1946----2013

[Alexander Litvinenko]

Lack of success and lack of effort/application are not the same thing.

[Fox Talbot]

As you get older you get more distant from the culture of football in general - and not surprising - it's a young man's game.

At the moment there's a lot the club does that alienates me. And yes we've made a balls of this season but it was a tough ask.

Heigh ho. Well done to the OP for sticking with the club through some thin times. But I disagree that we'll go back to being a small club of the likes of Exeter, Shrewsbury, Orient. We're up there with the Leicesters and Forests now.

The higher you go in football the worse the hype, the cost, the bullshit, the fixture changes. That's the price you pay. Personally I wouldn't mind going back to Div Three so long as we were winning. It's a lot more real.

[Ouroboros]

As you get older you get more distant from the culture of football in general - and not surprising - it's a young man's game.

At the moment there's a lot the club does that alienates me. And yes we've made a balls of this season but it was a tough ask.

Heigh ho. Well done to the OP for sticking with the club through some thin times. But I disagree that we'll go back to being a small club of the likes of Exeter, Shrewsbury, Orient. We're up there with the Leicesters and Forests now.

The higher you go in football the worse the hype, the cost, the bullshit, the fixture changes. That's the price you pay. Personally I wouldn't mind going back to Div Three so long as we were winning. It's a lot more real.

Yeah, and fair play to the OP if he was distancing himself from the club because he's sick of the hyperreal bullshit that is the Premier League. In actual fact, though, he just doesn't like it when we lose.

[The Prisoner]

I can't afford a bottle of Bollinger for tonight and blame the club for charging me to go to the 2-1 home debacle against Coventry. I mean....Dele Adbole? Really?

I may sue.

Fear me RFC.

[SLAMMED]

I have no idea who you are and tbh couldn't care less that you're mincing off.

But thanks for taking the time out of your day to tell us all.

[peterroyal76]

after the Wigan disgrace ( and I'm sorry but that's what it was)

I hate to sound so patronising, but it was hardly a 'disgrace'.

We lost a Premier League game, over a decade ago we were losing games in League One. As I'm sure you are aware as a supporter of many years, the club has come on leaps and bounds from the days of minuscule crowds at Elm Park watching dire football.

A few seasons ago we were roundly smashed 4-1 at Plymouth, that was a near enough disgrace - heading towards League One with a squad good enough to be challenging for promotion.

We lost a game in the toughest league in the world, not a big deal is it?

The lack of effort and tactical nous were a disgrace though.

[Ian Royal]

Really surprised that nobody recalls that this poster has previous with throwing the toys out of the pram when things aren't going well. This is from 11 Sept 2011, after a 2-0 home defeat by Watford:

Well thank you R.F.C. for ruining our week. Our Golden Wedding anniversary, superb meal out with loads of friends, big home party with even more and then we go on Saturday to one of the worst games that I can remember in all my 60 + years of supporting this Club. And certainly this is my last as I, as well as the Chairman, can no longer afford to support such dross. My shirt will now be used to clean the car and whether I use my S/T again is open to doubt.Angry - you bet I am.
And, I know that some of you will defend him, but if you get such a negative outlook from SJM (I refuse to recognise the 'gongs' ) then this spreads right through the whole Club and now the supporters! Just thank goodness we did not use the expensive hospitality suite.
So if they go down a Division and more in the future as they deserve then I won't be there.
Goodbye!!!!

So how did that work out, R&A? An unexpected title-winning season got you onside for another year, did it?

But apparently the only thing worthy of your money is constant success, so you'll be off now until we're good again.

44 posts and you've already flounced off twice - that must be a record.

Looking forward to seeing you annouce another acrimonious departure some time in 2015.

facking 'ell if I'd realised this I wouldn't have tried so hard to be nice about it. What a dick.

[LUX]

come on R&A, renew that season ticket. Support your team.

I absolutely hate losing too, But that only makes the victories sweeter. Hopefully there's loads more of both to come.

[Born 'n Bred Royal]

I find it hard to believe that you've been supporting the team for this long...

Yes the players may be overpaid but this is the third ever season we've been in the top flight - something that seemed absolutely impossible before SJM invested and got us a new ground.

Let's enjoy going to grounds like Anfield and Old Trafford and watching world class talent grace the town. I know a lot of people don't like the 'punching above our weight' argument but that's exactly what we've been doing the last 10 years. Let's have a bit of realism about the size of our fanbase and income compared to the majority of other prem clubs, both are far inferior to the majority (except Wigan and fake hoops).

I want us to do well as much as the next fan but the players are working wonders just to be 1 point off safety with the quality we have - although I agree Wigan was a massive disappointment. All will be forgotten if we can beat Villa at home on Saturday I'm sure, but if we lose I can pretty much guarantee we'll be seeing more threads like these...

[Snowball]

It has been some journey but this old timer (coming up to 81) will not be renewing my S/T next season. My pension will be needed for life's essentials and after the Wigan disgrace ( and I'm sorry but that's what it was), I just don't have the incentive to pay to watch disinterested, overpaid players and a Manager patently out of his depth at this level.
I think we should have been reimbursed for that display!
Have many happy memories over the years.From early Elm Park days (the Wantage Road exit was open at half time so,as kids, you could nip in), lots of mud,leather,dubbin and Sloanes liniment. Meeting the players , Maurice Edelston, Dennis Allen, Jimmy Wheeler and others as, in those days Reading was a small market town. Seeing some of the greats, Tommy Lawton stands out for me, trying to forget standing on a table,singing, in the Spread. Going to the Matthews Cup final, all the 1966 games at Wembley. But now I have this feeling (as have others) of being let down badly. Lots of talk about the future from the top but unless a miracle happens (starting with Villa on Saturday- and dont underrate them!) relegation beckons. And we will be back to being a small club with limited ambition.
Rant over.
Good luck and best wishes to all Hob Nobbers

I totally agree with you about the Wigan game. If you're genuinely hard up and can't afford a ticket for next year I'll gladly go halves with anyone else on here who would be willing to help out an old supporter and buy you one.

I'm also retired/very poor/hard up/sad about the Wigan game.

Upper West please (and can I bring my son?)

[SLAMMED]

It has been some journey but this old timer (coming up to 81) will not be renewing my S/T next season. My pension will be needed for life's essentials and after the Wigan disgrace ( and I'm sorry but that's what it was), I just don't have the incentive to pay to watch disinterested, overpaid players and a Manager patently out of his depth at this level.
I think we should have been reimbursed for that display!
Have many happy memories over the years.From early Elm Park days (the Wantage Road exit was open at half time so,as kids, you could nip in), lots of mud,leather,dubbin and Sloanes liniment. Meeting the players , Maurice Edelston, Dennis Allen, Jimmy Wheeler and others as, in those days Reading was a small market town. Seeing some of the greats, Tommy Lawton stands out for me, trying to forget standing on a table,singing, in the Spread. Going to the Matthews Cup final, all the 1966 games at Wembley. But now I have this feeling (as have others) of being let down badly. Lots of talk about the future from the top but unless a miracle happens (starting with Villa on Saturday- and dont underrate them!) relegation beckons. And we will be back to being a small club with limited ambition.
Rant over.
Good luck and best wishes to all Hob Nobbers

I totally agree with you about the Wigan game. If you're genuinely hard up and can't afford a ticket for next year I'll gladly go halves with anyone else on here who would be willing to help out an old supporter and buy you one.

I'm not sure which one of you is the bigger twat

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I go back to 1971 and can think of many more embarrassing games than last Sat.I thought we were actually doing OK for 40 mins - we just lost the game in a 15 min period after that.

Another 3-0 at home to Wigan in Div 3 springs to mind as being worse at Elm Park circa 1990 and several end of season div 4 games played out to 2000 odd fans - I could list several.

Yes the players are overpaid hugely - that is not the fault of RFC - I'd blame it on clubs like Chelsea who started the "name your price" culture.

And finally yes this season has been a huge disappointment - I could understand if it was our first ever season at this level but it isn't and lessons have clearly not been learnt.

[Millsy]

The only "twats" here are those showing disrespect to an elderly man.

R and A, thanks for your post old boy. I can't agree with what you write and I'm rather surprised that it's coming from someone who has seen us improve massively. Yes this yo yo period up and down isn't pretty but the general trend has been upwards. Surely a young fool like me who only really properly jumped on the glory hunting bandwagon in 1995 should be the doom and gloom merchant and someone like you who's seen us through the bad times should be delighted that we even still exist. I'm rather confused!

I do agree though you shouldn't be spending your limited cash on a ST when the owners are being too careful with their money. If they can be careful so can we. Ive dne the same since the second Prem season. Good on you.

And I respect you for coming on here and telling us your opinions. It'd be great if you could start a thread with stories about the old days, for us younguns?

[Rex]

I have no idea who you are and tbh couldn't care less that you're mincing off.

But thanks for taking the time out of your day to tell us all.

Mincing off at his age could be worth a look.

[Arch]

So if I've got this right, sneaking in free to watch third division games = good times, paying the going rate to watch Premier League games = bad times. It's a point of view, and not completely irrational, but not exactly the moral high ground.

[seahawk10]

It has been some journey but this old timer (coming up to 81) will not be renewing my S/T next season. My pension will be needed for life's essentials and after the Wigan disgrace ( and I'm sorry but that's what it was), I just don't have the incentive to pay to watch disinterested, overpaid players and a Manager patently out of his depth at this level.
I think we should have been reimbursed for that display!
Have many happy memories over the years.From early Elm Park days (the Wantage Road exit was open at half time so,as kids, you could nip in), lots of mud,leather,dubbin and Sloanes liniment. Meeting the players , Maurice Edelston, Dennis Allen, Jimmy Wheeler and others as, in those days Reading was a small market town. Seeing some of the greats, Tommy Lawton stands out for me, trying to forget standing on a table,singing, in the Spread. Going to the Matthews Cup final, all the 1966 games at Wembley. But now I have this feeling (as have others) of being let down badly. Lots of talk about the future from the top but unless a miracle happens (starting with Villa on Saturday- and dont underrate them!) relegation beckons. And we will be back to being a small club with limited ambition.
Rant over.
Good luck and best wishes to all Hob Nobbers

Good on you for supporting Reading for such a long time. I am envious of some of the great football moments you must have seen. Keep the faith! I think we may just escape the chop! And if we don't, nowt wrong with another run at promotion in the championship!

[southbank1871]

Really surprised that nobody recalls that this poster has previous with throwing the toys out of the pram when things aren't going well. This is from 11 Sept 2011, after a 2-0 home defeat by Watford:

Well thank you R.F.C. for ruining our week. Our Golden Wedding anniversary, superb meal out with loads of friends, big home party with even more and then we go on Saturday to one of the worst games that I can remember in all my 60 + years of supporting this Club. And certainly this is my last as I, as well as the Chairman, can no longer afford to support such dross. My shirt will now be used to clean the car and whether I use my S/T again is open to doubt.Angry - you bet I am.
And, I know that some of you will defend him, but if you get such a negative outlook from SJM (I refuse to recognise the 'gongs' ) then this spreads right through the whole Club and now the supporters! Just thank goodness we did not use the expensive hospitality suite.
So if they go down a Division and more in the future as they deserve then I won't be there.
Goodbye!!!!

So how did that work out, R&A? An unexpected title-winning season got you onside for another year, did it?

But apparently the only thing worthy of your money is constant success, so you'll be off now until we're good again.

44 posts and you've already flounced off twice - that must be a record.

Looking forward to seeing you annouce another acrimonious departure some time in 2015.

Oof.

[trueroyal1871]

It has been some journey but this old timer (coming up to 81) will not be renewing my S/T next season. My pension will be needed for life's essentials and after the Wigan disgrace ( and I'm sorry but that's what it was), I just don't have the incentive to pay to watch disinterested, overpaid players and a Manager patently out of his depth at this level.
I think we should have been reimbursed for that display!
Have many happy memories over the years.From early Elm Park days (the Wantage Road exit was open at half time so,as kids, you could nip in), lots of mud,leather,dubbin and Sloanes liniment. Meeting the players , Maurice Edelston, Dennis Allen, Jimmy Wheeler and others as, in those days Reading was a small market town. Seeing some of the greats, Tommy Lawton stands out for me, trying to forget standing on a table,singing, in the Spread. Going to the Matthews Cup final, all the 1966 games at Wembley. But now I have this feeling (as have others) of being let down badly. Lots of talk about the future from the top but unless a miracle happens (starting with Villa on Saturday- and dont underrate them!) relegation beckons. And we will be back to being a small club with limited ambition.
Rant over.
Good luck and best wishes to all Hob Nobbers

I totally agree with you about the Wigan game. If you're genuinely hard up and can't afford a ticket for next year I'll gladly go halves with anyone else on here who would be willing to help out an old supporter and buy you one.

I'm not sure which one of you is the bigger twat

If offering to help out a fellow supporter who is finding it hard financially makes me a twat then so be it because it certainly beats being a no mark cunt like you. I mean look at you, 20000+ posts and I can't recall a single one of them.

[Rex]

Probably the one you're replying to but anyhow......

[SLAMMED]

If offering to help out a fellow supporter who is finding it hard financially makes me a twat then so be it because it certainly beats being a no mark cunt like you. I mean look at you, 20000+ posts and I can't recall a single one of them.

So you haven't bothered to read what he posted last year? He's on a massive wind up and you feel hook line and sinker.

The internet obviously isn't your thing.