Should Reading drop the Royals nickname ?

[fartdad]

With the controversy in the news regarding the royal family and the general unpopularity of the royals among the population it would be beneficial to adopt a new nickname or return to a former one. I would rather not want my team to be associated with pedophiles and grifters, I say this as someone who literally bleeds blue CMONURZZZZZZZZ!

[Sutekh]

Yep, dump it and return the the Biscuitmen. Always rather be known for something that was a Reading “industry” than some irritating nebulous name that just brings up a load of gossip pages and other unrelated claptrap when you try and search on it. Could replace the crown on the badge then with a tin of Huntley and Palmers milk and honey biscuits.

Oh and if you were wondering H&P are active again

https://www.huntleyandpalmers.com/about-us/

[royalp-we]

Would it be beneficial? Probably not.

[Nameless]

Would it be beneficial? Probably not.

Would it be detrimental ? Probably not.

[LUX]

You’d get outrage in the Tory press.

[Fox Talbot]

Please.

[Zip]

Definitely. When I first supported the club we were the Biscuitmen. Would prefer we returned to this nickname.

[Snowflake Royal]

No thanks.

Nicknames shouldn't just be dropped for convenience. Two wrongs doesn't make a right.

[Royal Badgeman]

What's next, rainbow shirts? Political checks at the turnstiles? Leave things be.

[Orion1871]

No. Her Majesty is at a fragile age and having just lost her husband her favourite team losing The Royals nickname could send her over the edge.

Gawd bless 'er.

[Scutterbucketz]

Definitely. When I first supported the club we were the Biscuitmen. Would prefer we returned to this nickname.

I’ve spoken to my Dad about this and can’t remember his answer, but was there any sort of outcry when they changed the name? How did it play out at the time? Can you remember whose idea it was and why the change?

I can only assume there wasn’t enough people who gave a fukk about it.

[Zip]

Definitely. When I first supported the club we were the Biscuitmen. Would prefer we returned to this nickname.

I’ve spoken to my Dad about this and can’t remember his answer, but was there any sort of outcry when they changed the name? How did it play out at the time? Can you remember whose idea it was and why the change?

I can only assume there wasn’t enough people who gave a fukk about it.

I wish I could answer this Scuttz but I can’t. For me it just seemed to gradually transition into the Royals. Someone must have decided but it seemed to change in the 80’s. Someone on here should be able to answer this.

[The Royal Forester]

I seem to recall a competition was held for a new nickname after H & P moved out of Reading. But, I cannot remember if this was an idea from the club or local newspaper(s). Whether Royals was the the most common name suggested, or someone from the club/media/local council etc. thought it the best name suggested also escapes me. I don't recollect an outcry about he name change, perhaps the fans thought "H&P are leaving Reading, and left a relation of mine out of work, so why not a new name"? I wonder what other names were suggested, perhaps The Bulbs, The Brewers, The Three B's, but, of course the first two may have also have left Reading by then as well.

[Zip]

I seem to recall a competition was held for a new nickname after H & P moved out of Reading. But, I cannot remember if this was an idea from the club or local newspaper(s). Whether Royals was the the most common name suggested, or someone from the club/media/local council etc. thought it the best name suggested also escapes me. I don't recollect an outcry about he name change, perhaps the fans thought "H&P are leaving Reading, and left a relation of mine out of work, so why not a new name"? I wonder what other names were suggested, perhaps The Bulbs, The Brewers, The Three B's, but, of course the first two may have also have left Reading by then as well.

When was this? Early 80’s?

[muirinho]

Definitely. When I first supported the club we were the Biscuitmen. Would prefer we returned to this nickname.

I’ve spoken to my Dad about this and can’t remember his answer, but was there any sort of outcry when they changed the name? How did it play out at the time? Can you remember whose idea it was and why the change?

I can only assume there wasn’t enough people who gave a fukk about it.

I wish I could answer this Scuttz but I can’t. For me it just seemed to gradually transition into the Royals. Someone must have decided but it seemed to change in the 80’s. Someone on here should be able to answer this.

According to this, the nickname changed much earlier than that - in 1976.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/latekickoff ... scuit.html

Same date mentioned in this website
https://jimmysirrelslovechild.co.uk/hom ... s/elm-park

"Throughout much of their history the Royals were solid lower league citizens, their placid mundanity disturbed only by a right old hullabaloo in 1983 when Robert Maxwell tried to merge them with Oxford and rename them Thames Valley Royals. (Reading adopted the “Royals” nickname in 1976 when Huntley and Palmers ceased production in the town, doing away with the traditional “Biscuitmen” and the frankly brilliant “Biscuiteers”. When you’ve been a biscuiteer, even being royal must feel a little bit of a comedown.)"

In the late 1970s the programme used ReadingFC as the title. However, by 1982, this had changed to The Royal

e.g., https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bm0AAOSw ... s-l400.jpg

So - sometime between 1976 and 1982 would appear to be the answer. Note I couldn't track down an image for a ReadingFC programme for 1980 or 1981, so I don't know what it was called then.

[Zip]

Ah. A bit earlier than I had thought.

[paultheroyal]

In answer to the thread title, No.

[Fox Talbot]

Ah. A bit earlier than I had thought.

It was summer of 1976, just after we got promoted from Div 4 and not long after H&P shut down.

There was a competition and fans sent in suggestions. Manager Charlie Hurley was the judge (!) and picked the Royals.

The club then sold silk scarves at the start of the season which may well have had The Royals 'written' on them.

Can't recall any protest or enthusiasm at the time. In those days you just grunted about what was put on offer. It was nothing to do with you.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Ah. A bit earlier than I had thought.

It was summer of 1976, just after we got promoted from Div 4 and not long after H&P shut down.

There was a competition and fans sent in suggestions. Manager Charlie Hurley was the judge (!) and picked the Royals.

The club then sold silk scarves at the start of the season which may well have had The Royals 'written' on them.

Can't recall any protest or enthusiasm at the time. In those days you just grunted about what was put on offer. It was nothing to do with you.

Yep I'm sure the "come on you royals" chant started when Hurley was manager

[Mid Sussex Royal]

With the controversy in the news regarding the royal family and the general unpopularity of the royals among the population it would be beneficial to adopt a new nickname or return to a former one. I would rather not want my team to be associated with pedophiles and grifters, I say this as someone who literally bleeds blue CMONURZZZZZZZZ!

i don't think there is particular unpopularity against the royal family at the moment or at least not against the ones that matter like the queen.