Boxing Days gone by

Jerry St Clair · by **Jerry St Clair** » 24 Dec 2006 23:53

The one that always lives in my memory is the 2-0 win against Stockport in 1993.

Elm Park packed (the Southbank was full 15 mins before kick off which was pretty much unprecedented in my Reading-supporting career) with hundreds of Reading fans flooding into the Town End with the Stockport fans.

A great day. Can't really think of too many more Boxing Days that live long in the memory. Am I missing any?

Row Z Royal · by **Row Z Royal** » 25 Dec 2006 00:03

I can't remember what year it was (as I was only a nipper) and it was the only game I went to with my mum and dad.

It was Luton at home, it was cold, it was windy and the game was absolutely rubbish.

0-0 draw with Mick Gooding having a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside.

Many moons ago, that's for sure.

Gav · by **Gav** » 25 Dec 2006 00:13

Was it boxing day we lost to relegated Wimbledon (featuring reo-coker iirc) not too long ago?

gazzer, loyal royal · by **gazzer, loyal royal** » 25 Dec 2006 00:16

that was the run of games where we lost 3-0 to palace, wimbledon and stoke away

i think watford was my first ever boxing day game, won 3-0 thanks to sonko, owusu and sidwell

handbags_harris · by **handbags_harris** » 25 Dec 2006 00:35

Remember all the games so far, that Stockport game (the first half) was described at the time as our best half of football under McGhee. We won 2-0, Archie scoring twice in 3 minuutes at the end of the half.

The Luton game was awful, Wdowczyk nearly presenting Luton with a late Christmas present, Archie shaving the post and also the perfectly good goal disallowed.

The Wimbledon game was just a dreadful performance. And to think that of the players who played that day Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Harper and Sidwell are all regulars in the Premiership now!

My main memory of Boxing Day games would be in 97 when we beat West Brom 2-1 live on tv. A John McDermott OG put us ahead in 30 seconds, Martin Williams put us 2 up before Lee Hughes pulled one back late on. The Southbank gave Denis Smith a load of stick for his Oxf*rd connections having just taken over the managerial hotseat. The win put us in a good solid mid table position. Little did we know just how much of a slump in form was just around the corner, only a matter of weeks away.

Rev Algenon Stickleback H · by **Rev Algenon Stickleback H** » 25 Dec 2006 01:04

Jerry St Clair wrote:The one that always lives in my memory is the 2-0 win against Stockport in 1993.

Elm Park packed (the Southbank was full 15 mins before kick off which was pretty much unprecedented in my Reading-supporting career) with hundreds of Reading fans flooding into the Town End with the Stockport fans.

A great day. Can't really think of too many more Boxing Days that live long in the memory. Am I missing any?

great day. Wasn't on Boxing Day though.

The 17 Bus · by **The 17 Bus** » 25 Dec 2006 06:45

I remeber Stockport as well, queued for ages then told was full!!! so went to pub in Rotherwick, only to find that tho they had closed admission was really about 1000 under capacity.

RG30 · by **RG30** » 25 Dec 2006 08:25

Merry Christmas to Hobnobbers around the world. I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned last year's Boxing Day beating the Wolves scum at Molinuex and playing really well. It was the story of our 2 wingers that day with Little destroying them 1st half and Convey in the 2nd half with an excellent effort. We were fantastic that day and it was for me the moment which gave us confidence to believe we would be playing Premiership football, and guess where we are today.

Amazing to think that it was just a year ago.

B16 · by **B16** » 25 Dec 2006 11:38

I remember the game away at Cardiff in 2001 I think, one of Tony Rougier's best games for us if I remember correctly apart from the game against Oxf*rd. It's the only time I've seen a player do a warm down when substituted just to come and run down to the fans in the corner.

Dirk Gently · by **Dirk Gently** » 25 Dec 2006 11:44

RG30 wrote:Merry Christmas to Hobnobbers around the world. I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned last year's Boxing Day beating the Wolves scum at Molinuex and playing really well. It was the story of our 2 wingers that day with Little destroying them 1st half and Convey in the 2nd half with an excellent effort. We were fantastic that day and it was for me the moment which gave us confidence to believe we would be playing Premiership football, and guess where we are today.

Amazing to think that it was just a year ago.

Especially because everyone had been saying we'd "fall apart after Xmas" - like we had the previous year. Thta perromance put to bed the lie that we were an early-season flash in the pan.

Row Z Royal · by **Row Z Royal** » 25 Dec 2006 11:50

Dirk Gently wrote:
RG30 wrote:Merry Christmas to Hobnobbers around the world. I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned last year's Boxing Day beating the Wolves scum at Molinuex and playing really well. It was the story of our 2 wingers that day with Little destroying them 1st half and Convey in the 2nd half with an excellent effort. We were fantastic that day and it was for me the moment which gave us confidence to believe we would be playing Premiership football, and guess where we are today.

Amazing to think that it was just a year ago.
Especially because everyone had been saying we'd "fall apart after Xmas" - like we had the previous year. Thta perromance put to bed the lie that we were an early-season flash in the pan.

That was my first away game and thoroughly enjoyed.

Winchester Royal · by **Winchester Royal** » 25 Dec 2006 11:55

Wolves last year was superb.

Apart from that, I've only got the 3-0 defeat By Wombledon.

Dirk Gently · by **Dirk Gently** » 25 Dec 2006 12:19

Winchester Royal wrote:Apart from that, I've only got the 3-0 defeat By Wombledon.

An awful match - enlivened only by my mate putting money on us to lose 3-0 at 80/1!

We'd lost the last 2 matches 3-0 so he spotted the trend and backed it!

Farnborough Royal · by **Farnborough Royal** » 25 Dec 2006 12:45

the 3-0 against Watford was good

Forty · by **Forty** » 25 Dec 2006 20:25

Didn't we go to Gillingham one boxing day, and was it the 'Speccy pulled a minger' trip?

RG30 · by **RG30** » 25 Dec 2006 20:42

Been to Gillingham on 2 New Years Day (2000 2-2) and 2005 (0-0). The 2000 was an entertaining match which IIRC we equalised in injury time thanks to a penalty converted by Martin Williams. 2005 was one of the most shocking games of football I had been to.

Jerry St Clair · by **Jerry St Clair** » 25 Dec 2006 21:48

Rev Algenon Stickleback H wrote:
Jerry St Clair wrote:The one that always lives in my memory is the 2-0 win against Stockport in 1993.

Elm Park packed (the Southbank was full 15 mins before kick off which was pretty much unprecedented in my Reading-supporting career) with hundreds of Reading fans flooding into the Town End with the Stockport fans.

A great day. Can't really think of too many more Boxing Days that live long in the memory. Am I missing any?
great day. Wasn't on Boxing Day though.

I'm pretty sure it was....?

roberto_11 · by **roberto_11** » 25 Dec 2006 21:52

Yeah that Gillingham game was absolutely shit. Little header disallowed and it was pissing down and cold.

Jerry St Clair · by **Jerry St Clair** » 25 Dec 2006 21:56

Forty wrote:Didn't we go to Gillingham one boxing day, and was it the 'Speccy pulled a minger' trip?

No, New Years Day - see below.

Actually forgot about that one. It went a bit radio rental on the terrace for the equaliser, though.

Pool and Darts · by **Pool and Darts** » 25 Dec 2006 22:09

Wasn't the 2-1 win over West Brom a boxing day match on sky many years ago?

Or is it my jaded drunken winter festival day memory messing with me?