Are we really going down this season

[Snowflake Royal]

Had it on good authority (albeit 2nd hand) that 7 players have been released this morning. Sorry I have no names, merely that number. Probably pretty easy to make an educated guess. I would have thought there would have been more than that, but maybe more will follow as the window develops?

Seems unlikely given we'd have to pay up their contracts anyway and considering how many injuries we've got.

An imagine 7 being told they can go, but that’s obvs different to being released

Yeah, that's believable (and not enough).

[Jackson Corner]

"... I have suffered some really miserable times including the club folding altogether..."

Uh?

1983 when Maxwell wanted to merge with Oxford. Trust me for a few months it really looked like the end for Reading.

[strap]

We have lost 8 homes league games already this season out of 13 played to date, that's 62%.

We have lost 11 home games twice in a 46 game season, which is 11/23 or 48%, and 10 home games twice (43%).
We also have a 10 defeats in a 44 game season (45% and relegated), and a 9 in 38 game season (47% and relegated).

So yes, I reckon we really are going down this season.

To be fair, in the 46 games seasons noted above, we finished 17th, 24th, 20th and 19th so actually only relegated once - but if the current 62% is reflected in the remaining games v. the 48% then we are surely doomed - doomed I say!

[genome]

Had it on good authority (albeit 2nd hand) that 7 players have been released this morning. Sorry I have no names, merely that number. Probably pretty easy to make an educated guess. I would have thought there would have been more than that, but maybe more will follow as the window develops?

Seems unlikely given we'd have to pay up their contracts anyway and considering how many injuries we've got.

An imagine 7 being told they can go, but that’s obvs different to being released

This whole "being told they can go" business seems a bit weird to me. I figure we've already had some contact from other clubs. Otherwise you're assuming another club is going to be able to come in for the player, if not the player is stuck here and knows he's not wanted. And that's going to make the whole atmosphere amongst the squad even worse...

[Snowflake Royal]

Seems unlikely given we'd have to pay up their contracts anyway and considering how many injuries we've got.

An imagine 7 being told they can go, but that’s obvs different to being released

This whole "being told they can go" business seems a bit weird to me. I figure we've already had some contact from other clubs. Otherwise you're assuming another club is going to be able to come in for the player, if not the player is stuck here and knows he's not wanted. And that's going to make the whole atmosphere amongst the squad even worse...

There's an element of telling a player they're not wanted so their agent can go trawling for options and putting them out there actively.

[Glory Boy]

agree with all of that except

Instead they make the worst appointment in the clubs history

we literally have no idea how good he is, or how good a job he will do.

defo think we would have done better with someone with championship experience who can get shit teams organised to grind out the required results though

If only Steve Bruce had been available....oh wait.

His halcyon days were during the early cretaceous epoch along with other tiresome,lumbering roamers Alan Pardew , Mark Hughes and Steve McClaren.

[Hound]

An imagine 7 being told they can go, but that’s obvs different to being released

This whole "being told they can go" business seems a bit weird to me. I figure we've already had some contact from other clubs. Otherwise you're assuming another club is going to be able to come in for the player, if not the player is stuck here and knows he's not wanted. And that's going to make the whole atmosphere amongst the squad even worse...

There's an element of telling a player they're not wanted so their agent can go trawling for options and putting them out there actively.

Yep, or just telling them straight they aren’t going to be involved in the first team so if they want to play, find another club

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yep, time to move on, its nearly the 20 20’s now, the old duffers and usual suspects have had their days.

Div One or not, let’s regroup and build.....maybe the PorkanCheese axeman is what is needed.

Top of Div One = bigger crowds and more excitement and local interest than the lower echelons of the Chump......maybe

[Lower West]

There's an element of telling a player they're not wanted so their agent can go trawling for options and putting them out there actively.

Nor will they train with the first team squad.

[tmesis]

Top of Div One = bigger crowds and more excitement and local interest than the lower echelons of the Chump......maybe

It seems a pretty big assumption to say going down would see us challenge for promotion next year. Even if we kick out all the players who are either crap or not pulling their weight, we'd still need to do a major rebuilding job to create a side that would escape League One.

It could easily be a four or five year stay at level, or even worse.

[AthleticoSpizz]

.....maybe

[Royal_jimmy]

I think we'll be back to the early Alan Pardew and millennial Mad Stad days of regular 8K league attendances if we fail to beat the drop and next year starts with this same dross pathetic excuse of players. I go with ST holders for over 15 years and their patience like mine is starting to run out.

Something fundamental just has to change within the club. Things have been poor since McDermott's first stint and have progressively worsened apart from our false 3rd season. I wonder what poor John Madejski is feeling about this situation right now. All his hard work and shrewd management being ripped apart.

[genome]

This whole "being told they can go" business seems a bit weird to me. I figure we've already had some contact from other clubs. Otherwise you're assuming another club is going to be able to come in for the player, if not the player is stuck here and knows he's not wanted. And that's going to make the whole atmosphere amongst the squad even worse...

There's an element of telling a player they're not wanted so their agent can go trawling for options and putting them out there actively.

Yep, or just telling them straight they aren’t going to be involved in the first team so if they want to play, find another club

But who's going to come in for them on the nonsense contracts Gourlay has apparently been giving out?

[Snowflake Royal]

There's an element of telling a player they're not wanted so their agent can go trawling for options and putting them out there actively.

Yep, or just telling them straight they aren’t going to be involved in the first team so if they want to play, find another club

But who's going to come in for them on the nonsense contracts Gourlay has apparently been giving out?

Someone is more likely to if they're told they're not wanted and are looking themselves too. Plus they're more likely to take a pay cut if they know they won't play or train with the first team.

[genome]

Yep, or just telling them straight they aren’t going to be involved in the first team so if they want to play, find another club

But who's going to come in for them on the nonsense contracts Gourlay has apparently been giving out?

Someone is more likely to if they're told they're not wanted and are looking themselves too. Plus they're more likely to take a pay cut if they know they won't play or train with the first team.

True, also, I guess Reading could pay a percentage of their wage at the new club, to get them off the books.

If that's a thing that happens in real life and not just on Football Manager...

[Stranded]

But who's going to come in for them on the nonsense contracts Gourlay has apparently been giving out?

Someone is more likely to if they're told they're not wanted and are looking themselves too. Plus they're more likely to take a pay cut if they know they won't play or train with the first team.

True, also, I guess Reading could pay a percentage of their wage at the new club, to get them off the books.

If that's a thing that happens in real life and not just on Football Manager...

This - would imagine we will see a fair number leave on loan initially with us paying around 50% or more of their wages.

[Hound]

Rumours of trying to come to an agreement with Edwards to terminate contract. Possibly true with McShane as well

Likely to have to pay a percentage of wages, as we have with Joey I think, to loan a few of the others out

[Maneki Neko]

I think we'll be back to the early Alan Pardew and millennial Mad Stad days of regular 8K league attendances if we fail to beat the drop and next year starts with this same dross pathetic excuse of players. I go with ST holders for over 15 years and their patience like mine is starting to run out.

Something fundamental just has to change within the club. Things have been poor since McDermott's first stint and have progressively worsened apart from our false 3rd season. I wonder what poor John Madejski is feeling about this situation right now. All his hard work and shrewd management being ripped apart.

if I were him id be very much feeling ever so slightly smug after the appalling treatment he received from fans at the end, chanting about him stealing all the premiere league money etc.
not that he would feel smug because he cares about the club too much, but hed have a right to

[Maneki Neko]

Well if people would stop arguing against the poor quality of the appointment by saying 'but we don't know yet', it would probably get mentioned less.

I get the concerns, but not sure it has to be binary. Battle lines drawn in the sand, etc. There's some middle ground. For example, even if he's successful, it would still have been a 'bold and risky appointment' at the time, in my mind. That won't change, regardless.

Yeah, success doesn't change the quality of the initial appointment. I don't think I'm making it binary (or boolean).

[Vision]

Rumours of trying to come to an agreement with Edwards to terminate contract. Possibly true with McShane as well

Likely to have to pay a percentage of wages, as we have with Joey I think, to loan a few of the others out

To be fair why not bite the bullet and do precisely that with a chunk of them.

Get them out of the club and gone. Our recruitment for the most part has been pretty abysmal for several seasons now. Admit we've oxf*rd that up, take the pain and stop those players stinking the place out. Then we can move forward, work out which of the younger players we believe can still come good. We can then compose a transfer/recruitment plan specifically about what we need rather than a policy which seemed to mean we bought in some that the CEO wanted, some that the DOF wanted and some that the manager wanted. It's been a hotch-potch for too long.

IF Strap's rumour from above is true then that would be a start.