Where were YOU when we were sh!t?

[SLAMMED]

Y23

[PlasticRoyale]

I was here ... but in the days before the fences and gates.

http://www.worldstadia.com/data/images/j/a/jarm051022212332.jpg

Happy memories - think you can have as much fun supporting a club in a lower tier with something to aspire to. Relegation (old Div 4) dreadful - worst day of my life. Three times. Promotion - the opposite, but don't tell Mrs RAF Royal!!

Are you Mr Angry in disguise?

[leicsRoyal]

You were stood in the away end RAF??

I seem to remember that Swansea dismantled most of those fences and gates anyway.

[PEARCEY]

First game for me was Manor Road Oxford in May 83 when King Kerry was at the club. We won 2-1 and the Thames Valley merger protests amounted to nowt.

[roadrunner]

My first full season watching Reading was 1994/95, but I had taken in a few games in the years previous to that. The atmosphere under the old rusty South Bank roof had me hooked from the moment I heard the first chant. Arms aloft, squashed up against the next person, surges forward when we scored, I loved it.

The family and I eventually moved to Leeds, West Yorkshire in 2005 to 2008, but even then I missed only a handful of home games and not many more away games.

The Premiership experience changed a lot of things for me though and I fell out of love with the game. The players I once felt a connection with all changed and became greedy. I no longer look forward to games, losing doesn't ruin my weekend any more, and I'll just about sigh if we lose another game. I hate the modern game, there's too much money in it now.

I'd quite happily swap recent success and the new stadium for 80's football, no Premier League, No Sky Sports, watching games at Elm Park and having that relationship the fans had with each other that I don't feel any more, also that connection I felt I had with the club itself.

Now, living back in Reading I pick and choose the games I go to. A flick at the results does me, MoTD on a Saturday night - if that at all.

I miss looking forward to going to games. Maybe one day that excitement will return. Sadly I doubt it will.

[leicsRoyal]

Totally agree roadrunner,

It's a new generation of football now. Although I'm only 42, it's a million miles away from my great memories.
I still follow the team with all the highs and lows of any other fan and although living in the midlands get to as many games as possible, however give me back the crush of the Southbank, the immediate rivalry with the away fans just a stones throw away from us, quite literally a stones throw on some occasions and the feeling that we were part of the team in front of us.

I remember Trevor Senior hitting a hat trick one midweek night game and one of the goals he hit was from out on the touchline right in front of the Southbank.

[dan19]

1st Ever Reading game, Cambridge United at home won 3-1 IIRC 1993.

Been hooked ever since and had Season ticket since the Mad Stad Years...travelled to many Away matches on the Young Royals coach when I was 13-16 then many more since, even when I didn't live in Reading and traveled back for every match from Kent. Getting a Home/Away Season ticket in our first Prem season.

Now, am busy busy at weekends, and cant attend as much as I used to unfortunately. Still involved heavily, Fans team player when I can and regular for Hobnob FC 11 & 5 - a - side teams.

[peterroyal76]

I agree with most of what roadrunner says about the modern game.

My first game was in 1985, my school teacher was David Downs so we didn't have much choice, but at least the tickets were free!

[bobbybottler]

My first full season watching Reading was 1994/95, but I had taken in a few games in the years previous to that. The atmosphere under the old rusty South Bank roof had me hooked from the moment I heard the first chant. Arms aloft, squashed up against the next person, surges forward when we scored, I loved it.

The family and I eventually moved to Leeds, West Yorkshire in 2005 to 2008, but even then I missed only a handful of home games and not many more away games.

The Premiership experience changed a lot of things for me though and I fell out of love with the game. The players I once felt a connection with all changed and became greedy. I no longer look forward to games, losing doesn't ruin my weekend any more, and I'll just about sigh if we lose another game. I hate the modern game, there's too much money in it now.

I'd quite happily swap recent success and the new stadium for 80's football, no Premier League, No Sky Sports, watching games at Elm Park and having that relationship the fans had with each other that I don't feel any more, also that connection I felt I had with the club itself.

Now, living back in Reading I pick and choose the games I go to. A flick at the results does me, MoTD on a Saturday night - if that at all.

I miss looking forward to going to games. Maybe one day that excitement will return. Sadly I doubt it will.

I can't keep up - are you pretending not to be Jay or aren't you?

[Row Z Royal]

I used to be an Arsenal fan but starting attending games at the hallowed Mad Stad in the second half of the 2005/2006 season.

To quote FRF, you are me and he claims his five pounds.


Although tbf, I'd been to all the games that season but bought an HST because I knew that I wouldn't be able to buy weekly as I had done up to that point.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

My first complete season was 1971/72 and we really dog back then - finished in bottom 8 of division 4.

[strap]

I was here ... but in the days before the fences and gates.

http://www.worldstadia.com/data/images/j/a/jarm051022212332.jpg

Happy memories - think you can have as much fun supporting a club in a lower tier with something to aspire to. Relegation (old Div 4) dreadful - worst day of my life. Three times. Promotion - the opposite, but don't tell Mrs RAF Royal!!

Taken from the Town end, with fences and newly painted gates, so must be around mid-80's ? Anyway, the shot brought back memories of my first ever game, standing just to the right of the picture where the Town end wall dipped up before you reached the goal. Luton home, Malcolm MacDonald scoring in teh closein gminutes as the rain absolutley pissed down - march 70. We weren't shit that year, but by God we were for the next 5 or 6! Imagine, first 6 years watching div 4 shite, (well a relegation season from div 3 then 5 years in div 4), and I STILL support RFC!?!?! What a friggin' muppet!!!!

[Svlad Cjelli]

Started watching in 1975/76 - I was a plastic glory hunter when we went up from Tier 4.

[S09Royal]

My first Reading game was on 30th April 2005 against Wolves. We lost that game 2-1 which was disappointing as we had taken the lead only to lose out in the last few minutes of the game...still experiencing the same nowadays

[Kitsondinho]

Started going in 1990-91 season......seen some brilliant days and some utter shite (last night falls into the latter camp!)

[floyd__streete]

Started watching in 1957/76

Could you narrow it down a bit?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Started watching in 1957/76

Could you narrow it down a bit?

Ooops! 75/76

[JIM]

Watching ROYALS relegated to div3 south.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Watching ROYALS relegated to div3 south.

On a point of pedantry, they were never "Royals" when Tier 4 was regionalised.

[floyd__streete]

Watching ROYALS relegated to div3 south.

On a point of pedantry, they were never "Royals" when Tier 4 was regionalised.

Surely it would have been tier 3.