Championship Football ..

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

The Premiership will improve. Chelsea will be dumped down the table before long, when the Abramovich era is over, Man United and Spurs will be the teams competing for the top. Reading will be challenging the likes of Barcelona and the Milans. Referees will improve. England will get better with the type of players coming through that can cause damage. Most of these players in the Premiership at exciting and attacking teams like Spurs, Reading, Arsenal, and Portsmouth.


I also think it's time to lay off the caffeine.

Funny you say that when the talk on SSN is of clubs scrapping their academies as they aren't baring fruit. Also the possibility of England failing to qualify for major tournaments in the future

[knobby_1871]

Anyone who prefers Reading to be in a lower division over the one that they currently are in is clearly a fool.

well said Spacey guy who started this thread really is clueless

[bobby m's syrup]

If you had stood through decades of Scunthorpe, Aldershot and Workington, witnessed some of the most mediocre football ever played in the South of England and groaned at a succession of club policies, harebrained enough to make Harold seem sensible, you would seize this season and enjoy it for all it is worth.

Back in the 60s, our dream was Division2, nothing more. The top flight might well have been on the moon. The rest is history...

We adapted well to life in the second tier and became its best champions, at least since the war. Now we are in 8th spot in one of the world's best and most respected leagues. OK, I can't get tickets very often, I seethe at biased media coverage and I wince every time a Ronaldo wannabee dives in front of the ref. But...I wouldn't change this season for anything. The club I have followed for over 40 years is not only doing well, but brilliantly.

Edited to add...
i neither understand or welcome the attitude shown toward so called 'plastics'. Very few customers are die-hards the first time they walk through the turnstile. . My point is that every bum on seat, especially when the stadium is extended, will be contributing towards the long term success of our club. Hopefully, a goodly proportion of these new customers will stay and become life-long fans.

[dean horrix legend]

Anyone who prefers Reading to be in a lower division over the one that they currently are in is clearly a fool.

100% correct Mr Space Man

Absolutely agree.

Adz1871 - Why don't you go off and support Ald*rsh*t, Sw*nd*n, or *xf*rd?

Then you can grow up with one of them like we have with Reading.

Phil"I'm a better supporter then you" in Cornwall,I think it is you who needs to grow up! Why the attitude? I know Adz1871 and he has grown up supporting Reading,not for as many years as you, obviously, but then he's not quite as old as you.Chill!!

[Jaytee]

How can a "die hard" supporter complain about so called "plastics" and about the prices?
We, the so called "plastics" are sick to death of hearing the "old die hards" lamenting about the old days - Elm Park, Robin Friday, Trevor Senior, Mass Sarr et al....
You have got to move on, embrace the new way and put this football team where it belongs in relationship to the size of the town (city?). A few years in the Prem, another rich benefactor, some decent marketing abroad, a few more signings and we could make the top 4 become the top 5. But, if everyone keeps bemoaning our "plight" then the Premiership will always remain as it is now.
When the ground is extended you will have to get used to a lot more "plastics". Perhaps we can have a small piece of terracing to house the "die hards", with no facilities, which can be hosed down after each game!
Of course, there always Swindon Town!
Wakey wakey!

[Tilehurst Mike]

How can a "die hard" supporter complain about so called "plastics" and about the prices?
We, the so called "plastics" are sick to death of hearing the "old die hards" lamenting about the old days - Elm Park, Robin Friday, Trevor Senior, Mass Sarr et al....
You have got to move on, embrace the new way and put this football team where it belongs in relationship to the size of the town (city?). A few years in the Prem, another rich benefactor, some decent marketing abroad, a few more signings and we could make the top 4 become the top 5. But, if everyone keeps bemoaning our "plight" then the Premiership will always remain as it is now.
When the ground is extended you will have to get used to a lot more "plastics". Perhaps we can have a small piece of terracing to house the "die hards", with no facilities, which can be hosed down after each game!

A good post. The Elm park days will always remain etched in my memory for ever and the televised game against Preston when I counted the 26 away fans behind the goal at the Town end. However nothing can compare with the excitement and thrills of last season and the season to date. Times have changed and luckily for the better. If people are going to moan about prices, just go to Wembley this weekend. £7.50 for a cheeseburger and £5 for a coffee--what a rip off. You are always going to get plastics/Corporate bods at any major sporting event, so its just something that your real die hard supporters have to get used to supporting a successful Premiership side!
Of course, there always Swindon Town!
Wakey wakey!

[Harold]

Never mind - you might be back there in a couple of seasons.

At least we will not be in administration!

Never said you would.

My prediction for CFC.

Keep clutching.....

[Behindu]

ADZ, just because you are a bit thick don't presume everyone else is....

Do you REALLY recall everyone beating everyone else last season, cos I don't....

Leave off - he's making a simple point. In the Prem there are the big four or five: Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Cheatski etc who generally dominate/purchase the top spots. In the Championship it's much more of a free for all.

He's also missing a very simple point that any Royals fan should be able to grasp....

For what it's worth I've found the Prem to be exactly as expected. Significantly higher skill level, significantly higher cheat level, full houses every week at pretty much every game we've played.

Last season we expected to win every week, this season we've had pretty competitive games every week and won more than we might have expected. From a Reading point of view the Prem is much more 'anyone can beat anyone' than the Championship was last season.

I wasn't unhappy with being a good Championship side, and in many ways would have thought it exceptional if we had carried on being there or thereabouts at the top of the Championship. I can see rose tinted specs creeping in about the Championship though. To say last season was 16k all singing and now it's 24k moaning is just totally wrong.

[East Stand Ste]

i do have fond memories of watching Reading in the lower leagues and in a way miss these time, but all the time supporting Reading i have dreamed of this very season!!.....many many things annoy me about the premiership and supporting a premiership club and sometimes, i do wish we were back in (what is now) league 1.....but like ya man said, i think this could be a case of rose tinted spectacles!

[Stranded]

Maybe the only thing people are really missing is the dream we always had of one day reaching the top flight?

[Behindu]

Last season was the best season I will ever have as a Royals fan.

But that doesn't mean returning to the Championship is an attractive option.

[SpaceCruiser]

Anyone who prefers Reading to be in a lower division over the one that they currently are in is clearly a fool.

And you'll be the one moaning when you cant afford to go any longer

I haven't moaned about the prices, just not gone when I can't afford it. It's all about supply and demand. The home games have been near sell-outs, haven't they?

If you prefer Reading to be in the Championship, then I pity you, fool.

[brendywendy]

after elm park, in that first season in the 2nd div at the madejski it was easy to look back and say, ooo wasnt it great, cos you've edited out all of the bad bits, and the rest is clouded by nostalgia, and your left with this fabricated warm and fuzzy memory where everything was great.

the same goes for this year, looking back at the championship, and it is very easy after our record breaking season,we view it as being just fantastic from start to finish, which it was.
however, playing the likes of crewe, stoke, ipswich and plymouth really cant campare with what we currently are getting, no matter how many games we won.
(if you take the rest of our championship experience, over god knows how many years includingrelegations, losing playoffs, not making the playoffs etc you would probably get a more realistic view of that division.)

in years to come when we are playing champions league football, all of our players are on 100k + a week, and our squad is totally made up of international stars, the stadium has an extra 14 thousand plastics in it all not singing, and telling the hardcore to sit down,and when we are owned by richard branson,
i fully expect to look back on our first season in this league and go, ooo wasnt it great, much better than now

but in my heart i will know that it is total bollox.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Come on now, nothing compares to the days of the 3rd division and slogging up and down the motorway to hotbeds of football such as exeter and darlington and derby days with boringmuff, aldership & bentford while enviously dreaming that one day we might get into division 2.

[brendywendy]

Come on now, nothing compares to the days of the 3rd division and slogging up and down the motorway to hotbeds of football such as exeter and darlington and derby days with boringmuff, aldership & bentford while enviously dreaming that one day we might get into division 2.

Ha! i wouldnt know being considerably more plastic than you.


dont get me wrong

My favourite season ever(went to most games, atmosphere was great , stands not seats, stadium with soul, pitch invasions, had stuff to grumble about etc)was the last year at elm park relegation season.
so i understand the pull of nostalgic recollection.

its just that deep down i know im better off now.!

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Why slate the original poster when he's just trying to create some debate?

Maybe we should look at it this way. Which of the following do you prefer:

a) winning the championship, breaking all records, on the pitch, open top bus, or
b) mid table in the Prem and skint for the previlage, and major hassle getting tickets for big away games that we have next to no chance of winning?

[brendywendy]

Why slate the original poster when he's just trying to create some debate?

Maybe we should look at it this way. Which of the following do you prefer:

a) winning the championship, breaking all records, on the pitch, open top bus, or
b) mid table in the Prem and skint for the previlage, and major hassle getting tickets for big away games that we have next to no chance of winning?

the answer is B

and i havent slated anyone, just trying to be a little realistic

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Why slate the original poster when he's just trying to create some debate?

Maybe we should look at it this way. Which of the following do you prefer:

a) winning the championship, breaking all records, on the pitch, open top bus, or
b) mid table in the Prem and skint for the previlage, and major hassle getting tickets for big away games that we have next to no chance of winning?

the answer is B

and i havent slated anyone, just trying to be a little realistic

fair enough.

Personally, i enjoyed last season much more than the current one.

[SpaceCruiser]

Why slate the original poster when he's just trying to create some debate?

Maybe we should look at it this way. Which of the following do you prefer:

a) winning the championship, breaking all records, on the pitch, open top bus, or
b) mid table in the Prem and skint for the previlage, and major hassle getting tickets for big away games that we have next to no chance of winning?

B for me.

[Royal With Cheese]

I still desperately miss Elm Park and wish it could have seen top flight football.