Murty testimonial

[Vision]

I think its very rare for any player to stay at a club now for 10 years, for me I'd like to see him get a testimonial. Not for him to get the money but for the fans to get a chance to say thanks. Anyone who has met Murty and seen how he has had passion for the club, wouldnt question it. Its a shame that Madejski just sees it as a money issue, I'd rather him say we'll give him it but the money will go to charity. Maybe Murty won't be remembered as one of our great quality players, but nobody can question his commitment and love for the club. He took us into the premiership as captain and you can see his influence since he has come back, I hope the club change their mind on this one and we can have a big game at the Madstad and give the fans a chance to say thanks.

I think Mr M.U.R.T.Y is well aware of how much esteem he is held in by the fans. It is quite literally spelled out for him every Saturday.

[Stranded]

If people want to mark Murty's 10 years at the club when it gets here then I have no problem with people organising events to celebrate that. Charity dinners etc.

The problem in my eyes with a testimonial match these days is twofold:

1. Players earn more in a week than many of us in a year.

2. Even if the game was for charity, I feel there is almost too many charity games going on these days and this could lead to fatigue among many people.

[M4 Junction 11]

Please can we all agree one thing and move on ...
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY ANYMORE
that will go to charity

[Gordons Cumming]

Here's an unpopular solution - Don't offer Murty a new contract, then he won't be eligible for a testimonial

Murts has been a loyal well paid servent for the club.

Now, If a charity event could be organised that would pay for itself through ticket sales/sponsorship/media coverage with profits going to charity I suspect Mr Mad will be more in favour it, the risk to the main risk for the club would be allowing the players to take part.

Spot on.

Also, I believe, in the lower divisions Murty was on a very comfortable wage.

Good bloke who is probably very embarrassed about all this publicity.

[Woodcote Royal]

Please can we all agree one thing and move on ...
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY ANYMORE
that will go to charity

I don't agree.

I'd sooner Murty got a substantial sum from a well deserved testimonial than an extended contract at the age of 32.

I don't mind paying £15 out of my own pocket to help fund the retirement of a player who has given 10 years loyal service to RFC whereas, I begrudged every penny of my hard earned that went to that lazy waster Goater and the arrogant w@nker who gave him a 3 year contract weeks before he walked out on the club.

As football supporters, many of us contribute a large percentage of our comparatively small incomes to players who earn thousands of pounds a week.

The cost of a testimonial match ticket is just a drop in the ocean compared to what I spend supporting RFC but it would be going to one of the few players who has given us 10 years loyal service and one has to wonder how many more we are likely see in future given the mercenary nature of the modern game.

The only chance of Murty getting a testimonial is if the fans really want it to take place and I appreciate that the majority here don't want him to make any money of such an event............fair enough, I respect that.

But, I think some of you should consider how much you've wasted down the years on those who have shown us no loyalty and/or haven't produced the goods on the pitch and, how little extra it would cost to say a very nice "thank you and goodbye" to someone who has never given us less than 100% since the day he walked through the door nearly a decade ago.

[Stranded]

Whilst I respect your opinion Woodcote, I personally would begrudge paying £15 to watch what would basically be a friendly against either an uninterested foreign club or a bunch of old ex-footballers and celebrities.

Yes, I respect Murty greatly and am glad he looks like seeing out 10 years here but I don't see why we should be expected to fork out more of our money to show that to a player who would have been on a pretty healthy wage since the time he joined us. Even on say £2k a week thats over £100k a year. A sum that it would take a lot on this board 4 or 5 years to make.

The respect and gratitude he gets from me involves me chanting his name on the pitch during a competitve match and thats it.

[Dirk Gently]

Whilst I respect your opinion Woodcote, I personally would begrudge paying £15 to watch what would basically be a friendly against either an uninterested foreign club or a bunch of old ex-footballers and celebrities.

Yes, I respect Murty greatly and am glad he looks like seeing out 10 years here but I don't see why we should be expected to fork out more of our money to show that to a player who would have been on a pretty healthy wage since the time he joined us. Even on say £2k a week thats over £100k a year. A sum that it would take a lot on this board 4 or 5 years to make.

The respect and gratitude he gets from me involves me chanting his name on the pitch during a competitve match and thats it.

That's called freedom of choice and you're perfectly welcome to exercise that option not to support anything that's arranged.

[Woodcote Royal]

Whilst I respect your opinion Woodcote, I personally would begrudge paying £15 to watch what would basically be a friendly against either an uninterested foreign club or a bunch of old ex-footballers and celebrities.

Yes, I respect Murty greatly and am glad he looks like seeing out 10 years here but I don't see why we should be expected to fork out more of our money to show that to a player who would have been on a pretty healthy wage since the time he joined us. Even on say £2k a week thats over £100k a year. A sum that it would take a lot on this board 4 or 5 years to make.

The respect and gratitude he gets from me involves me chanting his name on the pitch during a competitve match and thats it.

If that's the majority view it won't happen but it will do nothing to foster the kind of loyalty that many fans demand from their players and might see our captain electing to take a longer contract elsewhere if we (rightly in my view) only offer him a one year contract.

There are precious few Phil Parkinson's and Graeme Murty's left in the game as it is, and if the cost of one cheap match ticket it too much for fans to reward this rare loyalty, there will be even less in the future.

[Forbury Lion]

Whilst I respect your opinion Woodcote, I personally would begrudge paying £15 to watch what would basically be a friendly against either an uninterested foreign club or a bunch of old ex-footballers and celebrities.

I guess a testimonial is the better option for you then as you can choose not to pay the £15 and stay at home instead.

[Alan Partridge]

I hope I never have to say this again, I agree with woodcote Royal

Every fan goes on about this word 'loyalty' that there isn't any left in the game, players just move about for money, so when there is a rare case of it (Parky, Murts) why not reward it?

Murty has been Mr RFC and is along with Parky the most popular player I've seen at this club. His performances have been consistently excellent over a number of years and he has captained the most succesful team in this clubs 135 year history.

If we can't reward that with a one off game to say 'Thanks' then there is something majorly wrong.

Knowing what Murts is like I am certain he would donate a large portion of the money to charity(s)

Also the day Murts leaves this club will be a sad one, similar to when Parky went.

[Gordons Cumming]

Also the day Murts leaves this club will be a sad one, similar to when Parky went.

Personally, I couldn;t give a damn.

Move on.

[Vision]

Please can we all agree one thing and move on ...
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY ANYMORE
that will go to charity

I don't agree.

I'd sooner Murty got a substantial sum from a well deserved testimonial than an extended contract at the age of 32.

I don't mind paying £15 out of my own pocket to help fund the retirement of a player who has given 10 years loyal service to RFC whereas, I begrudged every penny of my hard earned that went to that lazy waster Goater and the arrogant w@nker who gave him a 3 year contract weeks before he walked out on the club.

As football supporters, many of us contribute a large percentage of our comparatively small incomes to players who earn thousands of pounds a week.

The cost of a testimonial match ticket is just a drop in the ocean compared to what I spend supporting RFC but it would be going to one of the few players who has given us 10 years loyal service and one has to wonder how many more we are likely see in future given the mercenary nature of the modern game.

The only chance of Murty getting a testimonial is if the fans really want it to take place and I appreciate that the majority here don't want him to make any money of such an event............fair enough, I respect that.

But, I think some of you should consider how much you've wasted down the years on those who have shown us no loyalty and/or haven't produced the goods on the pitch and, how little extra it would cost to say a very nice "thank you and goodbye" to someone who has never given us less than 100% since the day he walked through the door nearly a decade ago.

I appreciate your sentiments but to say that Murty has given 100% since he walked through the door is, to put it kindly, open to debate. It was a running joke at the club at that time that Murts was permanently in the treatment room long after he'd recovered from his injuries . That was after the club had paid 700k and whatever wages he was on during the Howe/Burns gravy train era. He only started really performing for us when the clubs fortunes started to turn ( under the arrogant w@nker you referred to earlier ).

I'd argue that Murty contributed less to the club during his first 2 years than the "lazy waster" Goater did.

I wouldn't ( and couldn't ) knock what he's done since then and appreciate how strongly people feel about him but i remember his initial years as being far less auspicious than some would suggest.

[Woodcote Royal]

I can't believe that you are seriously suggesting we take loyalty points from Murty because he was on the long term injured list when he first arrived.

As I've said, it will only happen if the fans want it to take place and, if your view prevails, I believe it can only foster the kind of loyalty we saw from a certain arrogant w@nker.

[Y25]

for someone who lives in woodcoteyou make alot of sense


Why should Mr Mad decide if he gets one?

If people don't want to go DON'T GO

[Dirk Gently]

I can't believe that you are seriously suggesting we take loyalty points from Murty because he was on the long term injured list when he first arrived.

Why not? Any fan who misses a match becuase the've got flu can give up their Royalty points for that game, too.....

[Dirk Gently]

Why should Mr Mad decide if he gets one?

In a nutshell, he doesn't - one can be arranged by the supporters if JM is against it - all Jm can do is stop the players playing and not allow the MadStad to be used.

I'm sure we could rent out another gound for the night to hold a testimonial - but once something like that happened it would almost certainly shame JM into changing his mind (again!).

[Stranded]

But loyalty is a very strange beast these days.

Murty has been rewarded for his loyalty with further contracts and undoubtedly is earning far more money now than he ever was and would likely to earn elsewhere. He has never been a player that has stood out but has been Mr Consistancy who quite possibly never attracted better offers from elsewhere to tempt him away.

As I've said, I have nothing against marking his service for the club and have nothing but respect for the man but feel that the testimonial is just an outdated way of doing this.

[biscuitsrus]

I have NOT followed this thread all through but wanted to express my anger at JM.

My anger would be tempered if I knew what Murtz thoughts were and if he was to get a testimonial at the end of his playing days with us.

Song;

John Madejski tradgic
He wears a scrooge's hat

And for our captains service
he sh@gged him up the @rse.

[Vision]

I can't believe that you are seriously suggesting that we take loyalty points from Murty because he was on the long term injured list when he first arrived.

As I've said, it will only happen if the fans want it to take place and, if your view prevails, I believe it will only foster the kind of loyalty we saw from a certain arrogant w@nker.

I'm suggesting that Graeme Murty did not give 100% from the moment he walked through the door and for a fair chunk of his first season or 2 was quite happy taking his money whilst contribution little towards a team that desperately needed it.

Graeme Murty is a professional footballer who if given the opportunity to better himself financially and professionally would have left like a shot.

I don't want this to turn into an anti-Murty tirade because it isn't, but i remember his early days at this club and i don't think he quite warrants the "Saint" status a lot of this thread implies.

I'm aware of course that most people disagree with me.

[Dirk Gently]

So what else should he have done when injured?