Top Flight After the behaviour of the stewards yesterday the only conclusion I can draw is that the club don't want an atmosphere. They were actively working to snuff out any atmosphere. Since when did standing up become a crime and chanting football songs at a football match? It was very depressing to witness the behaviour of the stewards yesterday. Football has to be for everyone. Not just for families. I am saying that and I go and watch Reading as a family with my 7 year old boy and the grandad. For me it is a family occassion. But I don't like seeing all the noise and atmosphere extinguished from the stands by over zealous, lack of common sense stewarding. You can not sing when sitting down. You have to stand up to sing. That's why a choir stands up when it is time to sing a hymn in a church.
The enjoyment of football at Reading is being ruined because, what, because the club want to make it appeal to families? Well, I'm a family and football is getting less appealing every week. We are flying in the league and these are the worst crowds and atmosphere I can ever remember at Madejski Stadium since the place opened.
It is especially dissapointing because the East Stand, Y25 and Y26 were giving a good account of themselves yesterday and were outsinging Wolverhampton Wanderers until the stewards got involved and extinguished the noise. Then what do I hear from the Wolves end. They sing: This is a library. This is a library. This is a library etc.... My club is becoming passionless and soulless.
RFC, you've become a joke.
I hope you'll complain directly to the club. Probably some new bloke deciding that the terms of the stadium licence need to be enforced to the letter. Or perhaps the council/club/authorities have decided to go on an H&S kick for some reason.
Another issue for STAR to take up as well.