Playoffs not as magical

[Millsy]

As a semi-plastic, I remember the game I truly fell for Reading and promised I would never leave the club I love. Reading till I die. It was the 95 playoff. It was incredibly magical. We were a tiny team in a crappy stadium and had never been to those dizzy heights. It was nothing short of a magical experience. We were a couple of hours away from making history: a small club in the world's best league. We went 2-0 and a penalty up and most of us probably thought we were dreaming. It was so magical and unbelievable that the score hadn't really kicked in for me until Bolton equalised and I wonder if the Reading players that day felt the same.

Contrast that with today.

I just don't feel anywhere near that magic or nervousness this time round. We've already been to the promised land and put in a damn good show there. It's no longer some inconceivable magical place. To many (most of the neo-plastics) it's where we belong. And maybe they're right. This time I'm not thinking "oh my God this is too good to be true" but rather "damn, we belong up there, we really ought to win this". And if we don't then as long as we keep Coppell and allow a rebuild over the next 2-3 years we'll likely go up again anyway. So it'll never have the same significance that Wembley '95 had.

I wonder if it's a good thing we're potentially so much more down to earth about it this time as hopefully we won't get all jittery if we're 2-0 up at Wembley. I suspect it will do us good. Who knows.

It just feels so so different.

[Jackson Corner]

I have to agree, I went to Tranmere for the first leg ran on the pitch after the 2nd. This time I could just muster the effort to get me ticket for the home leg. Maybe I'm just getting old and cynical but I'm not that botherd if we go up or stay down. If we go up we will be whipping boys and have to pay £500 to watch it. If we stay down another season of Barnsley, Plymouth and Peterborough to look forward to.

[winchester_royal]

I have to agree, I went to Tranmere for the first leg ran on the pitch after the 2nd. This time I could just muster the effort to get me ticket for the home leg. Maybe I'm just getting old and cynical but I'm not that botherd if we go up or stay down. If we go up we will be whipping boys and have to pay £500 to watch it. If we stay down another season of Barnsley, Plymouth and Peterborough to look forward to.

If you don't like it then don't bother going. Personally I'm as nervous today as I have ever been.

[Rex]

Agree Winchester. If we do not get the result today it will come down to home form. Here's hoping for a spanking day out.

[JYOUNG1300]

as i was only 11 at the wasall final im lookin forward to my 1st real play off adventure! and dreamin of wembley!

[handbags_harris]

Agreed with the sentiments of the thread, however to suggest the Premier League is where we - as in Reading Football Club, the club which has spent all but about 15-20 years of it's league history in the lower ecehlons of professional structure - is a bit far fetched IMO. No club really "belongs" anywhere.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Agreed with the sentiments of the thread, however to suggest the Premier League is where we - as in Reading Football Club, the club which has spent all but about 15-20 years of it's league history in the lower ecehlons of professional structure - is a bit far fetched IMO. No club really "belongs" anywhere.

that's really just the modern football mentality for you. To suggest we belong in the premier is blatantly ridiculous. I think we have the fan base now to make thinking that as a club we ought to be in the championship is reasonable enough, but in the overall pecking order, we are nowhere near being in the top 20. It's would take a huge degree of generosity to even put us in the top 30 - and even then we'd be roughly equal with about 15 other clubs.

[Gordons Cumming]

I agree, I'd love to feel those magical moments again.

It's like growing up I'm afraid, you never feel the same about Xmas as you did when a child.

But then maybe.......................

[Woodcote Royal]

And if we don't then as long as we keep Coppell and allow a rebuild over the next 2-3 years we'll likely go up again anyway. So it'll never have the same significance that Wembley '95 had.

I'm guessing that if Coppell ate you daughters pet hamster you still wouldn't rip his life size picture off your bedroom ceiling.

The day your delusional hero worship of the man responsible for 2 seasons of abject failure ends will probably be the same day that the earth implodes.

Meanwhile, back on this planet that we inhabit, for many, the magic doesn't exist on this occasion for rather more realistic reasons than those offered by someone who still thinks the sun shines from Coppell's backside.

Having failed to win any of our last 8 home games whilst enjoying relegation form since the new year, many will be truly amazed if Steve Coppell rediscovers the ability to get the best out of his squad for long enough to get us back to the Prem over the next few weeks.

Like me, many will not be just delighted but also amazed if we finally win our first play off final. They also know that we should have been promoted automatically a month ago and the fact it didn't happen was down to Coppell, as was last seasons needless relegation.

Whatever division we're in next season, the worst outcome of all would be still having the same manager who has driven this club into the ground over the last 2 years thanks to his shortsighted favoritism and refusal to move on from out dated, well sussed tactics and formations.

[Millsy]

And if we don't then as long as we keep Coppell and allow a rebuild over the next 2-3 years we'll likely go up again anyway. So it'll never have the same significance that Wembley '95 had.

I'm guessing that if Coppell ate you daughters pet hamster you still wouldn't rip his life size picture off your bedroom ceiling.

The day your delusional hero worship of the man responsible for 2 seasons of abject failure ends will probably be the same day that the earth implodes.

Meanwhile, back on this planet that we inhabit, for many, the magic doesn't exist on this occasion for rather more realistic reasons than those offered by someone who still thinks the sun shines from Coppell's backside.

Having failed to win any of our last 8 home games whilst enjoying relegation form since the new year, many will be truly amazed if Steve Coppell rediscovers the ability to get the best out of his squad for long enough to get us back to the Prem over the next few weeks.

Like me, many will not be just delighted but also amazed if we finally win our first play off final. They also know that we should have been promoted automatically a month ago and the fact it didn't happen was down to Coppell, as was last seasons needless relegation.

Whatever division we're in next season, the worst outcome of all would be still having the same manager who has driven this club into the ground over the last 2 years thanks to his shortsighted favoritism and refusal to move on from out dated, well sussed tactics and formations.

Yaaawn.

[Woodcote Royal]

Funnily enough, that's precisely how I feel about the fawning guff that emanates from your keyboard.

[Millsy]

Agreed with the sentiments of the thread, however to suggest the Premier League is where we - as in Reading Football Club, the club which has spent all but about 15-20 years of it's league history in the lower ecehlons of professional structure - is a bit far fetched IMO. No club really "belongs" anywhere.

Oh I agree I don't think we belong anywhere. If anything probably a good League 1 side or at the very very best, thanks to golden years Coppell has given us a good Championship side or a yoyoy Prem<-->Champ club. I'm talking abo0ut the newer fans' mentality only (and some clueless older fans who somehow consider "champ winners --> Prem --> Prem ---> Champ playoffs" as total failure worthy of sacking our manager because we're not an established Prem club )

[Woodcote Royal]

and some clueless older fans who somehow consider "champ winners --> Prem --> Prem ---> Champ playoffs" as total failure worthy of sacking our manager because we're not an established Prem club )

Does that included the delusional types who feel it's outragious to replace a manager who gets his club relegated and think the sun shines from the backside of a manager who has succeeded in relegating many of the clubs he's managed?

[Millsy]

Funnily enough, that's precisely how I feel about the fawning guff that emanates from your keyboard.

I don't feel the same way. It's not *you* I'm yawning at it's the 'argument' that I find too daft to dignify (again) with a response. You write some damn good stuff a lot of the time. Different issues find us different allies/enemies as noone's identical that's all. Apologies for offence.

[Woodcote Royal]

Funnily enough, that's precisely how I feel about the fawning guff that emanates from your keyboard.

I don't feel the same way. It's not *you* I'm yawning at it's the 'argument' that I find too daft to dignify (again) with a response. You write some damn good stuff a lot of the time. Different issues find us different allies/enemies as noone's identical that's all. Apologies for offence.

Fair enough

[rhroyal]

Agreed with the sentiments of the thread, however to suggest the Premier League is where we - as in Reading Football Club, the club which has spent all but about 15-20 years of it's league history in the lower ecehlons of professional structure - is a bit far fetched IMO. No club really "belongs" anywhere.

that's really just the modern football mentality for you. To suggest we belong in the premier is blatantly ridiculous. I think we have the fan base now to make thinking that as a club we ought to be in the championship is reasonable enough, but in the overall pecking order, we are nowhere near being in the top 20. It's would take a huge degree of generosity to even put us in the top 30 - and even then we'd be roughly equal with about 15 other clubs.

There are plenty of clubs in the Premiership who don't "deserve" to be there based on fan base etc. We have every right to try and become like that and grow ourselves.

[PEARCEY]

I too agree with the sentiments of this thread. I reckon a lot others do as well.
HNA seems very flat at the moment. It should be buzzing but its not.

[aardvark]

I agree, '95 was very special. '09 dare I say, feels a bit of a chore. The '95 team surpassed everyone's expectations by a mile, that's probably the main difference. Maybe if we get to Wembley the "buzz" will grow...

[Kitsondinho]

I'm just as nervous as I was in '95,'01 and '03... ...I'm so scared we are gonna be behind at the end of the game today. I can't see us changing our home form on Tuesday.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Agreed with the sentiments of the thread, however to suggest the Premier League is where we - as in Reading Football Club, the club which has spent all but about 15-20 years of it's league history in the lower ecehlons of professional structure - is a bit far fetched IMO. No club really "belongs" anywhere.

that's really just the modern football mentality for you. To suggest we belong in the premier is blatantly ridiculous. I think we have the fan base now to make thinking that as a club we ought to be in the championship is reasonable enough, but in the overall pecking order, we are nowhere near being in the top 20. It's would take a huge degree of generosity to even put us in the top 30 - and even then we'd be roughly equal with about 15 other clubs.

There are plenty of clubs in the Premiership who don't "deserve" to be there based on fan base etc. We have every right to try and become like that and grow ourselves.

only if overachievement is the benchmark you set when determining where a club "ought to be".

Yes, we should aim to be like them, but around 40-50 other clubs have an equal or better aim. There is no sensible reason to suggest we ought to be doing better than clubs that are equal or bigger than us.

Like I said, it's modern football thinking - a world where overachievement has become thee only level deemed acceptable.