Sunderland Crap

[Hound]

First of all I have some sympathy with the criticism of the match day experience, but....

If you class a place with a vibrant young integrated multicultural workforce, highly successful economy, pubs and restaurants coming out of its backside, decent climate, great transport links, interesting history, top class uni, pleasant countryside, good footy club and obviously great musical festival as boring then you clearly have no idea what you are talking about.

Sunderland on the other hand. Literally the definition of dismal. A cold miserable industrial hole in a forgotten part of the country. Full of angry white men whose life experiences are limited to an occasional trip to Newcastle. Without wanting to bring in politics - The kind of place that votes for Brexit despite having <5% immigrant population, massively funded by the EU and most impt employer says they'll up sticks if and when it happens.

Seriously fcuk off

It's the people that make the place and tbf - people are much friendlier in Sunderland than Reading.

really? Depends how you define friendly. Give me a younger, more multicultural, more educated, more ambitious demographic anytime.

To be honest, whenever I have chatted to a fan of another club on an away trip they have always been friendly and inclusive. Can't think of anytime when a fellow fan has not wanted to ask about the team etc.

[Hound]

TBF - there isn't really that much to disagree with here. Reading has it's pleasant parts, such as Pangbourne, Caversham (for the most part) etc..

"I bet you cannot name me one thing interesting about Reading. Well, aside from Reading Festival (which is just the posh version of the much cooler Leeds Festival, if you needed to know).

Reading is the most boring town in the UK, with the exception of Milton Keynes and Silloth. No-one has ever uttered the words “hey, let’s go see the sights Reading has to offer”. It’s a painfully dull place which only plus point is that its near enough to commute to London.

The Madejski Stadium (or the ‘Mad Stad’ as TalkSport infuriatingly insist on calling it as though it has some form of character) reflects the town in which it is situated - it's the quintessential pop-up ground on a retail park in the middle of nowhere. It's 3 miles away from the centre of the town with no train station or any semblance of decent pub nearby.

Whilst we have finally shook off the dreadful day out that is Stoke-on-Trent we have sadly gained its southern, less angry equivalent."

sorry mate, calling you on this (not that I think for one minute you believe it yourself). As I explained, Reading is far from boring. Its a very pleasant and interesting place to live. Obviously it has its issues, but what exactly is 'boring' about it?

[bloody Volvo driver]

Oh the irony

Extolling the virtues of the Leeds festival (newbie btw) and yet banging on about the ground being 3 miles from the town centre in the middle of nowhere.

Don't suppose they have ever tried walking from Leeds city centre to the Leeds festival, suggest they start now if they wish to get there for the August BH weekend, its that far out of Leeds unlike Little John's Farm, a 10 minute walk into town / station etc.

[RoyalX]

Leeds vs Sunderland is a fixture with so much history, and as - arguably - the two true big dawgs in the Championship next season

[Sutekh]

Leeds vs Sunderland is a fixture with so much history, and as - arguably - the two true big dawgs in the Championship next season

Wot, no Fulham?

[From Despair To Where?]

Fcuking hell, Bullivant on the bench!!!

Leeds-Sunderland. A fixture with so much history it starts and ends in 1973.

[tmesis]

TBF - there isn't really that much to disagree with here. Reading has it's pleasant parts, such as Pangbourne, Caversham (for the most part) etc..

"I bet you cannot name me one thing interesting about Reading. Well, aside from Reading Festival (which is just the posh version of the much cooler Leeds Festival, if you needed to know).

Reading is the most boring town in the UK, with the exception of Milton Keynes and Silloth. No-one has ever uttered the words “hey, let’s go see the sights Reading has to offer”. It’s a painfully dull place which only plus point is that its near enough to commute to London.

The Madejski Stadium (or the ‘Mad Stad’ as TalkSport infuriatingly insist on calling it as though it has some form of character) reflects the town in which it is situated - it's the quintessential pop-up ground on a retail park in the middle of nowhere. It's 3 miles away from the centre of the town with no train station or any semblance of decent pub nearby.

Whilst we have finally shook off the dreadful day out that is Stoke-on-Trent we have sadly gained its southern, less angry equivalent."

sorry mate, calling you on this (not that I think for one minute you believe it yourself). As I explained, Reading is far from boring. Its a very pleasant and interesting place to live. Obviously it has its issues, but what exactly is 'boring' about it?

What's interesting about it?

It's not a bad town by any means, but it's rather ordinary. If you knew someone who was going to be Reading for the day, what would be the things you'd say they "must see" in the town? Is there anything at all? And that's what this is about, someone coming down for a day. It's not about being a decent place to live.

Similarly, what exactly would you recommend about a trip to the Madejski? It's in a dull area. It's not a particularly interesting ground. And while the crowd does have it's moments and is capable of producing a good atmosphere now and then, usually the atmosphere isn't that great.

Reading town centre has a decent selection of pubs for a pre or post-match drink, but that's about it.

[Hound]

TBF - there isn't really that much to disagree with here. Reading has it's pleasant parts, such as Pangbourne, Caversham (for the most part) etc..

"I bet you cannot name me one thing interesting about Reading. Well, aside from Reading Festival (which is just the posh version of the much cooler Leeds Festival, if you needed to know).

Reading is the most boring town in the UK, with the exception of Milton Keynes and Silloth. No-one has ever uttered the words “hey, let’s go see the sights Reading has to offer”. It’s a painfully dull place which only plus point is that its near enough to commute to London.

The Madejski Stadium (or the ‘Mad Stad’ as TalkSport infuriatingly insist on calling it as though it has some form of character) reflects the town in which it is situated - it's the quintessential pop-up ground on a retail park in the middle of nowhere. It's 3 miles away from the centre of the town with no train station or any semblance of decent pub nearby.

Whilst we have finally shook off the dreadful day out that is Stoke-on-Trent we have sadly gained its southern, less angry equivalent."

sorry mate, calling you on this (not that I think for one minute you believe it yourself). As I explained, Reading is far from boring. Its a very pleasant and interesting place to live. Obviously it has its issues, but what exactly is 'boring' about it?

What's interesting about it?

It's not a bad town by any means, but it's rather ordinary. If you knew someone who was going to be Reading for the day, what would be the things you'd say they "must see" in the town? Is there anything at all? And that's what this is about, someone coming down for a day. It's not about being a decent place to live.

Similarly, what exactly would you recommend about a trip to the Madejski? It's in a dull area. It's not a particularly interesting ground. And while the crowd does have it's moments and is capable of producing a good atmosphere now and then, usually the atmosphere isn't that great.

Reading town centre has a decent selection of pubs for a pre or post-match drink, but that's about it.

The accusation was that it was boring, which it isn't. I wouldn't say it's amazingly interesting but there's stuff to do. I wouldn't say there is any less to see (the abbey ruins, prison, riverside are all 'visitiable') than most other towns

It's certainly far from the most boring town about. And yes the number of pubs etc make the away visit ok, plenty of places to drink to suit your taste

[tmesis]

It's an ordinary town, and beyond Reading FC and the Reading Festival, I doubt anything is known about the town to the majority of people in the country.

Is it really the most boring town in the UK? Probably not, but the whole article is really just about football away days, and I doubt there are many away fans who regard a trip to Reading as one of the ones they look forward to.

[Hound]

Fine. Get its bantz or whatever, But comes back to the point you shouldn't really slate Reading as Boring when you live somewhere as awful as Sunderland, and when it's really not the case. Which was the original starting point to the post.

[Royality creeps In]

Must admit the only time I really go to Reading is for the footy or to get my car serviced.
If I wanted entertainment, bars or shops, I go to Guildford.





Tin hat on!

[Jackson Corner]

What would the average Sunderland fan want from his or hers away day? A trip to an art gallery? Maybe a chance that the local Shakespeare company are putting on a production of The Merchant Of Venice? Perhaps the film club maybe running a season of Federico Fellini films? My guess would be Wetherspoons would cater there needs. Cheap food beers and Sky football.

[From Despair To Where?]

I've been to Sunderland twice. First time (a 2-0 loss) I was spat at and had stones thrown at me on the way back to the car. The second time (a 2-1 win), a full 8 hours after the match I was threatened by some Sunderland fans at a petrol station on the he A19 because "you may have beat us on the pitch but we'll fcuking smash you off it"

[VOR]

One thing I don't get about Sunderland, is why do they always try and declare their election results first?

I wouldn't have even thought of it as a race to be first

Desperate attempt to make their town (sorry, city) look interesting

[VOR]

Whilst we have finally shook off the dreadful day out that is Stoke-on-Trent we have sadly gained its southern, less angry equivalent."[/i][/quote]

sorry mate, calling you on this (not that I think for one minute you believe it yourself). As I explained, Reading is far from boring. Its a very pleasant and interesting place to live. Obviously it has its issues, but what exactly is 'boring' about it?[/quote]

Yes. And BTW, the past parrticiple of to shake is shaken, not shook. But then they can barely speak English in Sunderland.

[bobby1413]

People saying it's an ordinary town... have you people been to other towns such as Barnsley, Swindon, Maidstone, Luton, Slough, Milton Keynes, Preston, Carlisle, Boro, Newport, Bridgend, Burnley, Rotherham?

If offers a hell of a lot compared to the vast majority of other towns.

Forbury gardens and the lovely Caversham court Gardens.


The abbey ruins

Global businesses based here
Huge job opportunities
Football
Rugby
A ton of pubs, clubs and restaurants
Fantasic rail links
Great bus network

Historic prison
Festival
Good beer festival too
A fairly decent music scene

Events like "Reading Fringe" and "Are you Listening", Oktoberfest thingy

Great for shopping - how many other towns have an Oracle sized facility with the riverside type setting?!!!! You may not like the following shops but how many other towns have John Lewis, House or Fraser, Debenhams within a short walk of each other. Yes it lacks some independent shops.

The beautiful River Thames - or would you rather have The Burnley Nile, or the Luton Loch?

A good university that attracts 18000 students per year

Food markets every week

Facilities like the Readibike bike rental thing. Not an attraction but it's an example of what sets us apart from some other towns which really are ordinary

We are a diverse and cosmopolitan town in comparison to many/most others. Demonstrated by events like the Reading Pride march and Reading Carribean carnival. Plus 100 places to grab a latte (yea that's a joke)

A decent half marathon

...

****AND***** just to say - you should also be very appreciative that we are forward moving and with money being invested all over the place.

How many other towns can say that their FUTURE includes:

Plan to build the biggest inflatable aqua park in the world in Reading (near Junction 11)

Crossrail

New developments and regeneration such as the apartments and restaurants at Toys R Us

Jacksons Corner becoming 3 new restaurants

Royal Elm Park with more properties, business centre, ice rink, etc...

New Apartments basically everywhere including the old BMW site by Reading Bridge .... Kings Road by the pru buildings

.....

Some may roll their eyes and scoff at this post. But be thankful that Reading is wealthy enough and ambitious and attractive enough to do all of the above.

Do you think the towns I mentioned are all able to do this?

Do you think the likes of:

Abingdon
Staines
Banbury
Grimsby
Halifax
Gateshead
Northampton
Walsall
Blackpool
Bolton

Could post all this about themselves? Do they offer more overall than Reading?

No, I'd say that they don't offer half
The things Reading does. Probably most of them are far more run down, far less attractive to property buyers, investors and I'd say they're standing still compared to Reading which is improving year on year

And I recognise Readings faults but it's not enough to say it's average because it really isn't.

[Hound]

obviously agree with the above. Comparing Reading to Stoke is absolutely nonsensical, and actually should have stopped reading at that point.

I hope the chap that wrote it actually spends a bit of time in the town next visit, and hopefully has a better experience

[BR0B0T]

pcuntsville >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everywhere else in the UK tbf

[under the tin]

Here's my two pennor'th.

This born and bred Redingensian now lives on the coast near Fareham.
What Reading lacks more than anything else is civic pride.
My experience of living there for 50 odd years was the general self-deprecating attitude of my fellow townsfolk.
Living close to Portsmouth, the contrast, compared to here, is profound.
In addition to this, the job opportunities mentioned above are certainly there, but owing to the specific nature of the skill sets required because of the weighting towards the IT sector, many of these jobs are being taken by people from elsewhere, with no particular affiliation to Reading, other than it's a place where they live and work.
This manifests itself at the football. They might well have gone for a day out at Wembley in May, but wouldn't necessarily display the same level of passionate support that they might have done, had it been for "their" team.

[John Smith]

What would the average Sunderland fan want from his or hers away day? A trip to an art gallery? Maybe a chance that the local Shakespeare company are putting on a production of The Merchant Of Venice? Perhaps the film club maybe running a season of Federico Fellini films? My guess would be Wetherspoons would cater there needs. Cheap food beers and Sky football.

Did anyone else read this in a Basil Fawlty voice, like the episode when the woman complains about the view from her room?

Spot on point though Jackson's Corner.