Official RFC Clownovic Day. The protest thread

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Whole thing is a shambles... from what is going on at the Club at present to this 'protest'

1- No one is aligned as to what they are protesting about - Dai/ Kia/ Pauno (but lets face it, if we were winning games and weren't in a relegation battle there wouldn't be a protest). The time, the type of protest and what the protest about - until those three things are agreed this is just going to be another embarrassing mess which we will be ridiculed for - and rightly so.
2- No one was getting upset when we were spending the money trying to get us up, players on silly wages like Puscas et al. Now results haven't gone our way and the money pumped in hasn't worked the toys are now being thrown out the pram. Would love to revisit the transfer thread from that summer in here and see some of the comments from those most vocal in here now criticising the spending and the owner...
3- Dai has invested heavily, serious amount of money - and quite simply has been badly advised, yet some want him out for being badly advised, and despite some saying it wouldn't happen - watch his walk and leave us even more in the sh*t. Kia needs to go, that is the one thing the fanbase is united on.

We all 'want our Reading back' - but what outcome do we want from this protest. A statement from the owner saying he cares and will stop spending silly money risking our future (which he is doing now anyway with the agreed EFL business plan)?

Saw there was even talk of a walkout after kick off - just what the team needs when we are literally desperate for any points we can get, our supporters walking out on them.

Whole thing is embarrassing - let's just get behind the team, support them and try and do our part to keep us in the league, because if we are a League One team next season we are in real real trouble.

Yes agree, priority now is to back the team which oddly enough works. look at Derby on Sunday...the fans got them that point v Brum. "We all want our Reading back" well if you look at the 150 years that's at Elm Park in front on 4000 fans watching sides like Rochdale and Barrow with chairmen generally viewing the role as a status symbol like Frank Waller.

[Royality creeps In]

And many of the posts on this thread are typical of our namby pamby support who are quite happy to roll over and have your bellies tickled by the people making the decisions at our club.
I bet most of you sit on the coaches to the games with your thermos flasks politely clapping as we lose another oxf*rd game (Those that actually go to games)
Quite frankly we deserve to be relegated with some of the apathy exhibited.
Maybe a peaceful protest will make the management sit up and see, maybe they wont.
However they will be aware that hardened fans of Reading are not happy at what is currently happening at the club.

As for you 'Wet Lettuces' (Not fans) who purport to follow our club

[hughsies no.1]

And many of the posts on this thread are typical of our namby pamby support who are quite happy to roll over and have your bellies tickled by the people making the decisions at our club.
I bet most of you sit on the coaches to the games with your thermos flasks politely clapping as we lose another oxf*rd game (Those that actually go to games)
Quite frankly we deserve to be relegated with some of the apathy exhibited.
Maybe a peaceful protest will make the management sit up and see, maybe they wont.
However they will be aware that hardened fans of Reading are not happy at what is currently happening at the club.

As for you 'Wet Lettuces' (Not fans) who purport to follow our club

The state of this

So what are you protesting about then and what outcome do you want?

[Dirk Gently]

And many of the posts on this thread are typical of our namby pamby support who are quite happy to roll over and have your bellies tickled by the people making the decisions at our club.
I bet most of you sit on the coaches to the games with your thermos flasks politely clapping as we lose another oxf*rd game (Those that actually go to games)
Quite frankly we deserve to be relegated with some of the apathy exhibited.
Maybe a peaceful protest will make the management sit up and see, maybe they wont.
However they will be aware that hardened fans of Reading are not happy at what is currently happening at the club.

As for you 'Wet Lettuces' (Not fans) who purport to follow our club

The state of this

So what are you protesting about then and what outcome do you want?

QED.

As usual, it's all about someone proving that they're a better fan than everyone else...

[Vision]

What about if we literally can't afford to pay him off?

His contract is up at the end of the season, so it won't cost us anymore to sack him now than it would for him to see out his contract. Getting someone else in could be an issue, but shouldn't be given we've ditched some high earners.

We also don't know what the terms of our agreement with the EFL involves.

It may well be that we're not allowed to sack him if we're having to pay him in full, and bring someone from the outside to replace him.

It's unlikely but not entirely unfeasible although lets be honest even then we might still better off dumping him and promoting Gilkes/Fortune for the remainder of the season.

[Zip]

The Coventry game should be a celebration about our club. We are one of the oldest clubs in the world. If fans want to protest I don’t think this is the right day to do it.
I would much rather we make use of having a large crowd for a change and try and back the team as loudly as possible.

As has also been said what are we protesting about?

[genome]

By the way, there's no way I'm turning up to the match in a clown wig, because I'm a grown adult.

Also, I haven't got a ticket.

[karbota]

The Coventry game should be a celebration about our club. We are one of the oldest clubs in the world. If fans want to protest I don’t think this is the right day to do it.
I would much rather we make use of having a large crowd for a change and try and back the team as loudly as possible.

As has also been said what are we protesting about?

Yes, +1 and the plastics can FO.

[karbota]

The Coventry game should be a celebration about our club. We are one of the oldest clubs in the world. If fans want to protest I don’t think this is the right day to do it.
I would much rather we make use of having a large crowd for a change and try and back the team as loudly as possible.

As has also been said what are we protesting about?

Yes, +1 and the plastics can FO.

[NathStPaul]

This is going to be one of the most embarrassing things thats ever happened involving Reading FC isn't it?

[genome]

This is going to be one of the most embarrassing things thats ever happened involving Reading FC isn't it?

One of. The premature pitch invasion won't be topped.

[Sanguine]

What about if we literally can't afford to pay him off?

His contract is up at the end of the season, so it won't cost us anymore to sack him now than it would for him to see out his contract. Getting someone else in could be an issue, but shouldn't be given we've ditched some high earners.

We also don't know what the terms of our agreement with the EFL involves.

It may well be that we're not allowed to sack him if we're having to pay him in full, and bring someone from the outside to replace him.

It's unlikely but not entirely unfeasible although lets be honest even then we might still better off dumping him and promoting Gilkes/Fortune for the remainder of the season.

This is the reality. Not saying it would be a bad thing necessarily, but if we sack Paunovic, we are getting Gilkes/Fortune, not a Warnock or whoever, unless they want to work for free.

[Stranded]

His contract is up at the end of the season, so it won't cost us anymore to sack him now than it would for him to see out his contract. Getting someone else in could be an issue, but shouldn't be given we've ditched some high earners.

We also don't know what the terms of our agreement with the EFL involves.

It may well be that we're not allowed to sack him if we're having to pay him in full, and bring someone from the outside to replace him.

It's unlikely but not entirely unfeasible although lets be honest even then we might still better off dumping him and promoting Gilkes/Fortune for the remainder of the season.

This is the reality. Not saying it would be a bad thing necessarily, but if we sack Paunovic, we are getting Gilkes/Fortune, not a Warnock or whoever, unless they want to work for free.

We do know the terms of the agreement with the EFL - you just need to go to the EFL website and you can read the agreed decision.

Managerial wages do not form part of the set playing budget, but naturally we have to limit our FFP losses to, I believe, 13m or less so any spend on a new manager/staff is going to be limited or close to zero.

There is no mention in the decision about the EFL having a say on managerial changes - if we wanted to fire him we can. Their view on any new manager now would likely be, "if you can maintain your losses to those under the agreement then that's fine" - playing side is different due to a set agreed budget.

Of course there is nothing stopping us being a little creative i.e. agreeing a conctract with a new manager where they get a minimal wage i.e 2k pw with a bonus of 250k payable over the next 2 or 3 years if we stay up or an agreed pay rise once VPs wages are off the books.

Likelihood would of course be that we end up with Gilkes/Fortune or even a senior player like Morrison or Dann taking a first step at management.

[Royal_jimmy]

Protest should be against the manager only for now.

Future ones should be about running of the club if the owner doesn't learn his lesson. But as what's rightly been said a lot of money has been invested into the club, even if sometimes they seem clueless (taking 3 months too long to sack Stam, probably a month too long to sack Pauno).

[Sanguine]

Remarkable number of fans who just want to make Paunovic feel like shit. I know my view isn't a popular one, but I find it odd.

[NathStPaul]

Remarkable number of fans who just want to make Paunovic feel like shit. I know my view isn't a popular one, but I find it odd.

I think if he had shown an ounce of humility and contrition it would be a bit different, he has brought a lot on this himself by talking complete nonsense and consistently making the same mistakes over and over again. There doesn't appear to be any desire from his side to change his ways so it has left the supporters with no alternative but to go for him. When you lose to a National League North side and then 7-0 at home you have to expect some flack if you choose to remain as manager.

What I will say is I have seen a lot of references made to his nationality on social media. "Serbian fraud" "the Serbian" etc etc. There is absolutely no need to mention his nationality or the fact he is a foreign manager, it is cheap and moderately offensive. Attack his tactics, attack his post-match comments all you like but lets leave where he is from alone, no need for it.

[paultheroyal]

This is going to be one of the most embarrassing things thats ever happened involving Reading FC isn't it?

Damp squib springs to mind.

[PistolPete]

Whole thing is a shambles... from what is going on at the Club at present to this 'protest'

1- No one is aligned as to what they are protesting about - Dai/ Kia/ Pauno (but lets face it, if we were winning games and weren't in a relegation battle there wouldn't be a protest). The time, the type of protest and what the protest about - until those three things are agreed this is just going to be another embarrassing mess which we will be ridiculed for - and rightly so.
2- No one was getting upset when we were spending the money trying to get us up, players on silly wages like Puscas et al. Now results haven't gone our way and the money pumped in hasn't worked the toys are now being thrown out the pram. Would love to revisit the transfer thread from that summer in here and see some of the comments from those most vocal in here now criticising the spending and the owner...
3- Dai has invested heavily, serious amount of money - and quite simply has been badly advised, yet some want him out for being badly advised, and despite some saying it wouldn't happen - watch his walk and leave us even more in the sh*t. Kia needs to go, that is the one thing the fanbase is united on.

We all 'want our Reading back' - but what outcome do we want from this protest. A statement from the owner saying he cares and will stop spending silly money risking our future (which he is doing now anyway with the agreed EFL business plan)?

Saw there was even talk of a walkout after kick off - just what the team needs when we are literally desperate for any points we can get, our supporters walking out on them.

Whole thing is embarrassing - let's just get behind the team, support them and try and do our part to keep us in the league, because if we are a League One team next season we are in real real trouble.

Yes agree, priority now is to back the team which oddly enough works. look at Derby on Sunday...the fans got them that point v Brum. "We all want our Reading back" well if you look at the 150 years that's at Elm Park in front on 4000 fans watching sides like Rochdale and Barrow with chairmen generally viewing the role as a status symbol like Frank Waller.

Agree wholeheartedly with Hughsie and Mid Sussex.

[Sanguine]

Remarkable number of fans who just want to make Paunovic feel like shit. I know my view isn't a popular one, but I find it odd.

I think if he had shown an ounce of humility and contrition it would be a bit different, he has brought a lot on this himself by talking complete nonsense and consistently making the same mistakes over and over again. There doesn't appear to be any desire from his side to change his ways so it has left the supporters with no alternative but to go for him. When you lose to a National League North side and then 7-0 at home you have to expect some flack if you choose to remain as manager.

What I will say is I have seen a lot of references made to his nationality on social media. "Serbian fraud" "the Serbian" etc etc. There is absolutely no need to mention his nationality or the fact he is a foreign manager, it is cheap and moderately offensive. Attack his tactics, attack his post-match comments all you like but lets leave where he is from alone, no need for it.

I think he has done what 98% of managers would do - try to talk up the team, tactics, approach, keep things as positive as possible. It might be naive of him, or unrealistic, but I think we're getting into silly season if we start talking about 'humility and contrition' - he owes us nothing, and certainly has nothing to apologise for, he is, as any manager would be, trying his best.

[RG30]

Good luck to those protesting. If it gets Pauno out of a job it can be considered nothing but a success.