Whatever happened to Ray Flanagan

[Gordons Cumming]

Yes - Death stuck in traffic so Dennis Butler played first 10 mins in goal and we had 10 men.

This was our most vital game of the season !! But we were unbeaten in 15 the manager thought he'd take a chance - which worked out OK.

We collapsed after that game and finished 8th didn't we?

Finished the season with an 8-0 thrashing of Southport.

[Vision]

Blimey. The first good post this year. Finally wittering about those blokes we grew up with when Reading were going nowhere at an excruciatingly slow pace.
On to the matter at hand – does anybody know what became of Richie Bowman and Pat Earles? For me Bowman was always the swashbuckling youngster with a soul-boy haircut and ill advised tache next to Pat Earles' rather staid father with a Douglas Herd style haircut.
And what happened to John Alexander? Although I guess my first game was around 1976 my first thrill of being at Elm Park was seeing him score a hat-trick (or was it four) and get sent off against Crewe Alexander.
As much as I'm enjoying this season memories like that will always hold something more pleasureable for me.

Bowman was hell of a player my first hero, I believe now runs a sandwich bar in London, has been back to do the Golden Gamble draw a couple of times. Pat Earles was a decent player although never scored enough goals for me was a victim of the boo boys and lost confidence, last herd working for social services in his native Southampton. John Alexander banged in 4 against Grimsby in a top of the table clash in 79. Sufferd a career ending injury at Brentford the next season, a real shame he was a good player. Don't ever recall him being sent off though?

Same as JC. Bowman was my first Reading hero. As a young child i'd watched the likes of Friday and Murray, who were great of course, but that 78-79 team will always remain close to my heart as it was the first season i went to virtually every home game and was old enough to begin to appreciate what i was seeing. Bowman was for me the stand out player and the heart and soul of that team.

[Amongst the sheep]

Fred should have fouled malcolm mcdonald during the luton game when it was one on one - thats a life time ago
what about percy freeman & les chappel anyone remember them?

My memorieof Percy Freeman were his wayward shooting normally taking out spectators behind the goal. Barrel chested centre forward of the old school.

Les Chappell now he is probably responsible for me supporting the Royals due to the number of goals he scored. I'm sure he bagged a few in my first game and continued for a few seasons. Much better strike rate than Percy.

[SpaghettiHoop]

I seem to remember Percy regularly clattering Cec Podd of Bradford City. Also Ray Flanagan getting his hair caught in his tracksuit top when coming on as substitute against Wycombe.

[coyrls]

Anybody who watched Reading in the 69/70 season must have been hooked; they were a great team to watch.

[royal madrid]

Thanks JC and Vision. It does sound as if we're all clinging on to the last vestige of youth.
My memory of the sending–off incident is probably tainted by my dad regaling anybody who would care to listen that the result was John Alexander 3(or four) Crewe Alexander Nil – as you can imagine, we dined out on that one for many years.
The sending off – I used to stand on the south bank adjacent to the 18 yard box of the Tilehurst Road end – seemed to be foor kicking the ball away, although Alexander claimed to not have heard the whistle.
Was anybody else there or is this apprently seminal formative moment a figment of my imagination?

[bcroyal]

[quote="Whistle"]Yes - Death stuck in traffic so Dennis Butler played first 10 mins in goal and we had 10 men.

How could he be stuck in traffic - he never drove & lived about 4 doors away from Elm Park!

Percy Freeman left the game to go back to being a scaffolder 'cos he could earn more money.

[Ark Royal]

Anybody who watched Reading in the 69/70 season must have been hooked; they were a great team to watch.

Absolutely spot on. I fell irrevocably in love with the club that season. Fantastic displays of push and run that totally destroyed teams: Tranmere 5-1, Barnsley 6-2, Barrow 6-3, Southport 8-0. We also shipped a shedload; our goals tally that year was F 87 A 77! The 3-2 win against top-of-the-table Orient was the highlight for me as well as the 4-1 win against Halifax where we went top. Unfortunately it all went tits up after the 0-1 defeat by Luton on that dreadful night.

Fred, why didn't you bring Macdonald down!!!????

[The 17 Bus]

was at that Luton game, aged 11 i dont rmember any of it, except that we lost and was a disappointment, also that we were not good enough to challenge for the top slot as they beat us.

[Gordons Cumming]

Anybody who watched Reading in the 69/70 season must have been hooked; they were a great team to watch.

My experience exactly...................bloody Mansell

[fallen angel]

Percy Freeman - I would love to know the speed at which he kicked the ball. He literally used to demolish walls when he took freekicks! I used to be disappointed when the ball found a way through without hitting anyone!

He was wasn't built like a brick sh*thouse, more like a nuclear bunker! Just used to plough his way through defenders, made the likes of Whitehurst and Morley look soft!

I once saw Jimmy Neighbour knock percy out in a reserve game against Spurs(Gate nearly 3000!)broke me heart,I thought he was invincable.

[Ark Royal]

Percy Freeman - I would love to know the speed at which he kicked the ball. He literally used to demolish walls when he took freekicks! I used to be disappointed when the ball found a way through without hitting anyone!

He was wasn't built like a brick sh*thouse, more like a nuclear bunker! Just used to plough his way through defenders, made the likes of Whitehurst and Morley look soft!

I once saw Jimmy Neighbour knock percy out in a reserve game against Spurs(Gate nearly 3000!)broke me heart,I thought he was invincable.

Jeez! That must have been something to behold. Jimmy Neighbour was a midget!

[fallen angel]

Percy Freeman - I would love to know the speed at which he kicked the ball. He literally used to demolish walls when he took freekicks! I used to be disappointed when the ball found a way through without hitting anyone!

He was wasn't built like a brick sh*thouse, more like a nuclear bunker! Just used to plough his way through defenders, made the likes of Whitehurst and Morley look soft!

I once saw Jimmy Neighbour knock percy out in a reserve game against Spurs(Gate nearly 3000!)broke me heart,I thought he was invincable.

Jeez! That must have been something to behold. Jimmy Neighbour was a midget!

True though Ark,hepunched Perc and he went spark out and I believe he was sent off.

[Fred Sharpe's Nose]

Anybody who watched Reading in the 69/70 season must have been hooked; they were a great team to watch.

This has been said so many times - but it's true! We were a nippy team of littl'uns, and scored so many goals that we qualified for a pre-season tournament called the Watney Cup. Did anyone see the home game v. Man. Utd? We played brilliantly but lost 2-3, our style of play was called 'a touch of Brazilian magic' (Pele & co. had recently won the World Cup), and then we promptly went and got relegated to the Fourth Division that season.

A salutary tale.

It would be interesting to have a poll of 'your favourite season' - I reckon 69-70 would be not far off 85-86, 94-95 and the last two - trouble is, more of us are dead! And Ray Flannigan didn't play in any of them.

[Chaney]

I vaguely remember that season, nobody as mentioned that McDonalds goal was scored in the very last minute.
The easter fixtures stood out for me, over 30,000 fans crammed into the goldstone ground to see us lose 2-1 to a controvercial punched in goal, we played very well that day so when we went to Luton on easter monday we were full of hope..we lost 5-0 with super mac running riot with a hatrick, seem to remember losing 6-2 at Southport, but in the return game we routed them 8-0..

[Jackson Corner]

Thanks JC and Vision. It does sound as if we're all clinging on to the last vestige of youth.
My memory of the sending–off incident is probably tainted by my dad regaling anybody who would care to listen that the result was John Alexander 3(or four) Crewe Alexander Nil – as you can imagine, we dined out on that one for many years.
The sending off – I used to stand on the south bank adjacent to the 18 yard box of the Tilehurst Road end – seemed to be foor kicking the ball away, although Alexander claimed to not have heard the whistle.
Was anybody else there or is this apprently seminal formative moment a figment of my imagination?

I am struggling with this one RM, I can't recall any sendings off at EP that 78-79 season, I think we only used something like 16 players the whole season and were very well disciplined under Maurice Evans. It may have been the following season although I was only 12 myself so the memory is not what it was......

[Handsome Man]

Blimey. The first good post this year. Finally wittering about those blokes we grew up with when Reading were going nowhere at an excruciatingly slow pace.
On to the matter at hand – does anybody know what became of Richie Bowman and Pat Earles? For me Bowman was always the swashbuckling youngster with a soul-boy haircut and ill advised tache next to Pat Earles' rather staid father with a Douglas Herd style haircut.
And what happened to John Alexander? Although I guess my first game was around 1976 my first thrill of being at Elm Park was seeing him score a hat-trick (or was it four) and get sent off against Crewe Alexander.
As much as I'm enjoying this season memories like that will always hold something more pleasureable for me.

Two matches confused?
Alexander scored all four in an evening game.
In a day game, Gary Heale didn't hear the whistle, had a shot, got a second booking and a sending off.
Or am I getting confused - it was so long ago now.

I always thought that Richie Bowman looked really old with his beard, and I never really understood why he played for us, seeing as he was so good.

[Maguire]

have you heard of him? irish country singer..

[Ark Royal]

Blimey. The first good post this year. Finally wittering about those blokes we grew up with when Reading were going nowhere at an excruciatingly slow pace.
On to the matter at hand – does anybody know what became of Richie Bowman and Pat Earles? For me Bowman was always the swashbuckling youngster with a soul-boy haircut and ill advised tache next to Pat Earles' rather staid father with a Douglas Herd style haircut.
And what happened to John Alexander? Although I guess my first game was around 1976 my first thrill of being at Elm Park was seeing him score a hat-trick (or was it four) and get sent off against Crewe Alexander.
As much as I'm enjoying this season memories like that will always hold something more pleasureable for me.

Two matches confused?
Alexander scored all four in an evening game.
In a day game, Gary Heale didn't hear the whistle, had a shot, got a second booking and a sending off.
Or am I getting confused - it was so long ago now.

I always thought that Richie Bowman looked really old with his beard, and I never really understood why he played for us, seeing as he was so good.

John Alexander scored all four goals in the 4-0 win over promotion rivals Grimsby at EP in 79. It was indeed a Wednesday night.

[Whistle]

Yes - Death stuck in traffic so Dennis Butler played first 10 mins in goal and we had 10 men.

How could he be stuck in traffic - he never drove & lived about 4 doors away from Elm Park!

Percy Freeman left the game to go back to being a scaffolder 'cos he could earn more money.

He was on loan from West Ham then - probably in a taxi from the station.