First pre-season friendly announced . . .

[riverroyal]

Looks like we are playing away to Brighton in July . . . .

Kerry Mayo will be rewarded for his service to the club with a testimonial against Reading in July.
Mayo's testimonial was originally scheduled for last summer when we were expected to take on Premiership giants Arsenal although the game had to be cancelled due to the Gunners having to qualify for the Champions League.
But Mayo and the club decided to delay the game until the following summer when they would be able to organise a game against a new club after they were unable to find opposition of a top standard.
Dick Knight and Kerry Mayo both announced that this club would indeed be Reading last night at the Brighton club sponsors evening.
It is not known who is likely to feature in the testimonial with a number of Albion legends of the past and the present likely to play. Names currently floating around include Bobby Zamora, Adam Virgo, Robbie Reinault and possibly Peter Ward

[RG30]

Expect huge queues round the pier of Brighton with them being such a 'massive' club

[Alan Partridge]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Brighton and Hove Albion that MASSIVE, HUGE club that would fill our ground 3 times over are asking to play little ol' Reading for one of their players testimonials.

MASSIVE club.

[Adrian's Fool]

can't imagine the Brighton fans being too thrilled to this news, tbh.

not sure I'm too thrilled either - will hardly be a workout for us given that it's a testimonial. Or is that just sour grapes?

[Stranded]

can't imagine the Brighton fans being too thrilled to this news, tbh.

not sure I'm too thrilled either - will hardly be a workout for us given that it's a testimonial. Or is that just sour grapes?

It's a pre-season friendly so will hardly be a workout anyway so yes it's sour grapes IMO.

[frimleygreen_shotspur]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Brighton and Hove Albion that MASSIVE, HUGE club that would fill our ground 3 times over are asking to play little ol' Reading for one of their players testimonials.

MASSIVE club.

is the same brighton that have played in the top flight for more years than reading and also appeared in an f.a cup final?

[riverroyal]

Yes, the same Brighton who play in Division 3 (league 1), in front of 5,000 fans every week who dont have their own ground!

[Sharpy]

atleast banjax will be able to get a ticket

[T.R.O.L.I.]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Brighton and Hove Albion that MASSIVE, HUGE club that would fill our ground 3 times over are asking to play little ol' Reading for one of their players testimonials.

MASSIVE club.

is the same brighton that have played in the top flight for more years than reading and also appeared in an f.a cup final?

Living in the past - just like the club who on Sunday paraded members of their side from 46 years ago.

[strap]

Steady people - there, but for the grace of Mr Mad and Sir Steve, go we!

Just because it's their turn in the barrel doesn;t give us the right to mickey-take......

Oh all right then! Seeing as it's such a massive club!!! What's the betti Wolves come knocking next for a pre-season friendly!!

[Behindu]

Will be a nice run out for the Academy boys !

[windjammer]

Steady people - there, but for the grace of Mr Mad and Sir Steve, go we!

Just because it's their turn in the barrel doesn;t give us the right to mickey-take......

Oh all right then! Seeing as it's such a massive club!!! What's the betti Wolves come knocking next for a pre-season friendly!!

Agree with the first line. The trouble is that so many of those in the MadStad these days are only in their first or second season. We used to have great games with Swindon (who were also in the top division long before us) and Bournemouth and Oxford, look at them now and think this could be us in 4 years time. Remember the Walsall celebrations at the Millennium Final and how terrible we felt. Now they're happy because they look like getting promoted to League One with our old centre forward. In a few years we could have an expanded 30,000 plus stadium with a regular 10,000 in it. Brighton could have their brand new stadium at Falmer and be pushing for the Premiership. To use old cliches, swings and roundabouts, what goes around comes around.

[AndyRFC]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Brighton and Hove Albion that MASSIVE, HUGE club that would fill our ground 3 times over are asking to play little ol' Reading for one of their players testimonials.

MASSIVE club.

is the same brighton that have played in the top flight for more years than reading and also appeared in an f.a cup final?

is it the same brighton that put six past aldershot?

[3 veesinarow]

Living in the past - just like the club who on Sunday paraded members of their side from 46 years ago.

And we've never lived in the past and paraded old players, of course.

[Farnborough Royal]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Brighton and Hove Albion that MASSIVE, HUGE club that would fill our ground 3 times over are asking to play little ol' Reading for one of their players testimonials.

MASSIVE club.

is the same brighton that have played in the top flight for more years than reading and also appeared in an f.a cup final?

is it the same brighton that put six past aldershot?

Game set and match


You've got a temprary stadium you can't fill,
You can't fill,
You can't fill,
You've got a temprary stadium you can't fill,
Brighton are a MASSIVE club.

Bas Savage is your best player,
Best player,
Best player,
Bas Savage is your best player,
Brighton are a MASSIVE club.

Falmer Stadium wont get built,
Wont get built,
Wont get built,
Falmer Stadium wont get built,
Brighton are a MASSIVE club.

[bassavage]

Bas against his old club!

[AbovetheI]

Yes, the same Brighton who play in Division 3 (league 1), in front of 5,000 fans every week who dont have their own ground!

They'd get 40,000 in the Mad Stad aparantly.

[Banjax]

atleast banjax will be able to get a ticket

YAY im going my mate is their marketing man! The last time he got me comp tickets it was against reading and i was far too vocal for sitting near the boss's


Who's coming beers 'n birds on the beach and then watch the boys thrash Brighton?

[Banjax]

Does your boyfriend

Does your boyfriend

Does your boyfriend know your here?



The brighton crowd are good for a bit of baiting

[RoyalBlue]

Steady people - there, but for the grace of Mr Mad and Sir Steve, go we!

Just because it's their turn in the barrel doesn;t give us the right to mickey-take......

Oh all right then! Seeing as it's such a massive club!!! What's the betti Wolves come knocking next for a pre-season friendly!!

Agree with the first line. The trouble is that so many of those in the MadStad these days are only in their first or second season. We used to have great games with Swindon (who were also in the top division long before us) and Bournemouth and Oxford, look at them now and think this could be us in 4 years time. Remember the Walsall celebrations at the Millennium Final and how terrible we felt. Now they're happy because they look like getting promoted to League One with our old centre forward. In a few years we could have an expanded 30,000 plus stadium with a regular 10,000 in it. Brighton could have their brand new stadium at Falmer and be pushing for the Premiership. To use old cliches, swings and roundabouts, what goes around comes around.

I think those who defend Brighton and criticise those Reading supporters who are now taking the P are either unaware of or forgetting what prompted this sort of reaction.

A few years ago this board was visited by a number of Brighton fans moaning that they hadn't been given enough tickets for their visit to the Mad Stad and stressing how big and successful their club were in contrast to little Reading who had achieved nothing.

By and large I don't believe our fans take the p out of clubs going through bad/hard times. Indeed most of us do remember our roots and have a lot of sympathy for and empathy with them.