Is there a generation gap among fans?

[Half Man Half Biscuit]

I've no idea what age people are on here, but some of the criticism seems to me too extreme. Here we are second in the Championship and some people are still not happy: recently, Hobnobbers have been queueing up to wish the likes of Hunt and Harper, two of our key players, were out the door.

Myself, I go back to the sixties, when my dad started taking me to games. My first Reading memory is Dougie Webb being knocked unconscious and my being frightened by it. As a result of supporting a minnow for so long, I regard the last few years as a sort of dreamland. Even now I am having to pinch myself that Reading are second in a division that once seemed to me so mighty and unattainable compared to Reading's perennial status in the old third and fourth divisions. I still can't believe that teams like Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Coventry, etc. are wallowing below us! Che? For this reason, I find it difficult to really criticise Coppell and his men. They seem remarkable people to me, who constantly do things I wouldn't expect--for example, I wasn't too keen on Kelly facing Wolves, but Coppell was vindicated. In fact, beating them with three out of four of our normal back four missing for most of the match seems to me a completely unpredictable and remarkable feat.

I wonder sometimes if some of our fans who have only seen the last fifteen years or so are judging the present team by the remarkable standards we achieved in our championship season and the first season in the prem. Why shouldn't they, to be fair? I agree that we are short of that level, but we are doing fantastically well. Honest. I hope it will last a long time and some of the moaners never have to experience lower division life. Yes, we had some great times down there, but, to be honest, during bad runs, going to games was a mindless chore; the number of times I was bored out of my head at Elm Park doesn't bear thinking about. Harman, Paul Bence, Ollie Kearns, Brian Carnaby ... try watching that ilk week in and week out. Anyone decent, like Jenkins or Dixon, and they were bought pretty soon. Compared to that, what's happening at the moment is beyond unbelievable. Quite honestly, when we got relegated last season, I quietly resigned myself to the end of the glory days. I feel spoilt that we're up for promotion again. Once again, I can't quite believe it.

Well said facaldaqui, one of the best bloody posts I've ever seen on here.

[papereyes]

I wonder sometimes if some of our fans who have only seen the last fifteen years or so are judging the present team by the remarkable standards we achieved in our championship season and the first season in the prem. Why shouldn't they, to be fair? I

Not just the last 5 but say the last 15.

The big change in the club has been that it changed from a club happy to stay bimbling around to one that aimed for a target and worked towards that target. I think there's a similar mentality - fans in their 20s to 30s tend not to accept less because while they have been fans, the club has tended not to accept less.

Quite honestly, when we got relegated last season, I quietly resigned myself to the end of the glory days. I feel spoilt that we're up for promotion again. Once again, I can't quite believe it.

Why?

The infrastructure was in place. The only doubts were the mentality of the players and, most importantly, the attitude of the manager.

[Son of Len]

I wonder sometimes if some of our fans who have only seen the last fifteen years or so are judging the present team by the remarkable standards we achieved in our championship season and the first season in the prem. Why shouldn't they, to be fair? I

Not just the last 5 but say the last 15.

The big change in the club has been that it changed from a club happy to stay bimbling around to one that aimed for a target and worked towards that target. I think there's a similar mentality - fans in their 20s to 30s tend not to accept less because while they have been fans, the club has tended not to accept less.

Whoa. Are you saying the club management exhibited, er, ambition? What poppycock! It was all a happy accident. Accept it and remember - the club has no ambition!

[LUX]

I've been supporting Reading home and away for nearly 30 years and I don't rate SHunt or Harper that much. So make of that what you will.

totally disagree. They are both very good top of the Championship/bottom half of the Premiership players. In the context of this thread, and your 30 years, that makes them far better than anything else we've had up until, say, 2005.

I obviously share most of Facqualdi's views and perspecive (even if this sort of post comes out every few months, it is worth repeating).

Although, unlike him, I even enjoyed the bad old days eg the seventies in Division 4.

[papereyes]

I wonder sometimes if some of our fans who have only seen the last fifteen years or so are judging the present team by the remarkable standards we achieved in our championship season and the first season in the prem. Why shouldn't they, to be fair? I

Not just the last 5 but say the last 15.

The big change in the club has been that it changed from a club happy to stay bimbling around to one that aimed for a target and worked towards that target. I think there's a similar mentality - fans in their 20s to 30s tend not to accept less because while they have been fans, the club has tended not to accept less.

Whoa. Are you saying the club management exhibited, er, ambition? What poppycock! It was all a happy accident. Accept it and remember - the club has no ambition!

The only time since we moved to the Mad Stad when we sat back and accepted second best, imo of course, was the summer of 2007.

[Royal With Cheese]

Reading Football Club, in my humble opinion, has a relatively large percentage of supporters who like a good old moan. I've only been a supporter for 26 years but vividly remember small groups of people huddled together in the Tilehurst End or Southbank "watching" the football and moaning to each other - wether we won or lost. For Kebe substitute Gilkes, for Lita substitue David Crown etc etc.. probably the worst was the treatment of Lawrie Sanchez who was clearly playing in a team inferior to his capabilities.

I do often have to pinch myself to see how we've come in the last 20 years and freely admit that tempers my judgement of current events.

[Son of Len]

The big change in the club has been that it changed from a club happy to stay bimbling around to one that aimed for a target and worked towards that target. I think there's a similar mentality - fans in their 20s to 30s tend not to accept less because while they have been fans, the club has tended not to accept less.

Whoa. Are you saying the club management exhibited, er, ambition? What poppycock! It was all a happy accident. Accept it and remember - the club has no ambition!

The only time since we moved to the Mad Stad when we sat back and accepted second best, imo of course, was the summer of 2007.

I almost agree. It appeared that we sat back and accepted second best, but on closer scrutiny (my scrutiny, at least) we continued to operate "the Reading way." That means add a small number of players with upside (Cisse and Fae) and groom them to move into the gameday squad in a year or so. After losing only Sidwell, management gambled that the remaining squad could last another year or two above the relegation zone. I think it was working just fine until Sonko was tossed a couple of times in the Christmas/New Year's period and the team had to play shorthanded for way too many minutes. Coppell's loyalty exacerbated the problem, but it wasn't the main issue. Even in January the plan was to add players with potential - Kebe. By then, the clubhouse atmosphere was probably unravelling too much and our chance of staying in the prem unravelled with it. Even so, we almost stayed up and, really, we should have.

[NR_Royal]

I was born in Reading, but currently live in Northampton . Being only 17, I only followed Reading from the infamous 05/06 season, when I realised the club was really going somewhere. But today, I'm a hugely passionate Reading supporter, although I am yet to go to a match (Distance, family, cost etc.), although I plan on going once I pass my driving test!

Of course, I am probably the only Reading supporter in Northampton, and no one here understands why I love the team.

[Royal With Cheese]

I was born in Reading, but currently live in Northampton . Being only 17, I only followed Reading from the infamous 05/06 season, when I realised the club was really going somewhere. But today, I'm a hugely passionate Reading supporter, although I am yet to go to a match (Distance, family, cost etc.), although I plan on going once I pass my driving test!

Of course, I am probably the only Reading supporter in Northampton, and no one here understands why I love the team.

I lived in Nothampton for a few years and was a season ticket holder at the time. Regularly frequented the Abington. There weren't any other Reading supporters there at the time either.

[BanffshireRoyal]

Of course, I am probably the only Reading supporter in Northampton, and no one here understands why I love the team.

No, you're not alone. I've a brother-in-law and nephew living in Northampton who support us. I think they live quite close - I'm just home from the Wolves match which has taken me away from home for a couple of nights and has probably cost more than a season ticket! Don't worry, you'll get there and it'll have been worth the wait.

[facaldaqui]

[quote="NR_Royal"]I was born in Reading, but currently live in Northampton . Being only 17, I only followed Reading from the infamous 05/06 season, when I realised the club was really going somewhere. But today, I'm a hugely passionate Reading supporter, although I am yet to go to a match (Distance, family, cost etc.), although I plan on going once I pass my driving test!

Of course, I am probably the only Reading supporter in Northampton, and no one here understands why I love the team. [/quote]


At your age I used to hitch to away games, including Northampton--that's a pretty easy run. Used to wear the hat and scarf and the country always seemed to be crawling with Reading fans, bless em. Had some amazing adventures. When you get your licence, Northampton's a pretty good centre from which to see games--not that far from Reading, Watford, London, Nottingham, Coventry, Leicester, Brum.

[facaldaqui]

[quote="LUX"]I obviously share most of Facqualdi's views and perspecive (even if this sort of post comes out every few months, it is worth repeating).

Although, unlike him, I even enjoyed the bad old days eg the seventies in Division 4.[/quote]

Well, the matches could be excruciating, but I lived for matchdays. And you find other ways of enjoying yourself than just admiring skill. The players seemed to be like weird characters in a novel ... Death, Friday, Percy Freeman, etc. Legends. My first hero was Rod Thornhill (1960s), just because he was so comically useless. We used to spend a lot of the time just laughing.

[Millsy]

I wonder sometimes if some of our fans who have only seen the last fifteen years or so are judging the present team by the remarkable standards we achieved in our championship season and the first season in the prem.

Good post mate.

Of course there's a generation gap but I don't think it's quite as clear cut in terms of behaviour.

Oldies

I find the older folk who've seen the bad times (like you) can go both ways: either really chuffed at not being in the 4th tier (like you)... or so old and cynical (having been put through so much heartache already) that will attack any player/manager/decision and are VERY difficult to please as they ultimately believe a crash right down to the depths is inevitable sooner or later.

Plastics

Then there are those who joined recently - these guys generally demand success I find especially as a lot of them are glory hunters or ppl who have little emotional ties to this town and are mainly in it for the entertainment. So if it' isn't instant Premiership and massive money signings every transfer window, toys go out the pram. (Of course there's always a steady influx of supporters who just happen to have joined lately and have no interest in plastic, but I'm just talking broad generalisations here... plus of course a lot of plastics do end up die hard decent fans)

Wembley boys

Finally ther's the middle ground: those who joined around the time of Wembley 95 (like ME!) and yes most these guys don't know too much about the bad days and have seen us largely do well BUT we have been fortunate enough to go through the heartache of Wembley, the heartache of relegation, of languishing with the likes of Gurney and almost being relegated from League 1... and now we're right back up to EXACTLY where we started off at - 2nd in the 2d tier! So for us I'd say it's a bit of a half way house. We're new enough not to be too cynical and also not to be too superpleased by *anything* that goes on (so yes we sometimes do criticise)... but we're old enough not to be pure plastics, to appreciate what a roller coaster football can be and having seen some heartache definitely we do appreciate a good thing and aren't so demanding.

IN summary - I am generally the best fan there is and my views are the most balanced, the most correct and the best. Most people when describing the perfect fan with the most spot on and perfect opinions generally think of me. Thank you.

*takes a bow*

[seahawk10]

IN summary - I am generally the best fan there is and my views are the most balanced, the most correct and the best. Most people when describing the perfect fan with the most spot on and perfect opinions generally think of me. Thank you.

*takes a bow*

Spot on, top post.

[rhroyal]

I'm only 20 and whilst I'm at matches I will do nothing but get behind the team and support the players. For the record I do feel that Harper and Hunt have been integral to our team so far and am fed up of arguing about it.

However I go against the general gist of the person who started this thread. I may not have seen us at Elm Park more than 15-20 times or so, I wasn't around pre-Madejski. However if the club makes mistakes, as they did last season, I still feel I have every right to be unhappy about it. We should never have been relegated, and whilst in terms of this club's history I'm privileged to see us where we are now, that definitely doesn't mean I should be content with what we currently have. Any fan is entitled to their opinion, and even if they can only remember as far back as 2006 so long as their heart is with Reading what they think matters.

Fair play to your loyalty and record, but if fans feel that Harper and Hunt shouldn't be in the team that's up to them, and fact that you've been supporting us since the 1960s doesn't invalidate their opinion.

On a positive note, I'm a firm believer that, once at the game, fans should support the team picked no matter whether they think it's right or not, and it appears that that is happening at the moment.

[Archie's penalty]

Finally ther's the middle ground: those who joined around the time of Wembley 95 (like ME!)

I thought you were MUCH older.

[Royal Boil]

Yes, there is a generation gap. The younger members have only known success and the older ones have only known exquisite failure, but I'm not complaining. To me, it's best exempified when I take my lad to football training on a wednesday night. Most of them are now wearing Reading shirts, which is something that I, and I guess most members of my 40-something generation, looking back at all the local kids wearing Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs kit, never thought they'd live to see. And whatever moans or groans we may have, we should never forget the giant strides the club have made.

Oh - and BTW, if anyone ever spent time watching the likes of Martin Hicks, Ollie Kearns et al, I can't see how they could moan about SHunt and Harper.

[bigshaka'away']

I dont really understand his point, of course there is a generation gap, as there is at every club apart from the select handful who have been constantly succesful.

Furthermore as a 27 year old i have supported Reading from when they were abject to premiership, and seen a fair range of quality players at our club, from the likes of big shaka to scott howie to our recent side.

Younger people have a sense of perspective about the club or else in this day and age they would simply support someone else - its not hard with premiership football on tv and chelsea 45 mins away. They must know that if they make the choice to support reading that they are never going to be watching the premiership champions etc.

Just because they seemingly moan more doesnt mean they dont comprehend our place in the greater footballing world - perhaps, with the differing culture now engrained in our society, they just expect more. Its a consumer society now, and people have been brought up to expect value for their money.

C'est La Vie

[bobby m's syrup]

I dont really understand his point, of course there is a generation gap, as there is at every club apart from the select handful who have been constantly succesful.

Furthermore as a 27 year old i have supported Reading from when they were abject to premiership, and seen a fair range of quality players at our club, from the likes of big shaka to scott howie to our recent side.

Younger people have a sense of perspective about the club or else in this day and age they would simply support someone else - its not hard with premiership football on tv and chelsea 45 mins away. They must know that if they make the choice to support reading that they are never going to be watching the premiership champions etc.

Just because they seemingly moan more doesnt mean they dont comprehend our place in the greater footballing world - perhaps, with the differing culture now engrained in our society, they just expect more. Its a consumer society now, and people have been brought up to expect value for their money.

C'est La Vie

Guess I qualify as an football OAP having been around Elm Park since 1965. That said, I applaud the above post.

Although communication was less 'instantaneous' than today, criticism of players, managers and directors was every bit as vitriolic, albeit on the top deck of the Tilehurst bus rather than HNA. Whipping boys were the norm back then too...Alan Scarrott in particular springs to mind and there were few kind words for Roy Bentley either.

Although we admired Man Utd, Spurs, Sheff Wed et al from afar. Reading was our local team. MOTD began in 1964, covering highlights of one old Div 1 game. No internet or local radio and no local (South) TV, for the vast majority of Berkshire, so we tended to stick with what we had. Far less temptation to 'support' a top drawer team.

Nowadays it's easy to follow virtually any side and given the pervasiveness of the 'consumer society',surely those 'youngsters' who choose Reading and contribute hard earned cash at the Madstad, deserve extra plaudits.

Having sat through years of Div 3 frustration, Div 4 hoofball and much uncertainty, I do feel as though I am in a dream and am grateful for what has been achieved both on and off the pitch. Nevertheless, my expectations have been raised by recent success and I really can't wait to be following the South's most successful team...again.

[ayjaydee]

Some things don't change.

I am currently having a battle royal with an adjacent "fan" who slags Kebe off from kick off and it seems not that long ago that I was almost coming to blows with a berk on the Southbank who could not find it in him to say a good word about Jimmy Quinn..

Yours, an old git,