Anton To Face Fans Backlash?

[Royal Lady]

...so Brian was telling the truth all along.

Now there's a shock.

Quite. Which is what I have always said. Coppell too. There may have been money to spend, but if it wasn't enough to get the players we needed, it's pointless.

[Ian Royal]

...so Brian was telling the truth all along.

Now there's a shock.

Quite. Which is what I have always said. Coppell too. There may have been money to spend, but if it wasn't enough to get the players we needed, it's pointless.

This would be the Coppell who said he could have signed players and didn't for other reasons?

[Royal Lady]

Yeah, but he was just being kind to the Chairman - I've never heard Coppell say a bad word about anyone.

[Millsy]

...so Brian was telling the truth all along.

Now there's a shock.

Quite. Which is what I have always said. Coppell too. There may have been money to spend, but if it wasn't enough to get the players we needed, it's pointless.

This would be the Coppell who said he could have signed players and didn't for other reasons?

Except he never said that. Not enough money for the players that could better the squad. Yaaaaawn how many F**KING times do we have to bang out heads against a brick wall.

Give it up Ian, your lot must feel damn stupid after today.

[Ian Royal]

He has said that he chose not to sign Cahill / Taylor etc because he didn't want to disrupt the squad.


I don't feel stupid at all. You're all just inflating my sense of smug superiority. Presumably you've banged your head against the brick wall of facts and intelligence to such an extent you've brain damaged yourself so much you've now got Parkinsons and can't stop.

[One8Seven1]

[Ian Royal]

I suggest having a long hard look at what a bloody marvelous time we've had over the last 15 years at the Mad Stad and give jolly good support and encouragement to the boys and management for a challenging three points.

[P!ssed Off]

I suggest having a long hard look at what a bloody marvelous time we've had over the last 15 years at the Mad Stad and give jolly good support and encouragement to the boys and management for a challenging three points.

As if you'll be there...

[genome]

Jesus christ our fans are mongtards

[winchester_royal]

Right, having given you guys a day to vent your frustration perhaps it's time to take a look at what's actually happened during the summer as a whole. We've only sold 2 players, one of whom was permanently injured, and brought in 3 very decent signings. We've kept hold of a goalkeeper who we all thought was certain to be sold, and a striker who many expected to leave. We still have a massive wage bill, partly because of poor business last summer, but it is a wage bill that is very competitive at this level and we all know that wage bills and finishing positions have a strong correlation. Off the pitch we are continuing to look to grow, with a new training ground commissioned and the granting of Cat 1 academy status.

Let's compare this to what happened the last time we got relegated under Madejski's ownership.

In 08/09 we made a net gain of £12.5m when it came to transfers, compared to one of just £1.5m this season. (source: http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/reading-fc/transferbilanz/verein_1032.html). The players we brought in during that summer didn't come close to having the pedigree of those we've brought in over the last few weeks. And the wage bill was lower than what it is now. As soon as we got relegated back then we immediately started reducing operations, there was no talk of a new training ground, scouting was reigned back in to just being conducted regionally, and there was a sense of ambition drifting away from the club hierarchy.

Therefore all this talk of the club 'mugging' us off is a tad reactionary. We have shown considerably more ambition this summer than back in 2008 and have kept together a competitive squad. Anton said when he came in that he was looking for the club to run as a business, and that is what he is doing. He said he wanted 5-7 signings earlier in the summer but that was probably on the assumption that we'd lose a few more players during it.

No doubt the cry will come that I'm just an RTG moron who believes everything the club spews out, but if we look at the cold hard facts Anton coming in has made a significant difference, just perhaps not to the extent that some expected when they read 'Russian billionaire' in the Daily Mail.

[Platypuss]

Yet another "new" thread which will end up going over all the same ground again.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Yet we still read them, and Ian and Melonhead keep oxf*rd posting on every one with the same fecking points repeated

[Fox Talbot]

If we'd managed to win a couple of home games after Jan we'd have gone up in 2008/09!

I thought we kept playing Prem wages that season in the hope of an instant return.

The fire sale started when Coppell left and Rodgers came in (2009/10) and tbh BR was dealt a pretty shit hand.

[winchester_royal]

If we'd managed to win a couple of home games after Jan we'd have gone up in 2008/09!

I thought we kept playing Prem wages that season in the hope of an instant return.

The fire sale started when Coppell left and Rodgers came in (2009/10) and tbh BR was dealt a pretty shit hand.

Not really, we sold £14m worth of players in 08/09

[SCIAG]

What an idiot.

[SPARTA]

AZ's comments today suggest he's as frustrated as we are, probably more so, but he has to dress it up as best he can..

[mumbo-jumbo]

AZ's comments today suggest he's as frustrated as we are, probably more so, but he has to dress it up as best he can..

Do you mean AZ or did you mean to say NA? I think AZ is too busy changing nappies.

[moonwalklikebas]

Seriously FCUK off. If you don't like then don't spend your money, don't come to games. The club will not miss your £500.....(Which btw Pav has just earnt whilst I have been typing this....I bet you hate that )

[Ian Royal]

I suggest having a long hard look at what a bloody marvelous time we've had over the last 15 years at the Mad Stad and give jolly good support and encouragement to the boys and management for a challenging three points.

As if you'll be there...

Wrong again? Oh dear. Don't worry, you'll get something right eventually.

[Ian Royal]

Yet we still read them, and Ian and Melonhead keep oxf*rd posting on every one with the same fecking points repeated

Hardly unique to us. Perhaps if a few people pulled their heads from between their buttocks we'd belt up a bit.