Is this collectively, and singularly, the worst Reading team and management ever?

[Simmops]

As the title says. I'm my time of watching and remember clearly this probably is the worst Reading team that I can remember as a collective. Although I'm lucky as having not really remember too much shit clearly enough, bar the odd shit player here or there (Halls and Rasiak is a standout shit player for me)

But some of the older lot who watched us in division 3 or 4 might think differently. And yes obviously different times and all that and football has changed, but is this the worst collective we have ever had, including the manager?

Have there been any worse teams or players in the specific positions you've ever seen?

[Tom Clancey the II]

I have vivid horrible memories of Terry the Taxi in the latter days of Elm Park with the truly terrible Simon Sheppard in goal. We then have some of the awfulness of the Burns era when we moved to the Mad Stad, the 6-0 drubbing from The Gas is a particular lowlight.

You need to bear in mind that by RFC standards of the time a lot of money had been spent on some of the players in those teams and we wern't in the middle of a global pandemic. Not trying to make excuses, just setting the context.

It is getting v close though

[tmesis]

Objectively, it has to be no.

The mid 70s Division 4 strugglers would have been much worse, and it goes without saying that the first XI to put on the hoops in 1872 would have been run ragged by the current team (hard as that is to imagine).

Even going in the 80s, the third division was still a league where older players 'with a bit of a belly' were good enough, and people able to remember when we had "vital squad members" like Paul Franklin as back-ups, would regard even some of the current not-yet-ready U23 players as a luxury.

The spirit of the team, over the past couple of months in particular, however, is almost as bad as I can recall though, with so many players playing well below their level, and looking a beaten team from the kick-off. Only during Bullivant's reign can I recall a team whose body language suggested they felt defeat was inevitable.

[Sutekh]

Have to say no.

Players aren’t that bad really, as a squad overall it’s actually reasonably decent but has been decimated by the unbelievable injuries and a generally clueless management.

The management is, IMO, as bad as the club have ever had but at least had a bit of success at the start of last season before being quickly found out and since then the club has seemingly been entered in the Olympic downhill slalom.

Bullivant’s season probably takes this accolade.

[From Despair To Where?]

Absolutely not.

The Porterfield side was shocking, packed full of aging journeymen fit for the knackers yard and our current behind the scenes issues pale into insignificance compared to those as well. Absolutely the worst team I have seen in nearly 40 years of watching Reading. I've never felt so apathetic as I did then. Even the merger shit wasn't that bad as that galvanised people into concrete action.

The Bullivant team was a collection of poor players, playing poorly. However, as tmesis says, the spirit is worryingly similar.

[Lower West]

The success of any organisation. Starts at the top. Football clubs will never work as dictatorships. Our Chinese owner doesn't get UK culture nor understand the connection of the club to the community. The club to him is just a billionaires plaything to show off to his mates. Once the dream fades of promotion. The interest in the club will wane.

[tmesis]

Absolutely not.

The Porterfield side was shocking, packed full of aging journeymen fit for the knackers yard and our current behind the scenes issues pale into insignificance compared to those as well. Absolutely the worst team I have seen in nearly 40 years of watching Reading. I've never felt so apathetic as I did then. Even the merger shit wasn't that bad as that galvanised people into concrete action..

Off topic, but Porterfield had an odd managerial career. There's a book "Who Ate All the Squid" about Ian Porterfield's disastrous first season managing Busan Icons in Korea, not helped by star signing Jamie Cureton having a nightmare time over there.

He apparently made the odd comment "it took me three years to adjust to living in England after arriving from Scotland, so adjusting to Korea shouldn't be a problem"

At one club he was at, in Ghana, I think, the chairman pinned him up against a wall by his throat and kept punching him, telling him to get out of the country while he still could.

[Royal Rother]

Absolutely not.

The Porterfield side was shocking, packed full of aging journeymen fit for the knackers yard and our current behind the scenes issues pale into insignificance compared to those as well. Absolutely the worst team I have seen in nearly 40 years of watching Reading. I've never felt so apathetic as I did then. Even the merger shit wasn't that bad as that galvanised people into concrete action.

The Bullivant team was a collection of poor players, playing poorly. However, as tmesis says, the spirit is worryingly similar.

It's all a bit dim and distant but I don't recall Porterfield being that bad. I thought his team played some decent stuff.

I could be wrong though!

[From Despair To Where?]

1990-91 was a wretched season. The club were going bust and the performances just nosedived from February. I particulalrly remember a dreadful 1-0 defeat at home to Bolton being the last straw for me. I vowed never to return whilst he was still manager. Madejski bought the club a month later and sacked him. Its the closest I've been to giving up completely. For me it will always be the benchmark for the absolute worst of times.

[Royal Rother]

39% win percentage is decent enough. Not too many have bettered that since he left.

[From Despair To Where?]

Its not about statistics though, is it, its about the style of football and direction the club is going. If the club is dying on its arse, haemoraging fans and money and not putting up much of a fight, all the statistics in the world don't count for anything.

[9165]

I'm a bit of an old timer too, this is the worst atmosphere at the club in over 40 years bar the end of Stam's time.
The Elm Park days had less expectation so the bar was naturally set lower.

[The Green Programme]

The worst team I saw was 1976-1977 after losing Friday - relegation back to Div 4 - I can remember the 4-2 home defeat v Northampton (a crucial 6 pointer) - a certain Derek Christie (who later joined us) coming on for Cobblers just after half time when somehow we were undeservedly 2-1up (two penalties I think by Minty) and then Christie literally took the piss out of our ‘shambolic defence’ for 45 minutes and they could have scored 7 or 8.

Northampton were generally shit and bottom of the league.

And we had become much, much worse. The atmosphere on the terraces that day was toxic.

I have never seen such abuse levelled at our players by some of our fans on that day.

I was 13 at the time and watched most home games with a couple of mates.

We were genuinely shocked by the abuse dished out to John Turner in goal (including after the game) and generally at our entire team; whom Christie made look like statues.

We were absolutely shit.

Our current team is on another planet to that team; but the gutless performances being put in currently are frustrating and sadly what we’ve become used to ‘accepting’ over the past four years.

Clear out this summer is essential.

This is exactly what happened in the late 70s and by ‘79 we won Div 4 and broke the clean sheet record whilst doing so, with a very good side.

The Pompey 2-0 home win (George Shipley) was the pick of the latter games in that ‘title run in’ in ‘79.

[Sebastian the Red]

Not even close.

[NathStPaul]

The fag end of the Bullivant era was worse than the current shower of shite imo.

[Cripple Creek]

I voted no because I am old enough to remember the Reading team under Terry 'the taxi driver' Bullivant. Whatever happened to him? To be fair he did kind of 'discover' Levoy Primus.

[leon]

I voted no because I am old enough to remember the Reading team under Terry 'the taxi driver' Bullivant. Whatever happened to him? To be fair he did kind of 'discover' Levoy Primus.

This team is worse.

Because they are so much better.

This is the worst Reading team I’ve seen. Talented but spineless, lazy and lacking in professionalism.

[Jackson Corner]

Terry the taxi at least had The decency to resign. I think it was the Oxford away game we were three nil down and we started to Sing Terry give us a wave, and he said something like that was the last straw they were taking the piss.

[Ark Royal]

Terry the taxi at least had The decency to resign. I think it was the Oxford away game we were three nil down and we started to Sing Terry give us a wave, and he said something like that was the last straw they were taking the piss.

Horrendous evening. In context, the most miserable performance I have ever witnessed from a Reading team, but the 1991 1-0 defeat away to Chester at Macclesfield in front of 630 other masochists comes a close second.

[Royal_jimmy]

Pauno has to be one of the worst managers we've ever had