etc.

This is not difficult stuff to understand, it really isn't - however, if you want to go out and invest the whole of the turnover of your business, without paying your cost of sale first, I'd be interested to see your accountants reaction.

As previously stated, the difference that 7000 seats make, is negligible in the big picture - It's worth having, but is not the difference between spending £17m on a pony tailed twat, and not doing so.

The difference in this case, and the answer to the original question, is that WHU are prepared to bet their financial future, and have manouvered themselves into a position whereby if they get relegated, they are for the knackers yard. We on the other hand, refuse (rightly) to cower to the demands of overpaid prima donnas, meaning that whilst there's a higher chance we'll be relegated - if it does happen, we're not going to go bust in the process.

You would think that WHU would learn from the Pompey situation, and try cutting their cloth accordingly.

[cmonurz]

There are quite a few players in the West Ham squad who, if we signed them, would immediately become the best (on paper) player ever to play for Reading. You can’t compare the two clubs at all in fan base, status, finances, history. Not on the same page.

[MrWestHam]

Fcuk West Ham. I hate them with a passion & their muggy wideboy fans with their fcuking bubble machine. Will never forget Nolan giving it the V sign to us at UP last season after scoring despite still being behind in the match. Thick cnut.

I cannot believe this shower of shit is on the team board

Always find it strange how much a tiny bit of payback from players drives fans nuts. Nolan gets dogs abuse from all and sundry for most games and you get your knickers in a twist about a v-sign. In fact 'you'll never forget it'. All fans do it, I remember people around me going beserk when Phil Neville celebrated in front of us after getting gip all game. It must be so satisfying for a player to see he can cause that sort of reaction after getting stick up until that point.

You hate us with a passion? I get the bubble machine bit obviously although I'd rather that than music playing when we score. Which I'm unfortunately all to familiar with.

You won't find many WestHam fans with a bad word to say about Reading. Fully deserved the title last year, it's a decent (easy and near) ground to go to and you don't have to worry about a provincial dickhead trying to impress his mates by taking a pot shot (Barnley, Rotherham, Sheffield, etc).

I remember going to the Cup game on September 11th when we all say their in silence and then you won on penalties although no-one seemed to care. Weird game.

[Simon's Church]

[Reading4eva]

Am I right in thinking that WHUFC still have an outstanding debt to Sheff. Utd relating to their cheating over the Tevez affair and that, had they correctly been demoted and Sheff. Utd stayed up, RFC may still have been in the Prem. after their second season? Can someone confirm this?

That was providing Sheffield United were worse than we were. It didnt have any bearing on Reading or any other club who stayed up though, at the time, the second season we were the third worst team in the league. Cant see how you can think any differently

[Reading4eva]

Sad Fcukers

[Big Ern]

Can't arsed to read the whole of this thread so may have already been mentioned, but I think you will find the difference is West Ham's 20million on new players compared to our 6million.

[noble16]

@reading4eva, pot kettle there feller. The bobble heads may be sad to you but they are mechandise for the kids. What is really sad is having to play music after every home goal because your fans need prompting and have to have a generic atmosphere created. Very cringeworthy stuff there lads.


Anyway so the only reason we have had such a good start is because of how much we have spent and because of an easy fixture list.

We have just played the English champions Manchester City at home and followed up with an away trip to last seasons 6th placed Newcastle. 0-0 and a 1-0 win. Not to mention a 3-0 win over top half and established premier team Fulham.

Or are they easy fixtures aswell??


Btw the two clean sheets we have just kept was thanks to a defence that cost about 3 million.


As for the hoofball comments i have to asume most on this thread have not actually seen any of our games this season. We have played very little hoofball and for the most part have played it on the ground.


Oh one last thing, we have only named a 21 man squad rather than 25. We have several key injuries aswell. Taylor, Collison, Diarra to name three.

[sandman]

Whereas blowing bubbles all over the place before every match and singing about it isn't cringeworthy at all.