Harte Signs

[Royal With Cheese]

18 goals last season........

Some people on here would think we are fucking Man Utd the way they go on, very similar signing to Griffin, but with goals.

Im pretty happy with that tbh.

The voice of reason



Never thought I'd say that about you.

[Dave Gale]

Browsing through the photo gallery on the official website for "Harte's career in pictures" it does make you realise how much experience this guy has. It's immense - seeing him against Beckham, Rivaldo, Van Nistelroy, Scholes, Makelele, Figo, Cantona.... true, they're all old themselves or inactive now, so shows he's no spring chicken, but all great players!! Gareth Barry is in one of the shots, he's still current... so that makes my point a bit more valid.

Then he's played with Robbie Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Alan Smith, and so on. This kind of experience demands respect and i'm sure he'll give the dressing room a boost a bit like Griffin did. Even if he doesn't play all the time, as a mentor to the younger players, he offers a lot.

[Row Z Royal]

We sell our best player for a ton of cash, and sign this past it league 1 player.

+1

relegation seems likely

Quoted for posterity.

[FiNeRaIn]

Its important not to over-react either way. We need a left back because frankly williams is awful - harte has played at a much higher level and will at least be a threat from set pieces like sig was as well as offering more experience. I'm not too bothered having him there for a season and will not harp on about the sig money in relation to him like people are - he would probably have been signed anyway with the injuries we have. The club didn't plan to lose sig and if anyone thinks we were going to go rash and start spending money in the dying hours of transfer deadline to appease fans and show ambition you are very wrong.

Its not secret I completely disagree with the way the clubs run, I feel ripped off. But I would much rather we had time to weigh up potential signings and spend the money more wisely in January. That said, part of me thinks JM will hope the fans forget about the money so he doesn't have to spend it. Not filled with confidence at all - January will be where Im waiting to see whats really going on and that will influence whether or not I renew my season ticket next year. We've got a massive amount of cash for one player - I expect to see a few million of it invested in 2/3 players to strengthen the squad as a whole.

[RoyalBlue]

Probably a reasonable player although not exactly what we need in terms of priorities.

Not his fault that he is signed for a pittance on the day Madejski sold the supporters short by a good few million!

[Victor Meldrew]

Tell me it's not true that we paid money for him.
He has been on free transfers and loans in recent years and is a defender that can't tackle.
So we now have Bryn,Ivar,Griff and Harte all well over 30-this is hardly building a team,let alone building a team for the Premier League.
I see this as a similar signing to Bodin-an ex-international who has a fine left-foot but can't run.

[Row Z Royal]

Probably a reasonable player although not exactly what we need in terms of priorities.

Not his fault that he is signed for a pittance on the day Madejski sold the supporters short by a good few million!

I can't believe that you really think this is true. Top fishing!

[Arch]

Its important not to over-react either way. We need a left back because frankly williams is awful - harte has played at a much higher level and will at least be a threat from set pieces like sig was as well as offering more experience. I'm not too bothered having him there for a season and will not harp on about the sig money in relation to him like people are - he would probably have been signed anyway with the injuries we have. The club didn't plan to lose sig and if anyone thinks we were going to go rash and start spending money in the dying hours of transfer deadline to appease fans and show ambition you are very wrong.

Its not secret I completely disagree with the way the clubs run, I feel ripped off. But I would much rather we had time to weigh up potential signings and spend the money more wisely in January. That said, part of me thinks JM will hope the fans forget about the money so he doesn't have to spend it. Not filled with confidence at all - January will be where Im waiting to see whats really going on and that will influence whether or not I renew my season ticket next year. We've got a massive amount of cash for one player - I expect to see a few million of it invested in 2/3 players to strengthen the squad as a whole.

Spot on. I doubt whether there will be a "few million" invested, but depending on our position we might see one or two fixes brought in for problem positions (like, say, striker).

[Focher]

18 goals last season........

Some people on here would think we are fucking Man Utd the way they go on, very similar signing to Griffin, but with goals.

Im pretty happy with that tbh.

The voice of reason



Never thought I'd say that about you.

if only you knew who i was RWC

[Dave Gale]

Maybe he can teach them to party like Leeds players in the year 2000..
Prison is the likely experience to be gained.

I realise this may be a tongue in cheek retort but on that logic should Rio never get a chance to be England Captain because of association to his Leeds days. I'm sure a decade on he's matured into a man and, as previously posted, his experience will rub off in a positive way on the squad.

[Mr Angry]

Maybe he can teach them to party like Leeds players in the year 2000..
Prison is the likely experience to be gained.

I realise this may be a tongue in cheek retort but on that logic should Rio never get a chance to be England Captain because of association to his Leeds days. I'm sure a decade on he's matured into a man and, as previously posted, his experience will rub off in a positive way on the squad.

It was tongue in cheek, but if we are talking factual stuff:
Difference being Rio Ferdinand has gone on to captain Manchester United and feature regularly for them, in one of the worlds best teams.
Ian Harte has been stranded in a wilderness, playing for backyard teams, not featuring regularly, seemingly unfit and unwilling to train properly.
Call it what you will, but I see no signs of professionalism in a player who has allowed himself to be unfit physically and wasted 7-8 years of his career doing nothing at nothing clubs in nowhere leagues.

That is arrogant nonsense; the guy has helped an unfashionable team get promotion by being a leader on the pitch, and yet you choose to belittle him and teams like Carlisle United.

It may have escaped your notice but not that long ago we wern't that much different to teams like Carlisle.

FFS - its cr@p like this that makes me despair of some Reading fans!

[Mr Angry]

Its important not to over-react either way. We need a left back because frankly williams is awful - harte has played at a much higher level and will at least be a threat from set pieces like sig was as well as offering more experience. I'm not too bothered having him there for a season and will not harp on about the sig money in relation to him like people are - he would probably have been signed anyway with the injuries we have. The club didn't plan to lose sig and if anyone thinks we were going to go rash and start spending money in the dying hours of transfer deadline to appease fans and show ambition you are very wrong.

Its not secret I completely disagree with the way the clubs run, I feel ripped off. But I would much rather we had time to weigh up potential signings and spend the money more wisely in January. That said, part of me thinks JM will hope the fans forget about the money so he doesn't have to spend it. Not filled with confidence at all - January will be where Im waiting to see whats really going on and that will influence whether or not I renew my season ticket next year. We've got a massive amount of cash for one player - I expect to see a few million of it invested in 2/3 players to strengthen the squad as a whole.

I totally agree with this; its not that The Sig was sold (as we all suspected he would be if not now, certainly in Jan) nor the amount we got for him, but WHEN the deal was done; frankly we had a specific target for defensive cover in Zurab (hasn't EVERYBODY been demanding we sign him??) but we simply aren't going to throw £M's at players simply so that when the children go back to school they have something to boast about to their Man Utd and Chelsea supporting classmates.

January will be very interesting however, and like Fine Rain, I agree that then will be the time we really see if there is more ambition than simply not getting relegated (which is genuinely what it feels like tonoght).

[RoyalBlue]

Probably a reasonable player although not exactly what we need in terms of priorities.

Not his fault that he is signed for a pittance on the day Madejski sold the supporters short by a good few million!

I can't believe that you really think this is true. Top fishing!

OMG what sort of hold has Madejski got over you people!

He trots out the usual crap and you swallow it hook, line and sinker!

£6M+ in (no matter how you cut the deal) and being generous a couple of hundred grand out. That is definitely selling supporters short by a few million, particularly when even at the start of this season he was pedalling his usual shit about promotion to the PL.

No wonder the man had such an affinity with the car sales business.

[Row Z Royal]

Probably a reasonable player although not exactly what we need in terms of priorities.

Not his fault that he is signed for a pittance on the day Madejski sold the supporters short by a good few million!

I can't believe that you really think this is true. Top fishing!

OMG what sort of hold has Madejski got over you people!

He trots out the usual crap and you swallow it hook, line and sinker!

£6M+ in (no matter how you cut the deal) and being generous a couple of hundred grand out. That is definitely selling supporters short by a few million, particularly when even at the start of this season he was pedalling his usual shit about promotion to the PL.

No wonder the man had such an affinity with the car sales business.

Ho ho

[RoyalBlue]

I've watched him play for carlisle last season, he was muck for a few seasons before that but got his form and fitness back in a big way and was electric last year getting on the leagues team of the season to boot. Easily one of the best set piece specialists in the world and not as slow as people say, I rate him very highly. Think its an astute signing.
Don't forget this guy was once the best left back in the premiership and a world cup starter, he's 33 not 37 and form is temporary class is permanent.

So our former chief scout signs Williams (when we had bugger all money available) and now takes advantage of Madejski's extreme generosity to sign another left back who can score goals! Where does that leave Williams?

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

I've watched him play for carlisle last season, he was muck for a few seasons before that but got his form and fitness back in a big way and was electric last year getting on the leagues team of the season to boot. Easily one of the best set piece specialists in the world and not as slow as people say, I rate him very highly. Think its an astute signing.
Don't forget this guy was once the best left back in the premiership and a world cup starter, he's 33 not 37 and form is temporary class is permanent.

So our former chief scout signs Williams (when we had bugger all money available) and now takes advantage of Madejski's extreme generosity to sign another left back who can score goals! Where does that leave Williams?

On the treatment table

[Row Z Royal]

I've watched him play for carlisle last season, he was muck for a few seasons before that but got his form and fitness back in a big way and was electric last year getting on the leagues team of the season to boot. Easily one of the best set piece specialists in the world and not as slow as people say, I rate him very highly. Think its an astute signing.
Don't forget this guy was once the best left back in the premiership and a world cup starter, he's 33 not 37 and form is temporary class is permanent.

So our former chief scout signs Williams (when we had bugger all money available) and now takes advantage of Madejski's extreme generosity to sign another left back who can score goals! Where does that leave Williams?

I'm going to be a bit mental here and give you a proper answe.

I would imagine that they'll compete for the role with one covering for the other. Armstrong's never going to play again ( ) and Cummings isn't the cover long-term.

[Mr Angry]

Ok, so it is your position that the 7-8 years before that, which he spent doing little of anything, being free transfered from this club to that club, makes him a great pro?
If so, then you are deluded.

I think you will find that he helped one club (Levante) get promoted into La Liga, and as well as helping Carlisle stay in League 1 was in the League 1 PFA Team for last season.

Oh, and he has 64 caps for Eire.

I suggest that he has experience, set piece ability and scores some quality goals from free kicks.

Furthermore, in my mind a player who wants to contiune playing at a lower level despite having played in a Champions League Semi Final deserves respect.

I may be (in your eyes) deluded Ideal, but I would rather be deluded than be like you - someone who knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing.

[DelBoyRodders]

Ian Harte
Great attacking fullback. Good team player and very loyal to his clubs.
Awesome left foot and one of the best freekick takers in the world.
Can only be a good thing for Reading FC.

[Maguire]

Is he still a left back?

18 goals last season seems ridiculous for a left back. I'm guessing most were free-kicks and pens?

Official site says he was playing centre-back for Carlisle. Not sure whether to believe that. Either way yes, I'm sure they were mostly set-pieces.

He did play centre-back and scored 9 headers plus 9 free-kicks/pens apparently.

Played 59 out of 60 games last season too, which is something to consider for whoever branded him "unprofessional"

Squad player but as late back-up for a side with barely a fit full-back he'll do.