Why the **** are you still here ?

[Zip]

Been to very few games this season, but it's for a good reason. The Missus is expecting our first child and it's been a hard road for us. I'm willing to sacrifice anything to enjoy this pregnancy and what will be our only child.
Will I have a season ticket next season? More than likely.

Enjoy the pregnancy? I have never heard that said by a man before, not a criticism btw. Congrats.

Oh mate there have been and will be trying times between now and early June, but as I said, this has been a long hard journey for us getting to this point and we'll only be able to do this once.

Congratulations Steve. Hope all goes smoothly.

[skipper]

I can't fathom not supporting Reading or not being here.

Your clubs your club, regardless of how well they're doing. I'd still be going to my half a dozen games a season if we were in non-league. Can't be any less pretty than what we have now, but I'd still be there.

But then I am often surprised why people pick a team beyond the hometown / family connection. Like, why would you support a team of a city (or town) you've never been to, never likely to get a ticket to and have no connection with what so ever?

Boggles my tiny mind.

[Kitsondinho]

I`ve not witnessed a win since October, fcuking OCTOBER???, 4 sodding months, too many times walking up Bennett road with the same depressing feeling,
It`s really trying my patience.

I haven’t seen us win since Sheff Wed away in 2020…
I’m on target to go to 10 games this season. For the first time in years I’m currently evenly split with 4 at home and 4 away…usually 2 home and 8 away, as it is 300+ mile round trip to the Mad Stad for me. So long as we haven’t gone bust, whatever league we are in, my two eldest and I will be trying to make 10 games again next year…

[Green]

But you get older and that magic subsides for most - you have more important things in your life to worry about, it all becomes a bit same old, same old.

You could say this about literally any past time. But you still need them as you get older - and actually come retirement probably need a few more.

[tmesis]

But then I am often surprised why people pick a team beyond the hometown / family connection. Like, why would you support a team of a city (or town) you've never been to, never likely to get a ticket to and have no connection with what so ever?

Boggles my tiny mind.

I grew up in Bracknell (70s/80s). Nobody I knew supported Reading. Absolutely nobody at all. It wasn't the Reading were rejected in favour of more glamorous clubs. It was that Reading just weren't on the radar. That meant everyone who followed a team they saw on TV, or maybe one their dad supported.

But then, unless you are old enough to remember, you'll struggle to appreciate how little attention football outside the top two divisions got in the media. There would be no match reports in the Sunday papers etc (although very occasionally there would even be a lower division fixture on MotD).

[Green]

But then I am often surprised why people pick a team beyond the hometown / family connection. Like, why would you support a team of a city (or town) you've never been to, never likely to get a ticket to and have no connection with what so ever?

Boggles my tiny mind.

I grew up in Bracknell (70s/80s). Nobody I knew supported Reading. Absolutely nobody at all. It wasn't the Reading were rejected in favour of more glamorous clubs. It was that Reading just weren't on the radar. That meant everyone who followed a team they saw on TV, or maybe one their dad supported.

But then, unless you are old enough to remember, you'll struggle to appreciate how little attention football outside the top two divisions got in the media. There would be no match reports in the Sunday papers etc (although very occasionally there would even be a lower division fixture on MotD).

As well as that I think moving to the Mad Stad did more to boost the clubs profile than many of us old timers are really ready to acknowledge. Plenty of would be fans, particularly those with kids, just wouldn't have gone to Elm Park.

[windermereROYAL]

I`ve not witnessed a win since October, fcuking OCTOBER???, 4 sodding months, too many times walking up Bennett road with the same depressing feeling,
It`s really trying my patience.

I haven’t seen us win since Sheff Wed away in 2020…
I’m on target to go to 10 games this season. For the first time in years I’m currently evenly split with 4 at home and 4 away…usually 2 home and 8 away, as it is 300+ mile round trip to the Mad Stad for me. So long as we haven’t gone bust, whatever league we are in, my two eldest and I will be trying to make 10 games again next year…

There is the difference then, you are not a STH, but i am and hardly miss a game, even though i missed the Birmingham win.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I haven't seen us win since Barnsley at home in 2020, it was our last home league fixture before the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it doesn't say that much because my last game was Stoke away on the opening day, it was great to be back, good atmosphere, but a disappointing result.

Sheff United away to come next month, maybe Hull and maybe Luton depending on circumstances. I'd usually go to most/every away game in Yorkshire/Lancashire as it's a 400 mile round trip to the Mad Stad. Thankfully, I do have family down in the London area so if I ever go to visit them, I usually make the trip over from North London, especially if we are at home. 80-100 mile round trip is much better than 4x that amount.

[Norfolk Royal]

Interesting points here. The games I've been to in recent years I definitely feel that we have a younger sort of fanbase now, quite passionate maybe and tending to be more activist than we were in the past.

That may well be because I'm getting older or that we have been in higher divisions in recent times and expect more, but that doesn't explain everything.

Deffo noticed the new younger fanbase at Peterborough and Ipswich a couple of years ago.

[genome]

I haven't seen a Reading win in the flesh since March 2019

But to be fair I've not been to a game since then.

[Green]

Interesting points here. The games I've been to in recent years I definitely feel that we have a younger sort of fanbase now, quite passionate maybe and tending to be more activist than we were in the past.

That may well be because I'm getting older or that we have been in higher divisions in recent times and expect more, but that doesn't explain everything.

Deffo noticed the new younger fanbase at Peterborough and Ipswich a couple of years ago.

Policeman and doctors getting younger too right?

[Zip]

Interesting points here. The games I've been to in recent years I definitely feel that we have a younger sort of fanbase now, quite passionate maybe and tending to be more activist than we were in the past.

That may well be because I'm getting older or that we have been in higher divisions in recent times and expect more, but that doesn't explain everything.

Deffo noticed the new younger fanbase at Peterborough and Ipswich a couple of years ago.

Trick or treaters getting younger down your way Norrers?

[skipper]

But then I am often surprised why people pick a team beyond the hometown / family connection. Like, why would you support a team of a city (or town) you've never been to, never likely to get a ticket to and have no connection with what so ever?

Boggles my tiny mind.

I grew up in Bracknell (70s/80s). Nobody I knew supported Reading. Absolutely nobody at all. It wasn't the Reading were rejected in favour of more glamorous clubs. It was that Reading just weren't on the radar. That meant everyone who followed a team they saw on TV, or maybe one their dad supported.

But then, unless you are old enough to remember, you'll struggle to appreciate how little attention football outside the top two divisions got in the media. There would be no match reports in the Sunday papers etc (although very occasionally there would even be a lower division fixture on MotD).

As well as that I think moving to the Mad Stad did more to boost the clubs profile than many of us old timers are really ready to acknowledge. Plenty of would be fans, particularly those with kids, just wouldn't have gone to Elm Park.

Whilst it was good for us, it's a double edged sword, as we also lost something when we moved. But you're quite right.

[PATRIQT]

This would be a very different thread if it was on a northerners board. They live and breathe their club, through good and bad. Yet we seem to have far too many middle class fair-weather fans who lack the same passion for the club, and that's reflected in the stands too, sadly.

[Smudge]

For instance if the club announced a Director of Football now who would be working on our Squad for next season, it would be something to get behind. I bet right now no one at the club is even looking at the fact we are about to lose a shed load of players.

Maybe I'm naive about all he did for the club, but I note Nicky Hammond is not with Newcastle any more. Sadly I believe it would be a miracle for certain decision makers inside and outside the club to acknowledge the need for his services, let alone appoint him......

As for why I am still here.... Well at the age of 7 my father took me to Elm Park to watch my first game. Apparently i was a pain in the arse that game, but slowly I started to enjoy going. Then the club launched The Coronets Club which we joined. I believe my season ticket was about £3 or something utterly daft. We sat by the tunnel, behind the bench, met the players and manager often in small parties that the club held for the members and often travelled to away games on a coach together also, all under the guide ship of Garry & Linda (who had a baby daughter called Jade (she must be in her late 30's now)). From those days onwards, me and my father travelled across the country following Reading home and away. That all died down when I moved out of the family home at the age of 21 and my parents moved to the Middle East for a few years. The club moved to the Mad Stad and I would then I would go to the occasional home game with mates when I had the time and could get a my arse into gear to get myself tickets.

Over the last 7 years though, I have got back in to watching Reading more and more now with my two sons. We have had season tickets for 5 years now and we love the fact that we have that time together. Yes, the games are as dire as the service in the concourse at half time, getting out of the car park is painful and only made worse that we listen to BBC Radio Berkshire whilst waiting to get out. But that also makes it all part of the experience, we laugh at some of the things that are text / tweeted in as well as the callers blurt out some pretty deluded comments post match....... As least they care though!

It may not be the same as the old days and currently at best a painful experience more often than not. But in a modern world filled with plastic fake lives, it's something me and my sons love to do together.

[LUX]

good read, Smudge.

[Graham's dad]

I have been a supporter for nearly 40 years and had a season ticket for more than 20 and used to go to a lot of away games as well.
Over the last few 5 or 6 years I have i have not enjoyed watching Reading's style of play and have increasingly gone to watch Hungerford Town in National League South. The play is surprisingly good, more direct, exciting and honest with players who really want to play and are not in it for the money.
Consequently I have only been to see Reading 4 times this season despite having a season ticket and whilst it will probably be more entertaining in League 1 I will not be renewing the season ticket but will be sticking with Hungerford, where incidentally the food and beer is much better too..

[Elm Park Kid]

This would be a very different thread if it was on a northerners board. They live and breathe their club, through good and bad. Yet we seem to have far too many middle class fair-weather fans who lack the same passion for the club, and that's reflected in the stands too, sadly.

Not too many working class people can afford to live in Reading! Or those that do need to be very careful how they spend the odd few quid they have left over once rent is paid.

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

Enjoy the pregnancy? I have never heard that said by a man before, not a criticism btw. Congrats.

Oh mate there have been and will be trying times between now and early June, but as I said, this has been a long hard journey for us getting to this point and we'll only be able to do this once.

Congratulations Steve. Hope all goes smoothly.

Thanks mate.

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

Been to very few games this season, but it's for a good reason. The Missus is expecting our first child and it's been a hard road for us. I'm willing to sacrifice anything to enjoy this pregnancy and what will be our only child.
Will I have a season ticket next season? More than likely.

Congrats mate. All the best to you, your Mrs and a potential new Royal.

Cheers Millsy.