Madejski Sold out and failed again

[Tamworth_Royal]

How DID you cope in the good times?

I've a very short but futuristic memory

[Tamworth_Royal]

Eh? Have I missed something? In what way are we a bit fcuked?

Missed the point How did you feel this season went in the league, !

Difference between you and me Rother is that I understand how football works that's why I'm ALWAYS right (as predicted) yet again

[madstadblues]

In the interest of balanced views (royalrother) what was your opinion of Mr. Madejski in the Maxwell Thames Valley Royals saga ?

[RoyalBlue]

In the interest of balanced views (royalrother) what was your opinion of Mr. Madejski in the Maxwell Thames Valley Royals saga ?

Madejski was a complete irrelevance back then. As far as I'm aware, he didn't come anywhere near the club when Captain Bob announced his plans.

However, had he turned up and exercised the same standard of business judgement that he did when he sold a majority share to Zingarevich, who knows what might have happened!

[72 bus]

In the interest of balanced views (royalrother) what was your opinion of Mr. Madejski in the Maxwell Thames Valley Royals saga ?

Madejski was a complete irrelevance back then. As far as I'm aware, he didn't come anywhere near the club when Captain Bob announced his plans.

However, had he turned up and exercised the same standard of business judgement that he did when he sold a majority share to Zingarevich, who knows what might have happened!

RoyalBlue,
When you rock up at the Madejski and see the facilities we now have and look back over the two promotions to the PL do you not grudgingly admit that some good came from Madejski's involvement.
Or do you feel we would be that we are a worse club than the one he took over and that he has held us back.

[Extended-Phenotype]

He has been good for Reading. Made some mistakes though and held us back a little on occasions. His frugalness has probably been both an asset and a handicap.

Mad bastard, too.

[Ian Royal]

I'd take his frugalness over the clusterfuck that was Zingaravich any day of the week though.

[Royal Rother]

It was his determination for the club to become self-sufficient 10+ years ago that led to the development of the Academy from where it was at that time, and, even if it is a lot less obtrusive than the stadium, it is probably that which will be his real legacy.

[Old Biscuitman]

Think what you will of him, Madejski, together with Coppell on the football side, has been the most successful influencer on Reading FC since 1871.

[OldBiscuit]

Lovely image of him hugging some woman at the end of the match celebrating not going up. Bagged £25m from some doggy Russian lolol . Fire sale now on, watch all the best players go (That means Akpan stays i'm afraid) all because he won't sell out because of stadium name rights.

You (pathetic latest generation of Reading Fans) really are so naive, like the Brighton Fans say so gullible believing Madejski is ever going to do anything to take this club forward.

Most embarrassing thing today ? wasn't the little turds running on the pitch (back to the next generation) it was the " There's only one JM" chant Why????? he sold out and f*cked up.

What a great two seasons this has been, total shite well done Madejski

I am assumming that you are under 20 years old and never experienced any of the previous 120 un-remarkable seasons of mis-management, chairmanship and futility before Sir John turned up.

Sir John has not only put Reading Football club on the map, but the whole Town itself. He hasn't always got it right, but then show me a man that has. The man is an absolute legend and it is very sad to see unwarranted and ignorant comments, especially from those that haven't experienced the un-inspiring dross that we had been served up prior to his arrival, which if you recall was to save Reading Football club from going out of business.

[The Prisoner]

Lovely image of him hugging some woman at the end of the match celebrating not going up. Bagged £25m from some doggy Russian lolol . Fire sale now on, watch all the best players go (That means Akpan stays i'm afraid) all because he won't sell out because of stadium name rights.

You (pathetic latest generation of Reading Fans) really are so naive, like the Brighton Fans say so gullible believing Madejski is ever going to do anything to take this club forward.

Most embarrassing thing today ? wasn't the little turds running on the pitch (back to the next generation) it was the " There's only one JM" chant Why????? he sold out and f*cked up.

What a great two seasons this has been, total shite well done Madejski

I am assumming that you are under 20 years old and never experienced any of the previous 120 un-remarkable seasons of mis-management, chairmanship and futility before Sir John turned up.

Sir John has not only put Reading Football club on the map, but the whole Town itself. He hasn't always got it right, but then show me a man that has. The man is an absolute legend and it is very sad to see unwarranted and ignorant comments, especially from those that haven't experienced the un-inspiring dross that we had been served up prior to his arrival, which if you recall was to save Reading Football club from going out of business.

Your argument is eloquent & rational.

That is the problem.

I too remember the also rans of the 70s and 80s, but SJM has raised the bar, and that in itself is something special.

Younger fans have higher expectations as they are brought up on the SJM era. That isn't their fault, but they want Premier League, success & marque signings as they have had a taste of it and were never party to "what went before".

It all kinds of sums up being a Reading fan. We dreamt of the promised land all those years and now we had a taste of it all we can really aspire to is to be the next Stoke City. I don't really have anything left to tick off on my list.

Frustrating thing was that the Russian people hinted at "the next level"......

[Ian Royal]

Tamworth isn't young, he's stupid.

I'm in my 30s and have only seen 2 seasons below the Championship, but I can still appreciate where we've come from. Dismissing those who think they're entitled to more as youngsters does a huge disservice to genuine younger fans.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Interesting then, what you never saw Ian was Elm Park, we oldies talk about it with fondness, but the reality is it was a shit hole. When I started going at six years old, we were on a par with Swindon Bristol C and Ipswich size clubs. Many clubs went on to build nice new stands, we got excited if the supporters club managed to repaint the barriers.
Smee brought new hope, only to go bust himself. The new stadium at rivermead was an amazing ambition at the time. But no we missed out on that one

Then SJM, and by progressing brick by brick look what the club achieved. All I hope is that the new owners can continue with a slow approach, perhaps the soon to come developments at the ground will be done for the club, giving more income. Which is what we need now.

[bobby m's syrup]

I too remember Elm Park and how our main ambition was to one day, climb into the old Second Division. The Top Flight was nothing but a dream for us young supporters back in the 60s. SJM changed all that. I agree totally that he is not infallible. However, to denigrate his involvement with the club is crass and smacks of arrogance.

Of course results matter, but one thing we had got used to is teams who could actually play a bit and be a test for any opposition, (largely thanks to the input of SJM). And who, in the face of the financial crisis, can blame him for wanting at least some of his investment back?

What has been galling this season is the lack of commitment throughout much of the 8 months or so. Respect is a word that has been devalued of late. It is though, something that Reading sides of this millennium had earned. To see that evaporate was heartbreaking.

We now have 4 months to get things back on an even keel. Although SJM may no longer be involved in the day to affairs of the club, he remains highly successful and intuitive businessman. Looking at the shambles at Blackpool for example, we should be glad of that.

[Esteban]

I too remember Elm Park and how our main ambition was to one day, climb into the old Second Division. The Top Flight was nothing but a dream for us young supporters back in the 60s. SJM changed all that. I agree totally that he is not infallible. However, to denigrate his involvement with the club is crass and smacks of arrogance.

Of course results matter, but one thing we had got used to is teams who could actually play a bit and be a test for any opposition, (largely thanks to the input of SJM). And who, in the face of the financial crisis, can blame him for wanting at least some of his investment back?

What has been galling this season is the lack of commitment throughout much of the 8 months or so. Respect is a word that has been devalued of late. It is though, something that Reading sides of this millennium had earned. To see that evaporate was heartbreaking.

We now have 4 months to get things back on an even keel. Although SJM may no longer be involved in the day to affairs of the club, he remains highly successful and intuitive businessman. Looking at the shambles at Blackpool for example, we should be glad of that.

+1...nailed it.

[Ian Royal]

Interesting then, what you never saw Ian was Elm Park, we oldies talk about it with fondness, but the reality is it was a shit hole. When I started going at six years old, we were on a par with Swindon Bristol C and Ipswich size clubs. Many clubs went on to build nice new stands, we got excited if the supporters club managed to repaint the barriers.
Smee brought new hope, only to go bust himself. The new stadium at rivermead was an amazing ambition at the time. But no we missed out on that one

Then SJM, and by progressing brick by brick look what the club achieved. All I hope is that the new owners can continue with a slow approach, perhaps the soon to come developments at the ground will be done for the club, giving more income. Which is what we need now.

I saw Elm Park for about three years.

[Lower West]

We now have 4 months to get things back on an even keel.

I'm optimistic that the storm is over. Now it's the long slow process of building a new team. Reading appear to be following the Southampton example. Focussing on the development of their own players through an academy system.

[tidus_mi2]

We now have 4 months to get things back on an even keel.

I'm optimistic that the storm is over. Now it's the long slow process of building a new team. Reading appear to be following the Southampton example. Focussing on the development of their own players through an academy system.

Most of it is over, as far as I'm aware, Feds, Pearce, Karacan, Kelly, HRK, Guthrie and Pog are on Anton style contracts, I may be wrong and there may be others. I suspect, like many others, Feds, Pearce and Karacan's new contract offers are going to be a reduction on current terms to be more in line with a reasonable wage structure.

Guthrie is obviously off as is probably Kelly so the only ones left are HRK and Pog, if they are wanted to be kept at the end of next season it will probably be a repeat of this Summer where they will be offered reduced terms, after that we'll have everything back to a reasonable level.

[marcusopp]

I don't understand how anyone can criticise SJM. Weren't we on the brink of becoming thames valley royals with oxford utd at one point?
The academy alone has fed half the first team squad for years now, saving the club millions. We simply don't attract the fan base and therefore sponsorship to be any bigger than we are. We'll have occasional visits to the PL, but we're an established championship club and that's a lot better than when i started coming to watch as a boy. I can still remember RFC 1-0 York city, new years day about 20 odd years ago. The total attendance was <1000 and the entire south bank spent the whole game gunning a york city fan for wearing an anorak!

[jeff4066]

I can't believe how many of you still back SJM he might have set us on the road to where we are now, I can't argue with that, but he has raped the club for years. We have made enough money to be a mid table prem club, but the money was never invested in the team. The money vanished and where did it go? Did the Russian have it? No. Did the players wages take it? No. I see no other place to look than pockets of SJM. He is like the Jimmy Savile of the football world getting away with taking the clubs funds for so long and everyone just let him do it. Disgrace!