MATCHWATCH : Bolton Wanderers (h)

[WestYorksRoyal]

We were an embattled fanbase. Now we're just defeated, it shows in attendances and atmosphere.

Dai's first game was the PO SF against Fulham. Look at the contrast. That is what he has done to us.

[RG30]

Attendance given as 11508

Couldn't believe how many Bolton sold. Excellent support.

[fred sharpes nose]

Good win, a bit uneventful at times and got lucky with the 1v1 Bolton had, but at the same time, they got very lucky that it deflected that way. Somehow still level with 6th.

So disappoimting that unnecessary last minute goal vs Burton has cost us a PO spot - should we have just shut up shop then or too gung ho.... ? Great response today - hope Hunty is learning fast

[tmesis]

Good win, a bit uneventful at times and got lucky with the 1v1 Bolton had, but at the same time, they got very lucky that it deflected that way. Somehow still level with 6th.

So disappoimting that unnecessary last minute goal vs Burton has cost us a PO spot - should we have just shut up shop then or too gung ho.... ? Great response today - hope Hunty is learning fast

The thought of potentially going up under an uninterested Dai is quite frightening.

In truth, we look miles off being genuine promotion contenders. It's just a very mediocre division.

[Clyde1998]

Good win yesterday. Put a good stop to the rot we've been in and against a good side.

[Stranded]

Good win, a bit uneventful at times and got lucky with the 1v1 Bolton had, but at the same time, they got very lucky that it deflected that way. Somehow still level with 6th.

So disappoimting that unnecessary last minute goal vs Burton has cost us a PO spot - should we have just shut up shop then or too gung ho.... ? Great response today - hope Hunty is learning fast

The thought of potentially going up under an uninterested Dai is quite frightening.

In truth, we look miles off being genuine promotion contenders. It's just a very mediocre division.

It's alright, we'll win the play-offs and the EFL will find something on the statute books that says you can't be promoted if you haven't filed accounts.

[Silver Fox]

Attendance given as 11508

That's oxf*rd appalling

I can't blame them tbh.

Which one is it?

FWIW I was particularly impressed by the commitment of our loyal fans in C1871, maybe their mums heard they were going to do a pitch invasion and wouldn't let them out?

Anyway, they missed a solid, if not spectacular, performance capped by a miraculous refereeing decision that even we couldn't be denied. While Wareham didn't have a great deal of chances to score he held the ball up very well so I have a small amount of hope for the future (all other issues off the pitch notwithstanding)

BTW that attendance was higher than Bournemouth had on Saturday, how do they do it?

[Royals and Racers]

Attendance given as 11508

That's oxf*rd appalling

I can't blame them tbh.

Which one is it?

FWIW I was particularly impressed by the commitment of our loyal fans in C1871, maybe their mums heard they were going to do a pitch invasion and wouldn't let them out?

Anyway, they missed a solid, if not spectacular, performance capped by a miraculous refereeing decision that even we couldn't be denied. While Wareham didn't have a great deal of chances to score he held the ball up very well so I have a small amount of hope for the future (all other issues off the pitch notwithstanding)

BTW that attendance was higher than Bournemouth had on Saturday, how do they do it?

And Oxf*rd- which was 11430

[tidus_mi2]

If you think attendances are bad now, imagine next season if Dai hasn't sold up, how many are only showing up right now because they already bought season tickets? I think I'm currently going to be one of them.

[RoyalBlue]

Attendance given as 11508

That's oxf*rd appalling

I can't blame them tbh.

Which one is it?

FWIW I was particularly impressed by the commitment of our loyal fans in C1871, maybe their mums heard they were going to do a pitch invasion and wouldn't let them out?

Anyway, they missed a solid, if not spectacular, performance capped by a miraculous refereeing decision that even we couldn't be denied. While Wareham didn't have a great deal of chances to score he held the ball up very well so I have a small amount of hope for the future (all other issues off the pitch notwithstanding)

BTW that attendance was higher than Bournemouth had on Saturday, how do they do it?

The 'Financial Fair Play' provided by Sky TV & PL money!

[katweslowski]

Attendance given as 11508

That's oxf*rd appalling

I can't blame them tbh.

Which one is it?

It's both really. It's appalling for a club the size of Reading and the history to be in this state. I don't mean we're a big club, but about 5 years ago (obviously different league), we were easily pulling in 14,000 to 16,000 for a league game. 2017, that number was more like 16,000 to 20,000. Whose the stat guy on here and can they do a year-on-year home attendance figure?

Then I realised that actually, I think we're all just sick of it now and it's been a slow degradation and rot which has worn fans down. I feel the same. I've renewed my season ticket for the last time I think.

I said to a friend the other day that even when we win, it's masked in a layer of negativity as you then realise the whole club is still in turmoil, and no matter who comes forward to buy the club, Dai has no appetite to sell.

[Snowflake Royal]

I really don't think our attendances are that bad.

11k isn't far below this or last season's average. It's not far off the level we got last time we were here and a lot more than we often got historically at this level.

We may have got a lot more relatively ,recently, but that's in a higher division, without an ongoing ownership saga, when we were competing at the right end of the Championship, and not after 10 years of unremitting bad news and poor performance. In fact after almost 20 years of near constant good news.

[stealthpapes]

Repeating a point made before, we clearly have fans avoiding home games. Our away attendances are some of the highest in the division and remarkably robust.

[Snowflake Royal]

Repeating a point made before, we clearly have fans avoiding home games. Our away attendances are some of the highest in the division and remarkably robust.

Our home attendance is still about top 10 in the league as well.

[stealthpapes]

Cool.
Good to hear.

[mikey_1871]

I really don't think our attendances are that bad.

11k isn't far below this or last season's average. It's not far off the level we got last time we were here and a lot more than we often got historically at this level.

We may have got a lot more relatively ,recently, but that's in a higher division, without an ongoing ownership saga, when we were competing at the right end of the Championship, and not after 10 years of unremitting bad news and poor performance. In fact after almost 20 years of near constant good news.

Agreed. I started going regularly around the 2000-01 season that finished in the playoff defeat to Walsall and I vaguely remember 13k being decent for much of the season. Obviously they got higher towards the end of the season - and the next - as people realised Reading were getting decent again under Pards, but think they were much lower than that before then. So our current attendances look comparable to around the start of (and before) the Pardew era, which seems about as expected to me.

[Snowflake Royal]

I really don't think our attendances are that bad.

11k isn't far below this or last season's average. It's not far off the level we got last time we were here and a lot more than we often got historically at this level.

We may have got a lot more relatively ,recently, but that's in a higher division, without an ongoing ownership saga, when we were competing at the right end of the Championship, and not after 10 years of unremitting bad news and poor performance. In fact after almost 20 years of near constant good news.

Agreed. I started going regularly around the 2000-01 season that finished in the playoff defeat to Walsall and I vaguely remember 13k being decent for much of the season. Obviously they got higher towards the end of the season - and the next - as people realised Reading were getting decent again under Pards, but think they were much lower than that before then. So our current attendances look comparable to around the start of (and before) the Pardew era, which seems about as expected to me.

Yeah and I maintain we'd probably add 1k to 2k to it the second Dai is replaced. That first game after could be up around 18k - 20k even.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

That's oxf*rd appalling

I can't blame them tbh.

Which one is it?

FWIW I was particularly impressed by the commitment of our loyal fans in C1871, maybe their mums heard they were going to do a pitch invasion and wouldn't let them out?

Anyway, they missed a solid, if not spectacular, performance capped by a miraculous refereeing decision that even we couldn't be denied. While Wareham didn't have a great deal of chances to score he held the ball up very well so I have a small amount of hope for the future (all other issues off the pitch notwithstanding)

BTW that attendance was higher than Bournemouth had on Saturday, how do they do it?

The 'Financial Fair Play' provided by Sky TV & PL money!

They also mugged Spurs out of £60m for Solanke

[URZZZZ]

Good performance.

I was saying before the game a tight win with the winner right at the end would be the best birthday present I could hope for. And that, dear friends, is exactly what happened.

Michael Craig and Harvey Knibbs were the outstanding players for me. Garcia maybe the only player who worried me at times.

Loved the intricate passing in triangles, the reverse passes, the switching of wings and the overlaps, the cameo from Kelvin E, it was getting very close to my favourite type off football.

I think that was a really important result. After a run of bad results to win against a pretty decent Bolton side was vital. Came away very happy. We're far from out of the woods, but you cannot fault the effort.

Up the 'Ding.

Agree with this, Garcia isn’t great and in normal times I would have taken the Soton bid. Also, really can’t see Camara making a name for himself, for a speedy winger, he contributes absolutely zilch. Savage and Wing haven’t been great lately and need a kick in the backside..

Not sure where you got the impression that Camara is a speedy winger! “Contributes absolutely zilch” is also a strange assessment given he has three goals in his last five games!

FWIW think he’s vastly underrated. Not the hugest sample size but our win percentage is fairly higher when he starts against when he doesn’t - 6/6 home wins when he’s started. Not arguing he’s the reason for it but think you’re slightly harsh there!

[The Cap]

Anybody aware of the shenanigans that their spare keeper got up to last Saturday?