TAKEOVER *NOT* CONFIMRED

[blythspartan]

The only really enjoyable seasons in the Championship for me were McGhee's time and Coppell,s-McGhee's because of the style and Coppell's for the style and the realisation that we had a team that would hold it's own at the top level.

Would add the first season under Pardew to this after we got promoted, finished 4th and lost in the playoffs to Wolves.

I quite enjoyed the 2008/9 season. If we’d beaten Brum in that final home game we’d have got automatic promotion, as we had a superior goal difference. I went to the game at St Andrews when we won 3-1.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I think I enjoyed pretty much every season from 2000 to 2012 being honest. They were good years. Only possible exception was 2009 as a calendar year, which started with us bottling promotion before moving on to the doomed Rodgers era. And we had a 11 month or so winless run at home spanning both of them.

[Snowflake Royal]

Would add the first season under Pardew to this after we got promoted, finished 4th and lost in the playoffs to Wolves.

I quite enjoyed the 2008/9 season. If we’d beaten Brum in that final home game we’d have got automatic promotion, as we had a superior goal difference. I went to the game at St Andrews when we won 3-1.

I didn’t think Adkins second Champ season was that bad either... albeit I didn’t go to the 6-0 at Brum (was that it) definitely the first clear sign of decline though.

Enjoyed the Jim and Mick years even though they were a struggle. It felt like we were struggling to compete at the top of what we could manage at that time, whereas recently we've been very sub par for what we should be capable of.

The Pardew years in tier 3 were pretty good too.

[blythspartan]

I stupidly remember thinking when we won the title in 2011/12, with a rich Russian owner that we’d never have any financial issues again. I honestly thought we were in the Premier League to stay. Little did I know that was the start of our demise with the Vibrac loan etc.

[MartinRdg]

To be honest, I remember coming away from the home game against Fulham in 2006/07, a scrappy 1-0 win and thinking "I've just watched the future and it's oxf*rd turgid".

That's the date it dawned on me that the Premier League ain't the be all and end all. The journey there was more fun than being there.

I was a season ticket holder for many years before the first premiership season. I renewed for the premiership season but, by the end of that season, I was disillusioned by some of the turgid matches and one-sided teams I saw at the Mad Stad. I didn't renew for the second season because of that and didn't go to another match until we were back in the Championship.

[WestYorksRoyal]

The closest we came to enjoyment and reversing the decline after 2013 was 2 months or so under Clarke in 2015. The football was good, the squad seemed to have the depth, ability and coaching to sustain a challenge before the wheels fell off.

By contrast, 16/17 was turgid football and I have no idea how we finished 3rd. In 20/21 we had a thin squad reliant on Joao and it was clear we were not equipped to last the distance. I didn't particularly enjoy either of those seasons, especially as the 2nd was behind closed doors.

[Sutekh]

Would add the first season under Pardew to this after we got promoted, finished 4th and lost in the playoffs to Wolves.

I quite enjoyed the 2008/9 season. If we’d beaten Brum in that final home game we’d have got automatic promotion, as we had a superior goal difference. I went to the game at St Andrews when we won 3-1.

I didn’t think Adkins second Champ season was that bad either... albeit I didn’t go to the 6-0 at Brum (was that it) definitely the first clear sign of decline though.

Enjoyed the Jim and Mick years even though they were a struggle. It felt like we were struggling to compete at the top of what we could manage at that time, whereas recently we've been very sub par for what we should be capable of.

The Pardew years in tier 3 were pretty good too.

Really enjoyed Jim and Mick years for what they were despite the struggling, really annoyed with JM for not giving them some "reward" by letting them manage through the final season at EP esp. as the taxi was allowed a decent budget for players which they never got!

The last decade has really not been worth watching in the slightest, not just because of the useless owner but because of the cascade of clueless crap managers with their dreadful ideas for football "entertainment".

[MartinRdg]

Really enjoyed Jim and Mick years for what they were despite the struggling, really annoyed with JM for not giving them some "reward" by letting them manage through the final season at EP esp. as the taxi was allowed a decent budget for players which they never got!

The last decade has really not been worth watching in the slightest, not just because of the useless owner but because of the cascade of clueless crap managers with their dreadful ideas for football "entertainment".

Would be good to have a manager who has a full preseason and then a full season to see what he can do. The last one to have that was Paul Ince but he doesn't really count because of the restrictions in place for signings and, before that, was Jaap Stam.

[leon]

Really enjoyed Jim and Mick years for what they were despite the struggling, really annoyed with JM for not giving them some "reward" by letting them manage through the final season at EP esp. as the taxi was allowed a decent budget for players which they never got!

The last decade has really not been worth watching in the slightest, not just because of the useless owner but because of the cascade of clueless crap managers with their dreadful ideas for football "entertainment".

Would be good to have a manager who has a full preseason and then a full season to see what he can do. The last one to have that was Paul Ince but he doesn't really count because of the restrictions in place for signings and, before that, was Jaap Stam.

All of our managers in the last 10 years (?) have been shit apart from Clarke for a bit until he turned into a fcuking judas twat (Fulham ffs) and he looked like he'd shat himself in a lift and Stam but his football was just terrible.

Special mentions go to Clement who seemed to be educationally sub normal and Ince who I think was.

[blythspartan]

I see a new catering partnership has been announced so hopefully that’s a fairly good sign.

[RG30]

I wouldn't read anything into it. Compass/Levy contract ran out end of this season and was always going to change regardless.

[MartinRdg]

I see a new catering partnership has been announced so hopefully that’s a fairly good sign.

Depends if it's better than Compass

[Mr Angry]

I'm another who became disillusioned with not just Reading, but football generally, after we got promoted the 2nd time; the 05/06 squad kept the friendly approachable ethos that had existed before we hit the big-time and managed to stay grounded in the first 2 seasons in Prem, but once the Russians took over, all that seemed to get lost.

Giving support to footballers who didn't seem connected to the fans in anyway, and who - frankly - didn't seem to care meant that going to games just became a chore; as a result, I wasn't enjoying it anymore and thought "sod this" and simply stopped going. (I was going to watch an evening home game v Man City; met up with a fellow nobber who wasn't going to the game, and just stayed in the pub all evening rather than go to the game!)

I am beginning to feel the first stirrings of wanting to go again as a result of this season; the way that this squad and Management have battled through all the off-field and ownership cr@p to become an attractive, intelligent team to watch again, where it actually feel is if they and the supporters are all on the same page, has made me genuinely care about the team once more.

[retro royal]

Biggest hope we've got is our great academy and training ground, though I think these will be lost in time unless Championship football is maintained at a minimum. The training ground business rates alone is going to be huge along with the stadium, we need the local councils to help out, but doubt they will with their current funding issues. The club surviving past this season is the only thing I want, can't imagine trying to even enjoy football if we go under.

[scumbag]

I'm another who became disillusioned with not just Reading, but football generally, after we got promoted the 2nd time; the 05/06 squad kept the friendly approachable ethos that had existed before we hit the big-time and managed to stay grounded in the first 2 seasons in Prem, but once the Russians took over, all that seemed to get lost.

Giving support to footballers who didn't seem connected to the fans in anyway, and who - frankly - didn't seem to care meant that going to games just became a chore; as a result, I wasn't enjoying it anymore and thought "sod this" and simply stopped going. (I was going to watch an evening home game v Man City; met up with a fellow nobber who wasn't going to the game, and just stayed in the pub all evening rather than go to the game!)

I am beginning to feel the first stirrings of wanting to go again as a result of this season; the way that this squad and Management have battled through all the off-field and ownership cr@p to become an attractive, intelligent team to watch again, where it actually feel is if they and the supporters are all on the same page, has made me genuinely care about the team once more.

Come back, you won't regret it. The place is transformed.

[Stranded]

I wouldn't read anything into it. Compass/Levy contract ran out end of this season and was always going to change regardless.

Whilst true, I also very much doubt that any catering company knowing the issues with payment Compass have experienced would enter into and happily announce a partnership with the club without some kind of confirmation that the financial situation at the club is about to markedly improve.

[royal67]

I am beginning to feel the first stirrings of wanting to go again as a result of this season;

Returning to the back row of of the upper west? Just like the good old days......

[Silver Fox]

I wouldn't read anything into it. Compass/Levy contract ran out end of this season and was always going to change regardless.

Whilst true, I also very much doubt that any catering company knowing the issues with payment Compass have experienced would enter into and happily announce a partnership with the club without some kind of confirmation that the financial situation at the club is about to markedly improve.

I'm surprised Compass got paid at all

[Snowflake Royal]

The next month is going to be super boring isn’t it.

Nothing to play for other than pride and momentum to take into next season in the remaining two games.

Contract negotiations and releases likely mostly on hold for the takeover. Blackout on takeover info until its done or falls through.

Speculation on new signings pointless until the takeover goes through, or if it doesn’t.

Hard to get too interested in ups and downs while we wait to see if we have a club.

[Sutekh]

Close seasons are always boring, this one will be more so until the take over is confirmed, upon which half this board will break down into various pessimistic diatribes on being owned by hedge funds/investment groups while the other half will go down the overbearingly optimistic route.

Therefore looking forward to an entertaining summer for once.