Shane Long is the new Number 9

[leww_rfc]

fold the club

'Greed.

This shocking move confirms that we have no intention of strengthening our front line. It's a terrible backwards step.

Does anyone on here genuinely think that Tommy Smith will accept a squad number outside the first 11? What a farce.

well if its true as said up there somewhere ^ that Marek is no. 8, then 7 is available for smith.

[RobRoyal]

fold the club

'Greed.

This shocking move confirms that we have no intention of strengthening our front line. It's a terrible backwards step.

Does anyone on here genuinely think that Tommy Smith will accept a squad number outside the first 11? What a farce.

well if its true as said up there somewhere ^ that Marek is no. 8, then 7 is available for smith.

Oh, great. And then all we've got to do is find a decent right-winger who doesn't mind wearing number 29. Or else we're stuck with KEBE!

HAMMOND OUT.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

well if its true as said up there somewhere ^ that Marek is no. 8, then 7 is available for smith.

I think Tabb has 7

[Isaac Hunt]

With a bit of luck the number 10 should hopefully be available before the start of the season too!

[Hoop Blah]

Training numbers mean nothing... beckham used to have a stupid number when number 7 for man utd when training, was something like 43.

Have we suddenly become Man Utd then? Or perhaps we've nicked their old kitman to help Selby replace Ron Grant?

Over the last few years I'm pretty sure we've seen that Reading players training kit is all numbered up with their squad numbers.

Long claiming the number 9 shows a bit of self-confidence, much like when he battled Hunt for the ball when we had that penalty last season.

[Y21_Royal]

Even my the Team Board's standards this is pretty poor effort...

Shane Long has number 9 on his shorts, stop the press!! You haven't even posted the picture to prove it...

[Barry the bird boggler]

Training numbers mean nothing... beckham used to have a stupid number when number 7 for man utd when training, was something like 43.

Have we suddenly become Man Utd then? Or perhaps we've nicked their old kitman to help Selby replace Ron Grant?

Over the last few years I'm pretty sure we've seen that Reading players training kit is all numbered up with their squad numbers.

Long claiming the number 9 shows a bit of self-confidence, much like when he battled Hunt for the ball when we had that penalty last season.

It doesn't mean a thing what numbers they're currently wearing, I've seen players training and even warming up in the wrong kit numbers over the years so the fact that someone's grabbed a particular shirt in the early days of pre season is meaningless. Therefore Shane may or may not be no. 9 next season, personally I couldn't give a lemonade shandy about it.

Just goes to show how bored we all are with the lack of transfer activity that this is causing so much interest!

[Plymouth_Royal]

Even my the Team Board's standards this is pretty poor effort...

Shane Long has number 9 on his shorts, stop the press!! You haven't even posted the picture to prove it...

I cant get the link to work but its the 28th pic if you start from the top.
I think the idea of giving him doyle's old number is a bit of a confidence boost from the club, in hope he can fill his potential in the final year of his contract. good luck to him.

[loyalroyal4life]

well done shane, you've derserved it

[Snowball]

fold the club

'Greed.

This shocking move confirms that we have no intention of strengthening our front line. It's a terrible backwards step.

Does anyone on here genuinely think that Tommy Smith will accept a squad number outside the first 11? What a farce.

Agreed, giving Thierry Henry the Number 14 absolutely ruined him.

[Thaumagurist*]

Agreed, giving Thierry Henry the Number 14 absolutely ruined him.

He was shit anyway, whatever number he was.

[TFF]

fold the club

'Greed.

This shocking move confirms that we have no intention of strengthening our front line. It's a terrible backwards step.

Does anyone on here genuinely think that Tommy Smith will accept a squad number outside the first 11? What a farce.

[Hoop Blah]

It doesn't mean a thing what numbers they're currently wearing, I've seen players training and even warming up in the wrong kit numbers over the years so the fact that someone's grabbed a particular shirt in the early days of pre season is meaningless. Therefore Shane may or may not be no. 9 next season, personally I couldn't give a lemonade shandy about it.

Just goes to show how bored we all are with the lack of transfer activity that this is causing so much interest!

My point was that more recently we've seen that the players training kit has matched their squad numbers, so, as irrelevant as it is, I think this does mean that Long has been given the number 9 shirt and the possible explanation about Beckham wearing all sorts of numbers has no relevance whatsoever.

I'm sure there was a very similar conversation a year or so back where people were saying it doesn't mean a thing etc etc, and pretty much all of the numbers matched up when they were announced.

[SLAMMED]

Good for him. Well done Shane.

I like your username.

Ghey.

[Handsome Man]

fold the club

'Greed.

This shocking move confirms that we have no intention of strengthening our front line. It's a terrible backwards step.

Does anyone on here genuinely think that Tommy Smith will accept a squad number outside the first 11? What a farce.

There's still hope he will go to Sheffield Utd

[seahawk10]

Can someone explain why #9 is special? Is it just a history of a team's best striker wearing #9? I noticed that on national teams the best striker is typically in 9 or 10.

Interested to learn more about this if someone has time.

Who were Reading's past #9's? I remember Doyle wearing 19 when he first got to Reading but can't remember who #9 was then.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

Can someone explain why #9 is special? Is it just a history of a team's best striker wearing #9? I noticed that on national teams the best striker is typically in 9 or 10.

Interested to learn more about this if someone has time.

Who were Reading's past #9's? I remember Doyle wearing 19 when he first got to Reading but can't remember who #9 was then.

i seem to remember there was no number 9 when Doyle arrived, or for the whole that season. Goater had the season before. I know they offered it to Kitson, but he wanted to stay with 12

[SLAMMED]

Can someone explain why #9 is special? Is it just a history of a team's best striker wearing #9? I noticed that on national teams the best striker is typically in 9 or 10.

Interested to learn more about this if someone has time.

Who were Reading's past #9's? I remember Doyle wearing 19 when he first got to Reading but can't remember who #9 was then.

04/05 number 9 was Shaun Goater, 05/06 there was no number 9.

[SteveRoyal]

Long deserves the Number 9. Patiently waiting for his chance in the first team and this season he could shine and make significant steps towards becoming a decent striker.

[floyd__streete]

he could shine and make significant steps towards becoming a decent striker.

Yeah and I want to moonwalk, son, but life's a sh*thouse.