Fantastic end to this season?

[andrew1957]

I can be as negative as anyone and as all football fans I want my side to be winning. But some of the negativity after Saturday both on here and BBCRB has really surprised me. There are many reasons to be positive.

1/ We now have four very winnable games in a row against out of form sides. I will be disappointed if we don't get four straight wins and then the table will look very different.

2/ I am really looking forward to the home leg of the final of the Under 21 Premier League Cup - what fantastic run by the younger players.

3/ And I am looking forward to the Semi-Final of the Under 18 Youth Cup and hopefully the Final too. Last Wednesday was a fantastic evening and one of the most exciting football games I have ever seen. Come on URZZZZZZ and attend the Semi-Final in good numbers. We have some fantastic young talent coming through.

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

PS And I resisted saying 10 Cup Finals to go. In fact there could be 19 cup finals to go if we get to the FA Youth Cup Final and the Play Offs.

[strap]

I'm with you Andrew. From a personal perspective, I would rather we didn't go up for another couple of years. Let the kids mature and get increasing game time in the Championship for the next couple of seasons, and then make a real fist of things in say 16-17 season. The financial side of things will take care of themselves with if we use home-grown players. The only possible dark cloud is the likes of Liverpool trying to convince the likes of Obita, (and doubtless others as they mature), into joining a "big" team's reserves. I would hope the home-grown lads would prefer a regular spot in our starting XI and would stay to help us get up ourselves to the PL.

If by chance we win the U18 and/or U21 cups, (tall order but who knows?), and perhaps sneak into 6th, this season could only be described as a success.

Just personal and practical view - not disrespecting anyone who believes anything other than promotion this year will be a failure.

[SCIAG]

PS And I resisted saying 10 Cup Finals to go. In fact there could be 19 cup finals to go if we get to the FA Youth Cup Final and the Play Offs.

Where are you getting 19 from? 3 play off matches, two U21 finals, two U18 finals, two U18 semi finals?

I would be happy with any one of playoff qualification or a youth cup. Two and I'd be delighted, three and I'd be over the moon.

I want us to get promoted. I always want to see us trying to be the best we can. But I'm perfectly happy staying in the Championship, particularly if it means these young players get to establish themselves.

[andrew1957]

PS And I resisted saying 10 Cup Finals to go. In fact there could be 19 cup finals to go if we get to the FA Youth Cup Final and the Play Offs.

Where are you getting 19 from? 3 play off matches, two U21 finals, two U18 finals, two U18 semi finals?

I would be happy with any one of playoff qualification or a youth cup. Two and I'd be delighted, three and I'd be over the moon.

I want us to get promoted. I always want to see us trying to be the best we can. But I'm perfectly happy staying in the Championship, particularly if it means these young players get to establish themselves.

I also meant the 10 league games too - just referring back to a thread from our second PL season when I referred to the remaining league games as cup finals and got loads of stick for it (notably from Floyd). Therefore, we potentially have 19 important games to go this season.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

Andrew 1957 wrote:

I can be as negative as anyone and as all football fans I want my side to be winning. But some of the negativity after Saturday both on here and BBCRB has really surprised me. There are many reasons to be positive.

1/ We now have four very winnable games in a row against out of form sides. I will be disappointed if we don't get four straight wins and then the table will look very different.

2/ I am really looking forward to the home leg of the final of the Under 21 Premier League Cup - what fantastic run by the younger players.

3/ And I am looking forward to the Semi-Final of the Under 18 Youth Cup and hopefully the Final too. Last Wednesday was a fantastic evening and one of the most exciting football games I have ever seen. Come on URZZZZZZ and attend the Semi-Final in good numbers. We have some fantastic young talent coming through.

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

PS And I resisted saying 10 Cup Finals to go. In fact there could be 19 cup finals to go if we get to the FA Youth Cup Final and the Play Offs.

Great post.

I too hope that the fans turn out in their numbers for the U21's final and U18's semi final

Great time lower down the ranks at RFC.

[McClearyChops]

Andrew 1957 wrote:

I can be as negative as anyone and as all football fans I want my side to be winning. But some of the negativity after Saturday both on here and BBCRB has really surprised me. There are many reasons to be positive.

1/ We now have four very winnable games in a row against out of form sides. I will be disappointed if we don't get four straight wins and then the table will look very different.

2/ I am really looking forward to the home leg of the final of the Under 21 Premier League Cup - what fantastic run by the younger players.

3/ And I am looking forward to the Semi-Final of the Under 18 Youth Cup and hopefully the Final too. Last Wednesday was a fantastic evening and one of the most exciting football games I have ever seen. Come on URZZZZZZ and attend the Semi-Final in good numbers. We have some fantastic young talent coming through.

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

PS And I resisted saying 10 Cup Finals to go. In fact there could be 19 cup finals to go if we get to the FA Youth Cup Final and the Play Offs.

Great post.

I too hope that the fans turn out in their numbers for the U21's final and U18's semi final

Great time lower down the ranks at RFC.

When are the dates for these

[Binfield Royal]

Until our ownership position is resolved, I would rather we didn't go up because (and with all due respect to SJM) the current regime would not strengthen the squad, they would simply keep the money and we would have a season of being the whipping boys again.

I am not saying this approach to our finances is wrong, if fact, far from it but it's depressing as a fan if your team loses every week.

[RG30]

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

Unless you win the playoff final there is nothing fun about them which let's face it we won't

[paddy20]

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

Unless you win the playoff final there is nothing fun about them which let's face it we won't

Cant understand how any dedicated supporter could enjoy a Wembley defeat? Its the most miserable experience! We are just too inconsistent to go up this year and we lack a midfield general

[watfordroyal]

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

Unless you win the playoff final there is nothing fun about them which let's face it we won't

Wigan play-off semi was one of, if not the greatest night at Madstad,
and the play-off semi away to Cardiff will be right up there for most Royals fans.

I have enjoyed Wembley & even the Millenium, even the defeats to Burnley & Wolves, coz we were there with a chance.

[Schards#2]

The stuff with the youngsters is an added bonus but I can't see the first team being consistent enough to make it into the top six and, with the quality of squad we have had at our disposal this season, that can only be seen as a failure.

[Silver Fox]

We've been consistent enough to be in the top 6 most of the year, contrary to the evidence before our eyes at times.

FTR I enjoyed the Swansea playoff final day, hated the Millenium stadium experience mind you

[andrew1957]

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

Unless you win the playoff final there is nothing fun about them which let's face it we won't

I totally disagree. Surely a true fan supports there team whatever the result - it is not just about winning. At the Swansea game I felt as sick as anything at half time, but then the boys rallied and came within a few inches of making it 3-3 and I think if the Karacan chance had gone in we would then have won the match. Number 13 truly got behind the team and the noise after our second goal was about the loudest I have ever heard at any game. By the end I was very proud of the players for at least giving it a go. It was a good day out and I would much rather we lose in a Wembley final than finish 7th.

If all you care about is winning there is no point choosing to support RFC - might as well choose Chelsea.

[JIM]

What are you lot on. white powder. How the hell can you think of a play off, all this rubbish about winable games, we cant even beat 8 men yeovil. 10 men brighton. etc Be realistic, not this season, look at the rest of the fixtures. no game is winable a draw here and there may get the blood moving but that is all. As the saying goes IN YOUR DREAMS.

[Ian Royal]

4/ And then to cap it all we have the Play Offs to look forward to and another trip to Wembley. Ok we are bound to lose (we always do), but it will be a great day out. I enjoyed the Swansea game, even if the result was disappointing. So all in all there are many reason to be cheerful.

Unless you win the playoff final there is nothing fun about them which let's face it we won't

I totally disagree. Surely a true fan supports there team whatever the result - it is not just about winning. At the Swansea game I felt as sick as anything at half time, but then the boys rallied and came within a few inches of making it 3-3 and I think if the Karacan chance had gone in we would then have won the match. Number 13 truly got behind the team and the noise after our second goal was about the loudest I have ever heard at any game. By the end I was very proud of the players for at least giving it a go. It was a good day out and I would much rather we lose in a Wembley final than finish 7th.

If all you care about is winning there is no point choosing to support RFC - might as well choose Chelsea.

+1 people need to realise enjoyment is subjective and not everyone goes to football for the same reason. Maybe I just haven't been going regularly enough for long enough to be beaten down by poor results / performances but I can and do still enjoy games we lose. I can still be proud of defeats.

apart from when Swansea were tearing us to shreds I thoroughly enjoyed the PO Final. A big game at Wembley is kinda what football is all about in the end. Win or lose. I can understand why losing sours the experience fir some and they don't enjoy it. I don't judge them and tell them they're wrong or bad fans because of it. It'd be nice if tyey had the same grace.

it's like shirts or no shirts. Singing or no singing. Standing or sitting. Why try and dictate how someone else has fun? It's justweird.

[melonhead]

Until our ownership position is resolved, I would rather we didn't go up because (and with all due respect to SJM) the current regime would not strengthen the squad, they would simply keep the money and we would have a season of being the whipping boys again.

I am not saying this approach to our finances is wrong, if fact, far from it but it's depressing as a fan if your team loses every week.

[Ian Royal]

Tbf brendy thats exactly what we should do if we somehow go up without a new rich owner. Take relegation on tbe chin without making a doomed attempt to spend our way to safety and use the money for clearing a bit of debt and building for a better crack at it another time.

of course that doesn't mean anton and sjm taking the cash out of the club.

[andrew1957]

What are you lot on. white powder. How the hell can you think of a play off, all this rubbish about winable games, we cant even beat 8 men yeovil. 10 men brighton. etc Be realistic, not this season, look at the rest of the fixtures. no game is winable a draw here and there may get the blood moving but that is all. As the saying goes IN YOUR DREAMS.

You are the one in deluded negativity. I think the top 5 places are sown up but it now looks to be a straight fight between Forest, Brighton and us for 6th. Forest are imploding and Brighton (we so nearly beat them the other day) are no better than us, so there is every hope of 6th. In fact I will be very disappointed (and somewhat surprised) if we don't make the play offs. Then anything is possible.

[westendgirl]

What are you lot on. white powder. How the hell can you think of a play off, all this rubbish about winable games, we cant even beat 8 men yeovil. 10 men brighton. etc Be realistic, not this season, look at the rest of the fixtures. no game is winable a draw here and there may get the blood moving but that is all. As the saying goes IN YOUR DREAMS.

You are the one in deluded negativity. I think the top 5 places are sown up but it now looks to be a straight fight between Forest, Brighton and us for 6th. Forest are imploding and Brighton (we so nearly beat them the other day) are no better than us, so there is every hope of 6th. In fact I will be very disappointed (and somewhat surprised) if we don't make the play offs. Then anything is possible.

After all if we can get to the play-offs the only teams in there now that we have played twice has resulted in 4 points - Derby Forest and QPR

[maffff]

Nah, I'm hoping I'll end be on tender hooks but can't help but feel it's gonna be a damp squid.

Who will be our escape goat when it goes wrong?